RB Sleepers 2026: Find This Year's Travis Etienne

Did you land Travis Etienne in 2025? If so, then you're probably very familiar with his story.

Now it's time to find the RB sleepers ready to make a similar impact on your 2026 season. Let’s get to it.

2026 Sleeper Running Backs

These five RBs are going too cheaply right now and have the upside to define your season:

D’Andre Swift, RB, Chicago Bears

Swift’s RB24 ADP feels awfully close to his floor.

He finished 15th among RBs in PPR points per game last year and ranked 18th in expected fantasy points per game, showing that his production was backed by solid usage.

Even after rookie Kyle Monangai earned a larger role in Week 7, Swift remained a reliable fantasy starter, ranking 17th in PPR points per game and 18th in expected points per game among RBs the rest of the way.

Chicago Would Be Wise to Give Him the Ball More

There's little reason to expect Swift's workload to shrink in 2026. If anything, it could grow.

Swift outperformed Monangai in every meaningful rushing metric last season.

Ben Johnson Boost

The Bears offense could be even better in HC Ben Johnson’s second season. And even if it’s not, the running game should remain strong.

Johnson's backfields have consistently produced in fantasy. Here are his offenses' ranks in total RB PPR points:

• 2022: first
• 2023: third
• 2024: first
• 2025: 14th

Swift looks like a solid RB2 you can still land in Round 5 or 6.

Rhamondre Stevenson, RB, New England Patriots

The Market’s Just Being Disrespectful

Stevenson is being drafted as RB31 despite looking like a strong bet for a meaningful role in New England's backfield this season.

He sits 27th in our RB rankings even with a healthy projection for backfield mate TreVeyon Henderson. Henderson still has exciting long-term upside, but Stevenson has done more than enough to hold onto a sizable role.

Stevenson Has Earned a Big Role

Henderson averaged 5.1 yards per carry to Stevenson's 4.6 last season, but Stevenson was the better runner by almost every advanced metric. He beat Henderson last year in:

• Rush yards over expected per attempt (1.36 to 0.85)
• Yards after contact per attempt (3.83 to 3.45)
• Missed tackles forced per attempt (0.25 to 0.17)

In fact, Stevenson ranked top-5 in all three of those metrics among 51 RBs league-wide with at least 90 carries.

Passing-Game Edge is Key

He also outplayed Henderson in the passing game. Stevenson averaged 9.3 yards per target and 1.41 yards per route run, compared to Henderson's 5.3 yards per target and 0.98 yards per route.

Stevenson was also the more reliable pass protector. Henderson allowed 3 sacks on just 48 pass-blocking snaps last season and ranked 34th among 40 qualifying RBs in Pro Football Focus pass-blocking grade. Stevenson didn't allow a sack across 112 pass-blocking snaps and ranked fifth in PFF's pass-blocking grades.

Henderson has reportedly continued to struggle in that area during training camp.

Henderson could make a Year 2 leap. But Stevenson has already proven he deserves a significant role in what projects as one of the AFC's better offenses, making his RB31 price look too cheap.

Jonathon Brooks, RB, Carolina Panthers

We'll forgive you if you forgot about this guy. It’s been more than 16 months since we’ve seen Brooks on an NFL field.

A December 2024 right ACL tear -- the second of his career -- wiped out his entire 2025 season.

But Brooks is on track to be ready for 2026. And he returns to a Panthers backfield with plenty of opportunity.

Brooks Looked Like A Future Star

The Panthers made Brooks the first RB off the board in the 2024 draft, selecting him 46th overall.

That followed a scintillating junior season at Texas. Brooks averaged: 

• 114 rushing yards per game
• 6.1 yards per carry
• 1.0 TDs per game

He also chipped in 2.5 catches and 29 receiving yards per game.

Brooks ranked top-12 among 157 qualifying RBs in PFF rushing grade, missed tackles forced per attempt, and PFF elusive rating.

At 6'0, 216 pounds, Brooks brings the acceleration, elusiveness, and hands of a three-down back.

But is Brooks Healthy?

It sure sounds like it.

Brooks said in April that he's fully cleared and "close to 100%."

GM Dan Morgan was even more optimistic on The Rich Eisen Show in May:

“He’s doing great. He worked his way back. Fully healthy now, feeling great, looking great out there. Cutting, running fast. So, obviously, we’re super excited about him and potentially where he could bring our offense. In the pass game and the run game, I think he’ll really help us out.”

Brooks drew strong reviews from both coaches and the media for his performance in June minicamp. And the hype has continued early in training camp.

If he's truly healthy, he’ll have a real shot to earn a significant role this season.

Brooks Looked Like A Future Star

The Panthers made Brooks the first RB off the board in the 2024 draft, selecting him 46th overall.

That followed a scintillating junior season at Texas. Brooks averaged: 

• 114 rushing yards per game
• 6.1 yards per carry
• 1.0 TDs per game

He also chipped in 2.5 catches and 29 receiving yards per game.

