Fantasy football running back rankings
58 running backs, ordered by where drafters are taking them in PPR scoring.
Updated Oct 7, 2026 at 9:26 PM ET
PPR RB: drafters are taking Jahmyr Gibbs first on the board, ahead of the other 57 running backs ranked here. 47 of these running backs already carry a live player market, and those figures come from the market rather than a draft-order guess.
Running back is the steepest position in fantasy football because the workload is concentrated: the back who takes the carries and the goal line work scores far more than the man behind him on the same team, and that split can change in a single week.
Week 5 RB rankings
The top 12 for week 5, ordered by market-based projected points rather than by where anyone was drafted. All week 5 RB rankings.
| # | Player | Proj. pts | Matchup | Bye | Market |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Jahmyr GibbsRB DET | 26.0 | @ ARI22nd most RB pts allowed | 6 | 90.5 rush yds, 37.6 rec yds, 4.6 catches, 76% TD |
| 2 |  Bijan RobinsonRB ATL | 22.1 | vs. BAL18th most RB pts allowed | 11 | 89.6 rush yds, 26.5 rec yds, 3.5 catches, 69% TD |
| 3 |  Jonathan TaylorRB IND | 19.2 | @ PIT13th most RB pts allowed | 13 | 88.5 rush yds, 15.5 rec yds, 2.6 catches, 64% TD |
| 4 |  Christian McCaffreyRB SF | 18.5 | @ SEA20th most RB pts allowed | 8 | 53.5 rush yds, 35.5 rec yds, 4.6 catches, 56% TD |
| 5 |  Chase BrownRB CIN | 18.4 | @ MIA3rd most RB pts allowed | 6 | 67.5 rush yds, 58% TD |
| 6 |  Javonte WilliamsRB DAL | 17.9 | vs. TB25th most RB pts allowed | 14 | 73.5 rush yds, 14.5 rec yds, 2.7 catches, 66% TD |
| 7 |  Derrick HenryRB BAL | 17.7 | @ ATL27th most RB pts allowed | 13 | 85.3 rush yds, 5.5 rec yds, 57% TD |
| 8 |  Kyren WilliamsRB LAR | 17.3 | vs. BUF6th most RB pts allowed | 11 | 69.6 rush yds, 19.5 rec yds, 2.7 catches, 62% TD |
| 9 |  Aaron Jones Sr.RB MIN | 17.0 | @ NOmost RB pts allowed | 6 | 72.6 rush yds, 18.6 rec yds, 3.6 catches, 51% TD |
| 10 |  James Cook IIIRB BUF | 16.6 | @ LAR31st most RB pts allowed | 7 | 75.5 rush yds, 12.5 rec yds, 52% TD |
| 11 |  Ashton JeantyRB LV | 16.5 | @ NE21st most RB pts allowed | 13 | 60.6 rush yds, 23.5 rec yds, 3.5 catches, 54% TD |
| 12 |  Braelon AllenRB NYJ | 14.9 | vs. CLE26th most RB pts allowed | - | 70.6 rush yds, 14.5 rec yds, 2.3 catches, 49% TD |
Matchup: where the opponent ranks in fantasy points allowed per game to that position, 1 being the most. While the 2026 sample is short, it is blended with 2025.
Week 5 questions
Who is the RB1 in Week 5?
Jahmyr Gibbs (@ ARI) is the RB1 for Week 5 at 26.0 PPR points, the fantasy points his player markets imply. Bijan Robinson is RB2 at 22.1 and Jonathan Taylor is RB3 at 19.2.
Which RB has the best matchup in Week 5?
Among the top 24 RBs on the Week 5 market board, Aaron Jones Sr. has the softest matchup: the Saints allow the most RB fantasy points per game, 2025 and 2026 blended. The market projection has him RB9 for Week 5 at 17.0 points.
This is the season board. The week is priced separately: Week 5 RB rankings from market data, or every position for Week 5 on one page.
