X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

Early Fantasy Football Best Ball Sleepers For 2025 - Running Back Draft Targets

Tyjae Spears - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Dan Fornek takes a look at early fantasy football best ball sleepers at the running back position for 2025. Which RBs should you target for your team?

The NFL Draft is now in the rearview. Training camps are roughly three months away. The 2025 NFL season will be here before we know it.

For the die-hard fantasy managers, best ball drafts have been going since the 2024 regular season ended. There is a considerable amount of risk in drafting this early, but the value rewards can be massive if you hit on a player who survives the offseason without competition or a rookie who drops into a prime landing spot.

All the players listed below can be considered sleeper running backs at their current ADP on Underdog Fantasy. For this article, a “sleeper” will be regarded as any player not going in the first 10 rounds of ADP. Check them out below.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:

 

Tyjae Spears, Tennessee Titans

ADP: 138.2, RB40

Tyjae Spears initially received hype after the 2023 season when it was clear the Titans were moving on from Derrick Henry. Unfortunately, the signing of Tony Pollard signaled he was going to be trapped in a timeshare once again.

A litany of injuries (concussions, ankle, and hamstring) led to just 12 games played, and a dip in efficiency (3.7 yards per carry after averaging 4.5 as a rookie) led to a slight step back in Spears’ second season.

That said, Spears did provide a reason to believe in his ability to produce in fantasy at the end of his second season. From Weeks 15 to 17, Spears logged his only three games with a snap share above 50 percent. During that stretch, he averaged 11.3 carries and 4.0 receptions per game for 67.0 all-purpose yards and scored four touchdowns.

That three-game stretch (two of which were with a shared backfield with Pollard) gave Spears three straight RB1 finishes, including an RB5 finish in Week 15 (24.2 points) in half-PPR scoring.

Tennessee invested in its offensive line in free agency by adding Dan Moore Jr. to play left tackle and Kevin Zeitler to play right guard. It is a near-certainty that the team will also upgrade the quarterback position by drafting Miami’s Cameron Ward with the first overall pick. This offense should be better in 2025.

Spears will once again be stuck in a timeshare, but he will have a weekly role and has the burst to make the most of it. If Pollard happened to get injured, he would be on the weekly RB1 radar due to a thin depth chart behind him.

 

Jordan Mason, Minnesota Vikings

ADP: 138.4, RB41

The Vikings made sure to re-sign Aaron Jones after he posted an excellent season in 2024 (255 carries for 1,138 yards and five rushing touchdowns with 51 receptions for 408 yards and two receiving touchdowns). However, it was just the second time in Jones’ career that he played more than 15 games, and the third time he had a snap share above 58 percent.

The Vikings tried not to lean on him too heavily, trading for Cam Akers before Week 7 to spell Jones. From Weeks 9 to 18, Akers logged a 26 percent snap share, averaging 6.4 carries and 1.1 targets per game.

This offseason, the Vikings traded for Jordan Mason to serve as their complementary back. Mason is no stranger to being a backup behind a three-down running back, but he showed that he can handle a workload if given a chance. From Weeks 1 to 7 this season, Jones averaged 18.3 carries, 95.3 rushing yards, and scored three rushing touchdowns. He also had 10 receptions for 86 yards.

Mason was the RB17 in half-PPR leagues during this stretch (13.8) and was the RB9 in overall scoring (96.3). He had three top-10 scoring weeks, including two top-5 finishes.

The Vikings will lean on Mason to spell Jones in 2025, and given Jones’ injury history, there is an excellent chance that Mason gets a stretch of games as the lead back once again. He’s the perfect boom-or-bust RB3 or RB4 for a best ball roster that can provide scoring weeks at some point this season.

 

Trey Benson, Arizona Cardinals

ADP: 143.5, RB42

Trey Benson delivered an underwhelming rookie season (63 carries for 291 yards and one touchdown with six receptions for 59 yards) in 13 games. Benson logged just two games with double-digit carries and only one game above a 28 percent snap share due to James Conner’s healthy 2024 season.

