Running Back Fantasy Football Sleepers for ZeroRB Builds: Middle-Round Draft Values (2025)

August 29, 2025

Dave's top fantasy football RB sleepers draft targets for ZeroRB Strategy in 2025. His middle-round RBs with upside, including Jacory Croskey-Merritt and more.

For years, Zero RB has been a favorite and highly effective draft strategy for many fantasy football gamers. This approach works best in full PPR leagues, where you can start up to four wide receivers in your starting lineup. The idea is that you lean away from the fragility of the running back position and instead build significant advantages at wide receiver, quarterback, and tight end. In theory, these advantages will help offset your team’s lack of production at running back. The hope is that these advantages keep your team afloat while you wait for quality running back options to emerge on waivers.

One of the keys to successfully executing this strategy involves targeting the correct middle- and late-round running backs. If you select the right backs at this stage of your draft, it can help you create a super team that’s extremely hard to beat. Even though we saw the running back position make a comeback last year, Zero RB remained an effective strategy. So, which running backs should Zero RB drafters target in 2025? Let’s discuss a few names.

Make sure you’re following RotoBaller on X and check out RotoBaller.com for all your fantasy football needs. Here are five running backs to target if you deploy a Zero RB strategy in your 2025 fantasy football draft.

TreVeyon Henderson - New England Patriots

NFFC ADP: 55.57 Overall

With the team desperately needing playmakers to support sophomore quarterback Drake Maye, New England selected Henderson 38th overall in the 2025 NFL Draft. It was an ideal move as Henderson brings an explosive playmaking ability that this offense sorely lacked in 2024.

THE FIRST TIME HE TOUCHED THE BALL IN THE NFL!!!!@TreVeyonH4 | @NFL

📺: WBZ pic.twitter.com/NcT2a635nx

— New England Patriots (@Patriots) August 8, 2025

Henderson should have a featured role in New England’s passing game. That alone makes him a viable RB2 in PPR leagues. If he can eventually supplant Rhamondre Stevenson as the team’s RB1, then Henderson could post some monster games in his future.

Zero RB gamers should consider selecting Henderson as their first running back in Round 5. He is an ideal target as he offers standalone value with the possibility of eventually becoming the team’s starting back. Draft him and reap the rewards.

RJ Harvey - Denver Broncos

NFFC ADP: 77.41 Overall

Harvey was selected by Denver in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft. The Broncos had stressed all offseason the need to improve their running game as well as find a “joker” on offense. A joker is a player in head coach Sean Payton’s offense who is a mismatch in the passing game and can be used in a variety of ways.

Denver might have checked both boxes with Harvey.

Rook's first NFL TD!@rjharvey07 | 📺: 9NEWS pic.twitter.com/9UMHm3YDBp

— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) August 17, 2025

Payton has not drafted many running backs early during his lengthy coaching career. When he has, though, he’s been pretty good at it. Here are all the running backs, besides Harvey, whom Payton has selected in the first three rounds of the NFL Draft:

Reggie Bush
Mark Ingram II
Alvin Kamara

That’s a pretty good list, and each player has had some fantastic seasons for fantasy football purposes. Harvey should do the same starting this year.

It’s worth noting that Harvey’s backfield mate, J.K. Dobbins, is also worth a selection for Zero RB drafters, as Payton’s offenses have frequently produced multiple fantasy-relevant running backs.

Tyrone Tracy Jr. - New York Giants

NFFC ADP: 89.11 Overall

Tracy enjoyed a fine rookie season in 2024. He had 839 rushing yards, five rushing touchdowns, and caught 38 receptions for 284 receiving yards. Tracy would finish the year as the PPR RB26.

However, there are a few potential issues for Tracy entering 2025. He struggled with fumbles last year and posted middling scores in several advanced metrics. New York must have been a bit concerned as it selected rookie running back Cam Skattebo in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft.

As a result, Tracy has been a forgotten man this summer as Skattebo has gotten a lot of hype from the fantasy football community. However, Skattebo has been nursing a hamstring injury, and it’s forced him out of action. Even when he returns healthy, recent reports suggest that Tracy might be the correct Giants running back to draft.

Tyrone Tracy Jr. is 100 Percent the RB1 in New York https://t.co/YkAVYf7Wcx

— RotoBaller NFL (@RotoBallerNFL) August 5, 2025

This is potentially huge news because whoever emerges as the team's lead back could be a very productive player, particularly in PPR leagues. Per Fantasy Points Data Suite, among 47 quarterbacks with 100+ dropbacks, Giants starting quarterback Russell Wilson had the sixth-highest checkdown rate in 2024.

While Skattebo could function as a pass-catching back, he has major issues with pass protection. That could keep him off the field on passing downs and lead Tracy to claim that role.

If Tracy is the Giants RB1, he could be a nice value in full PPR leagues and would be an ideal Zero RB target. Skattebo is not going too far behind Tracy in drafts this year, so if gamers want a piece of this backfield, they can take a shot on Skattebo, too, if they feel so inclined.

Jordan Mason - Minnesota Vikings

NFFC ADP: 104.76 Overall

The Vikings acquired Mason this offseason in a trade with the San Francisco 49ers. Mason is coming off a career-best season where he had 789 rushing yards and averaged 5.2 yards per carry in 2024.

He also fared quite well in several advanced metrics. Among 47 backs with 90+ attempts, Mason finished:

Sixth in Next Gen Stats' rush yards over expected
Third in Next Gen Stats' rush yards over expected per attempt
14th in PFF’s elusive rating
14th in Fantasy Points Data Suite’s missed tackles forced
Sixth in Fantasy Points Data Suite’s missed tackles forced per attempt

These are noteworthy scores because Mason actually finished better than teammate Aaron Jones Sr. in every single one of these metrics.

Mr. Jordan Mason, ladies and gentleman 👏

📺: #SFvsMIN on CBS/Paramount+
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/3Siu49Kcnm

— NFL (@NFL) September 15, 2024

At the very least, Mason will be in some kind of backfield split. With Jones turning 31 years old in December and coming off a career-high 306 touches last year, there is a possibility that Mason completely takes over this backfield.

Minnesota has also made it very clear that it sees Mason and Jones as a 1A/1B type of situation and will distribute touches accordingly. That means Mason offers gamers flex value with significant upside for more.

Mason is a priority target for Zero RB drafters in 2025. He has a good chance to improve upon his 2024 stats and would be a potential league winner should anything ever happen to Jones.

Jacory Croskey-Merritt - Washington Commanders

NFFC ADP: 207.01 Overall

Croskey-Merritt really impressed the Commanders coaching staff during training camp. This has been a consistent theme all offseason. Washington even felt comfortable enough to trade last year's RB1, Brian Robinson Jr., to the San Francisco 49ers.

This move seemingly clears the way for Croskey-Merritt to take over as Washington's starting back. The seventh-round rookie has some impressive one-cut ability and is tough to bring down in the open field.

BILL 💸

📺 #CINvsWAS ESPN pic.twitter.com/mltwoCHhdh

— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) August 19, 2025

Due to eligibility issues, Croskey-Merritt only played in one game in 2024. However, he is an electric playmaker and averaged 6.3 yards per carry two years ago at New Mexico. He brings an explosive element to Washington’s running game that the team sorely needs.

Following the Robinson trade, Croskey-Merritt's ADP will continue to rise the closer we get to the season. If you want him on your team, do not wait to take him at his listed ADP. He has big-play ability and will get an added efficiency boost playing next to Jayden Daniels. That makes Croskey-Merritt a priority target for Zero RB drafters.

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