Tier 2 (Continued): The “Skip Intro” Tier
You know the plot, just start them.
21. Ashton Jeanty, RB, LV
First off, if you’re reading this, I’m sorry, Nick Pollack. I convinced you to take him. I waxed poetic about Ashton Jeanty and why he’s worthy of a first-round pick, and you took him in the QB List Legacy League. For that, I will be forever remorseful. I knew the Raiders’ offensive line was going to be bad, but I didn’t expect it to be literally ranked dead last by PFF. Among running backs with at least 100 attempts, Jeanty had the second-worst yards before contact, second-worst success rate, and third-worst stuff rate. Thankfully for Jeanty, he’ll have a whole new coaching staff, almost certainly a new quarterback (hey there Fernando Mendonza), and hopefully an improved offensive line. The talent is there. If Jeanty just gets decent run blocking, he can put up top-five fantasy numbers. If his ADP is suppressed due to scorned fantasy managers, Jeanty could wind up one of the steals of 2026.
UPDATE: Not only does Jeanty have a whole new coaching staff, but he also has a brand-new carrrrrrrrr center! The lambo of run blockers, center Tyler Linderbaum, signed a three-year deal with the Raiders this offseason. Wheels ALL the way up for Jeanty, right?
Well, here’s the wet blanket that puts those wheels in park. New Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak said the following at the combine.
“Definitely want to have a two-man show there. Guys that can share the load, it’s a long season. You don’t want to put all the carries and targets on one guy”.
WOOF. This is the same guy who split the workload between Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet in Seattle this season, so he’s keeping it real. Jeanty has a wide range of outcomes based on how early the Raiders are willing to take another back. For now, he’s inside my top 12.
22. Saquon Barkley, RB, PHI
The fabled curse of 370 did hit Saquon Barkley last season, but not as badly as you may think. His efficiency and explosiveness certainly weren’t the same. He ranked 20th among the 49 running backs with at least 100 carries in explosive run rate and 33rd with a 4.07 yards per carry, a far cry from second in yards per carry and fourth in explosive run rate in 2024. But he was still a borderline RB1 and remained plenty involved in the offense, not missing a single game due to injury. I see him in the same boat as Derrick Henry. He’s a back-end RB1 who will be drafted like a top-tier back, as in the past. If you can get him at an RB2 cost, I’m all for it. But the upside is no longer worth the first- or second-round price tag.
23. Javonte Williams, RB, DAL
Javonte Williams signed a one-year deal with Dallas and made the most of it. The former Bronco finished the season as the RB12, averaging 15.2 points per game, and had the third-highest yards per contact (2.91) among backs with at least 100 rushing attempts. Williams was one of the league’s hottest backs to start the season, scoring 19 or more points in four of his first five games. He didn’t reach that mark again after Week 5, but he was as consistent as a ‘Now That’s What I Call Music’ tracklist, scoring 10+ points in all but three of his remaining starts. Williams is back with Dallas after signing a three-year, $24M deal this offseason. He’s proven to still have what it takes to be the ‘Boys bellcow and back-end RB1.
24. Kyren Williams, RB, LAR
I just don’t get Kyren Williams. He isn’t particularly efficient or explosive, yet somehow he ends up as an RB1 seemingly every season. Out of the 49 running backs with at least 100 carries in 2025, he was 11th in yards per carry and first in success rate (how often the running back picks up positive yardage by converting downs. The thresholds are at least 40% on 1st down, 60% on 2nd down, and 100% on 3rd or 4th down). Guess who was second? Teammate Blake Corum. So is the success rate due to the scheme or the skill? That’s the hard part here, and at least to me, Corum looks like the much better back on the field. Williams ranked 21st in explosive run rate (Corum 6th), 25th in missed force tackles per attempt (Corum 11th), and 18th in yards after contact per attempt (Corum 25th). Williams has shown me enough where I can no longer fade him at all costs, but I wouldn’t pay an RB1 price tag for him, especially the way Corum played down the stretch.
