2025 NFL Fantasy Football Sleepers: 5 Running Backs to Consider
The 2025 NFL season is less than 50 days away, and we’re certainly looking forward to the action. The offseason gets long without any football, but we’re getting close to the season starting, which means that fantasy football is right around the corner.
With that in mind, we’re putting a few articles together talking about the best sleepers heading into this year’s drafts. Today, we’re talking about running backs, a position that can make or break your draft, at least when thinking about traditional fantasy football leagues. Most fantasy players need to start at least two RBs, so we recommend taking at least one elite player at the position within the first three rounds.
After that, it’s up to you! If you find yourself in a position where you’ve taken a lot of WRs and TEs, we’ve got you covered with our favorite sleeper RBs that are currently being taken past pick 100. Let’s dive into our favorite potential week or league-winning players!
Zach Charbonnet (Current ADP 108, RB 36)
Zach Charbonnet is one of the most intriguing players heading into fantasy drafts this summer. He was excellent last season when Kenneth Walker III was sidelined with injuries, but his upside was significantly capped with Walker on the field.
Charbonnet is a great pass-catcher when he gets opportunities, and if Walker misses any other time this year, he could end up being a great option down the stretch. He finished as the RB25 in 2024, so he’s certainly worth a flier in the late rounds of your draft at his current ADP. Don’t expect Charbonnet to crack your lineup every week, but he’s a great option for a bye week fill-in when necessary.
Javonte Williams (Current ADP 118, RB 38)
You’re telling me I can get someone likely to be the RB1 in their offense at RB38? Sign me up! Javonte Williams is one of our favorite buys at ADP this year, especially considering his pass-catching prowess. The Dallas Cowboys could certainly use another versatile player in this backfield, and Williams might just be the player they were looking for.
Williams hasn’t always been utilized to the best of his abilities but seeing how he appears healthy and ready to go, this could be another breakout year for him with a new team. Don’t overlook Williams later in drafts this season, as he could be a real boom player on any given week.
Rachaad White (Current ADP 135, RB 43)
Rachaad White is another player we are all over this year, especially at his current ADP. He finished 2024 as the RB22, and that’s with Bucky Irving, his teammate, ending the year at RB13.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers showed us last year that they can support two top 24 running backs, and there’s little reason for us to believe that White will be this big of a downgrade this season. Targets could be harder to come by with another mouth to feed in the wide receiver room (Emeka Egbuka), but we’re still under the impression that White will have another strong season.
Bayshul Tuten (Current ADP 139, RB 44
You can’t go wrong with White or Bayshul Tuten at this point in the draft and getting both of them could prove valuable down the stretch. Most of the reports out of camp indicate that Tuten is getting more snaps than Travis Etienne, which shows that he could be RB2 in Jacksonville, if not in a shared backfield with Tank Bigsby.
With that in mind, Tuten is a great player for you to consider drafting, as the Jaguars could be run-heavy this year and need more than one back to help carry the load. If Tuten and a combination of Etienne and Bigsby look anything close to what Tampa Bay had going on last year, he could be in for a top-24 finish.
Kareem Hunt (Current ADP 210.8, RB 66)
Kareem Hunt doesn’t necessarily scream RB1 material, especially given his ADP, but he was a solid player for the Chiefs last year. He finished as the RB31 in the year in 13 games, getting lots of goal-line work for the Chiefs. Isiah Pacheco’s impact with the team is undetermined, depending on his response to injury.
If he misses any time, Hunt could save the day and be an impactful back for this organization. He might not make your starting lineup every week, but if you can take him in the last few rounds of your draft, Hunt could be a great player to stash for when you need him.
Andrew Elmquist
Sports Betting Contributor
Andrew is an up-and-coming sports betting analyst who specializes in Daily Fantasy Sports and player props in all sports. He holds degrees from Winona State University in Spanish and Communications. You can find Andrew on X @AndrewElmquist1
