Dynasty Nerds 
Draft Nerds 
NerdHerd 
Now that Week 2 of college football has passed, we move down the Big Board to one of Fantasy Football’s most important positions: the running back. These are the Top 10 of my 2026 NFL Draft RB Prospects with a scouting report, fantasy analysis, and where you can catch their next game. This is an interesting class with several athletes and fun-to-watch transfers you need to monitor (I’m literally doing that for you.)
Top 10 2026 NFL Draft RB Prospects | Week 3 Rankings
| Rank | Player | School | Height/Weight | Dynasty Outlook (Short) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jeremiyah Love | Notre Dame | 6’0” / 214 lbs | Elite athlete & receiver, projected RB1 |
| 2 | Waymond Jordan | USC | 5’9” / 210 lbs | Contact balance star, speed concerns |
| 3 | Makhi Hughes | Oregon | 5’11” / 210 lbs | Strong rusher, usage key for draft stock |
| 4 | Darius Taylor | Minnesota | 6’0” / 215 lbs | Smart runner, but NFL athleticism in doubt |
| 5 | Jonah Coleman | Washington | 5’9” / 225 lbs | Safe Day 2 prospect, powerful & decisive |
| 6 | Le’Veon Moss | Texas A&M | 5’11” / 210 lbs | Solid all-around back, modest ceiling |
| 7 | CJ Baxter | Texas | 6’1” / 227 lbs | Reliable receiver, draft capital will matter |
| 8 | Nicholas Singleton | Penn State | 6’0” / 227 lbs | Elite size/speed, raw but high upside |
| 9 | Tre Wisner | Texas | 6’0” / 194 lbs | Productive runner, lacks 3rd-down profile |
| 10 | Jaydn Ott | OU | 5’11” / 208 lbs | Explosive but needs playing time to rebound |
Top 10 College Football Running Backs for the 2026 NFL Draft
No. 1 | Jeremiyah Love | Notre Dame RB | 2026 NFL Draft Prospect
Height/Weight: 6’0” | 214 lbs
Strengths
- Bluechip athlete
- Elite receiver
- Elite zone vision
Weaknesses
- Modest pass blocker (I’m being picky)
Dynasty Outlook
Jeremiyah Love is an elite athlete with eye-popping highlights and true downfield receiving ability. He’s currently the only running back with a Bluechip scoring grade (85-100 score) I can see the NFL drafting within the first 50 picks. The major difference is the route running and receiving ability downfield.
He’s comfortable running a full route tree and catching the ball away from his body. I won’t compare him to Bijan Robinson directly, but they have the same skillset and playstyle. He’s a willing, albeit average blocker, but his talent would be wasted without frequent route participation. Love should be the first running back off the board in any Rookie Draft and a future top 8 dynasty running back.
Where to Watch
(8) Notre Dame plays (16) Texas A&M at home on Saturday, September 13th at 7:30 EST.
No. 2 | Waymond Jordan | USC RB | 2026 NFL Draft Prospect
Height/Weight: 5’9” | 210 lbs
Strengths
- Short area quickness
- Contact balance
Weaknesses
- Homerun speed
Dynasty Outlook
Waymond Jordan was the biggest surprise when I could finally hunt down his JUCO tape to pair with his single USC game. The transfer has the stance and stature of Ashton Jeanty, albeit a cheaper version. However, a cheaper version of a bluechip prospect is still a great player. Jordan has elite contact balance and foot drive that pair nicely with his ability to effectively navigate through traffic.
I’ll be honest in saying that I could see his value fluctuating depending on the success of USC–and it’s still only Week 2–but he’s an underrated prospect who should be highlighted on every dynasty manager’s big boards.
My biggest concern is his long speed because he doesn’t pull away from secondaries like most elite-level prospects, and that’s an uncoachable trait that can tank players with solid tape. Jordan is the type of player I’m targeting regardless of where his future dynasty value falls.
Where to Watch
USC travels to play Purdue on Saturday, September 13th at 3:30 PM EST.
No. 3 | Makhi Hughes | Oregon RB | 2026 NFL Draft Prospect
Height/Weight: 5’11” | 210 lbs
Strengths
- Elite vision
- Elite contact balance
Weaknesses
- 3rd Down
Dynasty Outlook
Makhi Hughes is another transfer hoping to raise his draft profile. The former Toledo player is a strong and compact runner who can be effective both between the tackles and on outside runs. The major issue is getting adequate playing time to be considered a top prospect. Fellow teammate Noah Whittington is one of the best pass blockers in the class, and those crucial lost downs could drive down his draft capital.
