Ranking the NFL's Best Running Back Duos Ahead of the 2026 Season

In 2026, most NFL teams have a running back duo or committee, which raises discussions about the top tandems.

Workhorse running backs such as Christian McCaffrey, Derrick Henry and Jonathan Taylor can still be the foundation of an offense, though a complementary pair can create mismatches, exploit defensive weaknesses and keep each other fresh for the duration of games. 

In an active offseason for the veteran running back market, we'll go through a top-10 list of backfield tandems ahead of the 2026 campaign. 

These duos are ranked with an emphasis on recent production, accolades, projected roles for the upcoming season and how they complement each other on the ground and in the passing game.

Keep in mind, this is a list of the best running back tandems—not the top players at the position. The backup's production has a significant impact on these rankings.

Before we get into the top 10, let's start with a few honorable mentions.

Honorable Mentions

AP Photo/Matt Ludtke, File

Derrick Henry

Derrick Henry and Justice Hill, Baltimore Ravens 

At 32, Derrick Henry has yet to show signs of decline. He's either logged more than 302 carries or led the league in rush attempts in six of the last seven seasons. Still one of the league's few workhorse running backs, he elevates whoever serves as his primary backup to make this list.

For now, the Ravens' No. 2 running back is Justice Hill, who carved out a consistent pass-catching role under his former offensive coordinator, Todd Monken. He missed seven games because of injuries last season, but he had over 500 scrimmage yards and four touchdowns in 2023 and 2024.

James Cook III and Ray Davis, Buffalo Bills

The Buffalo Bills duo earns an honorable mention because of James Cook's 2025 rushing title. He led the league with 1,621 yards in his third consecutive Pro Bowl campaign. 

Compared to his rookie season, Ray Davis saw a decline in his playing time on offense and an increase in his special teams snaps and earned an All-Pro nod as a kick returner. Special teams accolade aside, he's shown intriguing upside in a backup running back role, racking up 631 scrimmage yards and six touchdowns in 2024. 

Christian McCaffrey and Jordan James, San Francisco 49ers

A list of the top running back duos should at least mention the best all-around player at the position, even though his primary backup is unproven. Last year, Christian McCaffrey earned his third All-Pro nod in his third season with 2,000-plus scrimmage yards.

Jordan James and Kaelon Black will battle for the No. 2 spot. While on the Rich Eisen Show, head coach Kyle Shanahan said that the team graded Black as the second-best running back in this year's rookie class. Before the draft, The Athletic's Matt Barrows wrote that it "appears" James is the front-runner for the backup role, but that could change by Week 1.

10. Bucky Irving and Kenneth Gainwell, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

AP Photo/Matt Durisko

Bucky Irving

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers tandem cracks the top 10 because of Bucky Irving's 1,100-plus-yard rushing season in 2024 and Kenneth Gainwell's 2025 standout pass-catching year in which he led the Pittsburgh Steelers with 73 receptions.

Irving and Gainwell are smaller running backs, so they may cede short-yardage touches to Sean Tucker, who scored seven rushing touchdowns (six from within nine yards of the goal line) last year.

Nonetheless, Irving and Gainwell can produce big gains. The former averaged 5.4 yards per carry in his rookie term, and the latter averaged 4.7 yards per rush attempt last season.

Irving missed seven contests in the previous campaign, but he could bounce back if healthy. The 23-year-old will likely lead the team in carries, but he must be more efficient after averaging 3.4 yards per rush attempt in 2025. Otherwise, we could see more of Gainwell and Tucker in the ground game.

9. David Montgomery and Woody Marks, Houston Texans

AP Photo/Maria Lysaker

David Montgomery

Before David Montgomery signed with the Detroit Lions in 2023, he averaged a little more than 900 rushing yards per season as the Chicago Bears' lead ball-carrier.

Keep that in mind because Montgomery could produce similar rushing numbers in a featured role with the Houston Texans in the upcoming campaign.

The Texans acquired Montgomery from the Lions. He'll bring a physical component to their ground game. Also, the downhill ball-carrier has been a scoring machine with 33 rushing touchdowns since 2023.

Woody Marks must be more efficient to maintain a decent workload. He rushed for 703 yards and two touchdowns, averaging just 3.6 yards per carry last year.

With Montgomery in the backfield, Marks should see more opportunities as a receiver, a role he excelled in on the college level at Mississippi State and USC.

Montgomery's resume pushed this tandem ahead of Bucky Irving and Kenneth Gainwell, though Marks could be lightning to the eighth-year veteran's thunder in the Texans' backfield.

