Fantasy Football RB Rankings: Who To Start Week 2?

Sports admin September 16, 2026 0 Comments

Fantasy Football RB Rankings: Who To Start Week 2?

Running back performance during fantasy football Week 1 doesn’t always predict the exact workload and conditions that these carriers will face the entire season.

It’s important not to overreact to the small, single-weekend sample size.

Can we see some trends that have reality behind them? Absolutely. But it’s not the full picture.

ALSO READ: Fantasy Football D/ST Rankings: Who To Start Week 2?

Which Week 1 stars and scrubs will stay the same or change their fortunes?

Keep scrolling for my Week 2 RB fantasy rankings to see where Week 1 stud Kenneth Walker sits in the overall picture — and whether we should be worried about 49ers veteran Christian McCaffrey after a relatively quiet opener.

Week 2 RB Fantasy Football Rankings

MORE LINEUP TIPS: QB Week 2 Rankings • D/ST Week 2 Rankings

Rk	Tr	RB Name	TM	OPP	Week 2 Value
1	1	Jahmyr Gibbs	DET	@ BUF	Elite RB1
2	1	Bijan Robinson	ATL	vs CAR	Elite RB1
3	1	Kenneth Walker III	KC	vs IND	Elite RB1
4	2	Saquon Barkley	PHI	@ TEN	Elite RB1
5	2	Derrick Henry	BAL	vs NO	Elite RB1
6	2	Jonathan Taylor	IND	@ KC	Elite RB1
7	3	Christian McCaffrey	SF	vs MIA	RB1
8	3	James Cook III	BUF	vs DET	RB1
9	3	Ashton Jeanty	LV	@ LAC	RB1
10	3	Omarion Hampton	LAC	vs LV	RB1
11	3	Chase Brown	CIN	@ HOU	RB1
12	4	Breece Hall	NYJ	vs GB	RB1/RB2
13	4	Cam Skattebo	NYG	@ LAR	RB1/RB2
14	4	Bucky Irving	TB	vs CLE	RB1/RB2
15	4	D’Andre Swift	CHI	vs MIN	RB1/RB2
16	5	Kyren Williams	LAR	vs NYG	RB2
17	5	De’Von Achane	MIA	@ SF	RB2
18	5	Javonte Williams	DAL	vs WAS	RB2
19	5	David Montgomery	HOU	vs CIN	RB2
20	6	Bhayshul Tuten	JAC	@ DEN	RB2/Flex
21	6	Travis Etienne Jr.	NO	@ BAL	RB2/Flex
22	6	Rhamondre Stevenson	NE	vs PIT	RB2/Flex
23	6	Jeremiyah Love	ARI	vs SEA	RB2/Flex
24	6	Quinshon Judkins	CLE	@ TB	RB2/Flex
25	7	Jaylen Warren	PIT	@ NE	Strong Flex
INJ	7	TreVeyon Henderson	NE	vs PIT	INJ
27	7	MarShawn Lloyd	GB	@ NYJ	Strong Flex
28	7	Jadarian Price	SEA	@ ARI	Strong Flex
29	8	Chuba Hubbard	CAR	@ ATL	Flex
30	8	Tony Pollard	TEN	vs PHI	Flex
31	8	Jordan Mason	MIN	@ CHI	Flex
32	8	Jacory Croskey-Merritt	WAS	@ DAL	Flex
33	9	Rico Dowdle	PIT	@ NE	Flex
34	10	J.K. Dobbins	DEN	vs JAC	Flex
35	10	Jonathon Brooks	CAR	@ ATL	Flex
36	10	Kyle Monangai	CHI	vs MIN	Flex
37	10	Kenny Gainwell	TB	vs CLE	Flex
38	11	Kaelon Black	SF	vs MIA	Flex or Bench
39	11	Chris Rodriguez Jr.	JAC	@ DEN	Flex or Bench
40	11	Tyler Allgeier	ARI	vs SEA	Flex or Bench
41	11	RJ Harvey	DEN	vs JAC	Flex or Bench
42	11	Rachaad White	WAS	@ DAL	Flex or Bench
43	12	Aaron Jones Sr.	MIN	@ CHI	Flex or Bench
44	12	Tyjae Spears	TEN	vs PHI	Flex or Bench
45	12	Woody Marks	HOU	vs CIN	Flex or Bench
46	12	Kendre Miller	NO	@ BAL	Flex or Bench
47	12	Emmett Johnson	KC	vs IND	Flex or Bench
48	12	Blake Corum	LAR	vs NYG	Flex or Bench
49	12	Raheim Sanders	CLE	@ TB	Flex or Bench
50	13	Keaton Mitchell	LAC	vs LV	Bench
51	13	George Holani	SEA	@ ARI	Bench
52	13	Chris Brooks	GB	@ NYJ	Bench
53	13	Brian Robinson Jr.	ATL	vs CAR	Bench
54	14	Devin Singletary	NYG	@ LAR	Bench
55	14	Braelon Allen	NYJ	vs GB	Bench
56	14	Tank Bigsby	PHI	@ TEN	Bench
57	14	Justice Hill	BAL	vs NO	Bench
58	14	Ray Davis	BUF	vs DET	Bench
59	14	Mike Washington Jr.	LV	@ LAC	Bench
60	15	Jonah Coleman	DEN	vs JAC	Bench
61	15	Samaje Perine	CIN	@ HOU	Bench
62	15	Kimani Vidal	LAC	vs LV	Bench
63	15	Najee Harris	NYG	@ LAR	Bench
64	15	Tyrone Tracy Jr.	NYG	@ LAR	Bench
65	15	Kaleb Johnson	GB	@ NYJ	Bench
66	16	Emanuel Wilson	SEA	@ ARI	Bench
67	16	Demond Claiborne	MIN	@ CHI	Bench
68	16	Jaylen Wright	MIA	@ SF	Bench
69	16	Isaiah Davis	NYJ	vs GB	Bench
70	16	Emari Demercado	DAL	vs WAS	Bench
71	16	Seth McGowan	IND	@ KC	Bench
72	16	Ollie Gordon II	MIA	@ SF	Bench
73	17	Kaytron Allen	WAS	@ DAL	Bench
74	17	Brashard Smith	KC	vs IND	Bench
75	17	Jacob Saylors	DET	@ BUF	Bench
76	17	Nicholas Singleton	TEN	vs PHI	Bench
77	17	LeQuint Allen Jr.	JAC	@ DEN	Bench
78	17	Bam Knight	ARI	vs SEA	Bench
79	17	Roschon Johnson	CHI	vs MIN	Bench
80	17	Tahj Brooks	CIN	@ HOU	Bench
81	17	Jordan James	SF	vs MIA	Bench
82	17	Kyle Juszczyk	SF	vs MIA	Bench
83	17	Corey Kiner	NE	vs PIT	Bench
84	17	Eli Heidenreich	PIT	@ NE	Bench
85	17	Will Shipley	PHI	@ TEN	Bench
86	17	Dylan Laube	LV	@ LAC	Bench
87	17	Rasheen Ali	BAL	vs NO	Bench
88	17	DJ Giddens	IND	@ KC	Bench
89	17	Ty Johnson	BUF	vs DET	Bench
90	17	Sione Vaki	DET	@ BUF	Bench
91	17	Jaydon Blue	PHI	@ TEN	Bench
92	17	Jaleel McLaughlin	CLE	@ TB	Bench
93	17	Jawhar Jordan	HOU	vs CIN	Bench
94	17	Hunter Luepke	DAL	vs WAS	Bench
95	17	J’Mari Taylor	JAC	@ DEN	Bench
96	17	Ameer Abdullah	JAC	@ DEN	Bench
97	17	Alec Ingold	LAC	vs LV	Bench
98	17	AJ Dillon	CAR	@ ATL	Bench
99	17	British Brooks	HOU	vs CIN	Bench
100	17	Patrick Ricard	NYG	@ LAR	Bench
101	17	Julius Chestnut	TEN	vs PHI	Bench
102	17	Josh Williams	TB	vs CLE	Bench
103	17	Pierre Strong Jr.	GB	@ NYJ	Bench
104	17	Jarquez Hunter	MIA	@ SF	Bench
105	17	CJ Donaldson	NO	@ BAL	Bench
106	17	Frank Gore Jr.	BUF	vs DET	Bench
INJ	Alvin Kamara	NO	@ BAL	INJ
INJ	Sean Tucker	TB	vs CLE	INJ
IR	Dylan Sampson	CLE	TB	IR

