Fantasy Football Mock Draft: Zero RB Strategy (2026)

The Zero RB draft strategy gained steam many years ago and became increasingly popular as starting running backs got injured and late-round running backs became league winners. Over the past few years, however, the strategy has cooled off considerably. We’ve seen a decrease in major injuries among star running backs and greater consistency in that group, leading to a shift in priorities. One could argue that it’s necessary to draft running backs early and secure a stud at the position, but with the acquisition cost as high as ever, it makes for an interesting time to zig while others zag. Let’s take a look at a fantasy football mock draft using this strategy.

Fantasy Football Mock Draft

Is Zero RB viable in 2026? I put together a mock draft from the nine-spot for you to decide.

The general rule of thumb for a Zero RB draft is to wait until round six to grab a running back, while building an elite team at every other position. Although I wouldn’t blame anyone who wanted to sneak a running back through in round five, I opted to tack on another receiver and push my RB1 spot into round six.

Round 1.09: Amon-Ra St. Brown (WR – DET)/Round 2.04: Justin Jefferson (WR – MIN)

After grabbing Amon-Ra St. Brown with the ninth overall pick, I was fortunate to see Justin Jefferson on the board at pick 16. While you could make a case for Josh Allen or Brock Bowers here, I prefer a double wide receiver start in this scenario.

With 10 running backs going in the first 14 picks, I’m thrilled to get two of the top six receivers in the draft. CeeDee Lamb and Drake London are worthwhile selections here if Jefferson is off the board in order to double up on receivers early.

Round 3.09: Lamar Jackson (QB – BAL)

Lamar Jackson is coming off the worst statistical season of his career since cementing himself as the Ravens’ starter, finishing as the QB15 in fantasy points per game (PPG), but that is an extreme outlier on his resume, otherwise filled with QB1 seasons. Getting him a round and a half after Josh Allen is a win.

Round 4.04: Colston Loveland (TE – CHI)

Brock Bowers and Trey McBride are special and deserve to be the top two tight ends off the board, but Colston Loveland is dripping with upside. He has a path to leading the explosive Bears passing attack with the potential to go nuclear and finish as the TE1 overall. Pairing him with Jackson gives me elite options at the onesie positions, and that’s what Zero RB is all about.

Stefon Diggs‘ recent address change to the nation’s capital may impact Terry McLaurin‘s average draft position (ADP), but McLaurin still boasts very strong projections this season.

Round 5.09: Terry McLaurin (WR – WSH)

Even in a down season last year, for both McLaurin and Washington’s offense, he remained incredibly efficient and should be in line for a big bounce-back season. At this spot in the draft, I anticipate a run on receivers before my next pic,k so I’m happy to solidify the position before diving into the running back pool.

Round 6.04: Jadarian Price (RB – SEA)

Admittedly, I’m a bit lower than consensus on Jadarian Price, but grabbing him in round six of a Zero RB build is good for business. Based on what we saw from Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet last season, the Seahawks prefer to deploy multiple running backs in a shared backfield.

The training camp signals we’ve received thus far would indicate the same, but there’s no doubt that Price is a superior runner to George Holani and Emanuel Wilson. Although Charbonnet’s return from an ACL tear looms, there’s no guarantee when he will be back or if he’ll be the same player. A first-round pick in a good offense and a clear path to playing time is a good bet to make here.

Round 7.09: Jordan Mason (RB – MIN)

One of my favorite running back targets this season is Jordan Mason. He’s someone I want to ensure I get on my Zero RB teams. Not only has he received a heap of praise throughout training camp, but Aaron Jones is another year older and less efficient.

If you look closely, Mason was far better than advertised last season, despite the relatively disappointing fantasy numbers. His 4.6 true yards per carry were good for the 13th-best mark in the NFL and are even more impressive when considering his actual yards per carry of 4.8.

Despite the dumpster fire around him, also known as the Vikings’ offense, Mason ranked third in explosive run rate, ninth in success rate and 10th in missed tackles forced over the last eight weeks of the season.

The Vikings were 26th in scoring last year but are expected to be vastly improved this year. Kyler Murray will provide a boost, as mobile quarterbacks historically result in an efficiency bump in running back rushing yards. Mason’s only real limitation is through the air, but he should accumulate a lot of yardage and own a whole lot of touchdown equity.

