Bijan Robinson Tops ESPN's 2026 NFL Running Back Rankings
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- Bijan Robinson (Falcons, 24) took the No. 1 spot after leading the NFL with 2,498 scrimmage yards in 2025, breaking William Andrews' franchise record that had stood since 1983 (2,176).
- Jahmyr Gibbs (Lions, 24) ranked No. 2 with 18 touchdowns in 2025 — second most in a single season in Lions history — and 39 rushing touchdowns across three seasons while splitting carries with David Montgomery, who was traded to Houston.
- Saquon Barkley (Eagles, 29) fell from No. 1 to No. 3 after his rushing yards over expected dropped from 2nd in the NFL in 2024 to 24th in 2025, though many voters declined to penalize him given Philadelphia's subpar offensive line.
- De'Von Achane (Dolphins, 24) debuted at No. 8 with a career 5.62 yards per rush — the highest in NFL history among backs with at least 500 attempts — while Kenneth Walker III (Chiefs, 25) debuted at No. 9 as the first Super Bowl MVP since Dexter Jackson in 2003 to win the award and change teams the next season.
- James Cook III (Bills, 26) landed at No. 7 after leading the NFL with 1,621 rushing yards in 2025 — the first Bill to pace the league since O.J. Simpson in 1975-76 — while Derrick Henry (Ravens, 32) at No. 6 continued producing at 32 with a 5.2 YPC on 307 attempts.
- The running back market has rebounded since a 2023 videoconference where star backs aired grievances over depressed positional pay: McCaffrey and Barkley signed deals worth $19 million and $20.6 million per year, and three more backs earned contracts between $14 million and $16 million this offseason.
Why it matters: Robinson and Gibbs are both 24, and with Robinson already setting a 42-year-old franchise record and Gibbs likely to log his first 300-carry season after Montgomery's trade, the next two years will determine which back gets the next market-resetting contract above the $20.6 million per year Barkley currently commands.
