NFL Fantasy Football 2026 Mid Draft Value Picks: Running Backs

Yesterday we kicked off our spotlight on the running back position in your NFL Fantasy draft, with three players I'm targeting in rounds 2-4. Now we are in the thick of the drafts, where you can really find some diamonds in the running back position! Running backs with genuine league-winning upside can absolutely be found in the mid and late rounds, if the right situations play out. So let's sniff some of those value plays out and help you dominate your NFL Fantasy Draft! .

This is an ongoing series where I highlight players who REEK of value in fantasy drafts. We aren't talking about grabbing Ja'Marr Chase with the first overall pick, but instead we are going to be finding gems and value. Each article will feature a position within a range of draft rounds (we will always skip the first round). We will assume that these picks are for 12-team leagues with .5 PPR and will not be discussing in terms of Superflex. On top of that, I'll highlight a futures bet that corresponds with each player, all of whose odds can be found on BetOnline.

Today we're going rounds 8, 9, and the deep-cut flyer territory, and we've got one of the most exciting rookie situations of the entire draft class, a bounce-back candidate with genuinely elite upside at a price that borders on insulting, and a dart throw on a 24-year-old entering his fourth year in an offense that is finally being built around him.

1. Running Back Fantasy Value Round 5: TreVeyon Henderson

This may be the most boom or bust pick you can find at the position. At times in his rookie season TreVeyon Henderson looked like an ankle breaking, play making running back whose explosive plays racked up fantasy points. Then there were games he just wasn't involved much. So this pick comes with real risk, due to a committee situation, and a coach who is still wanting Henderson to prove his trust. But this upside is just too tasty to skip.

Henderson's rookie line was the ultimate DFS style player. Took uneven to be a reliable fantasy starter, but with week winning games scattered throughout the seaosn. He had 180 carries for 911 yards and 9 TDs, plus 35-221-1 as a receiver. But his scoring came heavily bunched, with nine of his 10 total TDs coming in four games, including two with Rhamondre Stevenson inactive. That last sentence is the whole debate in a nutshell. When Stevenson was out, Henderson was an RB1. When Stevenson was in, Henderson was inconsistent. That's the risk you're buying in round five.

It's just that Henderson is explosive enough to win a week all by himself, and his 311-point ceiling projection ranks 16th among all running backs. In New England behind Drake Maye — who just threw for 4,394 yards, 31 touchdowns, and added 450 rushing yards in his breakout 2025 campaign — the offensive environment is real and improving. New offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels wants to lean into man/gap schemes, and while players become accustomed to their roles is typically when the breakout happens, Henderson's maturation in pass protection is the key to unlocking more opportunities on the field.

If I'm grabbing two WR's in the first three rounds of the draft, or am tempted by a top TE early, than Henderson is one of the most intriguing options in the middle rounds of the draft. This is a high-risk, high-reward play. This is the shot on goal that could make your team elite. Take it with both eyes open.

TreVeyon Henderson anytime touchdown scorer in Week 1 at +175 on BetOnline:

Nine of his 10 total touchdowns in 2025 came in four games — including multi-TD performances when he was featured. Week 1 is historically a game where coaches feature their most explosive backs, and Henderson is exactly that in New England. At plus money, this is the perfect way to kickstart your season alongside your fantasy investment.

Get 50% up to $750 Deposit on BetOnline for this pick

2. Running Back Fantasy Value Round 6: Bhayshul Tuten

So you are telling me there is a starting running back that is in a top offense on a team who just let their prior RB stud to walk this offseason. And he can be had in Round 6? Well sign me up. Oh yeah, and his offensively gifted head coach went public telling him to "go be special." GIMMIE. NOW.

Travis Etienne Jr.'s departure from Jacksonville left behind 260 rushing attempts and 52 targets. Etienne averaged 14.9 PPG last season and finished as the overall RB13. Tuten is positioned to take over lead-back duties in Jacksonville following that offseason departure. The Jaguars were the No. 6 scoring offense last season. Trevor Lawrence is at quarterback. Liam Coen runs a creative offense that ranked among the league's best. ESPN's Tristan H. Cockroft named Tuten his fantasy football running back breakout candidate for 2026 — "As a rookie, Tuten turned seven of his 93 total touches into touchdowns and had the second-best missed tackles forced rate among running backs (31%)."

