As we get into the guts of draft season and common draft place (ADP) begins to type itself out, we will see fairly a number of very shut “ADP battles” at every place — pairs of gamers going back-to-back in draft consensus, who you will have to decide on between if you’re on the clock. Relatively than look ahead to that second, we’re right here to type by means of a few of these tough choices, particularly on the working again place.
We’ll hit the professionals and cons for every participant that can assist you kind your individual opinion, after which I am going to ship my very own verdict on the higher choose.
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When you’ve bought another ADP battles you want resolved, hit me up on X (@MattOkada) and I am going to provide you with my ideas (or perhaps embody them in a future article).
Contents
Christian McCaffrey vs. Jonathan Taylor
McCaffrey: It was Christian McCaffrey, not Jahmyr Gibbs or Bijan Robinson, who led all working backs in scoring final 12 months (365.6 fantasy factors). He additionally led the 49ers in targets (129), receptions (102) and receiving yards (924), and added seven touchdowns by means of the air as properly. Between his dashing quantity, landing prowess and one-of-one manufacturing as a receiver, he has mainly all the time been the perfect again in fantasy if wholesome. The priority in 2026 is that he is 30 years previous coming off 413 touches, which frequently interprets to regression or damage. With an ADP notably excessive within the first spherical, McCaffrey epitomizes excessive threat versus excessive reward.
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Taylor: Annnnd it was Jonathan Taylor, not Gibbs or Robinson, who completed No. 2 behind McCaffrey final 12 months, at 339.3 factors. Shocking, I do know. Taylor led the league in carries (323) and touchdowns (20), and got here up simply wanting 2,000 whole yards (1,963). However between the midseason drop-off in Indy’s offense and the Achilles damage to Daniel Jones, Taylor was much better for the primary 10 weeks (25.9 PPG) than the ultimate seven (simply 11.5). Consequently, with Michael Pittman Jr. gone and Jones nonetheless recovering, the large query for 2026 is which model of the Colts we are able to count on to get.
VERDICT: It isn’t often smart to wager on an older again coming off 400+ touches, however McCaffrey seems like an exception for me, particularly contemplating how a lot of his work comes by means of the air. I’ve them back-to-back in my rankings. Taylor is a bit safer, however I am taking CMC right here.
Ashton Jeanty vs. Omarion Hampton
Jeanty: In a typically abysmal state of affairs final 12 months — Vegas was statistically the worst offense in soccer — Ashton Jeanty averaged 12.8 fantasy factors per sport with greater than 1,300 yards and double-digit touchdowns. The Raiders have made a concerted effort to repair the offensive line and the quarterback place, most notably by signing middle Tyler Linderbaum and including each Fernando Mendoza and Kirk Cousins. Having a completely wholesome Brock Bowers should not harm both. All of that figures to play in Jeanty’s favor, giving final 12 months’s sixth general choose a superb path to improved effectivity and a far increased fantasy flooring.
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Hampton: With 13.3 fantasy PPG, Omarion Hampton was additionally notably respectable regardless of tough circumstances — particularly a porous offensive line riddled with damage and a midseason ankle damage of his personal (which held him out for eight video games). Heading into 2026, his setting appears to be like far higher, with a more healthy and considerably upgraded O-line, a high-end franchise quarterback in Justin Herbert, a brand new RB-friendly offensive coordinator in Mike McDaniel and higher offensive belongings throughout. He was additionally analytically wonderful as a rookie, forcing a missed deal with on 30.6% of his carries and logging an 11.3% explosive run charge — no certified working again outpaced Hampton in each these metrics.
VERDICT: Whereas Jeanty has the sting in draft capital — and sixth-overall-pick working backs are traditionally dominant — Hampton’s offense is far extra reliable and explosive. I believe the 2 are comparable in expertise — and have them back-to-back in my rankings (as soon as once more) — however I favor Hampton’s setting sufficient to take him right here.
Quinshon Judkins vs. Bhayshul Tuten
Judkins: Quinshon Judkins is a curious case: he was the thirty sixth general choose final 12 months and was the clear bell-cow again for many of the season (regardless of lacking three video games with an ankle damage), averaging 16.4 carries per sport (eighth within the league). Nonetheless, his offense, and offensive line particularly, had been completely horrid. No workforce averaged fewer dashing yards earlier than contact (0.6) or allowed their rushers to be hit behind the road of scrimmage extra usually (49.2%) than Cleveland. The Browns utterly reworked that O-line this offseason, and added some weaponry within the passing sport, in order that they may be a lot better … nevertheless it’s an admittedly massive “may.”
