As mentioned in Part 1 of our Running Back Profiles, CFF diehards are convinced that the ground game is key to building rosters (or at least hoarding backs with projected high volume). In my seven CFF drafts, backs are flying off the boards in the first and second rounds, and smart managers are adding running back depth throughout their CFF drafts. Read on for a breakdown of the college running backs who are providing that depth.
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More CFF Running Back Profiles
Cum Laude
Nate Sheppard, Duke
Team Offense (Rank): 424 ypg. (25)
Rushing: 138 ypg. (88)
Scoring: 34.6 ppg. (14)
2025 FPPG: 17.9
Current Fantrax ADP: 18.8
I watched many Duke games last year as the Blue Devils rose in the offensive rankings and produced many unexpected fantasy producers. Nate Sheppard became one of the better waiver wire pickups of the year, accumulating an ACC-high 1,418 yards from scrimmage and earning All-ACC Second Team and Freshman All-America honors. He snatched 37 passes for 286 yards and scored 12 times. He eclipsed 100 yards rushing three times and produced over 20 Fantasy Points (FPs) in six games, including a season-best 36.1 versus Syracuse. He established Blue Devils’ freshman-season records for rushing yards, attempts, touchdowns, and 100-yard outings while holding the freshman single-game record for yards per attempt, making him a key CFF runner.
A three-star recruit, Sheppard was the No. 19 prospect in Louisiana and No. 32 RB in the nation. He also earned varsity letters in basketball and track and field—a three-time regional qualifier in the 110-meter hurdles and reached the regional event in the long jump and 300-meter hurdles. At 5-10 and 200 pounds, the speedy sophomore is an explosive runner with a low center of gravity and impressive contact balance. With QB Darian Mensah gone, Sheppard is expected to be the focal point of the offense, with an estimated 250 touches in 2026, making him a valuable target for fantasy managers seeking volume and opportunity.
Notebook: ESPN’s Max Olson ranked Sheppard among the top 10 running backs in the nation: “He is not a household name quite yet, but personnel experts believe he’s about to become one. The former three-star recruit from Louisiana shined in his true freshman season with the Blue Devils. Several high-profile programs were hoping Sheppard might test the transfer portal in January, but he rejected their interest to stay in Durham for his sophomore campaign.”
Ahmad Hardy, Missouri
Team Offense (Rank): 416 ypg. (32)
Rushing: 228 ypg. (8)
Scoring: 30.2 ppg. (44)
2025 FPPG: 20.7
Current Fantrax ADP: 8.6
When I published the first CFF rankings in March, Ahmad Hardy stood atop the running backs. Yet the real world intervened, and he fell in the rankings due to his wide range of possible outcomes. It has nothing to do with his football ability: The trepidation centers around his health after suffering a gunshot wound in May while attending a concert. In mid-June, Coach Eli Drinkwitz provided some information on Hardy’s recovery. At the current time, there is no definitive timeline for his health status regarding the start of training camp and the season.
After two years in college, there is no denying his running ability. Hardy originally enrolled at U-Louisiana Monroe in 2024 and collected the Adrian Peterson Award as the CFF Freshman of the Year. He scampered for 1,351 yards and 13 touchdowns, earning All-Sun Belt Freshman of the Year and All-Sun Belt First Team. Afterward, he moved up a level to the P4 at Missouri in the SEC.
Once again, he dominated opponents, rushing for 1,649 yards and 16 scores. He concluded the campaign as the second-leading rusher in the nation and sixth in rushing touchdowns. Against Mississippi State, he recorded an afternoon for the ages with 300 rushing yards and three touchdowns, scoring 48 FPs. Hardy logged another 40-point performance against UL-Lafayette with 250 yards and three scores. If the Tigers’ runner were healthy enough for over 250 carries again, he would easily be a top-5 pick in CFF drafts. I am comfortable selecting Hardy as a second running back on my roster, but not as the first, given the current risk to his role and potential on-field usage.
