Latest / Fat Daddy Sports / My TOP 24 RB Rankings for 2026 Fantasy Football | RBs 24-13 | Ep. 012
Transcript
- Craig: Well, welcome back to the kitchen here on the Fat Daddy Sports Podcast. I am your host, Craig, and we are on a journey right now trying to reach that first 100 subscribers. If you see something that you like or you hear something that you like, or you find value in this, if you could just leave us a like and leave a comment, subscribe, that would go a long way. Like I said, On a journey right now, trying to hit that first 100 subscribers. So every subscription would help. I appreciate you guys. And ⁓ let's jump into it. Today we are looking at my top 24 running backs for the 2026 season. Today we're looking at quarter or running backs 24 through 13. In part two, we'll go 12 through one and look at those top. RB1. Today we're going to be looking at guys that I think will be solid RB2 options. They'll have weeks where they can be in that top 12, but ⁓ for the most part, over the course of the season, they are going to be running back twos for you. Let's just jump right into it today. Number 24 on my list of top 24 running backs this year is Quinshawn Judkins in Cleveland. A very solid rookie season before getting injured at the end of last year. I think that he's going to be off to a hot start again this year. ⁓ I just worry a little bit about that Cleveland offense, which obviously last year they were not very good either, and he still produced a ⁓ high amount. ⁓ I do think that that Cleveland offense is gonna be better than they were last year. ⁓ I think Judkins is a a phenomenal talent. There was obviously a lot of question marks about him coming into the season last year if he was even going to play, turned that into a very solid rookie season. And I think he'll build off of that and and have a top twenty-four ⁓ season this year. But I find him at the bottom of this list. I I could be wrong on that, but I think that ⁓ Judkins is going to be fine going forward. I just this year I'm a little bit out on him. Number twenty three, somebody that I have gone back and forth on this offseason a lot. I was very high on him early in the season or in the offseason. ⁓ Kind of fading a little bit, but can now kind of picking back up as we're starting to get into more live drafts. And that is David Montgomery in Houston. ⁓ the Texans went out and got David Montgomery, who comes off of a very solid career in Detroit. Obviously was in Chicago before that. But in Detroit, I mean he was he was never the bell cow. He always shared that split with Jameer Gibbs. ⁓ but you saw what he could do around the red zone. And I think Houston went out and got him. an offense last year that really struggled in the red zone. I think that they went out and got David Montgomery to be that Bell Cow ⁓ running back. I think Woody Marks will will spell David Montgomery a little bit here and there. And they may even split 50-50. But I think Montgomery's going to get those high value ⁓ touches in the red zone. I think he's going to be that third down running back. And I just think that where he's going in drafts. I mean he's going right around Quinchon Judkins. I think he's going late enough that you could get him even as your running back three. I think he's a phenomenal value there. ⁓ even if he's your running back too, I think he's a a very solid option this year going forward. Number twenty two, a guy that I am actually a little bit higher on than what my rankings say here, but that's Bachel Tutin in Jacksonville. He kind of split time last year And this year he seems to be the guy. I know that they went out and got Chris Rodriguez, brought him in. ⁓ we'll see how much he splits or chews into Tootin's workload, but I think that Tootin is going to be I don't know if he'll be a three-down running back, but he's gonna get a lot of catches. He's going to have some explosive plays. I mean, Liam Collins has raved about him in the offseason ⁓ and just how last year was a processing year for him. ⁓ and this year I think that they're going to unleash him a little bit. He's gonna have some explosive plays this year. Up next is a guy who I am scared to death to take in any of my drafts. I haven't really picked him in any of my mock drafts. I don't think that I'll be taking him in my live drafts, but that is Bucky Irving in Tampa Bay. ⁓ they bring in Kenny Gainwell, and I just I don't know, man. There there's a lot of weird vibes around that Tampa Bay team right now, around the The Baker situation and just ⁓ the wide receiver position, Meka Buka getting banged up a little bit this week. I'm just real nervous about Bucky Irving. ⁓ I'm nervous about that run game. I don't know that there's anybody in the running back position that gives me more pause than Bucky Irving this year. That's somebody that I'm steering clear of. Now, Bucky has the talent that he could be a top 10 running back. I mean, we've seen it. His rookie year, he was phenomenal. Last year battled injury a little bit, battled some other things, and this year I just I don't know, maybe it's because of last year recency bias, but I'm just out on Bucky Irving. ⁓ I've got him currently as my running back twenty-one on the season. I'm steering clear of Bucky Irving. You can do as you please, but beware on that. Coming in at running back twenty is a guy in an offense that should be pretty good. ⁓ but I'm a little nervous about the play calling, but that's Cam Scatabou in New York for the Giants. ⁓ a very good rookie season, a very good ⁓ end to