I recently updated my 2026 Fantasy Football Rankings. Jonathan Brooks was the single-largest riser, leaping a whopping +120 spots to pick 105 Overall. Additionally, Brooks has quickly become one of my favorite 2026 Best Ball Picks and Dynasty Fantasy Football Buys of this early offseason.
Sure, Brooks’ massive jump is largely because I completely overlooked him in my “Way Too Early 2026 Fantasy Football Rankings.” These were done in late December (I’m sick, I know).
Yet, that’s not the lone cause for Brooks’ explosion.
From coaching hype, to likely backfield departures, let’s dive into why Jonathan Brooks is a major 2026 Fantasy Sleeper and Riser this offseason.
Jonathan Brooks: Lead-RB Upside in Invaluable Dave Canales Rush Attack?
One reason Brooks HAS to be on our 2026 Fantasy Football radars is Dave Canales. In 3/3 seasons, Canales has coached, at minimum, league-winning stretches from his Lead RB. He is fully open to riding a workhorse for 70% of snaps and touches when deserving.
The door appears to be wide open for Brooks to claim it.
Canales has proven to be one of the few coaches willing to ride a true every-down RB. While Canales was the OC for the Bucs in 2023, Rachaad White finished fourth in snap rate (78.7%) on his way to an RB10 finish (15.9 FPG).
The next year as the Panthers’ HC, Canales similarly rode an underwhelming talent in Chuba Hubbard for a 78% snap share and RB11 finish (16.5 FPPG). For the final stretch of 2024, Canales actually rode Hubbard for a whopping 85% snap share!
Last year, Canales turned more to a committee than his first two seasons. Yet, there were certainly Bell-Cow moments and week-winning performances, especially from Rico Dowdle.
Conveniently enough, the Panthers’ best RB from 2025, is set to leave in 2026 Free Agency.
Rico Dowdle Departure Opening Massive “Value Hole” Backfield
Despite an inconsistent season, Rico Dowdle was a bonafide league-winner in 2025 Fantasy. He ranked 9th in terms of ESPN Playoff Advance Rate (59.9%), largely due to a dominant midseason stretch from Week 5-11:
Following Chuba Hubbard‘s Week 4 injury, Dowdle went on an absolute tear as the starter, posting 32+ PPR FPs in back-to-back weeks and finishing as the RB2 in both Weeks 5 & 6.
Hubbard returned in Week 7, and concerningly, he took the starting role back, logging 54% & 57% snap share compared to Dowdle’s 46% and 36% snap shares.
Yet, after Hubbard underwhelmed, Canales gave the keys right back to Dowdle for Weeks 9-11. Dowdle saw 72%, 79%, and a whopping 85% of the snaps during these 3 weeks, despite Hubbard being active.
Ultimately, Dowdle was the RB4 in FPs from Week 5 to Week 11, and seemed to be among the guys you needed for your playoffs.
Then, Week 12 hit. A scorching Dowdle was fed just… 6 touches. He responded with:
After this, Dowdle’s usage progressively dropped, culminating in just 7 touches in Week 17, followed by five carries for 9 yards in the playoffs. Following the loss, Dowdle sounded upset with the way his season ended. When discussing Free Agency, he said:
“That [workload] definitely is a factor. There’s options for me. I just want to be a guy who can go out there and just get the bulk [of the carries].”
Ultimately, a Dowdle-Panthers divorce seems likely. This would vacate 284 touches and 55% of the snaps.
Indeed, Chuba Hubbard is the nominal starter as of now. In 2024, he signed a four-year, $33.2 million contract extension with the Carolina Panthers running through the 2028 season. The deal includes $15 million in new guaranteed money and a maximum value of $37.2 million. This extension features an $8.3 million average annual value.
Yet, even with Chuba’s contract in place, we just saw Canales and the Panthers turn the keys over to a different RB for outplaying Hubbard. Ultimately, Hubbard took a big step back in 2025. He feel from the RB11 to the RB44 in FPPG, and has not not lived up to the contract.
The door is most definitely open for another RB, chiefly Brooks, to take over. The explosive third-year back is capable of running circles around Hubbard, and Canales himself already sounds open to it.
The Money Quote: Jonathan Brooks “Opportunity to Start” (& “Beautiful-Looking”)
On this season’s final episode of Panther Talk, Dave Canales suggested Brooks is in the running to start for the Panthers:
“We had a plan not to put him out there this year, after a second ACL injury and to make sure that we give him the best chance to compete and affect our roster.
“He’s flying around, he’s big, he’s beautiful-looking….He’s one of the more powerful, explosive athletes that we have—and he’s gonna have an opportunity to compete to start for this team, just like a lot of other guys.”
