The ESSENTIAL Football Show 
It’s that time of year; the second week of preseason is in the books, fantasy drafts are in full swing, and I’ve got my board stacked for all you last minute drafters, so I’m ready to run through some players.
Quick note; I’m going to use my half PPR ranks to organize this, and that DOES matter significantly at this position. If a player is in different tiers according to scoring system, I’ll note those differences. I wound up hitting my Top 48 players in this piece, so if you’re in a 12-team league, this goes four backs deep.
Each player is tagged with his projected half-PPR points per game from my model. (Charbonnet, Brooks, and Black don’t carry a full-season projection yet, so they’re listed without a figure.)
Tier 1
Jahmyr Gibbs · DET — 20.2 proj. half-PPR PPG
Jahmyr Gibbs and Bijan Robinson are both PAID coming off standout 2025 campaigns, and as they enter their respective 4th seasons in the NFL, there’s every reason to expect they will continue to lead the field.
Gibbs is the clear first overall pick due to his situation; Detroit is locked and loaded on offense, and they play a highly favorable schedule in the upcoming season. Bijan’s prowess as a receiver gives him a bit of an argument in full PPR, but I’d still stick to Gibbs given Atlanta’s dicey quarterback situation.
Tier 2
Bijan Robinson · ATL — 18.5 proj. half-PPR PPG
There are concerns at quarterback, but Atlanta has not been overwhelmingly talented at the position during Bijan’s time there, and he has still been productive. With a solid offensive line and weapons like Drake London and Kyle Pitts around him, Robinson should put up numbers regardless of the team’s outcome.
Tier 3
James Cook · BUF — 14.2 proj. half-PPR PPG Chase Brown · CIN — 14.6 proj. half-PPR PPG
I’m ahead of consensus on James Cook and Chase Brown, two 26-year olds who are the clear lead backs on talented offenses keyed by superstar quarterbacks. Cook is the more talented ball-carrier in my view, and Buffalo’s more balanced offense makes him a fit in all formats, whereas Brown is a better pick in half and full PPR given how often Cincinnati throws the ball.
There’s certainly some conflict putting these names ahead of others, but I like the age profiles combined with Cook and Brown’s Top 10 finishes last season; I feel like I can click either name and not think twice about it, as opposed to some names with more upside, but more worrisome concerns. In No PPR, I would drop Brown a Tier; in half or full PPR, I’d split the two.
Tier 4
Christian McCaffrey · SF — 18.2 proj. half-PPR PPG
Christian McCaffrey’s raw projection would put him up with Gibbs and Robinson, but CMC is also coming off a season with an exceptionally heavy workload heading into his tenth NFL season, and at age 30, he has accumulated a significant injury history and was not as efficient as a rusher in 2025.
There was a similar discussion on CMC coming off a 2024 season that he largely missed; he bucked those concerns last season, but is a risky option I’d rather avoid if I have a premium first-round pick. I would also drop CMC to Tier 5 in No PPR because I have more confidence in other veterans to produce on the ground.
Tier 5
Omarion Hampton · LAC — 13.9 proj. half-PPR PPG Derrick Henry · BAL — 13.5 proj. half-PPR PPG Saquon Barkley · PHI — 13.6 proj. half-PPR PPG
Tier 5 features a duo that put up historic seasons in 2024, and a back who was playing at North Carolina in that campaign, but while it’s proven production for Derrick Henry and Saquon Barkley and potential for Omarion Hampton, all three backs could be in potentially great situations.
There are moving parts here; the Chargers, Ravens, and Eagles all have new offensive coordinators implementing notable changes in the system, and all three organizations are hoping for health on the offensive line. That said, these are hyper-talented backs, and depending on usage, Hampton could wind up being dynamic as a pass-catcher.
The lack of pass-catching dings Henry and Barkley - I bump them both up a tier in No PPR - but regardless of format, I’m pretty happy to build with one of these players at the back of Round One in 12-team formats.
