The 2025 rookie class produced one of the more electric groups of instant fantasy football contributors in recent memory, and now every one of these players enters 2026 with a full season of NFL tape, an offseason to build on their role, and, in most cases, a clearer runway to more usage. Below is the 2026 fantasy football outlook for second-year running backs.
- 2026 Fantasy Football Expert Rankings
- Fantasy Football Dynasty Rankings
- Fantasy Football Trade Analyzer
- Best Fantasy Football Rankings
2026 Fantasy Football Draft Advice: Second-Year Running Backs
Let’s take a look at the most fantasy football-relevant second-year running backs in fantasy football drafts. Check out their current rankings and fantasy football outlook for 2026.
Running Backs
This is the deepest and most talented group in the class. Five of these six backs were drafted within the first two rounds, and the rookie running back class as a whole delivered immediate fantasy impact in 2025.
Ashton Jeanty (LV) — RB6, Overall RK12, Bye: 13
Ashton Jeanty will be seen as a disappointment for fantasy managers exiting his rookie season. It wasn’t a failure, but you can make the argument that, because of his talent and the hype, it didn’t live up to lofty expectations. Jeanty was the RB15 in fantasy points per game, finishing with 321 touches and 1,321 total yards. He ranked fifth in snap share, first in opportunity share, seventh in weighted opportunities, and 15th in red zone touches. Among 49 qualifying backs, Jeanty ranked 16th in missed tackle rate and 17th in yards after contact per attempt (per Fantasy Points Data). The ecosystem surrounding Jeanty stunk. The Raiders were 31st in red zone scoring attempts per game and 30th in yards per play. Among those 49 qualifying backs previously, Jeanty had the second-fewest yards before contact per attempt (1.28), and 65% of his rushing yards came after first contact. With Klint Kubiak in town, Fernando Mendoza or Kirk Cousins at the helm, a healthy Brock Bowers, and improved blocking up front, Jeanty could be poised to post a strong RB1 season in his second season.
Omarion Hampton (LAC) — RB10, Overall RK20, Bye: 7
Last year, Omarion Hampton‘s rookie season was derailed by an ankle injury in Week 5. When he came back, he wasn’t close to 100% healthy and had only one game with over a 55% snap rate. Any games after Week 4 last year, I’m just tossing in the trash because that wasn’t the “real” Hampton. In 2025, in Weeks 1-4, Hampton averaged 17 touches and 95 total yards as the RB13 in fantasy points per game. In that small sample of games, he posted a 7.4% explosive run rate, a 19% missed tackle rate, and 2.54 yards after contact per attempt (per Fantasy Points Data). If he had kept up that pace the entire year in those three categories, he would have ranked fourth, tenth, and eighth in those categories (minimum 100 carries). Those are impressive numbers and speak to his talent and upside in 2026 as Mike McDaniel’s possible bellcow. Hampton also contributed through the air in his first four NFL games with a 10.1% target share, 27.5 receiving yards per game, and 1.12 yards per route run. McDaniel is sure to get Hampton involved through the air after designing offenses of the last three seasons that have ranked third, third, and seventh in target share to the running back position. Yes, I know that Hampton isn’t De’Von Achane, but this is still a feather in Hampton’s cap. Hampton should be a rock-solid RB1 with massive upside in 2026.
Quinshon Judkins (CLE) — RB20, Overall RK52, Bye: 11
Quinshon Judkins had off-the-field and contract issues last year, entering his rookie season, which caused him to miss training camp and not start the season until Week 2. Once he was on the field, he was Cleveland’s workhorse back until suffering an ankle and fibula fracture in Week 16. In Weeks 2-15, he was the RB26 in fantasy points per game (RB22 in expected fantasy points per game), averaging 18.7 touches and 72.8 total yards. I wasn’t high on Judkins as a prospect, as his per-touch efficiency in college wasn’t amazing. He didn’t debunk that trend in his rookie season, either. Among 49 qualifying backs, he ranked 40th in explosive run rate, 33rd in missed tackle rate, and 26th in yards after contact per attempt (per Fantasy Points Data). In his defense, Judkins’ offensive line didn’t do him any favors last season. Among those 49 backs, Judkins had the fifth-highest mark of yards after first contact, with 62.2% of his rushing yards coming after first contact, and he had the fourth-fewest yards before contact per attempt, with only Cam Skattebo, Ashton Jeanty, and Zach Charbonnet seeing less runway with the ball in their hands. With a rebuilt offensive line to run behind in 2026, hopefully better quarterback play in front of him (fingers crossed), and more scoring opportunities, Judkins could return RB2 production this season.