Moreover, he doesn’t have much receiving tape to be considered a major threat beyond creating after dumpoffs. This isn’t to say he can’t, I just don’t have much to evaluate. Production and usage will be a major indicator of value in the future, but he’s one of the best rushers in the class. Day 2 draft capital with a few other running backs would round out a draft class that’s currently underrated.
Where to Watch
The (4) Oregon Ducks play at Northwestern on Saturday, September 13th at 12 PM EST
No. 4 | Darius Taylor | Minnesota RB | 2026 NFL Draft Prospect
Height/Weight: 6’0” | 215 lbs
Strengths
- Elite vision
- Modest power
- Good size
Weaknesses
- Poor long speed
- Pass blocking needs improvement
Dynasty Outlook
I’ll be honest. I’ll probably be dropping Darius Taylor in my rankings sooner rather than later. He’s the Cam Skattebo-type player with good college tape that might not have the athleticism to get the NFL draft capital many may think he deserves. He’s a smart and decisive downhill runner with soft enough hands to be a reliable checkdown target.
However, I fear he may be a Day 3 pick without elite pass blocking. Taylor fails to pull away for the homerun against lower talent and may be a 4.6 40-type player, which looks worse in the NFL. Be wary of counting this chicken before he hatches.
Where to Watch
Minnesota plays 2-0 Cal on Saturday, September 13th at 10:30 PM EST
No. 5 | Jonah Coleman | Washington RB | 2026 NFL Draft Prospect
Height/Weight: 5’9” | 225 lbs
Strengths
- Power
- Contact balance
- Burst
Weaknesses
- Suspect vision
- Patience
Dynasty Outlook
Jonah Coleman is closer to the RB2 than he is the RB6, and is one of the safest prospects out of the group. He’s a powerful downhill runner with short-area burst and modest long speed. Pass blocking and reliable hands for checkdowns will cement him as a Day 2 pick if he continues to put up good tape and solid numbers. However, his vision and lack of patience are noticeable issues in his 2024 tape.
We all love a decisive runner, but Coleman tends to overrun blocks or lacks the patience to find his cutback for zone blocks. The NFL tends to be patient with the lack of smart running in favor of athleticism and natural ability, so any improvement is just gravy. Coleman should be a must-target in rookie drafts, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see his value rise.
Where to Watch
BYE Week
No. 6 | Le’Veon Moss | Texas A&M RB | 2026 NFL Draft Prospect
Height/Weight: 5’11” | 210 lbs
Strengths
- Good vision
- Good burst
Weaknesses
- Average athleticism
Dynasty Outlook
Le’Veon Moss wastes little time moving north and south and has the size to move most secondary players. Arm tackles aren’t the issue, and his quick navigation through lanes is reminiscent of Kaleb Johnson. However, he doesn’t “wow” in one particular area and only has modest receiving upside. He doesn’t profile as a “can’t miss” prospect, but has all of the tools to be a solid rookie pick with a good landing spot.
Where to Watch
(16) Texas A&M has a tough matchup against (8) Notre Dame on Saturday, September 13th at 7:30 PM EST
No. 7 | CJ Baxter | Texas RB | 2026 NFL Draft Prospect
Height/Weight: 6’1” | 227 lbs
Strengths
- Excellent Receiver
- Patient
- Smart player
Weaknesses
- Average athlete
Dynasty Outlook
I’m a bigger CJ Baxter fan than my ranking may suggest. He’s a reliable receiver beyond the line of scrimmage and understands how to pick his rushing lane. However, I have to grade for athleticism. Sometimes a player like Kyren Williams lands in a place where none of the usual metrics matter, but draft capital and luck may drive his price down. He has the PPR skill to be attractive even as a 3rd round rookie pick and will be in my queue come rookie draft season.
Where to Watch
(7) Texas has a soft matchup against UTEP on Saturday, September 13th at 4:15 PM EST
No. 8 | Nicholas Singleton | Penn State RB | 2026 NFL Draft Prospect
Height/Weight: 6’0” | 227 lbs
Strengths
- Excellent pass blocker
- Good athlete
- Good receiver
Weaknesses
- Lacks polish
Dynasty Outlook
Nicholas Singleton has all the natural ability to be a rapid riser if he can clean up the small nuances of a polished running back, like pad height, ball security, and patience. I wouldn’t be surprised if he doesn’t clean up anything, and he’s still drafted on Day 2 because of his 3rd-down ability. He’s one of the best Pass blockers in the class, and moves so much like a wide receiver that it directly contributes to my complaints with him as a running back. He’s a natural fluid athlete with elite size and speed that should be a must-target due to his raw ability.