Still, there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic about Benson heading into 2025.

2024 was just the second time since 2018 that Conner played more than 13 games. The veteran running back has a lengthy injury history and isn’t a stranger to missing stretches. Arizona’s coaching staff has also come out this offseason in support of Benson, stating that it believes it has “two number-one backs.”

Time will tell whether that is coach speak or not, but at the very least, Benson has value as the RB2 behind a running back who tends to get injured. The Cardinals are also unlikely to invest heavily in the position this season after investing a third-round pick in Benson in 2024.

Benson will start the year as a backup with an ambiguous role in Arizona’s backfield but should see an increased workload as a change-of-pace back in his second season. He could easily pay off his RB42 price tag if Conner were to go down for any period.

 

RJ Harvey, Denver Broncos

ADP: 170.4, RB55

This rookie running back class is loaded with talent, but most people’s attention is being focused on the names at the top (Ashton Jeanty, Omarion Hampton, TreVeyon Henderson, and Quinshon Judkins). That is allowing some of the secondary backs to fly under the radar.

One rookie who is an excellent value at this point is the University of Central Florida’s RJ Harvey.

Over his last two collegiate seasons, Harvey amassed 458 carries for 2,993 yards and 38 rushing touchdowns while adding 39 receptions for 505 yards and four receiving touchdowns. Harvey measured in at 5-foot-8, 205 pounds at the combine before running a 4.40 40-yard dash.

The advanced metrics are even more impressive. Harvey was second to Jeanty in rushing attempts that went 10+ yards (54) and 15+ yards (32). He was third in the class in breakaway rushing yards (827) and posted a respectable 1.39 yards per route run as a pass-catcher.

Harvey is currently being drafted as the RB55 in best ball drafts but that will change now that he landed with the Denver Broncos in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Harvey immediately becomes the most explosive component in this backfield running behind one of the best offensive lines in the NFL. He will get plenty of opportunities to make plays in space with his speed.

Harvey's ADP will climb dramatically now that we know he is in Denver's backfield, but it shouldn't get out of control given Sean Payton's history of rotating running backs. He should remain a value as long as he continues to be selected in

 

Will Shipley, Philadelphia Eagles

ADP: 224.7, RB68

The Eagles drafted Will Shipley in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Shipley didn’t see the field much on offense (30 carries for 82 yards and four receptions for 35 yards), making most of his impact on special teams while playing behind Saquon Barkley and Kenneth Gainwell.

Gainwell left the Eagles in free agency this offseason, opening an opportunity for Shipley to earn a bigger role behind Barkley in 2025. The veteran logged a 26 percent snap share with the Eagles last season while handling 75 carries and 22 targets.

Shipley was a three-down workhorse during his three seasons at Clemson, amassing 526 carries and 85 receptions for 3,349 all-purpose yards and 33 total touchdowns. There were glimpses of that skill set in limited reps during his first season.

Barkley will be the unquestioned lead back for Philadelphia again in 2025, but Shipley figures to be the first man up if he misses any time due to injury. The only other running back on Philadelphia’s roster with NFL experience is former Packer AJ Dillon.

Make no mistake, Shipley will be a zero for most weeks in your best ball lineup. However, he could have an amazing upside should Barkley miss time with injury. He is a last-round pick in best ball with tantalizing upside, especially if the Eagles don’t add to the running back room during the NFL Draft.



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!

More Fantasy Football Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Matthew Knies

Wants to Stay in Toronto
Auston Matthews

Aims to Be "100 Percent" Next Season
Nick Jensen

Recovering From Lower-Body Procedure
Mark Jankowski

Still Out Tuesday
Jordan Martinook

Ready for Game 1 Against Panthers
Jalen Chatfield

a Game-Time Call Tuesday
MLB

Guardians-Twins Rained Out on Tuesday
Robert MacIntyre

is a Flyer Pick With Upside at Charles Schwab Challenge
Nate McCollum

Seahawks Sign UDFA Nate McCollum
Tony Pollard

 Recovery from Ankle Sprain has "Gone Great"
Travis Bazzana

to Miss 8-10 Weeks with Oblique Injury
Micah Parsons

 Reports to Voluntary OTAs Despite Contract Situation
Dak Prescott

 Fully Recovered from Hamstring Tear
NFL

NFL Players Expected to be Allowed to Take Part in Flag Football in Olympics
Shemar Stewart