Parlae start or sit calls this season: 2,267 right of 3,916 graded, 4,926 published. Misses stay up. See the record.
By the Parlae deskBoard updated Oct 7, 2026 at 9:26 PM ETHow this is builtReport a wrong number
checked 6 minutes ago
What changes in this view
Running backs are the position drafts panic about, because the workload is concentrated: a back who gets the carries and the goal-line work scores far more than the one behind him on the same team, and that split can change in a single week.
This view keeps only running backs and re-numbers them 1 upward in PPR scoring, so a pass-catching back sits higher here than he would on a standard board. Every pick number is the same consensus average draft position used on the full board.
How to draft running backs this season
Running back is the position drafts panic about, and the panic has a real cause. Value at this position comes from workload rather than efficiency, and workload is concentrated: on most teams one back takes the majority of the carries and the work near the goal line, and the back behind him gets a fraction of the scoring even when he is nearly as good. That makes the top of this list far more valuable than the middle, which is the definition of a steep position.
The same concentration is what makes the position volatile. A change in one team's workload split moves two players at once, in opposite directions, and it can happen between one week and the next. That is why running back pick numbers move more between our snapshots than any other position, and why a running back board goes stale faster. The pick numbers here are refreshed from live drafts rather than from a preseason article written once in July.
Reception scoring matters more here than most drafters expect. A back who catches passes on third down accumulates a point per catch in PPR on top of his rushing work, which lifts him above a pure runner with similar rushing production. This board is ordered in PPR. The standard scoring cut of the same board pushes the goal line runners back up.
Where the tier breaks fall, and what they mean
Tiers at running back tend to be short and numerous, which is what a steep position looks like when you cut it honestly. Because each break is a real drop in expected workload rather than a rounding of the list, the cost of waiting one more round is higher here than anywhere else on the board: when a tier at running back empties, the next name is genuinely worse rather than merely later.
- Tier 1 (12 players): Jahmyr Gibbs, Bijan Robinson, Jonathan Taylor, Christian McCaffrey, Chase Brown, Javonte Williams, Derrick Henry, Kyren Williams and 4 more
- Tier 2 (6 players): D'Andre Swift, Jeremiyah Love, Bhayshul Tuten, Emanuel Wilson, Quinshon Judkins, Kyle Monangai
- Tier 3 (1 player): Cam Skattebo
