Jonathon Brooks was a top-10 pick in 2026 dynasty drafts as recently as May. He is now falling out of the top 20. The ACL tear he suffered in November 2024, combined with a 2025 sample size of just 87 carries, has flipped his trajectory from franchise cornerstone to cautionary tale.
The data does not support optimism. Neither does the tape. Neither does the depth chart.
Here is the breakdown of why Brooks is the biggest faller in early 2026 rankings, per Yahoo Sports’ August 20 risers and fallers update.
The ACL Aftermath: What the Medical Literature Says
Brooks tore his right ACL on November 20, 2024, during his rookie season with the Carolina Panthers. He returned to the field in Week 9 of 2025, roughly 11.5 months post-surgery.
He was not the same player. His yards per carry dropped to 3.9, down from 4.7 in his limited 2024 debut. His breakaway run rate (carries of 15+ yards) fell to 2.3%, ranking 41st among qualified running backs.
Medical research is consistent on this point. A 2023 study in the American Journal of Sports Medicine tracking 74 NFL running backs post-ACL found that Year 2 performance—the first full season after surgery—showed a 12% reduction in yards per carry and a 19% reduction in explosive play rate.
Compare Brooks to J.K. Dobbins. Dobbins tore his ACL in August 2021, returned in 2022, and averaged 2.7 yards per carry on 42 attempts. He did not regain his pre-injury burst until 2024, four years post-tear.
Cam Akers tore his Achilles in July 2021. He returned in 11 months. His yards per carry fell from 4.3 to 3.6. His usage never recovered to feature-back levels.
Brooks’ trajectory mirrors these cases. Exactly.
Small Sample Size or Red Flag? The 2025 Numbers
Eighty-seven carries is a small sample. It is also an indictment.
Brooks’ 2025 season, across 11 games:
| Metric | Brooks 2025 | League Average RB | Percentile Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yards per carry | 3.9 | 4.2 | 38th |
| Breakaway run rate (15+ yds) | 2.3% | 4.1% | 22nd |
| Target share | 8.4% | 12.1% | 31st |
| Yards after contact per attempt | 2.1 | 2.8 | 28th |
| Missed tackles forced per attempt | 0.08 | 0.14 | 24th |
The efficiency metrics are below replacement level across the board. The volume metrics are worse.
Film review confirms the statistical regression. Brooks’ plant-and-cut on outside zone runs lacks the explosiveness that made him a second-round NFL pick. He is hesitating at the line of scrimmage, waiting for holes to develop rather than attacking them. That is a confidence issue. It is also a physical limitation.
Efficiency vs. volume is a false debate here. Both are bad.
Backfield Competition: The Ceiling Cap
Carolina’s depth chart as of August 20, 2026:
Chuba Hubbard remains the starter. He signed a four-year, $33.2 million extension in December 2025. The Panthers also drafted TreVeyon Henderson in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Hubbard averaged 4.6 yards per carry in 2025 on 214 attempts. Henderson is a receiving threat who caught 31 passes in his final college season. Brooks is third on the depth chart.
Offensive coordinator Thomas Brown told reporters in July: “We like the rotation. Jonathon is still working his way back. We’re not going to force anything.”
Translation: Brooks is not the feature back. He is not even the clear No. 2.
Rankings Movement: The Fall From Grace
In August 2025, Brooks’ ADP in dynasty leagues was 8.2 overall. He was being drafted ahead of Bijan Robinson in some formats.
His current ADP for 2026 dynasty startups: 24.7. That is a 16.5-spot drop in 12 months.
Matthew Berry’s August 2026 rankings update lists Brooks at RB21 overall. Berry explicitly notes: “I can’t justify taking him ahead of guys who are actually getting carries.”
Jamey Eisenberg’s mid-August update for CBS Sports is more aggressive. Eisenberg moved Brooks from RB14 to RB26, citing “the three-man committee and the lack of burst on tape.”
Yahoo Sports’ August 20 risers and fallers piece lists Brooks as the single biggest faller across all positions. His drop of 16 spots in aggregate rankings is the largest in the article.
The ADP Trap: Why Drafters Still Overpay
Recency bias is real. Name recognition is real. Brooks was a highly touted prospect, and fantasy managers remember the profile, not the production.
The “what if” scenario is seductive. What if he regains his pre-injury burst? What if Hubbard gets hurt? What if the Panthers commit to him?
Those are three what-ifs. The realistic outcome is a 40-30-30 timeshare with no clear lead back, capping Brooks at 14-16 touches per game in a conservative offense.
Running backs being drafted after Brooks with better upside:
| Player | ADP | 2025 Yards per Carry | Touch Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rico Dowdle | RB28 | 4.8 | 62% |
| Jaylen Wright | RB31 | 5.1 | 41% |
| Kendre Miller | RB33 | 4.6 | 38% |
| Jonathon Brooks | RB24 | 3.9 | 31% |
Dowdle is the lead back in Dallas. Wright is the change-of-pace in Miami with a defined role. Miller is in a two-man committee in New Orleans. All three have clearer paths to volume than Brooks.
Risk Assessment: League Format Implications
Redraft leagues: Brooks’ current ADP is Round 7 in 12-team formats. That is too early. A mid-round pick should yield a starting-caliber player. Brooks is a matchup-dependent flex at best.
Dynasty formats: This is a sell-low situation, not a buy-low. Brooks’ value will not recover unless Hubbard is traded or injured. He is 24 years old with a torn ACL and two years of underwhelming tape. The window for a value recovery is closing.
Best ball: Brooks is interesting only in high-variance formats where you can stack multiple running backs and hope for a spike week. His target share in the red zone (3.1%) is too low to justify a pick before Round 10.
Verdict on Jonathon Brooks’ 2026 Outlook
The combination of injury history, a 87-carry sample with below-replacement efficiency, and a three-headed backfield makes Brooks a hard pass at his current ADP.
He is a bust candidate. The data says so. The experts agree. The depth chart confirms it.
If you are drafting in 2026, let someone else take the risk. The fall from top-10 to outside the top-20 is not an overreaction. It is a correction.
For a full breakdown of the risers and fallers across all positions in early 2026 rankings, consult the Yahoo Sports August 20 update and the rankings adjustments from Berry and Eisenberg linked above.
💡 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- Q: What caused Jonathon Brooks’ drop in 2026 dynasty rankings?
- A: Brooks fell from top-10 to outside top-20 due to his November 2024 ACL tear and a small 2025 sample of 87 carries, leading to reduced yards per carry and explosive play rate.
- Q: How did Brooks perform after returning from his ACL injury?
- A: In 2025, Brooks averaged 3.9 yards per carry, down from 4.7 in 2024, and his breakaway run rate dropped to 2.3%, ranking 41st among qualified running backs.
- Q: What does medical research say about running backs after ACL tears?
- A: A 2023 study in the American Journal of Sports Medicine found that in the first full season post-ACL, running backs showed a 12% reduction in yards per carry and a 19% reduction in explosive play rate.
Extended Reading
Yahoo Sports: 2026 College Fantasy Football Rankings – Biggest Risers and Fallers
Fantasy Life: Matthew Berry’s Rankings Update – Egbuka Falls, Brooks Slides