2026 Rookie Running Back Risers & Fallers After The NFL Draft

Aidan Weingartner
2026 Rookie Running Back Risers & Fallers After The NFL Draft

Welcome to our breakdown of 2026 Rookie Running Back Risers & Fallers After The NFL Draft!

In regard to the 2026 NFL Draft, this rookie RB class was…very interesting to say the least. As a community, we knew how bad this RB class was heading into the event, but somehow, it ended up being even more underwhelming than we thought. A lot of these players got bad landing spots and draft capital in the grand scheme of things. That being said, however, it’s not ALL bad, so in today’s discussion, I am going to go over every single relevant rookie RB from the 2026 NFL Draft and classify the player as either a riser or a faller in terms of their respective future outlooks.

Risers

Jadarian Price, Seattle Seahawks

The dream scenario for Jadarian Price has occurred, as the talented RB found a way to sneak into the first round this year. Price is set up for INSTANT success in Seattle as a rookie, as the current RB room there is pretty underwhelming: Zach Charbonnet is coming off a mid-January ACL tear, and Emanuel Wilson and George Holani are depth RBs at best. Very lackluster to say the least.

Now, while this is a player who showcased an extremely limited pass-catching profile in college, that’s not the end of the world necessarily. Kenneth Walker was extremely limited as a pass catcher in college, but the Seahawks used him heavily in that department as the years went on. A lot of parallels there between the two players.

If you look at last season, the Seattle Seahawks ran the ball at one of the highest rates in the entire league, so the franchise clearly drafted Price to be a volume back week in and week out during the season. Jadarian Price is going to SOAR up rookie draft boards within the next couple of weeks, and if you ask me, it is BEYOND justified.

Jonah Coleman, Denver Broncos

Jonah Coleman didn’t get the Day 2 draft capital we were hoping for, as he went in the fourth round to the Denver Broncos. At first glance, this might seem like a rough situation for the player, but I personally like it quite a bit. I will admit, things may start off a bit slow for Coleman in Denver as a rookie, as J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey are already in the mix, so the backfield could very well be one big frustrating committee next season.

Beyond that though, the room clears out a bit, as Dobbins is technically under contract in Denver for two more seasons, but the Broncos can cut him after this upcoming season with very little dead money implications, so the player will very likely be off the team by the time 2027 rolls around..

Additionally, Coleman is a MUCH better all-around RB than RJ Harvey, as the only area in which Harvey outpaces Coleman is speed and athleticism. That’s it. Harvey’s fantasy value derives from his pass-catching ability, but the problem is…Jonah Coleman is also a very skilled and accomplished pass catcher at the RB position.

Also, Sean Payton has historically gotten great production from his RBs, particularly from a fantasy perspective, so that alone is very encouraging/exciting. If you are a contender and are willing to be patient and wait for a year 2 breakout from this player, this is a PERFECT scenario/situation for you.

Emmett Johnson, Kansas City Chiefs

I know that the Kansas City Chiefs just gave Kenneth Walker a huge contract in free agency last month, but Emmett Johnson going to the franchise is pretty intriguing if I do say so myself. Johnson didn’t go to a team where he could’ve potentially been the bellcow, as many had hoped, but honestly, I was never expecting that throughout the entire pre-draft process over the last few months, so this is a perfect fit for the player in my eyes.

Kenneth Walker has never missed an extended period of time due to an injury in his career, but he has missed a bit of time here and there throughout the season. Plus, Walker has never been a true bellcow at any point throughout his career, so Emmett Johnson could get more work in Kansas City than we’re anticipating right now. The #1 goal for the Chiefs this offseason was to get a true pass-catching back, and as the franchise’s immediate RB2 (sorry Brashard Smith truthers), they got that in SPADES with Emmett Johnson.

Nicholas Singleton, Tennessee Titans

It is no secret that I was below consensus on Nicholas Singleton heading into the 2026 NFL Draft. Let’s just say I wasn’t a fan. I will admit, though…Singleton landed with the Tennessee Titans in a pretty good spot. This player is unlikely to pop within this season, specifically as a rookie, but could pay dividends for the Titans in the long run.

Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears are BOTH free agents next offseason, and honestly, I don’t expect either to be back with the team at that point, so that will pave the way for Singleton to be the Titans’ lead back in 2027 and beyond. With a young up-and-coming QB in Cam Ward and a wide-open future RB room, this is a CLASSIC draft and stash situation for year 2 and beyond.