Tier 6
Jonathan Taylor · IND — 15.2 proj. half-PPR PPG Ashton Jeanty · LV — 14.7 proj. half-PPR PPG De’Von Achane · MIA — 13.8 proj. half-PPR PPG
Tier 6 features three running backs with the talent to go higher in a vacuum, but significant questions on their situation. There has been a concerted effort out of Indianapolis to frame it as if Daniel Jones is fully healthy - participating in everything, no limitations, etc. - but it’s difficult to believe he’s truly where he was a year ago, particularly when Jones himself has said there’s still work to get it right. I do bump Taylor up a Tier in No PPR, but the downside case for this offense seems more likely than some others further up the list.
Ashton Jeanty’s situation will be improved almost by default, and could even be solid in Klint Kubiak’s first season as head coach, but this offense still lacks talent, and Jeanty is dealing with an ankle injury as I write this; at the right price, I’ll happily take Jeanty, but I feel better about other names at the top of the board.
The same is true for De’Von Achane, who in theory is a dual threat rusher/receiver, but in reality could be limited as a pass-catcher, given that Malik Willis is more likely to scramble than check the ball down, and the fact that Miami doesn’t have any receivers to attract attention down the field; Achane runs some nasty angle routes, but if opposing defenses have the audacity to double the running back - a very real possibility if they feel comfortable playing “zero” principles on the receivers - it’s going to be darn hard to get open.
There is the fact that Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley has alluded to a massive workload for Achane - which seems like a less-than-ideal way to treat one of the franchise’s few long-term assets given their win projection - but I’d rather bet on a back to thrive because of the offense around him, rather than betting on Achane to produce despite the situation.
Tier 7
Kyren Williams · LAR — 12.7 proj. half-PPR PPG Kenneth Walker III · KC — 11.7 proj. half-PPR PPG
Tier 7 brings us two backs with wildly different running styles; oddly enough, those styles correspond to the types of picks Kyren Williams and Kenneth Walker are in 2026. Williams is a steady, methodical back who relies on consistency, while Walker is an exceptionally explosive player who can take it to the house on any given snap.
There is also significantly more certainty surrounding the Rams offense than the Chiefs, but that leaves a lot more upside in Walker’s projection. If you’re looking for a consistent, steady presence, I’d go with Williams, but if you’re shooting for a Top 5 finish, Walker is your guy; it’s just a question of (1) whether Walker can sustain a “lead back” workload after injury concerns during his time in Seattle and (2) to what degree the Kansas City offense clicks.
Tier 8
Jeremiyah Love · ARI — 11.6 proj. half-PPR PPG
Jeremiyah Love, the 3rd overall pick out of Notre Dame, takes a slide down this list after suffering a high ankle sprain in his first preseason game. There is still plenty of upside here, but it’s also possible that even if Love only misses a game or two, the injury saps his explosiveness in the early going. The upside is real; Love looked terrific in his preseason action before the injury, and Jacoby Brissett is a good enough quarterback to make sure his guys produce.
Tier 9
Javonte Williams · DAL — 11.9 proj. half-PPR PPG D’Andre Swift · CHI — 11.8 proj. half-PPR PPG
Javonte Williams is a bit of a “Kyren Williams lite” as a quality back in a high-end offense, and his competition at running back is lackluster. Javonte might not be the most dynamic back, but he should be an easy start throughout the season behind a terrific offensive line; as for D’Andre Swift, Chicago’s run game is the engine of the offense, and while Swift has to fend off Kyle Monangai in the same way Kyren Williams has to fend off Blake Corum, Swift is the superior pass catcher in Chicago, and is arguably hitting his prime as a more efficient runner in Ben Johnson’s system who still has the high-end athletic traits that made him such a prized prospect.
Tier 10
Josh Jacobs · GB — 13.9 proj. half-PPR PPG Quinshon Judkins · CLE — 11.5 proj. half-PPR PPG
This is a tier of backs I don’t love, even if the best case scenario for each back has upside. Josh Jacobs has continued to be Green Bay’s bell cow as a rusher and receiver, but he has racked up a lot of touches in his NFL career, will be running behind an offensive line with plenty of question marks, and has a potential suspension for off-field issues. Quinshon Judkins is a phenomenally powerful runner who stood out as Cleveland’s best player last season, but he is coming off injury and is set to play in an offense with iffy quarterback play. In terms of the pure projection, Jacobs and Judkins come in pretty close to Javonte Williams and Swift, but the situations around the former pair pushes them down my board.
