What needs to go right for second-year running backs to be fantasy hits in 2026?

Here we’ll look at the incoming second-year running backs, sorted by their current consensus ADP . We’ll take a look back at their rookie campaigns and what needs to go right for them to be fantasy hits in 2026. Ashton Jeanty - RB7, 13th overall The 2025 season wasn’t some outright disaster for Ashton Jeanty but we can all acknowledge it was a disappointing fantasy campaign.

After being drafted as a consensus Round 1 to 2 turn player, he finished as the RB17 in points per game. Much of that was due to chaos on offense, stemming from the coaching staff, which had a particularly debilitating impact on the offensive line. The Raiders ranked 31st in yards before contact on running back runs in 2025, which shows how poorly they blocked up front and how little space Jeanty was afforded.

Things should be very different now that Klint Kubiak has been hired as the head coach. You know what you’re getting with Kubiak: a run game that’s going to have a clear vision and cohesion. All of that was sorely lacking in Vegas last season.

Adding Tyler Linderbaum as the center helps in the talent department, as well. Fantasy managers have already baked in an Ashton Jeanty leap with this early ADP. I was a skeptic of Jeanty at this cost last year, but this season, I’m in.