Where to Watch
(2) Penn State plays Villanova on Saturday, September 13th at 3:30 PM EST
No. 9 | Quintrevion “Tre” Wisner | Texas RB | 2026 NFL Draft Prospect
Height/Weight: 6’0” | 194 lbs
Strengths
- Swift runner
Weaknesses
- Narrow build
Dynasty Outlook
Tre Wisner plays much of the early down work for Texas due to his smart and decisive running and long speed. He doesn’t stand out in any particular area, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him stay and dominate the backfield to raise his draft stock. I’m not in love with his high running style and lack of 3rd-down work, but he’s far from undraftable. He’s not the type of running back I target in rookie drafts, but he could be productive on the right team.
Where to Watch
(7) Texas plays UTEP at home on Saturday, September 13th at 4:15 EST.
No. 10 | Jaydn Ott | OU RB | 2026 NFL Draft Prospect
Height/Weight: 5’11” | 208 lbs
Strengths
- Athletic
- Good hands
Weaknesses
- Playing time
- Power
Dynasty Outlook
I recently wrote in this week’s Week 2 Recap that Jaydn Ott is nearly off my draft board if he doesn’t start producing on the field. He was an electric player at Cal and looked like the perfect candidate to be a Mike McDaniel-type explosive back. You can’t scout if you don’t play, and I’ll hold his spot based on previous tape for one more week.
Where to Watch
(13) OU plays Temple on Saturday, September 13th at 3:30 PM EST.
Dynasty Takeaways from the 2026 RB Class
Overall, this running back class has several athletes and unknown transfers that may deepen what many call a shallow class. Two of the top three are small school prospects now at Power 5 schools with electric ability, and will be talked about by the masses by the time April arrives. This means you should be mindful about shipping off 2nds and late 1sts without decent returns or just blindly labeling an entire class as “weak.” We could have some dudes, and you want to be in control of that value until the last second when people want to buy on draft day. I’ll be monitoring every prospect for you every week right here, so keep track of all my latest content on X @JagSays.
Jagger May’s Week 2 NFL Prospect Risers and Fallers
Jagger May scouted the Week 2 College Football games for his biggest risers and fallers. See who outperformed (and underperformed) their previous draft stock heading into Week 3.
Where to Watch | Top 2026 NFL Draft RB Prospects | Week 3
| Player | School | Opponent | Date | Time (EST) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jeremiyah Love | Notre Dame | vs (16) Texas A&M | Sat, Sep 13 | 7:30 PM |
| Waymond Jordan | USC | @ Purdue | Sat, Sep 13 | 3:30 PM |
| Makhi Hughes | Oregon | @ Northwestern | Sat, Sep 13 | 12:00 PM |
| Darius Taylor | Minnesota | @ Cal | Sat, Sep 13 | 10:30 PM |
| Jonah Coleman | Washington | BYE Week | – | – |
| Le’Veon Moss | Texas A&M | @ (8) Notre Dame | Sat, Sep 13 | 7:30 PM |
| CJ Baxter | Texas | vs UTEP | Sat, Sep 13 | 4:15 PM |
| Nicholas Singleton | Penn State | vs Villanova | Sat, Sep 13 | 3:30 PM |
| Tre Wisner | Texas | vs UTEP | Sat, Sep 13 | 4:15 PM |
| Jaydn Ott | OU | vs Temple | Sat, Sep 13 | 3:30 PM |
College Football RB Rankings FAQ
Who is the top RB prospect for the 2026 NFL Draft?
Through three weeks of the 2025 college football season, Jeremiyah Love of Notre Dame is the consensus top RB prospect. At 6’0” and 214 lbs, he combines elite athleticism, receiving ability, and NFL-ready skills.
Which college RBs should dynasty managers monitor for 2026 rookie drafts?
Dynasty managers should keep tabs on Jeremiyah Love (Notre Dame), Waymond Jordan (USC), Makhi Hughes (Oregon), Nicholas Singleton (Penn State), and Jonah Coleman (Washington). These players are flashing NFL traits and could headline 2026 rookie drafts.
How tall and heavy is Nicholas Singleton?
Nicholas Singleton, RB for Penn State, is 6’0” and 227 lbs. He’s one of the most impressive power-speed athletes in the 2026 RB class.
What makes Waymond Jordan an NFL Draft RB prospect?
At 5’9” and 210 lbs, Waymond Jordan (USC) shows elite contact balance and short-area quickness. While he lacks top-end long speed, his ability to drive through traffic makes him a strong 2026 NFL Draft RB candidate.
Why should dynasty managers keep their 2026 rookie picks?
This RB class is deeper than many expected. Transfers like Waymond Jordan and Makhi Hughes are rising, while proven talents like Jeremiyah Love and Nicholas Singleton are solidifying their draft stock. Dynasty managers should avoid selling 2026 rookie picks cheaply.