25. Josh Jacobs, RB, GB
Josh Jacobs had another RB1 season, but it was heavily inflated by touchdowns. Jacobs’ inefficiency was masked by the scores, averaging under 4 yards per carry for the third time in his career. Among the 49 running backs with at least 100 carries, Jacobs ranked 22nd in explosive run rate and 35th in yards per carry. Teetering toward the dreaded 28-year age cliff, with a heavy reliance on touchdowns and only playing a full season twice, unless he can be had at an RB2 price tag, I’m likely avoiding Josh Jacobs next season.
26. Trey McBride, TE, ARI
The ultimate edge in fantasy football this season was easily Trey McBride after Jacoby Brissett took over. McBride blew away the competition to finish as TE1 and averaged 18.6 points per game, 11th among non-quarterbacks. Arizona is among the plethora of teams that cleaned house and will have a new head coach, offensive coordinator, and quarterback. Brissett is still under contract, but Kyler Murray is expected to be traded. I do think Brissett winds up starting a few games for the Cards next season, but I expect another long-term option on the roster. How drastic were McBride’s splits with Brissett under center? He saw an additional two targets per game, but the main factor was end zone targets. McBride had two in Murray’s five starts and a whopping 16 from Week 6 on with Brissett. McBride averaged nearly 10 more points per game. He’s no doubt worthy of coming off the board as the TE1 next season, but I won’t be drafting him. I expect McBride to go around the late first to late second-round pick, and while replicating his 2025 production would make him worth that capital, it’s a classic case of buying all the risk.
UPDATE: Kyler is headed to Minnesota, Brissett is back in Arizona, and McBride may actually be worth the risk. I don’t think I’ll draft him where he’ll be going, but I get it.
27. Brock Bowers, TE, LV
Despite playing in just 12 games, Brock Bowers finished as TE11 in total points and was tied with Tucker Kraft and George Kittle for TE2 in points per game behind McBride. With a better quarterback (assumedly) in Fernando Mendoza, a hopefully better coaching staff and offense, Bowers is right in the conversation for TE1 in fantasy and should be one of the top three tight ends off the board. He’s not three.
28. Drake London, WR, ATL
Drake London ranked sixth with 2.61 yards per route run. Even though he played in only 12 games, catching 68 of his 108 targets for 919 yards, he still nearly reached 1,000 yards. Another ACL injury to Michael Penix threw Kirk Cousins back under center, and Penix’s career could legitimately be over. Penix underwent his third ACL reconstruction at the end of 2025, and although he has a chance to be ready for the start of next season, the Falcons almost assuredly will have some sort of insurance. Another team that will have a new head coach, OC, offensive system, and maybe a quarterback. It’s hard to properly place a guy like London until we know who his quarterback will be and what the offense’s strategy entails. His propensity to get nicked up also leads London’s floor to further fall, my fair lady. He’s Nico Collins with a wider range of outcomes.
UPDATE: Tua and Stefanski isn’t a terrible combo for the fantasy prospects of London. His value remains about the same.
Tier 3: The Toy Story Tier
If they jump a tier, the buzz will last lightyears.
29. Derrick Henry, RB, BAL
Derrick Henry isn’t from this planet. I’m pretty sure he eats barbed wire and poops concrete. He’s an absolute monster who is still smashing through defenders into his mid-30s, and he’ll continue to do so until he says he’s done. King Henry finished the season as RB8 with a 5.2 yards per carry (3rd highest) and the 6.8% explosive run rate (7th). But he is slowing down slightly (please don’t tell him I said that). His 2.39 yards per carry were the fifth straight season in which the number declined, and his second straight season under three. He’s aging as gracefully as Vanna White, but I’m afraid I won’t be drafting him among the top 12 backs next season. I’m much more comfortable having him as my RB2.
30. Breece Hall, RB, NYJ
Breece Hall is one of the most intriguing running backs heading into the 2026 offseason. The talent has always been there; he’s one of four running backs with at least 100 carries to have a 7% or higher explosive run rate. He’s been with the Jets. He has three straight seasons with over 1,300 total yards and is just two seasons removed from an RB2 overall finish. His ranking depends solely on where he signs in free agency. If he ends up on the Chiefs, the Ravens, or another running back-needy team where he’ll see a ton of work, RB1 overall isn’t out of the question. But if he takes a bag to sign with a team where he’ll share the workload, or gulp, goes back to the Jets, he’ll remain on “RB2 with upside” island.
