Running back busts can be detrimental to your chances of taking home a fantasy football title, or at the least your chances of fielding a competitive roster. Just ask any manager who drafted Saquon Barkley or Breece Hall last season. Given their lack of statistical success, it was very difficult, in most cases, to make up for their regression and weekly inconsistencies.
Looking ahead to 2026, I’ve projected 10 different runners, each with a level of risk. Either I’m projecting the player to fail to meet expectations based on his ADP, or he's coming off a huge statistical season that he won’t duplicate. So let’s call these backs you should beware of in drafts, or who could fail to meet expectations based on a previous high level of fantasy success.