his college career at Arizona State. Comes in last year for the Giants, provided that spark for him before getting hurt. He's somebody that's going to be in there and be physical, be a tough runner. ⁓ he's going to get a lot of work in that John Harbaugh offense. I'm just a little bit nervous that Matt Nagy is the one calling the plays. I worry about that offense sustaining drives and moving the ball and being in that red zone area. And I, you know, I think Malik Neighbors is obviously going to be back, catching a lot of touchdowns. I think Isaiah Likely's going to be back or be there. ⁓ and I just am a little worried about Cam Scadaboo. I love the talent, love the player. He's somebody that I'm not Trying to avoid in my drafts. I'm actually trying to get him. I think he's a a good value where he's going in drafts. I just am tempering expectations a little bit. I would like to take him a little bit higher ⁓ up towards maybe that running back 12 range, but I'll keep him at running back 20 right now. ⁓ we'll see if that changes as preseason goes on. Coming in at 19 is another second year running back this time for the New England Patriots, and that is Trebeyon Henderson. And really my hesitation with him is that Ramondre Stevenson is still going to be very involved. ⁓ we saw that last year. I mean, Ramondre is known for the fumbles and he fumbled his job away multiple times last year and was still the lead back. ⁓ Tribion got some cracks as the season went on, but I I just think Ramondre Stevenson is going to be very annoying for fantasy managers all season long. So I'm probably staying away from Henderson this year in drafts. ⁓ I love the talent. And obviously, if anything happened to Stevenson, if, you know, maybe, who knows, if he continues to fumble, maybe he does lose his job full time. But ⁓ Trevion Henderson, an extreme talent. ⁓ if he was the only running back there in New England, man, he would be inside that top ten easily, I think. ⁓ very explosive player, can score from anywhere on the field. I I just am a little too worried that there's too many mouths to feed there in New England. Next on the list is The new running back in New Orleans, and that is Travis H. Han Jr., formerly known as Travis Etienne, comes over from Jacksonville, is a very good pass catcher, but he's going to be splitting time with Elvin Kamara. And we're kind of seeing that more in the NFL. You know, I obviously I just talked about Trevion Henderson and ⁓ his splitting time with Ramondre Stevenson, but I think that that's more of the norm in the NFL now. We've seen it in Detroit for the last few years with Montgomery and Gibbs. Teams are going more to that two running back system, trying to keep guys fresh, trying to keep them healthy for the whole season. ⁓ but HN comes over to New Orleans this year. I think he's gonna get a lot of the passing down work, but I do think that Alvin Kamara still has gas in the tank. I still think that he's going to be very involved. ⁓ and I'm I'm a little worried. ⁓ about Han between the tackles. I don't know, you know, goal line work. Is he gonna get that work? Are they gonna keep giving it to Camara? I think that that passing game is going to be very good. So I do think that ⁓ A Chan Jr. is gonna catch a lot of passes. That's where his value will be, especially in the PPR formats. ⁓ and that's kind of where I'm how I'm ranking these guys is is four PPR or half PPR even. I'm not expecting a huge workload on the ground this year, not with Camara there. ⁓ I wasn't expecting Camara to even be on the team at this point in the year, but he's still there and he's still getting a lot of work in preseason or in training camp. We'll see going forward as the season progresses if he sticks around, if they end up trading him or something. ⁓ but for right now, I'm leaving A Chan Jr. down there at number eighteen and going to seventeen and maybe a little too low on this guy as well, but ⁓ Javante Williams in Dallas, I think that that Dallas offense is going to be very lethal again this year. The pass game obviously very good, and Javante benefited from that last year. ⁓ a good running back in his own right. But I think he's going to score touchdowns this year. I could see him even as a double digit touchdown guy. That Dallas team is going to score a lot of points. They're going to be in a lot of shootout type games. And I think Javante, I don't see anybody in that backfield stealing work from him. ⁓ I, you know. It would take him getting hurt for any of those guys to really see the field, I think. And so I I see Javante as a true three down guy that they're gonna rely on a lot this year. And I I could see him definitely having double-digit touchdowns and and being inside that top ten. If there's anybody on this list that I definitely could see higher, it's him for sure. Moving on to running back 16, it is in New York, Brees Hall for the Jets. And this is really just a A product of being let down a little bit by Brees, but also just the Jets in general. ⁓ they signed him to that extension this year, gave him that money. They want him to be the guy. I think myself and a lot of other people in the fantasy world and just in the sports world in general were hoping that Brees Hall would end up somewhere else, somewhere more explosive, that he could really be used. Didn't happen this offseason. He stays in New York with the Jets, and we'll see what Aaron Glenn and crew can do there. ⁓ for Brees Hall, but he's certainly gonna have the opportunity. He's going to get a ton of ⁓ catches and carries and he's gonna be on the field a lot. I think in a PPR format he could break that top fifteen for sure. He's a very solid option as an RB two. I just think that his rookie year when he was I think running back three, ⁓ that ceiling was there and everybody was so, so hopeful that Brees Hall was gonna be the next big thing. And then he's kind of let down from there. lot of injuries, a lot of just being on the jets was his problem. But I think that as a solid running back too, you're really gonna like what you have there. Moving up to number fifteen, a rookie running back this year in Arizona, Jeremiah Love. I have spoken on this channel multiple times about ⁓ Jeremiah Love and how I'm out ⁓ on Jeremiah Love this year just because his ADP is too high for me, it's too rich. I think a lot of people are going to draft him in that early second round, middle second round, and they're going to be disappointed. If you could get him in a third round, I'm all for Jeremiah Love at that point. But taking him possibly as your RB1 scares me a lot. ⁓ I think there's going to be a lot of Tyler Algier there in Arizona. I don't think I know there's going to be a lot of Tyler Algier. James Conner's still currently on the roster as of the recording of this. Who knows if he'll end up making the team out of camp, if he'll get traded, what's gonna happen. But nonetheless, Tyler Algier is there and he's a very capable back. We saw him steal a lot of work from Bajan Robinson in Robinson's prime. So why would Tyler Algier not steal work from the rookie right now? I think they're gonna split that pretty pretty evenly, especially in the red zone. I think Algier's going to get a lot of red zone work this year. Scares me a lot about Jeremiah Love. I and I love the talent. Of Jeremiah Love. He profiles as just an elite running back. Obviously, saw what he did at Notre Dame, and he's going to have a very, very good NFL career. I'm just a little too nervous as a rookie in the situation that he's in. I think that LaFleur will probably be a pretty good play caller, pretty good offense, but I I worry about year one. I worry with Jacoby Brissett possibly as the quarterback. The Carson Beck switch is definitely coming at some point. But ⁓ when that is, I don't know. And I don't know what that means for Jeremiah Love. So we will we'll see what the Cardinals end up doing. But right now I'm keeping him at running back 15. Next on my list is another guy who's going to split a lot of carries this year, and he did last year, and it got more and more over the season. That's Kyron Williams in Los Angeles. ⁓ I I have been very vocal about my love for Kyron Williams, somebody that I tried to get on my team every year the last few years, because his touchdown upside is so high. They go in, they get Devontae Adams last year. We saw what that did for that offense. Matthew Stafford won MVP last year. Devontae Adams had a bunch of touchdowns, and Kyron Williams touchdowns went down. I think that's going to be the same this year with Puka and Adams there. Stafford's going to throw a lot of touchdowns. And now Blake Corum is also ascending. Him and Williams are going to be splitting a lot of that work, maybe even 50 50, just alternating drives like we saw down the stretch last year. And I think Corum's going to take a lot of those touchdowns away from Kyron Williams to where his value is not going to be what it once was inside that top 10. I mean, he was a he was a bona fide stud, running back one, a guy that you could trust was going to score almost every single week for you. This year I think is going to be a little bit different. I have my hesitations, but if I can get him as my running back two, I feel pretty good about that. And last but not least, wrapping up my running back twos at running back number 13 on the season is old faithful Derek Henry. I do think that the wheels are starting to fall off there for Henry. There's a new regime in Baltimore, and I just think that, you know, he doesn't have that pass catching ability. He never has. I think that Teams are really going to start to load in and and shut down that running game because I don't think that he's as elusive as he once was. I still think he's a great talent. I mean, 32 years old, he's still blown past guys and and taking it to the house, but not like it once was. It felt a little bit different last year. You could see that things are starting to slow down, things are starting to catch up with him, and nobody has ever done it. What you know you're expecting him to do at age 32. ⁓ have those double digit touchdowns. That's what he's known for, is just a touchdown machine. And if he doesn't have those touchdowns, you know his numbers aren't going to be as good as what they have been over the years. So that's my worry with Derrick Henry. I think that the Baltimore offense is going to maybe take a little bit of a step back this year. They're not going to score quite as much. And I think Derrick Henry's numbers are going to reflect that. Well, that's all I've got for you guys today. Those are running backs 24 through 13. This is Part one of my top twenty-four running backs. Let me know down in the comments who did I miss. Let's have a chat about it. Cause I can think of a few names that I left off of that list and I have some okay reasons of why I did that. But let me know down in the comments who I missed and ⁓ hit that subscribe button if you guys like what you saw, if you got any value from it, and I'll catch you guys on the next one. See ya.