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Round 8.04: Jonathon Brooks (RB – CAR)

It’s rare that a player can gain so much steam after rushing for five yards on three carries in the first preseason game, but the wind has been at Jonathon Brooks‘ back for the last few weeks.

I wrote about Brooks as a Zero RB target earlier this month, but Chuba Hubbard‘s hamstring injury has greased the wheels for Brooks to hop in the driver’s seat of the Panthers’ backfield. Seeing the third-year pro out of Texas healthy on Saturday is icing on the cake, regardless of the production.

Hubbard is a quality player, but he was displaced by Rico Dowdle as the starter last season. Brooks, on the other hand, was a terrific prospect with workhorse potential, even after tearing his ACL in his final collegiate season.

It’s been a long road back after he tore the same ACL in his third NFL game, but word out of Carolina is that he’s healthy and ready to go. The injury risk will always linger, but the upside case makes Brooks an ideal Zero RB target.

Round 9.09: Rachaad White (RB – TB)

Jacory Croskey-Merritt, drafted 87th overall in this mock, is a superior runner to Rachaad White, but would it be surprising to see the inefficient White take the bulk of the work, catch a ton of passes and fall forward into the end zone consistently throughout the season?

I have long faded White, dating back to his days as a breakout player in Tampa Bay, but coaches love what he brings, and he’s always a factor in the passing game. Croskey-Merritt is entirely unproven as a pass-catcher after registering just 13 targets and nine receptions in 17 games last season.

I like the explosiveness that Croskey-Merritt brings, but I’m skeptical he will do enough to keep White off the field, particularly on third downs. I’m not opposed to taking a shot on either player, as the Commanders should boast a strong offense and provide an opportunity for one of them to outproduce their ADP.

Round 10.04: Chris Rodriguez Jr. (RB – JAX)

I’ve quietly been a fan of Chris Rodriguez Jr.‘s game since he entered the NFL, and he will now have an opportunity to take on a big role in Liam Coen’s offense. The six-round difference in ADP between Bhayshul Tuten and Rodriguez would indicate that Tuten is the unquestioned leader of the backfield, and while he is the favorite, the workload is still up for grabs.

Rodriguez may be a stronger bet in best ball formats, as his spike weeks could be difficult to project, but he’s a hammer around the goal line and has familiarity with Coen dating back to their days together at Kentucky. The Jaguars converted third downs just 32.4% of the time when handing the ball off last season, the second-lowest mark in the NFL.

Rodriguez is the type of player who can change that. “Rushing yards over expected and yards after contact is what I give a crap about personally,” Coen said earlier this year. Coincidentally, or not, Rodriguez finished third in rushing yards over expected while finishing in the top five in yards after contact per attempt, success rate and broken tackle rate.

In a Zero RB draft where we are taking fliers, Rodriguez is certainly worth the click in round 10.

Round 11.09: MarShawn Lloyd (RB – GB)

As the top handcuff running backs are flying off the board, I grab my sixth straight running back to continue stacking potential breakout players at the position. Like Brooks, MarShawn Lloyd was a very good prospect who has been dealt a tough hand of injuries.

While we’ve seen little of him on an NFL field, let’s not forget that Lloyd runs a 4.46 40-yard dash in a 5-foot-9, 220-pound frame. His speed score of 111.2 at the combine placed him in the 93rd percentile for running backs.

All indications out of Green Bay suggest Lloyd is healthy and has been flashing throughout training camp. He’s a complete projection at this point, having played just 10 NFL snaps through two seasons, but Josh Jacobs began to show signs of decline last season and could be facing a suspension pending his legal matters.

Lloyd has the talent to take the fantasy football world by storm and should be a priority for Zero RB drafters.

Round 12.04: Makai Lemon (WR – PHI)/Round 13.09: Jalen Coker (WR – CAR)

One of the biggest benefits of Zero RB is that the depth of wide receivers will trickle through to the end of the draft. In reality, a first-round rookie receiver shouldn’t be available in the 12th round, but here we are.

Makai Lemon does not come without concern, as he’s nursing an injury and will step into a run-first offense, but he’s the perfect type of receiver to add late in the draft after hitting running back for six straight rounds.

Jalen Coker is one of the most underrated players in fantasy football. He’s the unquestioned number two target in the Panthers’ offense and has been efficient in his previous opportunities. Although a quad strain shortened his season last year, he posted 9.2 yards per target and 2.10 fantasy points per target, good for the 19th- and 12th-best marks in the NFL, respectively.