UPDATE: Gulp. He went back to the Jets.
31. Cam Skattebo, RB, NYG
An instant favorite among Giants fans and football fans in general, the equivalent of a slobbery English bulldog puppy, Cam Skattebo had his rookie season cut short due to injury, but that didn’t stop him from becoming. Skattebo had the fourth-highest yards after contact among running backs with at least 100 rush attempts at 2.8, unsurprisingly, as Skatt would actively seek out contact and would go looking for contact, running over KC backs. The Giants’ offensive line improvements played a part, as did having Dart at quarterback. But with Todd Monken expected to become the team’s offensive coordinator once the Harbaugh deal is finalized (still in talks at the time of writing), Skattebo will have an OC who has produced monster fantasy seasons for running backs. As much as I love Skatt, don’t buy into all the risk and draft him as an RB1. But if you’re able to get him at an RB2, you’re buying at his floor with upside for more. Bump him up a few spots for shoving J.D. McDonagh to the ground.
One thing you should know Dom…
DON'T MESS WITH CAM SKATTEBO!!! 😤@Giants pic.twitter.com/4tFeiwnS5k
— WWE (@WWE) November 18, 2025
Sometimes, it’s not about the player. It’s not about Skatt’s skillset or progress in attempts to return from a horrific broken ankle that prematurely ended his rookie season in Week 8 and left his foot flapping like 10,000 candles in the wind. But it is about the volume of the drumbeat increasing all offseason that the Giants are looking to add an impact running back. Although it didn’t come to fruition, the Giants were very interested and supposedly submitted a strong offer to Kenneth Walker before K9 chose the Chiefs. Now, as the NFL Draft is approaching, the mock drafts and rumors are swirling that the GMen very well may end up taking the uber-talented running back Jeremiah Love out of Notre Dame at five. If that ends up being the case, you can say bye-bye Lil Sebastian to Skattebo’s RB1 potential for fantasy.
32. Chase Brown, RB, CIN
Chase Brown is a great example of why it’s important not to get stuck in a take-lock. I was not in on Brown entering the season, at least where he was going at ADP. He’s been efficient and inexplosive over his career, propped up by volume. By midseason, it was evident that volume wasn’t going anywhere, and he added additional pass-game work to his repertoire. He still averaged just 4.39 yards per carry and had a 3.9 explosive run rate. He handled 61% of the team’s carries and set career highs with 69 catches, 89 targets, and five touchdowns. Where Brown lands in the rankings closer to the season depends on whether the Bengals add a significant piece in the backfield this offseason.
33. A.J. Brown, WR, PHI
With all the drama surrounding A.J. Brown and the Eagles, you’d think he had the worst season of his career. The dude was a WR1, caught 7+ touchdowns, gained 1000+ receiving yards for the fourth straight season, and finished one spot ahead of CeeDee Lamb in points per game. Brown is getting a little long in the tooth, turning 29 in the offseason. But he has plenty of juice left in the tank, and whether it’s in Philadelphia or another city, I’ll be willing to buy the dip on Arthur Juan. There’s little to no risk drafting him as a WR2.
UPDATE: He’s still in Philly. For now.
34. Rome Odunze, WR, CHI
As good as Rome Odunze looked to start the season, I was honestly shocked to see he had only two games over 20 points and finished as the WR28 in ppg. But there is more to the story than I think most realize. When Odunze suffered a stress fracture in his foot against the Eagles on Black Friday, it was revealed that he had been dealing with foot issues since October that had progressively gotten worse. It just so happens that October is when Odunze’s production started to drop. When healthy, he has the talent and role in an improving offense to become a top-10 fantasy receiver year in and year out. I’m drafting him with no hesitation in 2026.
UPDATE: DJ Moore leaving for Buffalo does nothing but make Rome’s situation even better. Those 85 vacated targets have to go somewhere.
