Updated Fantasy Football RB Sleepers 2025: Most undervalued running backs to target in drafts

Griffin Missant

•
Updated Fantasy Football RB Sleepers 2025: Most undervalued running backs to target in drafts image

Depending on particular fantasy football draft strategies and positions, running backs hold volatile value.

From Zero RB, to Hero RB, to Robust RB, identifying where you can find the best buys at the position proves crucial to your inseason success.

Don't panic. Look at these running back sleepers to target in the middle-to-late rounds who can help you balance out your fantasy team. 

2025 DRAFT SLEEPERS: QB | WR | TE | DST

Who are the best fantasy RB sleepers for 2025?

NEW - Rico Dowdle, Carolina Panthers (ADP: RB55)

Dowdle was not a particularly intriguing name, given the clear starter in Carolina, Chuba Hubbard. However, after seeing him in camp and preseason, Dowdle offers some upside for how late he is being drafted. 

Dowdle is not a flashy pick by any means, but he's going off the board way too late. He's the RB2 on this team after beating out Trevor Etienne, and will be involved in the pass game. 

In fact, we've seen the Panthers use Dowdle as their third-down running back during the preseason. 

In PPR scoring, especially, Dowdle could provide a Rachaad White type season a year ago. White, even though Bucky Irving was the starter in Tampa Bay, finished as the RB20 on the season. 

Dowdle does not need to have nearly that productive a season to pay back his RB55 price tag. 

Dowdle is one of the more interesting handcuff RBs. If Hubbard deals with any missed time, Dowdle is a viable start. But even with Hubbard on the field, Dowdle will still be involved in the passing game and should shatter his low ADP. 

Travis Etienne Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars (ADP 100.0, RB34)

The incredibly disappointing 2024 season from Etienne had led to his deflated ADP. Frankly, he burned his aggressive drafters last year.

Still, Etienne is only two years removed from finishing as the overall RB3. In 2023, he ran for 1,008 yards and 11 rushing touchdowns, along with catching 58 passes for 476 and another score. 

Outside of Brian Thomas Jr.'s incredible rookie campaign, not a lot went right for the Jaguars in 2024. This season they find themselves in a much better situation with the hiring of Liam Coen as head coach.

Coen has shown the desire to get receiving backs involved through the air. While Coen was the offensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2024, his feature running backs, Bucky Irving and Rachaad White, caught 98 passes for 785 yards.

Etienne is by far the best pass catcher in this backfield and should get a bulk of the position's receptions.

Caution: Rumors have the Jaguars trading Etienne in favor of keeping Tank Bigsby and intriguing rookie Bhayshul Tuten. These reports probably have helped cheapen the draft price on Etienne.

At that spot, take advantage, especially since Coen has refuted those whispers:

If he's traded to a worse situation, it's a relatively easy fantasy fix. You didn't lose much by taking a chance on Coen and the Jags keeping him as the primary back. (You can even double-up on one of the other backs if you have the roster flexibility.)

Tyjae Spears, Tennessee Titans (ADP 129.7, RB42)

Injuries derailed Spears' promising 2024 season.

As a rookie, Spears finished as the RB35 in fantasy football. This may not be impressive at face value, but the volume was there for Spears.

He received 100 rushing attempts, along with 70 targets that turned into 52 catches. To put this into perspective, Atlanta Falcons RB Bijan Robinson caught 61 catches on 72 targets in 2024. 

The talent is unquestionably there if Spears can manage to stay healthy. Titans head coach Brian Callahan has indicated the hope to get Spears more involved, and the pass-catching corps for quarterback Cam Ward doesn't feature too much stability outside of alpha Calvin Ridley.

Spears finished as the RB41 last season with all the injuries he sustained. In 2025, he is going off the board as the RB42 in drafts. A healthy Spears blows this draft position out of the water. 

Deep 2025 RB sleepers

Ray Davis, Buffalo (ADP 150.7, RB50)

With where Davis is going in drafts, he's one of the best handcuff RBs you can take in 2025. Davis finished as the RB38 last season even with James Cook's breakout.

Davis scored 10+ fantasy points in five games in 2024. Cook was out in just one of them, which shows that Davis can be a solid option even with Cook healthy.

However, Davis' best game came in Week 6 when Cook was out. Davis saw 23 total touches for 152 all-purpose yards, which landed him at 16.7 fantasy points.

Davis is a low-cost, somewhat high-reward pick. Even with a healthy Cook, Davis can still pay off his current cost. If Cook ever does go down, Davis could be a league-winner.  

Roschon Johnson, Chicago Bears (ADP 176.5, RB59)

A lot would need to go right for Johnson to become a legit fantasy option in 2025.

The upside is there with the new addition of Ben Johnson as the Chicago Bears new head coach. Ben Johnson ran a two-running-back committee in Detroit, which should transfer to Chicago.

Just by looking at the builds, Johnson could get the early-down work, as well as the goal-line usage. Johnson scored six times on the ground in 2024.

In an offense projected to be much improved, it's also likely we see a jump in Johnson's opportunities. With where he's currently going in drafts, Johnson is a guy to stash that offers some upside instead of hyped rookie Kyle Monangi.

Late-round RB dart throws and stashes

  • Dylan Sampson & Jerome Ford, Cleveland Browns 

  • Woody Marks, Houston Texans 

  • Miles Sanders, Dallas Cowboys

Griffin Missant

Griffin Missant joined The Sporting News in 2025 as a fantasy football intern. He graduated from Grand Valley State University, where he covered the Lakers football program. He has also worked for Sleeper and the Fantasy Trade Room. He has played fantasy for over a decade, and has been passionate about fantasy football ever since.