Away From Team Amid Contract Dispute
George Pickens

Cowboys Impressed With George Pickens
Tennessee Titans

Titans Eyeing Three-Headed Approach to Backfield?
Geno Smith

Says Raiders Looking to be "Explosive and Efficient"
Joe Thuney

Bears Give Joe Thuney a Two-Year Contract Extension
Si Woo Kim

Looks to Continue Hot Streak at Charles Schwab Challenge
Harris English

Hopes to Continue Strong 2025 Season at Colonial
Ian Happ

to be Activated on Tuesday
Cam Davis

Looks to Keep Building Momentum in Fort Worth
Miguel Amaya

Drives in Five Against the Fish
Julio Rodríguez

Julio Rodriguez Smashes Huge Grand Slam Against the White Sox
Mookie Betts

Bashes Two Taters on Monday Night
Andrew Wiggins

' Future Uncertain in Miami
Jrue Holiday

Wants to Remain in Boston
Ty Jerome

Cavaliers Want to Keep Ty Jerome
Zion Williamson

Pelicans Want to "Make Things Work" with Zion Williamson
Giannis Antetokounmpo

Bucks "Hopeful" Giannis Antetokounmpo Won't Request Trade
Sonny Gray

Dominates Detroit To Secure Fifth Win
Kyle Schwarber

Hits Career Homer No. 300 Monday
Porter Hodge

to Land on Injured List With Oblique Injury
New Orleans Saints

Saints Planning to Give Their Quarterbacks Plenty of Opportunities
Travis Hunter

Already Showing Improvement
Dyami Brown

Stands Out at First OTA Practice
Deshaun Watson

Ditches Walking Boot
Marvin Harrison Jr.

Adds Muscle
Kyren Williams

Optimistic About a Contract Extension
Matthew Golden

Packers Sign Matthew Golden to Rookie Deal
San Francisco 49ers

49ers, Fred Warner Agree to Three-Year Extension
Paul George

Potentially On The Move?
Yordan Alvarez

Still Feels Pain When Swinging
Hunter Greene

Scheduled to Return on Friday
Teoscar Hernández

Teoscar Hernandez Activated and Starting on Monday
Shota Imanaga

Return Will be "Well Into June"
Ian Happ

Expected to Join Cubs During Series in Miami
Shedeur Sanders

Cleveland Signs Shedeur Sanders to Rookie Deal
Michael Gonzalez

Signs With Atlanta
Kansas City Chiefs

Chiefs Agree to Terms with Tremayne Anchrum
Hunter Greene

Reds Expecting Hunter Greene to Return This Weekend
Gilbert Burns

Loses Fourth Fight in a Row
Michael Morales

Gets TKO Win At UFC Vegas 106
Sodiq Yusuff

Loses Third Consecutive Fight
Mairon Santos

Remains Undefeated In The UFC
Dustin Stoltzfus

Suffers Seventh Career Loss At UFC Vegas 106
Nursulton Ruziboev

Wins Back-To-Back Fights
Julian Erosa

Drops Decision At UFC Vegas 106
Jared Jones

Likely to Need Tommy John Surgery
Melquizael Costa

Extends His Win Streak
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. Could Return by This Weekend
Spencer Strider