Notebook: Coach Drinkwitz updated Hardy’s status: “He’s not fully acclimated back to weight-bearing yet, but progressing well. Great energy. Biggest thing for us right now is holding him back. He wants to progress faster than what the doctors want. So little by little, a little becomes a lot. But we aren’t quite where we want to be yet.” (cbssports.com)
Lucky Sutton, San Diego State
Team Offense (Rank): 356 ypg. (89)
Rushing: 198 ypg. (19)
Scoring: 26.4 ppg. (77)
2025 FPPG: 15.0
Current Fantrax ADP: 17.8
For many CFF fanatics, San Diego State has its own drawer in the memory bank. The Aztecs produced back-to-back seasons (2016 and 2017) in which their lead back exceeded 2,000 yards rushing. Donnel Pumphrey, who is in the CFF Hall of Fame, and Rashaad Penny both led many CFF coaches to championships while rushing for that magical mark. While Lucky Sutton is not likely to record the third 2,000-yard campaign in school history, he could be one of the key running backs on CFF teams that win rings this year.
In 2025, Sutton rambled for 1,297 yards on 254 carries and scored 10 touchdowns. Unfortunately, he did not provide any pass-catching upside with only five receptions for three yards. The 6-1 and 225-pound senior is a bruising back who is durable and runs hard between the tackles. Sutton returned for a final season on campus to further his legacy and move up the all-time rushing leaders. He is less than 900 yards away from the top 10 in Aztecs’ history. San Diego State competes in the reborn PAC-12, and Sutton will steamroll the competition this fall.
Notebook: “SDSU has prepared me for life after football by giving me opportunities to build real skills in business. Between the academic experience and the support system offered at SDSU, I feel confident stepping into the business world and pursuing my goals after football,” Sutton stated last December (business.sdsu.edu).
San Diego State (7-1, 4-0) is in control of the Mountain West following a 24-7 win over Wyoming.
Lucky Sutton ran for 158 yards and 1 TD. SDSU outgained Wyoming 390-185 and won the TO margin 4-2.@SSN_Aztecs @MWCConnection @RedBlackPride pic.twitter.com/YuWEoygAdR
— Colton Pool (@CPoolReporter) November 2, 2025
Darius Taylor, Minnesota
Team Offense (Rank): 293 ypg. (127)
Rushing: 103 ypg. (126)
Scoring: 23 ppg. (99)
2025 FPPG: 14.9
Current Fantrax ADP: 15.4
I really want to rank Darius Taylor higher because his abilities and potential could make him a top fantasy producer. He is a tantalizing talent running the football, but has a string of soft-tissue injuries that have sidelined him. In 2023, he missed seven games, and in 2025, he sat out three times. Two years ago, he played in a career-high 12 games and recorded his best campaign. He collected 205 carries for 986 yards and 10 touchdowns, scoring 22.2 FPPG. Last year, he only carried the ball 143 times for 670 yards and four scores. Which Taylor shows up in 2026?
At 6-0 and 215 pounds, Taylor has been an impactful runner since his freshman year. In three seasons, he has carried the ball 486 times for 2,455 yards, averaging 5.1 ypc, and scoring 19 times. Nevertheless, his greatest fantasy asset entails his pass-catching skills. In 2024, he recorded an astonishing 54 catches for 340 yards and two scores. During his career, the Golden Golphers’ ball carrier has made 99 catches for 687 yards, which is fantasy gold. To endure the upcoming punishment, he has worked with specialists to improve his health in preparation for the upcoming crusade. Taylor is a fantastic second runner on a CFF roster and is being drafted early in the second round.
Notebook: In a recent interview, Taylor discussed the changes he’s made to prepare himself for the 2026 season. “I’ve done a lot of things actually. I’ve gotten with a chef and broken it down to the macro level, plus I have a Pilates coach. The two main changes, other than that, are staying in the training room with Joe [Wisniewski, athletic trainer]. Staying with them and keeping up with their plans have been important. At this point, I’ve just got to go play football.” (si.com)
Dylan Riley, Boise State
Team Offense (Rank): 424 ypg. (24)
Rushing: 179 ypg. (37)
Scoring: 29.9 ppg. (47)
2025 FPPG: 15.3
Current Fantrax ADP: 43.2
Among memorable offenses, the Kellen Moore-led Broncos still excite me over 15 years later. Watching Moore sling the pigskin all over the Blue Turf in Boise, ID captivated my attention on many fall Saturdays. While the aerial attack obsessed me, the ground game has produced a consistent pipeline of NFL-caliber running backs like Doug Martin, Jay Ajayi, Jeremy McNichols, and Ashton Jeanty, making Boise State a prime target for reliable CFF runners.