35. Tetairoa McMillan, WR, CAR
Had it not been for the inconsistent play from quarterback Bryce Young, Tetairoa McMillan could have easily finished as a WR1 in his first season in the league. Tet ended the season as WR16, catching 70 of 122 targets for 1,014 yards and seven touchdowns. Nothing to be mad about, but enough to show his upside if there had been consistent quarterback play. McMillan had the fifth-highest yards per reception despite Young ranking third-lowest in yards per game and yards per attempt. To put it clearly, Young had a worse quarterback rating than soon-to-be-former Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Tet is set to take a step forward in his sophomore season if he can get some stability from the quarterback position. He’s an excellent WR2 with a relatively safe floor and top-10 upside if he truly breaks out.
36. Chris Olave, WR, NO
The Saints’ season was a disappointment overall, but a perfect storm of no running game, no real competition for targets (after Rashid Shaheed’s trade), and a team constantly playing from behind led Olave to his best season. He finished fifth with 151 targets, caught 100 passes for the first time, and reached 1000 yards for the third time in four seasons. Among receivers with 100+ targets, Olave finished 17th in yards per target, 20th in yards per reception, and last in yards after contact. Only Olave and Davante Adams had yards after the catch under three. I foresee Olave having a hard time replicating his top 10 fantasy finish in 2026. He was a steal at his ADP last season, but he risks being over-drafted if he comes off the board among the top 12.
Tier 4: The GigaPet Tier
Vintage studs and hungry pups who need just a little hourly care.
37. Josh Allen, QB, BUF
Six straight seasons with a top-two finish. In the midst of his prime, there’s no reason not to rank and/or draft Allen as the QB1.
Josh Allen is good at football.
UPDATE: The Bills traded for DJ Moore from Chicago, further solidifying Allen’s top spot.
38. Lamar Jackson, QB, BAL
It’s been said ad nauseam that Lamar Jackson never looked the same after an early-season hamstring injury stalled his scorching hot start to the season. But in the words of Olympic gold medalist Kurt Angle, it’s true, it’s true. With the shocking news of John Harbaugh‘s firing came the revelation that Jackson and the offensive coordinator were rumored not to even be on speaking terms. Even in a “down” year, Jackson scored 23 total touchdowns in just 13 games. He’ll have a new head coach for the first time in his career and a new offense, but he’ll be heavily involved in the decisions on both. Jackson is still one of the elite fantasy quarterbacks, and any sort of discount offered would be free money.
UPDATE: The Ravens hired Jesse Minter to take over for the long-tenured Harbaugh, who in turn hired Declan Doyle as his OC. The 29-year-old is the youngest offensive coordinator in the league, and his system is expected to be a fast paced pre snap motion heavy offense with an emphasis on explosive plays. If things click, Lamar Jackson could be headed for another MVP.
39. Garrett Wilson, WR, NYJ
The lone bright spot in yet another dumpster fire of a season for the Jets, Garrett Wilson played in just seven games due to injury. Despite playing in less than half the team’s games, he led the team in receiving yards with 395. It’s pretty simple with Wilson. He’s an elite talent who’d be a perennial WR1 overall candidate if he could get a quarterback with a cannon. But he keeps getting ones with Nerf guns. His 30% target share kept him afloat and likely will remain high no matter who the quarterback is in New York next season. The draft has gotten shallow at the top, so who his thrower of the football will be is still a question, and will be for quite a while.
UPDATE: Geno Smith as his quarterback doesn’t give Wilson a cannon to work with, but he’s not a Nerf gun either. A BB gun, perhaps? Wilson will remain a borderline WR1 in 2026. Just stay healthy this year, okay?
40. Tee Higgins, WR, CIN
Tee Higgins is among the five receivers to have eight or more touchdowns in each of the past two years. Higgins reaching that mark may be the most impressive of the bunch, considering he missed multiple games due to concussions and was without his starting quarterback for most of the season. Joe Flacco was a step up from Jake Browning, but he’s still no Joe Burrow. Higgins will occupy his typical high-end WR2/low-end WR1 status again in 2026.