- Tier 4 (8 players): Bucky Irving, RJ Harvey, Saquon Barkley, Ollie Gordon, Jacory Croskey-Merritt, David Montgomery, Omarion Hampton, Jadarian Price
- Tier 5 (2 players): J.K. Dobbins, Tony Pollard
Tiers recomputed from the live board on Oct 7, 2026 at 9:26 PM ET, inside this view's own pool.
What the market prices for these running backs
| # | Player | Tier | Bye | Market |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jahmyr GibbsRB DET | 1 | 6 | 90.5 rush yds, 37.6 rec yds, 4.6 catches, 76% TD |
| 2 | Bijan RobinsonRB ATL | 1 | 11 | 89.6 rush yds, 26.5 rec yds, 3.5 catches, 69% TD |
| 3 | Jonathan TaylorRB IND | 1 | 13 | 88.5 rush yds, 15.5 rec yds, 2.6 catches, 64% TD |
| 4 | Christian McCaffreyRB SF | 1 | 8 | 53.5 rush yds, 35.5 rec yds, 4.6 catches, 56% TD |
| 5 | Chase BrownRB CIN | 1 | 6 | 67.5 rush yds, 58% TD |
| 6 | Javonte WilliamsRB DAL | 1 | 14 | 73.5 rush yds, 14.5 rec yds, 2.7 catches, 66% TD |
| 7 | Derrick HenryRB BAL | 1 | 13 | 85.3 rush yds, 5.5 rec yds, 57% TD |
| 8 | Kyren WilliamsRB LAR | 1 | 11 | 69.6 rush yds, 19.5 rec yds, 2.7 catches, 62% TD |
| 9 | Aaron Jones Sr.RB MIN | 1 | 6 | 72.6 rush yds, 18.6 rec yds, 3.6 catches, 51% TD |
| 10 | James Cook IIIRB BUF | 1 | 7 | 75.5 rush yds, 12.5 rec yds, 52% TD |
| 11 | Ashton JeantyRB LV | 1 | 13 | 60.6 rush yds, 23.5 rec yds, 3.5 catches, 54% TD |
| 12 | Braelon AllenRB NYJ | 1 | - | 70.6 rush yds, 14.5 rec yds, 2.3 catches, 49% TD |
| 13 |  Jeremiyah LoveRB ARI | 1 | 14 | 48.5 rush yds, 11.5 rec yds, 2.6 catches, 55% TD |
| 14 |  Bhayshul TutenRB JAX | 1 | 7 | 66.5 rush yds, 9.5 rec yds, 1.6 catches, 50% TD |
| 15 |  Emanuel WilsonRB SEA | 1 | - | 60.6 rush yds, 10.5 rec yds, 1.7 catches, 53% TD |
| 16 |  Quinshon JudkinsRB CLE | 1 | 11 | 59.5 rush yds, 15.5 rec yds, 2.6 catches, 41% TD |
| 17 |  Kyle MonangaiRB CHI | 1 | 10 | 51.5 rush yds, 43% TD |
| 18 |  D'Andre SwiftRB CHI | 1 | 10 | 60.4 rush yds, 13.5 rec yds, 1.6 catches, 44% TD |
| 19 |  Cam SkatteboRB NYG | 1 | 8 | 59.4 rush yds, 12.5 rec yds, 1.6 catches, 45% TD |
| 20 |  Bucky IrvingRB TB | 1 | 10 | 51.6 rush yds, 12.5 rec yds, 2.6 catches, 33% TD |
| 21 |  RJ HarveyRB DEN | 1 | 10 | 18.5 rush yds, 26.6 rec yds, 4.6 catches, 32% TD |
| 23 |  Ollie GordonRB MIA | 1 | - | 46.5 rush yds, 13.5 rec yds, 38% TD |
| 24 |  Jacory Croskey-MerrittRB WAS | 1 | 7 | 55.3 rush yds, 8.5 rec yds, 1.6 catches, 39% TD |
| 25 |  David MontgomeryRB HOU | 1 | 8 | 46.5 rush yds, 8.4 rec yds, 1.5 catches, 46% TD |
| 26 |  Omarion HamptonRB LAC | 1 | 7 | 38.5 rush yds, 37% TD |
| 28 |  J.K. DobbinsRB DEN | 1 | 10 | 51.5 rush yds, 4.5 rec yds, 0.5 catches, 40% TD |
| 29 |  Tony PollardRB TEN | 1 | 9 | 48.6 rush yds, 7.5 rec yds, 1.6 catches, 29% TD |
| 30 |  Tyler AllgeierRB ARI | 1 | - | 27.5 rush yds, 12.5 rec yds, 2.2 catches, 31% TD |
