DraftKings has taken a swing at ranking the NFL’s best running back duos entering the 2026 season, and the list leans hard into what’s become a real trend around the league: teams splitting the load and leaning on two backs instead of one workhorse.
At the top sits Atlanta, where Bijan Robinson and Brian Robinson Jr. are listed as the league’s No. 1 pairing. DraftKings points to Bijan Robinson’s explosiveness and Brian Robinson Jr.’s physical style as the reason the Falcons land in first, calling it a clean mix of speed and power.
Detroit checks in at No. 2 with Jahmyr Gibbs and Isiah Pacheco. Gibbs brings the big-play threat, while Pacheco handles the dirty work between the tackles. That combination, DraftKings notes, gives the Lions a backfield that can wear defenses down.
New England lands third with Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson. Stevenson’s versatility and Henderson’s speed make the Patriots one of the more intriguing young groups on the list.
The Ravens are fourth with Derrick Henry and Justice Hill. Henry remains a hammer, and Hill adds burst as a runner and a pass-catcher out of the backfield.
Rounding out the top five are the Rams’ Kyren Williams and Blake Corum. DraftKings says both backs fit Sean McVay’s offense well, giving Los Angeles strong depth at the position.
The rest of the top 10 starts with Buffalo at No. 6, where James Cook and Ray Davis are praised for pairing Cook’s rise into one of the league’s top backs with Davis’ consistency and reliability.
Denver comes in seventh with J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey. DraftKings highlights Dobbins’ strong play before injury and says Harvey is still developing.
Houston is eighth with David Montgomery and Woody Marks, a duo that blends Montgomery’s power with Marks’ coming off an excellent rookie season.
Philadelphia lands ninth with Saquon Barkley and Tank Bigsby. Barkley remains one of the league’s elite playmakers, and Bigsby gives the Eagles depth behind him.
At No. 10, San Francisco is listed with Christian McCaffrey and Khalil Herbert. DraftKings says McCaffrey is still one of the NFL’s most dangerous offensive weapons when healthy, while Herbert offers quality insurance behind him.
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Falcons Suddenly Have A Jessie Bates Situation Worth Watching
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There has been no word yet on whether the issue is health-related or tied to the bigger picture of his contract year, and that silence is what makes this worth monitoring. For now, the Falcons are left to manage the usual camp questions without much clarity, while Bates status remains one of the more interesting storylines hanging over the defense. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Linebacker Battle Just Got More Interesting Around Divine Deablo
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Summer activities have also given Atlanta a better look at two rookies who have quickly stood out in the room. Deablo has praised their progress, and the staffs plan is to bring them along gradually rather than rush the process, which leaves the competition around the linebacker rotation plenty interesting as camp approaches. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Pass Rush Suddenly Hangs On One Looming NFL Decision
Atlantas pass rush, which was supposed to get a boost from its young edge talent, has been jolted by a pair of setbacks. First-round pick Jalon Walker is out for the season after tearing his ACL, leaving the Falcons to regroup around the rest of their front seven and adjust a plan that had counted on immediate help off the edge.
James Pearce now sits at the center of the next turn for that unit, with the Falcons waiting on a league decision that could shape how thin their rush really is when the games start mattering. President Greg Beadles said Pearce has been performing well, but the team is still looking to the NFL for clarity, and the answer could arrive soon enough to determine just how much of that depth the Falcons can count on. [Read more 🡒]