The per-touch efficiency is genuinely exciting. Among qualifying backs last season, Tuten ranked fifth in rushing success rate, 11th in missed tackle rate, and 17th in yards after contact per attempt. Those are not the numbers of a player who isn't good at football — those are the numbers of a player who simply didn't have the opportunity. That opportunity is now here.

He's "consistently terrific" in training camp according to multiple reports, and head coach Liam Coen said he wants Tuten to "go be special, that's who you are." When a head coach says that about his lead back heading into the season, you listen.

The bear case is Chris Rodriguez — a veteran who played for Coen in college and could siphon early-down work. Tuten has a fantastic opportunity after Etienne left, but he will compete with Rodriguez for the early-downs role, with LeQuint Allen figuring to handle third downs. Tuten is a high-end flex in the early Round 6 range, but if Tuten can land a decisive knockout in training camp, his ADP could rise to Round 4.

That's the bet. Buy him now in round six before training camp reports force his price up.

Bhayshul Tuten over 800.5 rushing yards for -115 on BetOnline:

Etienne handled 260 rushing attempts last season on his way to 1,399 scrimmage yards. Tuten doesn't need all of that to clear this line. If he wins the lead job and converts even 65-70% of Etienne's volume, we're looking at 1,000+ rushing yards. At near-even money, this is a gift for a player inheriting a lead role in a top-10 offense.

Get 50% up to $750 Deposit on BetOnline for this pick

3. Running Back Fantasy Value Round 7: Tony Pollard

I feel like the guy in the meme checking out a chick right in front of his girlfriend. But the chick is all these mid draft running backs and the girlfriend is Bijan Robinson. Here is yet ANOTHER reliable, high-floor running back who gives you a guaranteed starter week in and week out that can be had 6 rounds after the super studs. Tony Pollard is never going to make you jump out of your chair, but he is going to show up every week, log 250+ touches, and give you the production you need to stay competitive.

Pollard has four straight seasons with at least 1,000 yards rushing and 200 yards receiving. He is the clear leadback for the Titans entering 2026 with Tyjae Spears as his primary backup — neither Spears nor newcomer Nicholas Singleton are threats to his job. The workload is completely uncontested, which at round seven pricing is genuinely rare.

The upgrade around him matters too. The Titans have added offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, plus WRs Carnell Tate and Wan'Dale Robinson to help Cam Ward make a second-year jump. Improvements to Tennessee's supporting cast could help Pollard post top-24 fantasy production. The biggest knock on Pollard last season was touchdown volume — he was 30th in red zone touches as part of an offense that was 32nd in red zone scoring attempts per game. Pollard was a top-10 running back from Week 14 through Week 17 last season, which was also Cam Ward's best stretch of football. The correlation is direct. When Ward is cooking, Pollard eats.

Is he flashy? Absolutely not. Fantasy managers will never feel good about selecting Tony Pollard, but there is upside for him to outperform his ADP expectation in 2026. He's the running back you draft when you're finishing off a team built around WR upside and you need guaranteed touches on your roster. In round seven, at RB28-30 pricing, that steady floor is your best friend.

Tony Pollard over 1,000.5 rushing yards for +110 on BetOnline:

He's hit 1,000 rushing yards in four straight seasons. A better supporting cast around Cam Ward and an improved offensive identity under Daboll makes getting to 1,000 a reasonable floor for a player who logged 242 carries last year in one of the worst offenses in the NFL. At plus money, this is easy value on the most consistent volume runner available at his price point.

Get 50% up to $750 Deposit on BetOnline for this pick

Interested in More Content?

More NFL Content on Betting News:

• NFL Expert Betting Guide
• 2026 Top Draft Wide Receiver – NFL Fantasy
• 2026 Mid Draft Wide Receiver – NFL Fantasy
• 2026 Late Draft Wide Receiver – NFL Fantasy
• 2026 Top Draft Running Backs – NFL Fantasy

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