Activated from 15-Day Injured List
Matt Shaw

Returning to Chicago
Max Domi

Scores Only Maple Leafs Goal in Game 7
Sergei Bobrovsky

Collects Eighth Postseason Victory Sunday
Aleksander Barkov

Dishes Out Two Assists in Game 7 Win
Seth Jones

Ends Offensive Slump with Two-Point Effort
Eetu Luostarinen

Enjoys Three-Point Night in Game 7
Brad Marchand

Bags Three Points In Game 7 Victory
Jac Caglianone

Promoted to Triple-A
Cody Bellinger

Reaches Base Five Times, Knocks in Six
Aaron Gordon

Finishes With Eight Points In Game 7
Jamal Murray

Has A Rough Afternoon On Sunday
Reilly Smith

Hopes to Stick with Golden Knights
Chet Holmgren

Finishes With Another Double-Double On Sunday
Lars Eller

Plans to Continue Playing
Jalen Williams

Shows Up In Game 7
Nikola Jokić

Nikola Jokic Can't Lift Denver To A Win On Sunday
Anthony Stolarz

Suits Up as Backup Sunday
Sergei Bobrovsky

Aims to Maintain Perfect Game 7 Record Sunday
Anthony Stolarz

Unavailable for Game 7 Against Panthers
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Leads OKC To The Western Conference Finals
Matthew Knies

Good to Go Sunday
Evan Rodrigues

Returns to Panthers Lineup for Game 7
Kyle Larson

Skipping All-Star Heat Race Should Be Good for DFS Place Differential Points
William Byron

Lack of Winning Speed and Good Starting Position Make Him a Poor DFS Option
Chase Briscoe

Joe Gibbs Racing Speed Should Carry Chase Briscoe in All-Star Race
Alex Bowman

Consistent Loss of Positions Makes Him a Poor DFS Choice
Ross Chastain

Despite Mediocre Short Track Record, Ross Chastain Surprisingly Finished Second in Heat Race
Austin Cindric

Consistent Lack of Short Track Speed Means He'll Likely Struggle in All-Star Race
Daniel Suarez

Unexpected Trackhouse Speed May Make Daniel Suarez a Valid Option
Harrison Burton

For Harrison Burton, Making the All-Star Likely As Good As It Gets
Ryan Blaney

Is Worth Rostering For All-Star Tournament Lineups At North Wilkesboro
Joey Logano

What Should Fantasy Players Do With Joey Logano For The All-Star Race?
Tyler Reddick

Should Fantasy Players Roster Tyler Reddick For The All-Star Race?
Brad Keselowski

May Dominate The All-Star Race At North Wilkesboro
Chris Buescher

Could Pay Off For All-Star Race Tournament Lineups
Josh Berry

Is Josh Berry A Sneaky DFS Option For The All-Star Race?
Austin Dillon

Is An Intriguing DFS Option For The All-Star Race
Ricky Stenhouse Jr

Could Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Be A Top DFS Bargain Value For The All-Star Race?
Kyle Connor

Records an Assist in Season-Ending Defeat
Mark Scheifele

Nets Lone Jets Goal During Emotional Night
Jaylen Brown

May Need Surgery
Hunter Tyson

May Miss Another Game Sunday
Russell Westbrook

Listed as Probable for Sunday
Jamal Murray

Probable for Sunday's Game 7
Aaron Gordon

Officially Listed as Questionable for Game 7
Josh Hart

Has A Triple-Double On Friday Night
Karl-Anthony Towns

Picks Up A Double-Double In Game 6
Jalen Brunson

Leads New York To A Win On Friday Night
Michael Morales

Set For His First UFC Main Event
Gilbert Burns

In Dire Need Of Victory
Precious Achiuwa

Uncertain For Game 6
Rodolfo Bellato

Set For UFC Vegas 106 Co-Main Event
Paul Craig

Returns To Light Heavyweight
Mairon Santos

Looks To Remain Undefeated In The UFC
Sodiq Yusuff

Set For Lightweight Bout
Nursulton Ruziboev

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Dustin Stoltzfus

An Underdog At UFC Vegas 106
Melquizael Costa

A Favorite At UFC Vegas 106
Julian Erosa

Set To Open Up UFC Vegas 106 Main Card
Brian Harman

Not A Great Option For PGA Championship
Cameron Smith

May Not Be Worth The Risk At Quail Hollow
Joaquin Niemann

A Strong Play At Quail Hollow
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF