The 2025 fantasy football season wasn’t plentiful when it came to true breakout running backs. While it wasn’t completely devoid—Chase Brown busted out for an RB7 finish—most players in the top 10 were familiar names. We did see Javonte Williams emerge as well, but most of the backs beyond the top runners were either inconsistent or failed to reach their full fantasy potential.
Looking ahead to 2026, most of my top fantasy running back breakout picks include names you’re familiar with. Also, many of them are either rookies or heading into their second NFL campaigns, which makes sense—they simply haven't broken out yet. Among those who aren’t first-year players, none have reached the level of a reliable starter for most of a season. But based on head-coaching and/or offensive coordinator changes, offseason moves and more, I think that could change as we head into a new season.
