2026 Fantasy Football Post-Hype Sleepers: Running Backs

Under-the-radar running backs to target in this year's drafts!

Jay Felicio
Draft Prep 8 Hours Ago

As we did with my post-hype sleeper quarterbacks yesterday, let’s kick things off by reviewing last year’s running backs in the same format:

2025 Post-Hype Sleeper Running Backs in Review:

Trey Benson had the path to a breakout open exactly as projected when James Conner suffered a season-ending foot injury in Week 3. Benson also looked the part, averaging 5.5 yards per carry while catching 13 of his 16 targets through four games. Unfortunately, he suffered his own season-ending knee injury before he could capitalize on the opportunity. The process was sound, and the takeover was coming, but four games aren’t enough for me to claim victory.

Verdict: Push

After struggling to the tune of 3.8 yards per carry in 2024, D’Andre Swift flourished behind an improved offensive line and Ben Johnson’s offense. He averaged a career-high 4.9 yards per carry while setting career highs in rushing yards (1,087) and rushing touchdowns (nine). The increase in receiving production I had hoped for didn’t come to fruition, but Swift still accumulated 1,386 scrimmage yards, scored 10 total touchdowns, and finished as the RB17 in PPR points per game after being drafted around RB24. That’s a dub.

Verdict: Hit

Le Sigh. Tank Bigsby, what could have been. The efficiency remained (Bigsby averaged 5.7 yards per carry), but the opportunity never followed. Jacksonville traded RKOed him out of nowhere to Philly after Week 1, where he became little more than the kick returner and backup to Saquon Barkley. I placed too much weight on Bigsby’s exceptional rushing efficiency from 2024 and not enough on his limited passing-game role, the three-way backfield competition and the lack of commitment from Jacksonville’s new coaching staff. And as it turns out, there was, in fact, more than “ZERO risk” in drafting him.

Verdict: Miss

If you want to revisit the original article and see the rest of my reasoning, click…………here……………not here……….and not here.

Verdict: Miss

Another 1-1-1 record. At least I’m consistent.

Here are my 2026 Post-Hype Sleeper Running Backs. When you’re done, check out my 2026 PHS Quarterbacks.

 

Kenneth Gainwell – Tampa Bay Buccaneers
(The “Slimey, Yet Satisfying” sleeper)

Kenneth Gainwell shattered his personal bests in 2025, hauling in 73 catches, racking up 1,000 total yards, and scoring eight touchdowns en route to an unexpected RB2 season en route to free agency en route to Tampa Bay. At first glance, Tampa might not seem like a dream destination with Bucky Irving still on the roster, but look a little closer, shall we? Before his injury sidelined him for seven games, Irving wasn’t running the ball particularly well, and his performance upon return was suboptimal. Among running backs with at least 100 carries, Bucky posted the sixth-highest stuff rate*, ranked in the bottom five for both yards after contact and explosive run rate, and finished dead last in yards per carry. Gainwell, while not exactly electrifying, did incite a little static electricity. He was among the top 15 in yards per carry, explosive run rate, missed tackles forced, and top 10 in success rate. His pass-catching skills are indisputable (see below):

Tampa Bay’s coaching staff has been singing his praises all offseason. Expect a committee approach early on, with Sean Tucker likely handling goal-line duties, but if Irving falters or gets hurt, Gainwell is set to gain…well?…fantasy points? value? ranks? idk, but you get the point.

*a run less than four yards on first down or less than three yards on any other down that doesn’t result in a first down or touchdown

 

David Montgomery – Houston Texans
(The “Coach Speak” sleeper)

It was a disjointed year for David Montgomery in 2025. Monty played a full schedule for the first time in his professional career, posted his 2nd highest yards per carry in a single season, and was tied for 10th among qualifying running backs in yards after contact. But Knuckles was relegated to second billing in the Lions backfield, handling a career low in carries, leading to a career low in rushing yards, eventually leading to Montgomery moving on. Monty heads to Houston to pair up with second-year runner Woody Marks, and yeah, I heard about this:

But did you hear about this?

Will Marks get plenty of opportunity in a complementary role, or is he splitting lead back duties? Which report is true? Which is false? Both are…both.

The point I’m trying to make is every offseason we hear all kinds of coachspeak about usage, roles in the offense, potato salad recipes, this that and the other, and it’s generally a bunch of hogwash. Do I think Marks will have a role? Absolutely. But the rookie had the 2nd-lowest yards per carry among running backs with at least 100 carries, was bottom five in yards after contact, tied with Chuba Hubbard and Emanuel Wilson for the lowest missed tackles forced per attempt, and earned the 10th-highest stuffed rate (not a good thing). Marks may play the pass-catching third-down role, but don’t be swayed by the offseason grumblings; this will be Monty’s backfield, who’s currently being drafted outside the top 20 backs. That’s free money.

 

Jonathon Brooks – Carolina Panthers

(The “Lazarus” sleeper)

Can you hear it?

That faint pulsing sound that’s getting louder by the second.

That’s not the lettuce from Taco Bell causing a stir; it’s the Jonathon Brooks drumbeat getting louder and louder by the minute.

Brooks is somewhat shockingly entering his third year as a pro, but it’s essentially his rookie season. Injury has held him to nine carries for 22 yards over his first two seasons. I’m not sure if people have just forgotten or don’t care how much Brooks balled out at Texas. The former Longhorn had a 6.1 YPC in 2023, ending with an average of 6.3 yards per carry over his entire collegiate career . Brooks is a more than capable pass catcher and excels at making defenders miss. His 0.34 missed tackles per attempt ranked in the 95th percentile of all college running backs since 2018. Brooks isn’t the most explosive runner, but that explosiveness ignites in a zone-blocking run scheme. He had an almost 15% explosive play rate in zone concepts at Texas, and it just so happens that’s what the Panthers’ run game operates under. But what about Chuba Hubbard? Oh, you mean the guy with zero explosive runs in 2025? A 3.81 yards per carry, 1.75 yards after contact per attempt, and tied for dead last in explosive run rate with Woody Marks (lolz) and Emanuel Wilson? Yeah, he was a nice story and a valuable fantasy asset with volume last year. Hubbard will have a role and likely start the season as the lead back, as the Panthers won’t want to give Brooks a heavy workload right away. But Brooks is easily one of my favorite draft day targets this season, and someone I could see ending up an early round pick in 2027.

Photo by David Berding | Adapted by Parker McDonald (@CarbonFoxGFX on Twitter/X)