Incoming Rookie RBs

Here are the top-5 prospective rookie RBs you’ll be drafting in home leagues this fall… in two minutes or less.

#5- Mike Washington Jr. (Arkansas)

Legit 2025 production paired with a freaky size-speed combine that almost nobody at his weight can match makes Washington one of the biggest risers of the 2026 class.

• Ran for 1,070 yards on 167 carries in 2025 and added 28 catches for 226 yards, giving him both early-down production and enough receiving juice to matter.

• At 223 pounds, he ran the fastest 40 among RBs at 4.33 and also posted the fastest 10-yard split, plus a 39-inch vertical and 10-foot-8 broad jump.

• Multiple writeups hit the same theme: imposing size, breakaway speed, loose hips, strong speed-to-power conversion, and the traits to become a quality rotational back with real upside.

If you’re betting on traits that can force teams to look twice in April, Washington has as much raw athletic ammo as anyone in this RB class.

#4 - Kaytron Allen (Penn State)

Allen earned his spot in the Top-4 because few backs in the class can match his combination of sustained production, red-zone success, and reliable between-the-tackles running.

• He just put up 1,303 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns in 2025, while finishing his Penn State career as the school’s all-time rushing leader with 4,180 yards.

• He scored double-digit rushing touchdowns in three of four seasons and finished with 36 career rushing scores, which speaks to how dependable he was near the goal line.

• Scouts consistently describe a patient, scheme-versatile, downhill runner with strong vision, contact balance, and the kind of power that translates to short-yardage and clock-killing NFL work.

Allen may not win with home-run speed, but he wins with the kind of size, patience, and finishing ability that keeps getting NFL carries.

#3 - Jonah Coleman (Washington)

Coleman brings a sturdy three-down profile, real receiving production, and the kind of ball security and toughness coaches trust.

• In 2025, he scored 17 total touchdowns and caught 31 passes for 354 yards, which is strong receiving output for a 228-pound back.

• He lost only one fumble across four seasons and 672 career touches, while multiple reports praise both his pass protection and understanding of blocking schemes.

• He also showed up physically at the combine with 22 bench reps, and the scouting notes frame him as a compact, productive back with balance, subtle elusiveness, and enough zone-running feel to stay in the mix.

And if the top 2 names on this list bring a bit more juice, Coleman is the kind of well-rounded back who still gives evaluators a very easy argument.

#2 - Jadarian Price (Notre Dame)

Price checks in at No. 2 with a smooth running style, strong instincts, and a knack for scoring, with just enough athletic juice to keep the ceiling interesting.

• He scored 13 total touchdowns on only 119 touches in 2025, flashing efficiency and nose-for-the-end-zone production in a complementary role.

• His scouting reports praise his vision, short-area footwork, spatial awareness, and ability to keep runs alive by adjusting on the fly once the lane changes.

• At the combine, he ran 4.49 with a 1.61 split, posted a 10-foot-4 broad jump, benched 21 reps, and impressed in drills with his footwork and pass-catching.

Price may not have Love’s explosiveness, but as a pure runner, there’s enough feel, movement skill, and finishing ability here to put him firmly near the top of the class.

#1 - Jeremiyah Love (Notre Dame)

No surprises here. Love is the consensus No. 1 because he has the production, receiving profile, explosiveness, and draft-caliber athleticism of a true three-down NFL difference-maker.

• He erupted in 2025 with 1,372 rushing yards, 18 rushing touchdowns, 27 catches, 280 receiving yards, 3 receiving touchdowns, and a 10.6% target share while earning Consensus All-American honors.

• He backed it up at the combine with a 4.36 40 and 1.55 split at 212 pounds, and one analysis noted the only Round 1 RB since 2014 with a better speed score than Love was Saquon Barkley.

• The scouting all points in the same direction: dynamic runner, mismatch receiver, polished route ability, big-play speed, pass-game value, and the kind of talent that can expand an NFL playbook immediately.

Love isn’t just the top back in this group — he looks like the one every team will have to answer for if they pass on him.

So that’s the Top-5… These guys will change the face of offenses around the league (and your fantasy drafts) for years to come… as promised, in 2 minutes or less.

See you next time,

-Joe

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