Fantasy Football Running Back September ADP Review: Jamey Eisenberg pinpoints good values, avoids, more at QB

Jamey Eisenberg breaks down the ADP (average draft position) of every position on your Fantasy Football draft boards to help you find the best and worst values.

Sep 4, 2026 at 4:29 pm ET • 4 min read

It's time for our last look at the CBS Sports Average Draft Position data heading into Labor Day weekend, as well as our first look at the waiver wire. This is a busy weekend for Fantasy drafts, and we want to make sure you're prepared. But many of you have already drafted and are looking to add free agents and alter your rosters.

We have you covered. You can view the CBS Sports ADP here. And we'll break down all the running back movement, as well as the players who could still be available in your leagues.

Let's get started.

Good value

Rhamondre Stevenson (ADP of 71.6) has finally moved ahead of TreVeyon Henderson (72.9), which makes sense. While Henderson might have more upside than Stevenson, Henderson is now questionable for Week 1 with an ankle injury. And Stevenson has outplayed Henderson in training camp after being the better New England running back in 2025. Stevenson closed last season by scoring at least 12.1 PPR points in six of his final seven games, including the playoffs, and he averaged 18.9 PPR points over that span. They should split touches, but Stevenson has the potential to be a No. 2 Fantasy running back early in the season, especially if Henderson has to miss any time. I still want to draft Henderson, and his cost is more realistic now if he's being drafted in early Round 7.

Bad value

I'm not suggesting that Kyren Williams is going to have a bad season or that Blake Corum is the better Rams running back to draft, but Williams should not be selected at 26.6 overall, which is his current ADP. I'd prefer to draft Williams toward the end of Round 3 or early Round 4. And you should definitely have interest in Corum at his ADP of 102.4. Williams is going to share touches with Corum, and that lowers the ceiling for Williams. In the final 13 games last season, including the playoffs, Williams had 13 carries or less eight times. He still remains the preferred option in the passing game, and he had 24 catches on 33 targets during that stretch. I still view him as a solid RB2, but I would rather draft several guys going after Williams, including Javonte Williams (ADP of 31.5), Travis Etienne (35.3) and D'Andre Swift (37.8). I don't want to continue putting Allen in this category, but his ADP is glaring at 21.1. It's just too soon. The next quarterback off the board is Lamar Jackson at 41.4, and there's no way Allen should be drafted that far ahead of the field. He's been an awesome Fantasy quarterback during his career, and in the past five years, he's finished no lower than QB4, including two times at the top spot (2023 and 2021). But the position is too deep to chase Allen that early in a one-quarterback league (he should go top three overall in Superflex leagues). The earliest I would draft Allen is the end of Round 3.

On the rise

No running back has seen an increase in his ADP like MarShawn Lloyd this season after Josh Jacobs was put on the Commissioner's Exempt List. Lloyd's ADP is up to 92.1, and I expect that to keep climbing this weekend. I would draft Lloyd as early as Round 6, even with the uncertainty of how long Jacobs will be out. We also don't know how much Lloyd will share touches with Christopher Brooks and Kaleb Johnson, but Lloyd should be the lead running back to start the season. There's also injury risk with Lloyd, who has appeared in one game in two seasons. That said, the upside is huge, and a Packers running back has been top 12 in PPR points per game in six of seven seasons under coach Matt LaFleur (Aaron Jones four times and Jacobs twice). I love drafting Lloyd as a high-end flex.

On the decline

RJ Harvey started training camp as a potential No. 2 Fantasy running back, but he's fallen to 97.1 with his current ADP. This is the range I would draft him, and I prefer J.K. Dobbins at his cost (86.9), as well as Jonah Coleman (146.5) with a late-round pick. Harvey should have a prominent role with the Broncos, but it's hard to trust him while Dobbins is healthy. Through Week 10 last season, before Dobbins injured his foot, Harvey scored 7.9 PPR points or less in seven games. This year, if Dobbins misses any time, I expect Coleman to be more of the handcuff. At best, Harvey could be a flex option in PPR as the pass-catching back in Denver.

Waiver Wire options

Here are some quarterbacks who could help you heading into Week 1:

Tyler Allgeier (59 percent rostered)
Tyjae Spears (53 percent rostered)
Tank Bigsby (47 percent rostered)
Jonah Coleman (44 percent rostered)
Kaelon Black (44 percent rostered)
Brian Robinson Jr. (40 percent rostered)
Braelon Allen (40 percent rostered)
Dylan Sampson (39 percent rostered)
Emmett Johnson (32 percent rostered)
Kimani Vidal (25 percent rostered)
Ray Davis (20 percent rostered)
Malik Davis (16 percent rostered)
Christopher Brooks (10 percent rostered)
Samaje Perine (9 percent rostered)
George Holani (6 percent rostered)
Seth McGowan (6 percent rostered)

Allgeier could have a prominent role early in the season if Jeremiyah Love (ankle) is out, as well as James Conner (foot) on injured reserve. And keep an eye on Breece Hall (groin) if his injury lingers, which could make Allen a popular addition for Week 1.

Spears and Sampson could help Fantasy managers as flex options in deeper PPR leagues, and both should play on passing downs this season. I prefer Spears, who had 45 catches in 13 games last season on 50 targets.

The rest of these running backs are high-end handcuffs to stash on your bench. Holani might have a bigger role than expected in tandem with Jadarian Price, at least until Zach Charbonnet (knee) is healthy. And Brooks could work in tandem with Lloyd early in the year as well, with Jacobs out.

Otherwise, here's how I would rank the backup running backs as handcuff options to stash:

Jonah Coleman
Emmett Johnson
Tyler Allgeier
Kaelon Black
Tank Bigsby
Brian Robinson Jr.
Braelon Allen
Kimani Vidal
Ray Davis
Malik Davis
Samaje Perine
Seth McGowan