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Tuten: In some ways, Tuten is the other case to Judkins: he was a Day 3 choose and a distant No. 2 behind Travis Etienne Jr. as a rookie, however he performed in a top-10 offense that improved on the finish of the 12 months. With Etienne gone to Jacksonville, the door is open for Tuten’s ascension. Nonetheless, the Jaguars additionally signed Chris Rodriguez Jr. in free company, and to this point in camp, the 2 appear to be competing for precedence in a professional committee. Tuten’s fantasy outlook relies upon virtually totally on how persistently he’ll lead the backfield in Duval. If he sees 60-65% of the touches and the touchdowns, he is in all probability an RB2. But when Rodriguez (and fellow sophomore LeQuint Allen Jr.) vulture even a slight majority of the manufacturing, Tuten might be a bust.
VERDICT: That is the primary one which’s not shut for me. I’m one of many trade’s largest Tuten detractors, believing that Rodriguez and Allen will primarily cut up the touches with Tuten and that C-Rod will likely be closely most popular close to the aim line. Even with some remaining reservations about Judkins’ state of affairs, I’ve him ranked 10 spots increased than Tuten, simply forward of his ADP, whereas Tuten is at the moment my RB31.
Jaylen Warren vs. Rhamondre Stevenson
Warren: Jaylen Warren was one of many extra stunning breakouts of the 2025 season, hitting profession highs in touches (251), scrimmage yards (1,291) and touchdowns (eight), even whereas splitting work with Kenny Gainwell. This offseason, Pittsburgh changed Gainwell with Rico Dowdle, who was additionally spectacular final 12 months, and is far more of a rusher and fewer of a receiver than Gainwell. Consequently, projections and rankings for Warren — who was listed because the starter on the Steelers’ first depth chart — rely closely on the way you cut up the work with Dowdle. I’ve the previous seeing 45% of the carries whereas logging an important 12% goal share, which interprets to a ceiling of 275 touches. That is sufficient to crack RB2 territory.
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Stevenson: Just like Warren, Rhamondre Stevenson was surprisingly good in 2025, posting high-end effectivity whereas holding off second-round rookie TreVeyon Henderson for many of the season. Stevenson missed three regular-season video games, which affected his season totals, however for those who embody the 4 postseason outings, Stevenson averaged 71.7 scrimmage yards per sport and scored 10 touchdowns. Many had been prepared to jot down him off in gentle of Henderson’s theoretical 2026 takeover … however all of the information out of Foxborough this offseason suggests the veteran is forward of the teen as soon as once more, and I am squarely in that camp. I’ve Stevenson narrowly outcarrying Henderson in an in depth committee and outproducing him as a receiver by a sizeable margin.
VERDICT: This one’s very shut, as Warren and Stevenson are in extraordinarily comparable conditions because the tentative leaders of committee backfields. But once more, I’ve them back-to-back in my rankings … however I will narrowly facet with the much better offense in New England. Stevenson is a quietly invaluable RB2 in drafts and I predict he’ll leapfrog each Warren and Henderson in ADP this month.
Blake Corum vs. Kyle Monangai
Corum: Blake Corum has ended up fairly excessive on draft boards this summer time due to a compelling six-game stretch to finish the 2025 common season. After enjoying distant second fiddle to Kyren Williams for many of the 12 months, Corum completed with 405 dashing yards and 5 dashing touchdowns from Week 13 on. Projected to a full season, that may be 1,148 yards and 14 touchdowns. Notably, Williams was nonetheless the starter and many productive in his personal proper over that stretch, and he closely outscored Corum within the Rams’ three-game postseason run. Nonetheless, Corum confirmed that he may provide a type of David-Montgomery-in-Detroit worth because the RB2 within the elite Los Angeles offense. And will Williams undergo an damage, Corum would seemingly be a league-winner.
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Monangai: In some ways, Kyle Monangai presents an analogous case to Corum’s: he is the clear RB2 in an offense with excessive expectations who affords specific worth close to the aim line, and has RB1 upside as a backup. Monangai’s breakout stretch final 12 months got here throughout and shortly after D’Andre Swift’s midseason groin damage; from Weeks 9 by means of 13, Monangai rushed for 405 yards and 4 touchdowns (eerily much like Corum’s finish to the season). That stated, after Swift returned to kind, Monangai failed to attain from Week 14 on and by no means topped 60 dashing yards over that span (together with two playoff video games). He too may provide Montgomery-esque upside — and performs for Ben Johnson, which makes that comp much more related — nevertheless it takes fairly a little bit of projection.
VERDICT: In each of the theoretical instances that matter, I favor Corum to Monangai on this battle. If each had been to grow to be the RB1 of their offense on account of damage, I believe Corum would have the upper upside. However extra realistically, if each are enjoying the RB2 position, I like Corum’s participant profile and offense a bit greater than Monangai’s.