RBs to Avoid
These five names all carry name recognition into 2026… and all five come with red flags that should push them down your board. Here's why.
Aaron Jones (MIN)
Jones is back in Minnesota, but "back" doesn't mean "the guy" anymore.
Coming off a career-low season (548 rushing yards, 3 total TDs) that finished as the overall fantasy RB41
Entering his age-32 year in a shared "1A/1B" backfield with Jordan Mason, who actually led the team in rushing yards in 2025
Durability was already his "primary concern" last year: a hamstring strain cost him 5 games, on top of late-season shoulder, ankle, and hip issues
Projected for just 10–15 touches per game as a "slashing" complement to Mason, Jones looks more like a flex dart-throw than a startable back.
Bhayshul Tuten (JAX)
Tuten's efficiency flashes are real, but so is the crowded backfield standing between him and volume… and he hasn’t shown quite enough to trust yet.
At risk of a three-way running back committee with Chris Rodriguez and LeQuint Allen
Ball security is a genuine concern: he struggled with fumbles in Week 14 and carried high fumble totals in his final two college seasons
Skeptical evaluators worry he may only see 50–60% of carries between the 20s, capping his touchdown upside even if he wins the early-down job
The talent is obvious, but touches are just as important, and Tuten's path to a real workload is anything but clear.
Breece Hall (NYJ)
Hall's name value is still high. His actual trajectory says otherwise, and it ties directly into the next name on this list.
PPR points per game have slid three straight years, falling into the 13-point range (career low), with his target share dropping to a career-low 10.9%
Head coach Aaron Glenn wants to run a "three-headed monster" committee with Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis, which directly lowers Hall's weekly floor
Scoring opportunity dried up too… he ranked just 38th in red zone touches with only 5 total touchdowns, and 55th in fantasy points per opportunity
A tougher 2026 schedule (projected 5th hardest) doesn't help matters either. The Jets are just a tough offensive environment for fantasy production.
TreVeyon Henderson (NE)
Henderson flashed rookie upside, but the tape says he's still clearly the 1B in this backfield, not the 1A.
Nearly 30% of his rookie production (29.2%) came in just two games when Rhamondre Stevenson was out
When it mattered most, his role shrank… he averaged just 2.4 yards per carry in the postseason while Stevenson took over the touches that counted
He also graded out 66th among backs in pass protection per PFF, while Stevenson ranked 12th and earned clearly more coaching trust
With Stevenson still under contract and beating him in nearly every efficiency metric, Henderson is a boom-bust committee piece being priced like something more.
Chuba Hubbard (CAR)
Hubbard's role is shrinking just as fast as his 2025 numbers already were.
One evaluator flatly called him "replacement-level talent," noting Jonathon Brooks offers more ceiling
He already lost his job to Rico Dowdle late last season, posting four straight scoreless games under 30 yards before a playoff outlier
Efficiency was already a problem… he ranked 51st in fantasy points per opportunity and totaled just 4 touchdowns on the year
With Brooks healthy, Trevor Etienne still hanging around, and free-agent addition AJ Dillon also in the mix, the volume for Hubbard looks all but closed heading into 2026.
Five names, one theme: crowded backfields, fading roles, and volume that isn't guaranteed. Draft accordingly.
-Joe