Running Backs to Avoid in Fantasy Football 2026: Kyren Williams & More

David Montgomery, Texans

David Montgomery was one of Houston’s bigger offseason additions after a few highly effective seasons with the Lions. He scored 33 rushing touchdowns over the last three years and remains one of the better bulldozing runners in the league.

I’m just not sure I love the fit—or the price.

The concerns start with Houston’s offense. I have questions about C.J. Stroud and an offensive line that did its running backs no favors last year. According to Fantasy Points data, the Texans were the third-worst team by a considerable margin in yards before contact per attempt. Their backs were getting hit early and often.

Montgomery should help there. Among running backs with at least 100 carries, he ranked 12th in yards after contact per attempt last season; Woody Marks ranked just 37th. Houston may need to lean on Montgomery’s ability to run through contact near the line of scrimmage.

But the committee concern is real. Marks has generated plenty of positive camp buzz and should earn opportunities, especially as a pass catcher. A 55-45 split would not surprise me. Montgomery also is unlikely to dominate third-and-long snaps, so you are banking heavily on early-down work and goal-line carries.

That worked beautifully in Detroit because the Lions were an elite offense with a strong offensive line. Houston is a different bet. At a consensus ADP of 53.3, I’d rather pivot elsewhere.

J.K. Dobbins, Broncos

J.K. Dobbins is an easy fade for me, even before Monday’s news that he left practice with a trainer.

The Broncos already had an ambiguous backfield after investing meaningful draft capital in RJ Harvey last year. Then they did it again in 2026 with rookie Jonah Coleman. We do not have a clear answer on how this backfield shakes out, and that is before we factor in Dobbins’ extensive injury history.

Dobbins is currently going around pick 90, which is not a crazy price in a vacuum. But the alternatives are just better. In that range, I’d rather target Kyle Monangai, Blake Corum, Kenneth Gainwell, Jonathon Brooks, or Jordan Mason. Those players all have clearer paths to standalone value, contingent upside, or both.

Dobbins could still lead Denver in carries. He could also be caught in a three-man rotation, concede receiving work, and carry injury risk that makes it difficult to trust him week to week. In best ball, I can understand sprinkling in a share or two. In a traditional lineup league, I’m out.

Kyren Williams, Rams

Kyren Williams is the toughest name here because he has been awesome in Sean McVay’s offense the last couple of years. The Rams are good, the environment is good, and Williams should still have spike weeks.

But are you drafting him at pick 33.5 for his floor? No thank you!

Blake Corum took on a more meaningful share of snaps down the stretch last season, and this could become closer to a 50-50 backfield than many drafters want to admit. Williams can still be productive in that scenario, but I need a true floor-ceiling combination in this range of the draft.

Fantasy Life currently projects Javonte Williams, Travis Etienne, and Cam Skattebo for more PPR points than Kyren—and all three are coming off the board later in consensus ADP.

I will not have zero Kyren Williams. In best ball, I can understand taking occasional shots on Rams exposure and his multi-touchdown upside. But in traditional drafts, I am not going out of my way to target a running back whose meaningful snaps could keep getting chipped away at such a premium cost.