With the 2026-2027 NFL campaign drawing near, fantasy football managers are eagerly waiting for draft season to begin. And every year, many wonder which running backs are going to be the key to their fantasy team.
With that said, there are several halfbacks that are flying under the radar on most draft boards, with many looking poised for a big breakout this upcoming season.
Omarion Hampton, Los Angeles Chargers
Unfortunately for Omarion Hampton, his rookie season was limited due to a fractured ankle in Week 5. As a result, he was placed on injury reserve until December.
Because of the ankle injury, Hampton was only able to play nine total games. In those games, he managed 545 rushing yards and four touchdowns. He tacked on 192 receiving yards.
The Chargers enter 2026 with Hampton positioned as the lead back in offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel’s rushing system. They also expect healthier seasons from their offensive linemen, including tackles Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt.
The other Los Angeles running backs, Kimani Vidal and Keaton Mitchell, can earn complementary touches. However, Hampton’s size, receiving ability, and first-round talent support an inevitable substantial workload.
ESPN PPR fantasy leagues rank Hampton with the 20th overall pick, and as the RB11. This is incredible value, and Hampton profiles as a potential league‑winning selection for his sophomore campaign.
Ashton Jeanty, Las Vegas Raiders
Ashton Jeanty was one of the most highly anticipated first-year running backs ever coming out of Boise State. Ultimately, however, his rookie season did not meet those high expectations.
In his first year with the Raiders, Jeanty produced 266 carries, 975 rushing yards, and just five total touchdowns. Fortunately for him, Las Vegas now plans to build its backfield around him in new head coach Klint Kubiak’s offense. In addition, an improved offensive line should create more reliable rushing opportunities.
ESPN has Jeanty ranked as the RB6, with his average draft position being 11.8. But his receiving involvement, scoring ability, and potential three-down role give him a realistic path to becoming the overall RB1 in 2026.
Bhayshul Tuten, Jacksonville Jaguars
With Travis Etienne‘s departure from the Jacksonville Jaguars to the New Orleans Saints, it clears the path for a new breakout running back for the Jaguars. That running back is Bhayshul Tuten.
Tuten recorded 307 rushing yards and five touchdowns on just 83 carries as a rookie. He showed some scoring ability despite averaging just 5.5 touches per game, and he possesses a blazing 4.32 40-yard dash speed.
Most importantly, head coach Liam Coen returns to lead Jacksonville’s offense. Over the past two seasons, he’s orchestrated a big rookie season for Bucky Irving in Tampa Bay. Then, he produced a rebound season from Etienne last year.
ESPN has Tuten ranked as the RB24, with an average draft position of 57.9. Tuten could prove to be a major value for a team needing that flex spot filled and is worth taking a risk on.
Kyle Monangai, Chicago Bears
Kyle Monangai gained a lot of attention later on in the 2025-2026 season, as he became a part of the Chicago Bears’ one-two punch with him and D’Andre Swift.
Last year, Monangai saw 169 carries, which was only 54 fewer than Swift. With those carries, he produced 783 rushing yards, and five total touchdowns, all while averaging 4.6 yards a carry.
Monangai produced double-digit fantasy points on six different occasions, and he averaged 12.7 carries per game over the final 10 weeks of the season. This signals that his usage is only going up under Ben Johnson.
This upcoming season, ESPN has Monangai as the RB37, with an average draft position at 96.3. With his production levels only going up, he could surprise a lot of people again this season.
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