While both Dylan Riley and Sire Gaines are productive Broncos, I prefer Riley and have selected him in numerous drafts so far. In 2025, Riley scampered for over 1,100 yards and 10 scores. He added 15 catches for 149 yards and two touchdowns. CFF coaches must be aware of Riley’s weekly outcome variability. He can produce explosive games like his 57.5 FP performance against Air Force, but he delivered single-digit FPs in five games, which can hurt weekly matchups. Coming off the board in the fourth round of most drafts, I am comfortable selecting Riley as a third runner despite the expected bumpy roller coaster in 2026.
Notebook: “I feel like it’s a better feeling, knowing I started at the bottom and came to the top. To get 1,000 yards and be the lead rusher. They gave me my chances. I really appreciate the coaches for believing in me and giving me the ball 15 to 20 times,” Riley discussed his rise up the depth chart at the end of last season (kivitv.com).
Boise State is a RB factory.
Dylan Riley went for 201 yards on 16 carries today
— WestCoastCFB (@WestCoastCFB) October 18, 2025
Kendrick Raphael, SMU
Team Offense (Rank): 417 ypg. (31)
Rushing: 134 ypg. (95)
Scoring: 32.2 ppg. (26)
2025 FPPG: 18.2
Current Fantrax ADP: 29.8
The transfer portal has changed the landscape of college football, and Kendrick Raphael has clearly taken advantage of the freedom to seek a better opportunity. The newest Mustang entered the portal for a second time this winter and landed at SMU for his final season on a college campus, signing a NIL deal for around half a million.
A three-star recruit coming out of Florida, Raphael signed with North Carolina State in 2023. While a member of the Wolfpack, he gained over 300 rushing yards in each of his first two seasons and caught 20 passes and scored four times. In 2025, he took his skills west to play for California. Wearing the Golden Bears’ uniform, he collected a career-high 232 carries for 934 yards and 13 touchdowns. Through the air, he logged 34 catches for 245 yards and a score, earning All-ACC honorable mention.
Coach Rhett Lashlee sought a power back to move the chains and close out games in the fourth quarter, and Raphael fit the criteria to fulfill those roles and improve SMU’s rushing attack. He is not an explosive back, but he can handle a big workload and broke 50 tackles last year. Raphael plays in a much better system for an offense-minded coach and is in line for plenty of touches with the Mustangs.
Ja’Kyrian Turner, Pittsburgh
Team Offense (Rank): 391 ypg. (65)
Rushing: 117 ypg. (114)
Scoring: 33.7 ppg. (20)
2025 FPPG: 13.1
Current Fantrax ADP: 22.8
Former Panthers’ running back Desmond Reid landed on several of my CFF rosters last season. Needless to say, it did not work out well for my teams. Reid played in only seven games and rushed for 278 yards. By November, it became difficult to place him in lineups, and Ja’Karian Turner clearly provided a better fantasy option. In the final five games, Turner netted 473 rushing yards and a score. By the end of the season, he led the team in rushing with 747 yards and seven touchdowns, adding 25 catches for 150 yards.
A freshman last year, Turner was rated as a top 100 athlete in the country and graded as a three-star recruit. As a senior, he dashed for 108 yards per game, grossing 978 yards and scoring 10 touchdowns on 134 attempts. He graduated high school early and enrolled at Pittsburgh in the spring of 2025. Turner embraced his opportunities last year and enters training camp atop the Panthers’ depth chart. EA Sports College Football 27 gave the speedy sophomore an overall score of 86. CFF coaches concur with the rating and believe that Turner will be productive in 2026, grabbing him late in the second round of drafts.