Tier 11
Jadarian Price · SEA — 10.8 proj. half-PPR PPG Travis Etienne Jr. · NO — 10.6 proj. half-PPR PPG
Jadarian Price has a terrific opportunity to get out of the gates fast in Seattle; with veteran Zach Charbonnet sidelined with a knee injury and George Holani offering more journeyman vibes, the second first-round running back out of Notre Dame in this year’s class could make his mark as the dynamic element to replace Kenneth Walker in this backfield. Travis Etienne Jr.’s situation struck me as a bit murkier a few weeks ago, but with Alvin Kamara sidelined with an MCL injury and the competition behind Etienne failing to materialize, there should be every opportunity for Etienne to justify his contract in a decent New Orleans offense.
Tier 12
David Montgomery · HOU — 10.6 proj. half-PPR PPG Breece Hall · NYJ — 10.7 proj. half-PPR PPG
The Texans traded for David Montgomery to bring a measure of steadiness to the run game, and while there is a world where Woody Marks sees more of the passing down work, I’d argue that the second reason the Texans acquired Montgomery is what he does in pass protection, which could lead to more well-rounded numbers from a back who should thrive on workload. If Houston’s offensive line is improved, Montgomery could be another easy start week-to-week.
Breece Hall is an upside play, but while the Jets paid him this offseason and should make him their featured back, there are enough concerns with New York’s offense, and the team infrastructure in general, to have me less than amped to take their players. Hall’s profile and workload could have him up a Tier or two, but I’d just as soon pass.
BREAK
Tier 14
Jaylen Warren · PIT — 10.5 proj. half-PPR PPG Tony Pollard · TEN — 10.3 proj. half-PPR PPG Cam Skattebo · NYG — 10.3 proj. half-PPR PPG Bucky Irving · TB — 10.1 proj. half-PPR PPG Rhamondre Stevenson · NE — 8.5 proj. half-PPR PPG Rachaad White · WAS — 7.8 proj. half-PPR PPG
There is a clear break in tiers before this group, as this is the first stretch group of backs who will have legitimate competition for carries. I like Jaylen Warren as the better of the two backs in Pittsburgh, with both him and Rico Dowdle likely to play notable roles in both the run and pass game, and similar things could be said of Tony Pollard in Tennessee and Bucky Irving in Tampa Bay, who both have comparable play styles to their respective backups, Tyjae Spears and Kenneth Gainwell.
Cam Skattebo appears to be the clearest favorite for touches out of the gate, but I worry about Skattebo’s durability given his exceptionally physical running style, and have him further down the board, even if there’s an argument that his season wasn’t so different from that of Quinshon Judkins.
Rounding out the group are Rhamondre Stevenson and Rachaad White, two backs that I expect to get touches because they are the best backs on their respective teams. Despite the scouting report on TreVeyon Henderson, Stevenson’s backfield mate struggled in pass pro, which opens the opportunity for the big back to catch some passes in addition to what he does on the ground; as for Rachaad White, his path to passing down duties appears clear, and he is arguably as talented a ball-carrier as anyone else in the Washington backfield.
Tier 15
TreVeyon Henderson · NE — 10.0 proj. half-PPR PPG Rico Dowdle · PIT — 9.8 proj. half-PPR PPG J.K. Dobbins · DEN — 9.3 proj. half-PPR PPG Jordan Mason · MIN — 8.8 proj. half-PPR PPG
This Tier has a grab bag of options; in theory, Henderson should contribute as a runner and passer, and he is an extremely explosive player even if he doesn’t bring Stevenson’s down-to-down consistency. Rico Dowdle should be able to step in for Jaylen Warren without the Pittsburgh offense skipping a beat; it’s just a matter of workload in a “meh” looking offense.
The group is rounded out by J.K. Dobbins and Jordan Mason, two quality ballcarriers who do the bulk of their fantasy damage on the ground. Dobbins has been plagued by injuries in his career, but should get his share of touches behind one of the NFL’s better offensive lines if healthy, and Jordan Mason is the best back on Minnesota’s roster; he just doesn’t catch the ball much, which makes him a less appealing option in half-PPR and full-PPR formats.