| 31 |  Blake CorumRB LAR | 1 | 11 | 31.5 rush yds, 27% TD |
| 32 |  Woody MarksRB HOU | 1 | 8 | 27.7 rush yds, 7.5 rec yds, 1.6 catches, 33% TD |
| 33 |  Keaton MitchellRB LAC | 1 | - | 29.5 rush yds, 25% TD |
| 34 |  George HolaniRB SEA | 1 | - | 21.5 rush yds, 10.5 rec yds, 1.7 catches, 26% TD |
| 35 |  Chris Rodriguez Jr.RB JAX | 1 | 7 | 26.6 rush yds, 23% TD |
| 36 |  Jaylen WrightRB MIA | 1 | - | 21.6 rush yds, 28% TD |
| 37 |  Najee HarrisRB NYG | 1 | - | 30.6 rush yds, 4.5 rec yds, 0.5 catches, 21% TD |
| 38 |  Kenny GainwellRB TB | 1 | 10 | 12.5 rush yds, 10.5 rec yds, 1.6 catches, 18% TD |
| 39 |  Tyjae SpearsRB TEN | 1 | - | 14.5 rush yds, 9.4 rec yds, 1.6 catches, 15% TD |
| 40 |  Rhamondre StevensonRB NE | 1 | 11 | 53% TD |
| 41 |  TreVeyon HendersonRB NE | 1 | 11 | 53% TD |
| 42 |  Breece HallRB NYJ | 1 | 13 | 52% TD |
| 43 |  Ty JohnsonRB BUF | 1 | - | 16% TD |
| 44 |  Justice HillRB BAL | 1 | - | 11.5 rush yds, 7.5 rec yds, 12% TD |
| 45 |  Isaiah DavisRB NYJ | 1 | - | 10.5 rush yds, 0.6 catches, 16% TD |
| 46 |  MarShawn LloydRB GB | 1 | 11 | 39% TD |
| 47 |  Tyler GoodsonRB DAL | 1 | - | 16.5 rush yds, 0.5 rec yds, 0.5 catches, 12% TD |
| 48 |  Rico DowdleRB PIT | 1 | 9 | 38% TD |
| 49 |  Rachaad WhiteRB WAS | 1 | 7 | 31% TD |
Running back rankings
- 1. Jahmyr GibbsRB1 · DET · Tier 1 · bye 6 · 26 draftsno draft data
- 2. Bijan RobinsonRB2 · ATL · Tier 1 · bye 11 · 10 draftsno draft data
- 3. Jonathan TaylorRB3 · IND · Tier 1 · bye 13 · 20 draftsno draft data
- 4. Christian McCaffreyRB4 · SF · Tier 1 · bye 8 · 27 draftsno draft data
- 5. Chase BrownRB5 · CIN · Tier 1 · bye 6 · 37 draftsno draft data
- 6. Javonte WilliamsRB6 · DAL · Tier 1 · bye 14 · 9 draftsno draft data
- 7. Derrick HenryRB7 · BAL · Tier 1 · bye 13 · 12 draftsno draft data
- 8. Kyren WilliamsRB8 · LAR · Tier 1 · bye 11 · 14 draftsno draft data
- 9. Aaron Jones Sr.RB9 · MIN · Tier 1 · bye 6 · 6 draftsno draft data
- 10. James Cook IIIRB10 · BUF · Tier 1 · bye 7 · 42 draftsno draft data
- 11. Ashton JeantyRB11 · LV · Tier 1 · bye 13 · 26 draftsno draft data
- 12. Braelon AllenRB12 · NYJ · Tier 1no draft data
- 13. D'Andre SwiftRB13 · CHI · Tier 2 · bye 10 · 18 draftsno draft data
- 14. Jeremiyah LoveRB14 · ARI · Tier 2 · bye 14 · 18 draftsno draft data
- 15. Bhayshul TutenRB15 · JAX · Tier 2 · bye 7 · 6 draftsno draft data
- 16. Emanuel WilsonRB16 · SEA · Tier 2no draft data
- 17. Quinshon JudkinsRB17 · CLE · Tier 2 · bye 11 · 11 draftsno draft data
- 18. Kyle MonangaiRB18 · CHI · Tier 2 · bye 10 · 9 draftsno draft data
- 19. Cam SkatteboRB19 · NYG · Tier 3 · bye 8 · 11 draftsno draft data
- 20. Bucky IrvingRB20 · TB · Tier 4 · bye 10 · 7 draftsno draft data
- 21. RJ HarveyRB21 · DEN · Tier 4 · bye 10 · 6 draftsno draft data