Notebook: “What attracted us was Ja’Kyrian’s athletic ability. I mean, there are a lot of good, skilled guys across the country. It is just doing your evaluation and knowing you’ve got a guy who can run the football. He can catch it out of the backfield. And he’s pretty fast. Just something we saw on tape. I mean, it’s called evaluation,” Pitt Coach Pat Narduzzi uttered last fall (audacy.com).
Jahiem White, North Texas
Team Offense (Rank): 512 ypg. (1)
Rushing: 194 ypg. (25)
Scoring: 45.1 ppg. (1)
2025 FPPG: 11.9
Current Fantrax ADP: 46.8
When a player drops down a level of competition, astute CFF coaches take notice. Jahiem White played the past two seasons at West Virginia (P4 team) but entered the transfer portal and moved down to a G6 program at North Texas. In 2023, White was a freshman All-American after slashing for 842 yards while averaging 7.7 ypc. As a sophomore, he gained another 844 yards on 148 carries. Last year, expectations were sky-high in Coach Rich Rodriguez’s explosive run game. Regrettably, the slashing speedster suffered a season-ending knee injury after two games.
Seeking a new start, White signed with North Texas, following his former Coach Neal Brown, who coached White his first two seasons in Morgantown, WV. The Mean Green are essentially an entirely new team with new faces on the staff and on the gridiron in 2026. White will be the centerpiece of the new offense and flourish in Brown’s scheme if healthy. In the fourth round of drafts, the North Texas slasher provides a great option on CFF rosters.
Notebook: “Jahiem has been doing well and is ahead of schedule. He looks good. If we can get him 100% healthy, he’s going to be special,” running backs coach Chad Scott specified during the spring (dentonrc.com).
Makhi Hughes, Houston
Team Offense (Rank): 395 ypg. (60)
Rushing: 178 ypg. (40)
Scoring: 29.1 ppg. (55)
2025 FPPG: 1.9
Current Fantrax ADP: 25
I remember when my Dad first explained a mulligan in golf: I could not believe it. Over 40 years later, I understand its role in the game and life. After transferring from Tulane to Oregon, Makhi Hughes completely disappeared in Eugene, OR. He carried the ball only 17 times for 70 yards and was one of the biggest busts in CFF. I would like to extend a mulligan to Hughes and his 2025 campaign.
It is much more pertinent to examine his two extraordinary campaigns with the Green Wave. In 2023, he was named Freshman All-American after bolting for 1,378 yards and seven scores. The next season, he rushed for even more yards with 1,401 and set a career-high with 15 touchdowns. The two-time All-AAC First Team member also caught 30 passes for 243 yards and two scores. Hughes gets another chance to shine under his former Tulane coach, Willie Fritz, at Houston. The Cougars needed to replace Dean Connors, who had 234 touches, in the backfield, and Fritz selected Hughes to handle the duties, which is enough to convince me to acquire the newest Cougars runner.
Mark Fletcher, Miami
Team Offense (Rank): 409 ypg. (40)
Rushing: 155 ypg. (72)
Scoring: 31.6 ppg. (30)
2025 FPPG: 16.7
Current Fantrax ADP: 41.8
I witnessed a golden era in Miami Hurricanes’ history when the program produced some of the best runners in the country. Edgerrin James, Clinton Portis, Frank Gore, and Willis McGahee all subjugated defenders in South Florida and went on to NFL success in the first decade of the 21st Century. More recently, Duke Johnson crushed opponents and stands atop the all-time leaderboard at Miami. Currently, Mark Fletcher is seventh among Hurricanes’ rushers and is only 1,206 yards from passing Johnson at the top.
Fletcher, a senior, enrolled at Miami four years ago and got on the field immediately as a true freshman. Despite missing three games, he paced the team in carries and ranked second in rushing yards with 514. The following season, he finished second for the Hurricanes again with 607 rushing yards on 112 carries, averaging 5.4 yards per rush and scoring nine rushing touchdowns. As a junior last year, Fletcher became the workhorse in the backfield with 216 carries for 1,192 yards and 12 scores. He collected All-ACC Third Team and Academic All-America Second Team honors. He set the CFP record for rushing yards with 507 in four playoff games.
