Jahmyr Gibbs gets the tiny nod in CBS Sports running back tiers
Heath Cummings puts Gibbs just ahead of Bijan Robinson in his 2026 PPR fantasy running back rankings, with projections driving most of the board.
By Georgia Hale · Staff Writer
3 min read
Jahmyr Gibbs is the running back to beat on Heath Cummings’ 2026 fantasy board, by the slimmest of margins.
In a CBS Sports ranking built mostly from his own projections, Cummings placed the Detroit Lions back ahead of Bijan Robinson in the first tier of PPR running backs. Cummings said Gibbs and Robinson are the only players at the position he projects above 20.5 PPR fantasy points per game.
Cummings called them the top two consensus choices in CBS Sports’ rankings and said both are in line for workhorse usage while entering their prime years. Gibbs received the edge, Cummings wrote, because of the strength of his offense.
The rankings are part of CBS Sports’ July fantasy tier rollout from Cummings, Dave Richard and Jamey Eisenberg covering quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers and tight ends. Cummings also discussed his running back tiers with Eisenberg and Adam Aizer on the Fantasy Football Today podcast.
McCaffrey and Taylor sit just behind the top two
Christian McCaffrey and Jonathan Taylor make up Cummings’ second tier. He wrote that both are close enough to the Gibbs-Robinson range to be debated near the top, yet he sees more risk with each.
For McCaffrey, Cummings pointed to age, workload and a decline in the running game last season. For Taylor, he cited touchdown reliance and possible contract issues resurfacing in training camp.
Cummings has McCaffrey as RB3 in full PPR formats. In scoring systems where catches are worth less, he said he prefers Taylor.
First-round backs and early risk calls
De’Von Achane and James Cook land in Tier 3 as Cummings’ final running backs with Round 1 draft grades. He projects both between 17 and 18 PPR points per game.
Cummings wrote that Cook offers the steadier profile after scoring 32 touchdowns over the past two seasons and leading the NFL in rushing last season. Achane, in his view, brings the higher ceiling thanks to 145 receptions across the last two seasons and a league-best 5.7 yards per carry.
Tier 4 is where Cummings said his rankings start to pull away from his raw projections. Chase Brown, Derrick Henry, Saquon Barkley and Josh Jacobs all project in the 16-to-17-point range, according to Cummings, yet Henry, Barkley and Jacobs carry concerns that push them down his draft board.
Cummings cited Henry’s age and the offseason losses of his All-Pro center and fullback. He pointed to Barkley’s 2025 season as a concern. For Jacobs, Cummings cited unresolved off-field issues as training camp approaches; the CBS Sports piece did not include a response from Jacobs.
Rookies, sleepers and camp-watch names
Omarion Hampton, Ashton Jeanty, Breece Hall, Kenneth Walker and Kyren Williams fill Tier 5, with Cummings projecting the group around 15 fantasy points per game. Williams is the only one in that tier with past production matching that level, Cummings wrote.
Cummings sees upside in Hampton and Jeanty because of new offensive coordinators and improved offensive line play. He said Hall’s talent is not in doubt and noted that the Jets’ offensive line should be strong, with Hall’s passing-game role still a key variable.
Lower on the board, Cummings flagged several training camp swing pieces. Cam Skattebo and Quinshon Judkins are expected to be ready for camp after serious lower-leg injuries, according to Cummings, though their effectiveness remains uncertain.
He also identified Marshawn Lloyd as a player who could rise quickly if he stays healthy and Jacobs’ situation worsens. Cummings wrote that Lloyd could move up several tiers under that scenario, while adding that he wants to see Lloyd get through a month of practice without another injury.
This story draws on original reporting from CBS Sports.