9 Late-Round RB Targets for 2026 Fantasy Football

Not every fantasy football manager gets to draft Jahmyr Gibbs or Bijan Robinson. Even for those who do, I don’t think you can ever have enough running backs. Running backs will always be the hottest commodity in fantasy football. That is because volume will always be the biggest indicator of fantasy success, and running backs get plenty of it. There are plenty of backs you can draft in the later rounds who can pay big dividends in 2026. Below are nine late-round running back targets I have been eyeing late in fantasy football drafts. This is a mix of players I believe can provide value right away, along with a few stashes and speculative plays.

For this article, I am using ADP data from the five weeks beginning August 1. I am assuming a Fantrax Classic PPR Draft with 12 teams and 18 rounds. Therefore, I define “late” as any running back with an ADP in the 10^th round or later. 37 running backs are being drafted too early to qualify, so most of these picks are players who fantasy managers are drafting as bench depth who have the potential to perform at a higher level than their current draft position would suggest.

9 Late Round Running Back Targets

Marshawn Lloyd, Green Bay Packers (ADP 138.46)

Technically, Marshawn Lloyd qualifies for this list, so I had to include him. His ADP from August 1 through today ranks 44^th among running backs. However, odds are if you are drafting this weekend, Lloyd is going multiple rounds earlier. The NFL placed Josh Jacobs on the Commissioner Exempt List last week. It is anybody’s guess how long Jacobs will be away from the team, but Lloyd should grab the bulk of the work in the Green Bay Packers backfield. He has played one game in two NFL seasons due to injury, so this is not a pick without risk. But I would draft Lloyd as a top 30 fantasy running back given his relatively clear path to double-digit weekly touches.

Kyle Monangai, Chicago Bears (ADP 112.78)

Yes, Kyle Monangai is dealing with a knee injury that Ben Johnson described as week-to-week. However, that can provide fantasy managers with an interesting buying opportunity. I don’t mind drafting running backs later in drafts with relatively minor injuries. No NFL team has a September bye week, and most players are as healthy as they are going to be at any point in the season. If you are drafting Monangai as your RB4, you probably aren’t starting him in Week 1 or Week 2 anyway. But you are banking on a player who has a solid role in one of the most fantasy-friendly offenses in the NFL. That is generally a good bet. Monangai earned double-digit opportunities (carries plus targets) in eight of Chicago’s last nine games, including the playoffs last season.

Aaron Jones, Minnesota Vikings (ADP 132.16)

Aaron Jones is not a fun click. When you draft him, nobody is likely to pat you on the back for making a good pick or complain that you sniped them. But Jones is probably going to continue to approach double-digit fantasy points in PPR leagues in 2026. He averaged 10 points per game last year despite only scoring three times in 12 games and exhibiting declining rushing metrics. Minnesota’s offense should be improved with Kyler Murray under center. Jones may not be the primary beneficiary of Murray’s presence, and the days of him rushing for over 1,000 yards per year are long gone. But Aaron Jones will be a solid Flex option in most weeks in PPR leagues.

Rachaad White, Washington Commanders (ADP 110.28)

The first two running backs who qualify based on their recent ADP reside in the Washington Commanders backfield. Jacory Croskey-Merritt has an ADP of 110.15, while Rachaad White has a nearly identical draft slot. I prefer White in PPR formats. Croskey-Merritt played all 17 games as a rookie last year and caught just nine passes. That level of receiving production usually constitutes a slow month for White. He has 205 receptions in his four NFL seasons. White should get at least a handful of carries a game as well, giving him a solid fantasy floor. That makes him one of my favorite late-round targets at the running back position.

Zach Charbonnet, Seattle Seahawks (ADP 156.80)

The Seattle Seahawks placed Zach Charbonnet on the Physically Unable to Perform list, meaning he will miss at least four games. But Charbonnet proved last season that he is a weapon down by the goal line. He ran for 12 touchdowns last year, finishing tied for sixth in the NFL. Seattle drafted Jadarian Price, but beat reports suggest that George Holani is the preferred candidate early in the season for short yardage and goal-line work. Charbonnet should at the very least earn those touches when he returns and could get more work as he builds towards a return to full health. In a Fantrax Classic Draft, each team starts 10 players and carries an eight-man bench. Depending on your build, Zach Charbonnet makes for an ideal bench stash early in the season.

For more great fantasy football rankings and analysis, make sure to check out the 2026 FantraxHQ Fantasy Football Draft Kit!

Kaelon Black, San Francisco 49ers (ADP 196.13)
Samaje Perine, Cincinnati Bengals (ADP 261.91)

Kaelon Black and Samaje Perine find themselves in similar situations. Both players are likely to need an injury in front of them to occur to become fantasy relevant. Having said that, Perine had 10 or more opportunities in five of Cincinnati’s last eight games in 2025, even with Chase Brown playing in all 17 games. It is not ridiculous to believe he could have standalone fantasy value in deeper leagues, and he is basically free in drafts. In a world where fantasy football managers are obsessed with handcuffing running backs, it is wild that the direct backups to last year’s overall RB1 and RB7 are being drafted outside of Round 15 and Round 20, respectively, in 12-team leagues. Black is an intriguing late-round fantasy option considering the seemingly endless conversations about Christian McCaffrey’s health. The rookie would most likely become an instant fantasy starter if McCaffrey were to miss time.

Chris Brooks, Green Bay Packers (ADP 270.07)
Kaleb Johnson, Green Bay Packers (ADP 273.11)

With Josh Jacobs on the Exempt List, Marshawn Lloyd is expected to be the starter in the backfield for the Green Bay Packers for the foreseeable future. However, as I mentioned earlier, Lloyd has played one game in two NFL seasons. We have no evidence that the braintrust in Green Bay will enable Lloyd to carry a heavy workload. Because of that and the questions regarding the availability of Jacobs, Chris Brooks and Kaleb Johnson could get much more work than would have been anticipated a month ago. Limited September ADP data has Johnson going in the 18^th round in 12-team leagues, with Brooks going in the 19^th. Considering there are 18 rounds in Fantrax Classic Drafts, you can get either player right at the end of drafts. I prefer Brooks given his familiarity with the offensive system relative to Johnson, whom the Packers just acquired last week.