Boing.
Jonathan Brooks: The Cream of the 2024 Rookie RB Crop
While it may seem like forever ago after two missed seasons, Brooks was the runaway No.1 RB Prospect of the 2024 Class. Despite a late-season ACL tear in his final year at Texas, the Panthers traded up to Pick 46 to select Brooks, the first back taken in that draft.
During 2023, Brooks racked up 1425 yards from scrimmage and 11 TDs in just 11 games. His rare explosivity and power stood head-and-shoulders above an otherwise weak class.
In fact, Brooks’ underlying college efficiency rivaled former backfield mate and 2026’s No.1 Overall Fantasy Player Bijan Robinson.
Per FantasyPoints’ legendary Scott Barrett, arguably my favorite analyst in the game:
Barrett: “He was strikingly similar to Bijan, and Brooks’ 142.1 YFS/G would have ranked as the best single-season mark of any Power 5 RB in the 2024 class. He was was even more involved through the air and only slightly less efficient everywhere else.”
Barrett further dove into Brooks’ percentile ranks based on a variety of advanced metrics:
“By seemingly every metric that matters to me and to my model, Brooks’ 2023 season ranks no worse than in the 70th percentile (in comparison to all Power 5 RBs drafted Days 1-2 since 2015). And by missed tackles forced per touch – perhaps my favorite stat – Brooks’ 2023 ranks in the 91st percentile, behind only seasons from Javonte Williams, Travis Etienne, Bijan Robinson, David Montgomery, and Zack Moss.
Brooks’ 9.9 YPT average in 2023 (81st percentile) also ranks as the best season from any Power 5 RB in this class. He also easily led the class in missed tackles forced per reception (0.52, well above next-closest Bucky Irving’s 0.38) and PFF pass block grade (77.0). This is all key in justifying my ranking of Brooks; he profiles as the best (and perhaps even “only”) three-down RB in this class and, thus, possesses the most fantasy upside. Remember, targets are worth 2.53 times as much as a carry in PPR leagues.”
While we certainly have “yet to see it” on an NFL field, Brooks’ has flashed “special” before. He could certainly do so again.
Another one of my favorite analysts, FantasyLife’s Dwain McFarland, agrees and shares a similar sentiment to Barrett, noting:
“Jonathon Brooks was hands-down the best RB prospect in the 2024 draft class. Historically, RBs that scored in his range of the Super Model have faired exceptionally well in their first two seasons.
- Top 12 finishes: 48%
- Top 24 finishes: 71%”
Brooks was an explosive playmaker, averaging 4.7 yards over expected after the catch (YAC), the best mark for any Power 5 RB in the Super Model database.
While Brooks’ career production profile was hampered by playing time, he delivered when he got his opportunity. He registered an 84th percentile PFF Run Grade and a 71st percentile receiving grade for his career.
His Career Composite PFF Grade Index, which combines rushing and passing grades, falls in the 80th percentile — the 10th-best mark in the Super Model’s history.”
To emphasize Brooks’ potential three-down skillset, in the Rookie Scouting Portfolio, Matt Waldman noted Brooks was the best pass protector in the class. This could help him earn the invaluable Three Down Canales Bell Cow role described above.
In that same scouting report, Waldman also described how Brooks has room to grow as a receiver:
“Brooks’s route game won’t remind you of Austin Ekeler at this stage of his career, but he’s an effective receiver from the backfield who should become a reliable component of screens, swing passes and wide routes who could deliver more if called upon. Brooks catches the ball effortlessly and has strong hand-eye coordination.”
Lance Zierlein of NFL.com compared Brooks to another former Texas back — Jamaal Charles, calling out Brooks’ “NFL-caliber accelerator” and ability to stack cuts and moves as strengths. Brooks received a 6.38 prospect grade as the top option in the 2024 class.
Summary: Jonathan Brooks 2026 Fantasy Football Outlook
Indeed, Brooks is a complete unknown at the NFL level. He’s far from a guarantee to just suddenly stay healthy after tearing his ACL in back-to-back seasons.
Yet, Brooks drips in tantalizing, three-down skills. Most importantly, they could be featured by Dave Canales, a who’s been unafraid to ride an every-down RB into the ground.
If Brooks stays healthy (admittedly a huge if), he could be among the best RB picks we’ve seen in the past 10 years at his current ~170 ADP price. It’s a complete hypothetical, but Brooks’ “all-comes-together” upside is truly Top-12, and he is well worth a pick after 150.
I’m stuffing my early 2026 Best Ball Bags, and tossing out 3rds (and later seconds) in 2026 Dynasty Leagues.