Brooks ranked top-12 among 157 qualifying RBs in PFF rushing grade, missed tackles forced per attempt, and PFF elusive rating.

At 6’0, 216 pounds with plus acceleration, elusiveness, and hands, Brooks has the look of a three-down back.

But is Brooks Healthy?

It sure sounds like it.

Brooks said in April that he's fully cleared and "close to 100%."

GM Dan Morgan was even more optimistic on The Rich Eisen Show in May:

“He’s doing great. He worked his way back. Fully healthy now, feeling great, looking great out there. Cutting, running fast. So, obviously, we’re super excited about him and potentially where he could bring our offense. In the pass game and the run game, I think he’ll really help us out.”

Brooks drew strong reviews from both coaches and the media for his performance in June minicamp. And the hype has continued early in training camp.

If he's truly healthy, he’ll have a real shot to earn a significant role this season.

Hubbard Leaves The Door Open

The Panthers let RB Rico Dowdle walk in free agency and didn't draft a RB, leaving Chuba Hubbard as Brooks' primary competition.

Hubbard has money on his side. He’s entering the second year of the four-year, $33.2 million extension he signed in November 2024. His $7.5 million 2026 cap hit ranks 12th among RBs.

But Carolina has already shown a willingness to move away from Hubbard when another back is playing better.

A red-hot Dowdle remained Carolina's lead back last year even after Hubbard returned from his calf injury, out-carrying him 130 to 55 over the final nine games.

Hubbard simply wasn’t very effective last year. Here’s where he ranked in key metrics among 51 RBs with 90+ carries:

• 41st in yards per carry
• 45th in rush yards over expected per attempt
• 49th in yards after contact per attempt
• 50th in missed tackles forced per attempt
• 41st in PFF rushing grade

Hubbard played much better in 2024, averaging 4.8 yards per carry. But he sits at just 4.1 YPC for his career.

If he doesn’t rediscover that 2024 form this year, Brooks could quickly prove to be Carolina’s best runner.

Dave Canales Brings RB-friendly Offense

Whoever totes the rock for the Panthers will be in a nice spot.

The lead back in HC Dave Canales’ offense has been a strong fantasy asset for three years running now.

• 2023: Rachaad White ranks 10th among RBs in PPR points per game.
• 2024: Chuba Hubbard finishes RB13.
• 2025: Hubbard ranks 17th through Week 4, before his calf injury. Rico Dowdle ranks 12th from Week 5 on.

Expect strong RB production from Carolina again in 2026. The Panthers deployed one of the run-heaviest offenses in the NFL last year, ranking 10th in run rate and fifth in neutral run rate. 

Unless QB Bryce Young takes a big step forward in his fourth NFL season, expect this team to lean on the run again this season.

Jaydon Blue, Dallas Cowboys

HC Brian Schottenheimer said in June that Blue returned with a "night and day" difference in his approach, and that progress has carried into training camp, where he appears to be the Cowboys' No. 2 RB.

The athleticism and receiving chops have always been there. Blue blazed a 4.38-second 40 time at the Combine, averaged 5.4 yards per carry and 9.0 yards per catch at Texas, and caught 42 passes in his final college season.

Blue's pass-catching ability is especially interesting in Dallas, where Javonte Williams averaged just 3.9 yards per catch last year and ranked last among RBs with 25+ targets in yards per route run. If Blue proves he can handle passing-down work, he could carve out standalone PPR value. 

And if Williams misses time, Blue has the talent to emerge as the Cowboys' most productive back, even if he'd share work with Phil Mafah and Malik Davis.

Blue goes late enough in drafts to make him an easy shot before his role is fully settled.

MarShawn Lloyd, Green Bay Packers

Lloyd is back again and impressing in training camp as the potential No. 2 RB on the Packers. He's flashing big-play ability, working with the first-team offense, and looks like a heavy favorite to be the Josh Jacobs handcuff if he can stay healthy.

Lloyd's talent hasn't been the issue. He averaged 5.6 yards per carry across three college seasons, including 7.1 in 2023, when 15.7% of his carries went for 15+ yards, the highest rate of any RB in the 2024 draft class.

Lloyd then clocked a 4.46-second 40 time at 220 pounds, earning an 86th percentile Speed Score.

Multiple injuries have limited Lloyd to just 10 snaps through two NFL seasons. This offseason, he spent months working with a biomechanics specialist who found that he was overcompensating for his 2020 ACL tear, leading to ankle, hip, and quad deficiencies.

If Lloyd has truly solved his health woes, he should have no problem winning the No. 2 job in a Packers backfield that lost Emanuel Wilson this offseason.

He's a priority target in the final few rounds of fantasy drafts.

Ready For More Must-Have Sleepers?

Our full list of 2026 fantasy football sleepers includes:

• A second-year QB with breakout upside
• An explosive RB who could become a starter quickly
• A cheap TE with a chance to see 100+ targets

This Powerful Draft Tool Will Make Sure You Don't Miss the Next League-Winning Sleeper