- 22. Saquon BarkleyRB22 · PHI · Tier 4 · bye 10 · 35 draftsno draft data
- 23. Ollie GordonRB23 · MIA · Tier 4no draft data
- 24. Jacory Croskey-MerrittRB24 · WAS · Tier 4 · bye 7 · 10 draftsno draft data
- 25. David MontgomeryRB25 · HOU · Tier 4 · bye 8 · 22 draftsno draft data
- 26. Omarion HamptonRB26 · LAC · Tier 4 · bye 7 · 35 draftsno draft data
- 27. Jadarian PriceRB27 · SEA · Tier 4 · bye 11 · 16 draftsno draft data
- 28. J.K. DobbinsRB28 · DEN · Tier 5 · bye 10 · 7 draftsno draft data
- 29. Tony PollardRB29 · TEN · Tier 5 · bye 9 · 9 draftsno draft data
- 30. Tyler AllgeierRB30 · ARI · Tier 6no draft data
- 31. Blake CorumRB31 · LAR · Tier 7 · bye 11 · 12 draftsno draft data
- 32. Woody MarksRB32 · HOU · Tier 8 · bye 8 · 6 draftsno draft data
- 33. Keaton MitchellRB33 · LAC · Tier 8no draft data
- 34. George HolaniRB34 · SEA · Tier 9no draft data
- 35. Chris Rodriguez Jr.RB35 · JAX · Tier 9 · bye 7 · 6 draftsno draft data
- 36. Jaylen WrightRB36 · MIA · Tier 10no draft data
- 37. Najee HarrisRB37 · NYG · Tier 11no draft data
- 38. Kenny GainwellRB38 · TB · Tier 11 · bye 10 · 13 draftsno draft data
- 39. Tyjae SpearsRB39 · TEN · Tier 11no draft data
- 40. Rhamondre StevensonRB40 · NE · Tier 12 · bye 11 · 9 draftsno draft data
- 41. TreVeyon HendersonRB41 · NE · Tier 12 · bye 11 · 8 draftsno draft data
- 42. Breece HallRB42 · NYJ · Tier 12 · bye 13 · 11 draftsno draft data
- 43. Ty JohnsonRB43 · BUF · Tier 13no draft data
- 44. Justice HillRB44 · BAL · Tier 13no draft data
- 45. Isaiah DavisRB45 · NYJ · Tier 13no draft data
- 46. MarShawn LloydRB46 · GB · Tier 13 · bye 11 · 24 draftsno draft data
- 47. Tyler GoodsonRB47 · DAL · Tier 13no draft data
- 48. Rico DowdleRB48 · PIT · Tier 13 · bye 9 · 6 draftsno draft data
- 49. Rachaad WhiteRB49 · WAS · Tier 14 · bye 7 · 7 draftsno draft data
- 50. Kenneth WalkerRB50 · KC · Tier 15 · bye 5 · 33 draftsno draft data
- 51. De'Von AchaneRB51 · MIA · Tier 16 · bye 6 · 16 draftsno draft data
- 52. Jordan MasonRB52 · MIN · Tier 16 · bye 6 · 14 draftsno draft data
- 53. Travis Etienne Jr.RB53 · NO · Tier 16 · bye 8 · 14 draftsno draft data
- 54. Zach CharbonnetRB54 · SEA · Tier 16 · bye 11 · 13 draftsno draft data
- 55. Josh JacobsRB55 · GB · Tier 17 · bye 11 · 10 draftsno draft data
- 56. Chuba HubbardRB56 · CAR · Tier 18 · bye 5 · 7 draftsno draft data
- 57. Jonathon BrooksRB57 · CAR · Tier 19 · bye 5 · 6 draftsno draft data
- 58. Mike Washington Jr.RB58 · LV · Tier 19 · bye 13 · 6 draftsno draft data
Other cuts of this board
Use this while you draft
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The pick numbers come from consensus average draft position across thousands of live drafts (Fantasy Football Calculator consensus ADP), covering 219 draftable players in total. Nobody here is given an invented projection.