Adam Randall, Baltimore Ravens

I am NEVER going to be one to doubt Derrick Henry…he is a freak of nature, and never seems to slow down. However, Henry is 32 years old now, and for the first time in a while, it looks like the Baltimore Ravens are starting to plan for the future a bit at the RB position with a draft pick here in Adam Randall.

There’s an argument to be made that Randall could be one of the very best handcuffs in the entire league right away as a rookie, and depending on the Ravens’ trajectory as a team, could be the franchise’s lead back sooner rather than later beyond that, as this is a player who projects as a very fun weapon in the NFL as a converted WR to RB. We know the Ravens’ desire to run the ball, so this is a very interesting situation to track going forward with Adam Randall.

Kaytron Allen, Washington Commanders

Kaytron Allen was drafted by the Washington Commanders, and not many people are talking about it right now…but they should be. There is a lot of opportunity to be had here in the Washington Commanders backfield, because the franchise doesn’t have a true bellcow back; they just have a lot of specialized skill-set players. Kaytron Allen is a very limited pass catcher at the RB position, so he is not going to contribute at all in that department. All of that work will go to Rachaad White.

Relative to the preseason hype last summer, Jacory Croskey-Merritt had a disappointing rookie season, and it’s not like he has much to stand on either as a former seventh-round pick one year ago. Goal-line carries are crucial to fantasy success at the RB position, and Allen projects very cleanly to that role right away. Think of Chris Rodriguez in Washington last year, who was a wildly efficient short yardage and goal line hammer (also very limited as a pass catcher by the way). A lot of similarities between the two players.

Demond Claiborne, Minnesota Vikings

Demond Claiborne may be undersized for an RB, but he is ELECTRIC with the ball in his hands, specifically in the receiving game, and there is a pathway to touches here with the Minnesota Vikings in the future. Just like with the Tennessee Titans, this RB room in Minnesota could clear out sooner rather than later, as Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason are both free agents next offseason…so while Mason will likely be back with the team in 2027, I highly doubt Jones will be, as the player is aging, and the yearly hamstring injuries are starting to catch up to him, it seems.

Once 2027 rolls around, Claiborne could be the NEW Aaron Jones for the Vikings (an explosive pass catcher who is light on his feet), and could be the lightning to Jordan Mason’s thunder at that point.

Now, my one worry here is that, in the future, Demond Claiborne doesn’t have much to stand on, as he was a sixth-round pick this year. Think of someone like Tyrone Tracy. A Day 3 receiving back who pops a bit as a rookie, but gets immediately replaced just one year later. Right now, though, on paper, this is a very good situation and fit for Demond Claiborne with the Minnesota Vikings.

Fallers

Jeremiyah Love, Arizona Cardinals

Jeremiyah Love is not a faller in the sense that he is not the 1.01 in rookie drafts anymore, but in terms of his year 1 fantasy outlook… this is a less-than-ideal landing spot. This has nothing to do with Love’s superstar talent and potential, and everything to do with just how EXTREMELY crowded the Arizona Cardinals’ RB room is at the moment. The franchise just gave Tyler Allgeier a big long-term contract in free agency last month, brought back James Conner on a restructured contract, and selected Trey Benson as a promising second-round pick just two years ago.

So the superstar rookie RB doesn’t have just one player to compete with for touches this season, he has MULTIPLE players to compete with for touches this season, including a longtime trusted veteran. If the Cardinals end up trading James Conner and cutting Trey Benson within the next few months, then yes, that will obviously create many opportunities for Love as a rookie this season. Right now, though, as we sit here today, none of that has happened yet. This is still a can’t-miss player at the very top of rookie drafts; just temper expectations a bit for year 1.

Mike Washington Jr., Las Vegas Raiders

Man…this one hurt my heart. I was in LOVE with Mike Washington Jr. as a prospect throughout the ENTIRE pre-draft process this year, and not only did he get worse draft capital than expected, but he also went to one of the worst landing spots for an RB in the entire league, from a fantasy perspective at least. Washington is now stuck behind Ashton Jeanty, who by all accounts is expected to have a monster year 2 due to a much-improved Raiders offensive line and coaching staff.

This makes the rookie RB a strict handcuff. A high-end handcuff, but still a handcuff at the end of the day. This is just an all-around bad landing spot/situation for the player. There’s no way around it.

Stock Neutral

Kaelon Black, San Francisco 49ers

Eli Heidenreich, Pittsburgh Steelers

Seth McGowan, Indianapolis Colts

Thanks for checking out our breakdown of 2026 Rookie Running Back Risers & Fallers After The NFL Draft! For more of my work here at Fantasy In Frames, make sure to click here.

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