8. TreVeyon Henderson and Rhamondre Stevenson, New England Patriots 

AP Photo/John Amis

TreVeyon Henderson

After a slow start to the 2025 season, TreVeyon Henderson showed his explosive playmaking ability in the second half of the campaign with more touches.

In six of his first seven outings, Henderson logged fewer than 10 carries and finished with fewer than 33 rushing yards in each of those contests.

In nine of 10 games between Weeks 8 and 18, excluding one contest with an early exit due to injury, Henderson recorded double-digit carries and at least 53 rushing yards. The electric running back had 147 and 148-yard rushing performances. 

The New England Patriots should give Henderson more touches after he finished his rookie campaign with 1,132 scrimmage yards and 10 touchdowns. Rhamondre Stevenson improved his ball security, dropping his number of fumbles from seven to three over the last two years, but he's not as dynamic as his running mate.

Still, Stevenson is a high-end No. 2 running back who's produced with consistency despite his recent fumble issues.

The Patriots' duo is underrated, though the offense may be less run-heavy (sixth in rush attempts last year) with the addition of wide receivers A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs.

7. Rico Dowdle and Jaylen Warren, Pittsburgh Steelers

AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File

Rico Dowdle

The Pittsburgh Steelers have two proven three-down playmakers in their backfield, and they can both rack up yards in chunks.

At 27, Rico Dowdle is a late-bloomer at the position who didn't take on a significant workload until the 2024 season with the Dallas Cowboys under head coach Mike McCarthy, who's taken the same position with the Steelers.

Dowdle has logged 1,000-plus rushing yards in back-to-back campaigns, showing he can produce in the featured role. McCarthy may trust him to lead Pittsburgh's ground attack in carries this year.

Jaylen Warren doesn't have a 1,000-yard rushing season on his resume, but he's accumulated 1,154-plus scrimmage yards in two of the last three years.

Warren struggled to find the end zone in his first three terms, though he scored eight touchdowns last season. 

The Steelers don't have a star running back, which keeps them out of the top six. That said, Dowdle and Warren are a well-rounded, interchangeable duo that can finish the 2026 term with 1,100 scrimmage yards apiece. 

6. Saquon Barkley and Tank Bigsby, Philadelphia Eagles 

AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez

Tank Bigsby (37) and Saquon Barkley

Saquon Barkley's decorated resume, coupled with Tank Bigsby showing promise in stretches over the last two years, propelled this duo over Rico Dowdle and Jaylen Warren.

In 2024, Barkley came 101 rushing yards short of topping Eric Dickerson's single-season rushing record while averaging 125.3 yards on the ground per game. Philadelphia rested him in the final week of the campaign. He finished with 2,005 yards and 13 touchdowns as the Eagles' offensive workhorse.

By Barkley's high standards, he had a down 2025 campaign, rushing for 1,140 yards and seven touchdowns. He still finished 10th in the category.

Entering his age-29 campaign, Barkley could see a slight decline in touches after Bigsby flashed potential as his primary backup last season. Philly Voice's Geoff Mosher thinks the latter could see an increase in snaps this year.

Philadelphia acquired Bigsby from the Jacksonville Jaguars last September. Although he didn't come close to matching his 766-yard rushing total from the 2024 season, the 5'11", 215-pound ball-carrier averaged an impressive 5.9 yards per carry with 344 yards on the ground.

Entering his age-25 campaign, Bigsby may be only scratching the surface of his potential. With more touches, he could be one of the league's top No. 2 running backs by the end of the 2026 term.

5. Jahmyr Gibbs and Isiah Pacheco, Detroit Lions

AP Photo/Kyusung Gong

Jahmyr Gibbs

Jahmyr Gibbs is a more dynamic pass-catcher than Saquon Barkley, which gives the edge to the Detroit Lions duo in these rankings.

While sharing touches with David Montgomery, Gibbs became one of the NFL's most accomplished running backs before his age-24 campaign.

In all three of his pro seasons, Gibbs has made the NFC Pro Bowl roster. He's accumulated more than 1,800 scrimmage yards in back-to-back terms and led the league with 20 total touchdowns in 2024.

The Lions traded Montgomery and signed Isiah Pacheco, who could fill the physical downhill void in the club's ground attack. 

However, offensive coordinator Drew Petzing may be wary of Pacheco's injury history. He's missed 17 games over the previous three seasons. Head coach Dan Campbell told reporters that Gibbs will be the bell-cow running back going forward.

Gibbs and Pacheco won't share touches like the Sonic and Knuckles pairing with Montgomery, which is why the Lions fell from last year's No. 1 spot. Nonetheless, if Pacheco is more reliable in availability, this tandem can climb into the top three.