At 6-2 and 225 pounds, the Senior packs a punch upon impact and has premier contact balance between the tackles. Unfortunately, he does not offer much in the passing game, with 34 receptions for 140 yards during his college tenure. He is also a liability as a pass blocker, which will limit his draft stock unless he improves this season. The Hurricanes’ bruising back provides a very high floor in fantasy production this season. Yet, his fantasy ceiling is limited unless he becomes a more improved receiver out of the backfield.
Notebook: Fletcher explained why he came back for another season at Miami: “Well, I love what this program has gotten to (again). I’ve seen where it was before I got here, and I trusted Coach Cristobal. I stayed for my little self, like the kid who was watching Miami. I saw the great players who they had, and shoot, if I could help Miami get at least a little closer to that level. I got one more year to do it. So I feel like I’m doing what little Mark Fletcher would do. I’m making him proud.” (Yahoo.com)
MARK FLETCHER ANSWERS FOR THE MIAMI TD
pic.twitter.com/8RmqKeshpK— SleeperCFB (@SleeperCFB) January 20, 2026
Jordon Davison, Oregon
Team Offense (Rank): 452 ypg. (17)
Rushing: 199 ypg. (20)
Scoring: 36.9 ppg. (10)
2025 FPPG: 12.5
Current Fantrax ADP: 68
Obviously, CFF coaches want to acquire players from the Ducks. The challenge is identifying the playmakers to draft in an offense that spreads the ball around. I stand on the Jordon Davison island alone and continue selecting him in drafts. When I first started drafting in March, I grabbed Davison in the third round, but more recently, he is on the board in the sixth. I am still placing the sophomore on my rosters and scooping up the value.
In high school, Davison was the No. 1 ranked running back in California and a four-star recruit. In the nation, he was the No. 7 running back and the 84th-rated player overall. He helped Mater Dei to a 37-2 record as the top runner and was named the 2024 California High School Player of the Year.
As a true freshman last year, Davison was named All-Big Ten honorable mention. He led the team with 15 rushing touchdowns, which is the second-most in school history by a freshman, on 113 carries while rushing for 667 yards. He scored a touchdown in 9 of his first 11 games and produced over 20 FPs three times all season. The sensational sophomore provides the Ducks’ backfield with power and punch at 6-0 and 235 pounds. I will be recruiting at Davison all summer for my CFF teams.
Notebook: In April, Davison provided an update on his rehab status: “I’m on track right now, just trying to get back in the groove, trusting my pads, shoulder and stuff like that.” (duckswire.com).
Austyn Dendy, Bowling Green
Team Offense (Rank): 307 ypg. (122)
Rushing: 156 ypg. (71)
Scoring: 20.5 ppg. (115)
2025 FPPG: 15.9
Current Fantrax ADP: 31.6
As a lifelong Michigan fan, few players from Ohio State have captured my attention and fandom. At the very top of the list stands Eddie George, who won the Heisman in 1995, and I selected him the following summer in the first round of my keeper league NFL fantasy draft. He helped me win two fantasy titles afterward. Over 30 years later, George is now the coach at Bowling Green, and I am still rooting for the former Ohio State runner.
If Bowling Green under George is going to win more than four games, Austyn Dendy will be an integral component of the team’s success. The 6-1, 225-pounder originally enrolled at Missouri, redshirting as a freshman in 2024 and did not play in any games. Last summer, he transferred to Bowling Green and played in five games, starting four. He collected 108 carries for 493 yards and five touchdowns. The high-flying Falcon concluded the year with three consecutive games over 100 yards rushing and scored 74.2 FPs, averaging 24.7 FPPG. Dendy is the workhorse that CFF coaches covet, and he should surpass 1,000 yards rushing and double-digit touchdowns.
Notebook: “A little raw coming into the year. (The staff) did a phenomenal job of getting him ready not just physically but also mentally, understanding protections and the blocking scheme(s). What to look for, the details and the nuances of eyes and feet. Austyn has been really working hard on that end,” Coach George noted after Dendy’s first carries of the year versus Kent State last fall .
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