Tier 16a
Chuba Hubbard · CAR — 9.4 proj. half-PPR PPG Chris Rodriguez · JAX — 7.3 proj. half-PPR PPG Bhayshul Tuten · JAX — 6.3 proj. half-PPR PPG
Tier 16b
Kenny Gainwell · TB — 9.0 proj. half-PPR PPG RJ Harvey · DEN — 8.7 proj. half-PPR PPG
Tier 16c
MarShawn Lloyd · GB — 7.6 proj. half-PPR PPG Kyle Monangai · CHI — 7.9 proj. half-PPR PPG Blake Corum · LAR — 6.9 proj. half-PPR PPG
Tier 16 features three distinct groups of backs (hence the A, B, and C designations). Chuba Hubbard is set to be the lead back in Carolina, but his play has trended down of late, and there’s a legitimate chance he plays his way out of opportunities, which isn’t what I’m looking to sign up for with all the options at running back. The Jacksonville duo of Chris Rodriguez and Bhayshul Tuten is interesting in the fact that there is a lot of open opportunity here, but not interesting in the fact that either LeQuint Allen or a different passing down back is likely to get a lot of the receiving work, leaving Rodriguez and Tuten, who lack historic receiving production, to rely on their rushing totals. (Which does make them more valuable in No PPR if you hit the right back). Tuten is getting more attention than this, but his rookie season didn’t scream “high-volume back”, which makes me hesitant to pull the trigger on him.
Tampa Bay’s Kenny Gainwell and Denver’s RJ Harvey slot in as receiving backs who should contribute on a weekly basis, but may not get enough opportunity to get in your lineup barring an injury. Both would cede carries to a backup if the team’s starter went down (Sean Tucker in TB, Jonah Coleman in DEN), but Gainwell and Harvey would be interesting starts as “lead” backs given their pass-catching prowess.
Green Bay backup MarShawn Lloyd has had horrible injury luck to date in his NFL career, but he looks healthy going into Year Three and is backing up a player with question marks. Chicago’s Kyle Monangai and Los Angeles’s Blake Corum are blocked by lead backs and do not add much in the pass game, but both have shown they can tote the rock, and there’s little question they would be productive if injuries open an opportunity for a larger role.
Tier 17
Zach Charbonnet · SEA — not projected Woody Marks · HOU — 7.3 proj. half-PPR PPG Aaron Jones Sr. · MIN — 9.9 proj. half-PPR PPG Tyjae Spears · TEN — 6.5 proj. half-PPR PPG Jacory Croskey-Merritt · WAS — 6.4 proj. half-PPR PPG Isiah Pacheco · DET — 6.1 proj. half-PPR PPG Jonathon Brooks · CAR — not projected
Honorable Mention: Mike Washington Jr. · LV — 4.0 proj. half-PPR PPG; Kaelon Black · SF — not projected; Jonah Coleman · DEN — 1.7 proj. half-PPR PPG
The bottom of the board still features potentially playable options. Seattle’s Zach Charbonnet will miss the early part of the season coming off knee surgery, but he is a proven NFL back who soaked up a lot of carries for Seattle last season. Woody Marks adds something as a pass catcher and could improve on his rookie results; Aaron Jones is (far) longer in the tooth, but he also adds to the passing game and has continued to be used in Minnesota when healthy. Tyjae Spears can be a dual threat for Tennessee, but he has Tony Pollard in front of him, missed time due to injury last year, and isn’t in an exciting offensive ecosystem.
Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Isiah Pacheco profile as “run-the-ball” rotational backs who are either in (1) an iffy offense or (2) behind an elite back. They are better options for No PPR, but lack excitement.
Jonathon Brooks is the last non-rookie on the list at number 48; the Carolina back has the talent to pass Chuba Hubbard on the depth chart, but like MarShawn Lloyd in Green Bay, he needs to show he can stay healthy.
Finally, we have our “down-the-line” rookies. Mike Washington Jr. is an interesting upside pick; with Ashton Jeanty nursing an ankle injury partway through training camp, the door could open for Washington, a physical marvel who blew up the combine, to step into a larger-than-expected role for the silver and black. Kaelon Black was a bit of a surprise pick in San Francisco, but he is in a good ecosystem, and Christian McCaffrey is coming off a massive workload last season. Jonah Coleman would step in if J.K. Dobbins goes down in Denver; he might not get as much work as the first two rookies listed, but he has generated some buzz in camp.