4. Bijan Robinson and Brian Robinson, Atlanta Falcons 

AP Photo/Peter Joneleit

Bijan Robinson

The Atlanta Falcons should have a clever nickname for their backfield duo who have the same initials—B.R. squared? 

Anyway, Bijan Robinson is slightly more accomplished than Jahmyr Gibbs, coming off his first All-Pro season with a league-leading 2,298 scrimmage yards. He's eclipsed 1,400 rushing yards in back-to-back years and is arguably the league's second-best pass-catching running back behind Christian McCaffrey.

Every year in the league, Robinson has seen his reception totals increase. It's only a matter of time until he joins an elite group of players to finish a season with 1,000 rushing and receiving yards, which could be this year. The Falcons don't have a reliable No. 2 wideout.

One can make the case that Robinson's career touchdown total (25) is a bit underwhelming for a running back with over 1,000 touches. His running mate, Brian Robinson, could flourish in short-yardage situations.

(Brian) Robinson has scored 22 touchdowns in 735 touches. He's a bruising 6'1", 225-pound tailback who can pick up yards after contact and move piles near the goal line. His skill set makes the two Robinsons a complementary duo.

Similar to Tyler Allgeier, expect Robinson, as the No. 2 ball-carrier, to spell the Falcons' star tailback on early downs and, at times, in the red zone.

3. Travis Etienne Jr. and Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints 

AP Photo/Matthew Hinton

Travis Etienne Jr.

The New Orleans Saints duo would be No. 1 in the rankings if Alvin Kamara had less extensive recent injury history and a clear short-term future with the team. The Saints are still working through their options with the 10th-year veteran, who's in the final term of his current deal.

Though for now, Kamara is slated to be the Saints' No. 2 running back after the team signed Travis Etienne Jr. to a four-year, $47 million deal.

As a two-man backfield, Etienne and Kamara could be the league's top tandem in scrimmage yards if the latter stays healthy. 

In 2025, Kamara missed six games. Since 2023, he's sat out 13 contests due to various injuries. His body is starting to wear down, but as a specialist in third-down passing situations, the longtime Saint could still be a highly productive receiver.

Over eight seasons, Kamara averaged just over 595 receiving yards, though he saw his eight-year streak of 1,160-plus scrimmage yards come to an end last year.

At 30, Kamara's RB1 years are over. However, as the No. 2 tailback alongside Etienne, who's finished with 1,399-plus scrimmage yards in three of the last four years, the Saints arguably have the best three-down running back duo in the NFL.

2. D'Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai, Chicago Bears

AP Photo/Kamil Krzaczynski

D'Andre Swift, right, and Kyle Monangai

Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson has a familiar face at running back in D'Andre Swift, who played in his system for one season with the Detroit Lions and found a seventh-round gem in Kyle Monangai.

Swift is coming off his most productive season in which he finished with career highs in rushing yards (1,087), rushing touchdowns (nine) and scrimmage yards (1,386). 

As long as Swift avoids short-term injuries that plagued him early in his career, he could continue to see an increase in productivity entering his age-27 campaign.

As a pass-catcher, Monangai has seen limited action, but he's already exceeded expectations as the No. 233 overall pick from last year's draft.

Monangai carved out a sizable role on the ground, rushing for 783 yards and five touchdowns, averaging 4.6 yards per carry. He's interchangeable with Swift in rushing duties, matching the lead ball-carrier's efficiency on the ground.

If Monangai makes strides as a pass-catcher, this tandem could move into the No. 1 spot next year.

1. Kyren Williams and Blake Corum, Los Angeles Rams

AP Photo/Rick Scuteri

Kyren Williams

With a slightly more consistent Pro Bowl rusher in the lead role out of their backfield, the Los Angeles Rams take the top spot with their running back duo. 

Over the last couple of years, Los Angeles has added to its backfield, but Kyren Williams has maintained his workhorse workload. He's averaged 17.8 carries per game since taking over the lead position in 2023. 

Williams has eclipsed 1,100 rushing yards and racked up at least 1,350 scrimmage yards in three consecutive seasons. He's not a high-volume pass-catcher like Jahmyr Gibbs or Bijan Robinson, but the 25-year-old has been a top-seven rusher for three straight years.

Nonetheless, Blake Corum's strides in the primary backup role elevated the Rams' tandem to the No. 1 spot.

Last season, Corum rushed for 746 yards, averaging a whopping 5.1 yards per carry. Those numbers indicate that the Rams have finally found a reliable No. 2 running back to spell Williams.

The Rams aren't getting elite receiving numbers out of their top two tailbacks, but Williams and Corum are arguably the best rushing duo entering the 2026 season.

Maurice Moton covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @MoeMoton.