TreVeyon Henderson (NE) — RB23, Overall RK58, Bye: 11
TreVeyon Henderson finished his rookie season as the RB24 in fantasy points per game, but it wasn’t nearly that productive for fantasy managers when you look at the full breakdown of how it unfolded. In Weeks 10-11, Rhamondre Stevenson wasn’t active, and Henderson feasted with 60.3 combined PPR points, which accounted for 29.2% of his overall fantasy production for the season. If you take those two monster games out of the equation, Henderson would have averaged 9.8 PPR points per game, which would have made him the RB33 in fantasy points per game. Without Stevenson in the lineup in Weeks 9-11, Henderson averaged 19 touches and 110 total yards. With Stevenson active, Henderson had 11.2 touches and 57.2 total yards per game. This isn’t to shade Henderson, but I’m trying to give context to his rookie season that will be overlooked at first glance. I don’t know how Henderson overtakes Stevenson in 2026 if both of these players continue to post per-touch efficiency metrics like they did last season. Last year, Henderson was bested by Stevenson in every metric that I care about, namely explosive run rate, missed tackle rate, yards after contact per attempt, yards per route run, and pass protection stats. Among 49 qualifying backs, Henderson ranked 12th in explosive run rate, but he was also 32nd in missed tackle rate and 42nd in yards after contact per attempt (per Fantasy Points Data). Henderson could eat into Stevenson’s workload more in 2026 if he can take another step and payoff as an RB2, but he ‘s best viewed as an upside RB3.
Bhayshul Tuten (JAC) — RB25, Overall RK64, Bye: 7
With Travis Etienne gone, Bhayshul Tuten will compete with Chris Rodriguez to be the lead back for the Jaguars in 2026. I want to bet on Tuten this year and his talent. Last year, Tuten was unfortunately robbed of the stretch run of his rookie season as he was sidelined by a finger injury. Before the injury, he was starting to make some noise. This could be the big breakout season for Tuten, who, on a per-touch basis, flashed the immense talent that I really liked when he was in college. Last season, among 55 qualifying backs, he ranked fifth in rushing success rate, 11th in missed tackle rate, and 17th in yards after contact per attempt. Rodriguez will remain a worry for Tuten at the goal line and to his overall touch count until we see his role fleshed out this season, but if he can be the clear lead guy, he has the talent to match Etienne’s RB13 finish last year in fantasy points per game.
RJ Harvey (DEN) — RB32, Overall RK89, Bye: 10
R.J. Harvey’s rookie season was a tale of two seasons centered around J.K. Dobbins being in the lineup and out of it. In Weeks 1-10, Harvey was the RB29 in fantasy points per game, averaging 29.1% of the snaps played with 7.5 touches and 38.9 total yards per game. In Weeks 11-18, with Dobbins out, he was the RB13 in fantasy points per game with 16.8 touches and 72.5 total yards per game while averaging 60.7% of the snaps played. With Dobbins back and Denver drafting Jonah Coleman, Harvey’s role is up in the air. He could easily fall back into last year’s early-season role as passing down partner with Dobbins, or this backfield could get messy with all three backs playing and the production getting divided up. Harvey was awesome overall last season as a receiving option, but he struggled on early downs. As a pass catcher, he ranked sixth in target per route run rate and first downs per route run and tenth in yards per route run (per Fantasy Points Data). As a rusher, among 49 qualifying backs, he was 21st in missed tackle rate but 42nd in explosive run rate and 44th in yards after contact per attempt. Harvey is a decent selection in fantasy drafts this season, but in 2026, I won’t go out of my way to get him on all my teams like last year.
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | SoundCloud | iHeartRadio