Related: Why Deebo Samuel, Devaughn Vele Are Top Fantasy Football Week 2 Waiver Targets

Start ‘Em Week 2 fantasy running backs

Bhayshul Tuten and Chris Rodriguez Jr., Jaguars at Broncos
Travis Etienne, Saints at Ravens
Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Commanders at Cowboys
Raheim Sanders, Browns vs. Buccaneers (PPR)

One of the most polarizing RBs in preseason draft chatter, Tuten should build on his promising 88-yard Week 1 effort from scrimmage. The Broncos’ secondary should temper, if not stifle, the Jaguars’ talented wideouts, meaning Tuten and Rodriguez will be busy.

Expect New Orleans to go into catch-up mode once again, and for Baltimore’s secondary to force New Orleans to target underneath routes, meaning Etienne will be used in many hurry-up situations. Don’t worry even if Alvin Kamara (knee) returns from the sidelines.

The Cowboys’ defensive line did little to contain Cam Skattebo in Week 1, and JCM should punish the middle of the field as Dallas contributes more attention toward the wideouts.

While injury concerns aren’t widespread with running backs, Sanders could be the type of PPR-friendly Flex play who could net double digits.

Sit ‘Em Week 2 fantasy running backs

Chase Brown, Bengals at Texans
Tony Pollard, Titans vs. Eagles

Brown is a fade but can be benched in shallower leagues. The Texans stifled James Cook in Week 1, and while Browns’ receiving could ramp up, don’t expect him to find much room on the ground. Starting him outside of full PPR might yield disappointment.

Pollard remains a volume play but will not find much room to gain yards against the Eagles, who should force Cam Ward to beat them through the air.

Related: 4 Fantasy Football Flex Players You Must Start in Week 2

This story was originally published September 16, 2026 at 5:03 PM.