Updated

Updated · ESPN · Aug 20

Karabell Releases 56-Player 2026 Fantasy RB Tiers, Putting Gibbs and Robinson in Tier 1

Updated

Updated · ESPN · Aug 20

Karabell Releases 56-Player 2026 Fantasy RB Tiers, Putting Gibbs and Robinson in Tier 1

Q: Which aging superstar's sudden injury is quietly creating a massive draft loophole for his backup?

Alvin Kamara is the aging superstar, and Travis Etienne Jr. is the backup benefiting from the loophole. The fantasy angle is straightforward: Kamara, now 31 and already sliding down draft boards because of age, declining production and workload concerns, is expected to miss at least a month with a sprained MCL. That creates a sudden opening for Etienne, who had already been trending toward a major role after signing a four-year deal with New Orleans. The reporting around the Saints’ camp makes the opportunity even clearer. Etienne has been taking most of the first-team work and is expected to open the season as the lead back while Kamara is sidelined. With New Orleans thin at running back behind him and Kamara likely to be eased back even when healthy, Etienne could inherit the kind of early-season volume that fantasy managers often struggle to find after the middle rounds. That is why this is a draft loophole: Kamara’s name still carries weight, but the real value may now sit with Etienne at a cheaper cost. In tier-based drafting, he becomes the back to target before his price fully adjusts, especially for managers looking for RB2 production with upside to outperform that slot.

1 articles · Updated · ESPN · Aug 20

Eric Karabell grouped 56 running backs into 12 draft tiers for 2026, with Jahmyr Gibbs and Bijan Robinson alone in Tier 1 as the clear top first-round options.
Tier 2 runs from Jonathan Taylor to Chase Brown, while Christian McCaffrey sits alone at No. 8 in Tier 3 because Karabell warns his 413-touch workload points to statistical risk.
Rounds 2 through 4 feature Ashton Jeanty, Saquon Barkley and Omarion Hampton before a more volatile Tier 5, where Karabell says managers should secure two running backs before that group dries up.
Later tiers lean heavily on timeshares, injuries and role uncertainty, with Karabell flagging concerns around players such as Kyren Williams, TreVeyon Henderson, Tony Pollard and Alvin Kamara.
The tiered format is meant to help fantasy managers spot value drop-offs during fast-moving drafts and salary-cap builds, rather than rely on straight rankings alone.