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Joey Pollizze's top Zero RB targets in each round of 2025 fantasy football drafts. His running back sleepers and breakout candidates in the middle and late rounds.
The Zero RB strategy has become popular among fantasy football managers in recent years. This strategy focuses on passing on running backs in the early rounds and loading up at other positions (quarterback, wide receiver, and tight ends) in the first few rounds. After you have taken a few players at each of those positions, you can then start to target running backs in the fifth or sixth round.
This Zero RB strategy has become harder to perfect because there aren't many elite running backs to take in the later rounds. However, this strategy could work if you target the right running backs throughout the draft.
So, we will look at which running backs fantasy managers should target in every round in a Zero RB strategy. Grabbing a few of these running backs in the middle-to-late rounds could ensure a balanced all-around roster in 2025. We will go through Rounds 5-12 to determine potential running back targets.
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Round 5: James Conner, Arizona Cardinals
It appears Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner only gets better with age. He has rushed for 1,000 yards in each of the past two seasons and is the perfect Zero RB target in the fifth round. Even though the Cardinals selected Trey Benson in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft, this will continue to be Conner's backfield in 2025.
He played over 60% of the team's offensive snaps in nine of 16 games last year and was a strong fantasy option for most of the season. Conner finished as the RB12 in PPR formats while averaging 15.9 PPR fantasy points per game. The veteran also helped a lot of fantasy managers reach the championship, as he scored above 22 PPR fantasy points in three straight contests from Week 14 to Week 16.
JAMES CONNER APPRECIATION POST pic.twitter.com/LQS44fvecG
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) October 22, 2024
Injuries always remain a risk with Conner, but he managed to play in a career-high 16 games in 2024. Even though the two-time Pro Bowler is entering his age-30 season, the Cardinals running back showed last year that he still has plenty left in the tank. That makes him an ideal running back target in the fifth round.
Round 6: Quinshon Judkins, Cleveland Browns
In this Zero RB approach, fantasy managers should be searching for some high-upside running backs. There is no running back with more upside at this point in drafts than Quinshon Judkins. The Cleveland Browns selected Judkins with the 36th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, making him the third running back off the board.
That high draft capital, mixed with his landing spot in Cleveland, makes him a sneaky target in the sixth round. The Browns let Nick Chubb walk in free agency, and Judkins' biggest competition for touches is Jerome Ford. While Ford could start the season as the team's RB1, it's only a matter of time until the rookie overtakes him for that RB1 job.
Cleveland was impressed with Judkins throughout OTAs, and the Ohio State product totaled over 1,000 rush yards and 13 touchdowns in all three of his college campaigns. As a result, fantasy managers shouldn't sleep on the 21-year-old in 2025 fantasy drafts, especially in this Zero RB approach. The rookie has the upside to finish as a top-16 fantasy running back in Year 1.
Round 7: D'Andre Swift, Chicago Bears
As we head into the seventh round, the options at the running back position are slim pickings. However, Chicago Bears running back D'Andre Swift is a nice high-floor option at this point in drafts. Swift is familiar with new head coach Ben Johnson from his time in Detroit and has finished as a top-24 fantasy running back in all five NFL seasons.
In his last year with Johnson in 2022, Swift finished as the RB21 in PPR formats. Despite only seeing 99 carries that season, his usage in the passing game made him a reliable RB2 option. He caught 48 passes for 389 yards and three touchdowns. That receiving upside should once again play a factor for the 26-year-old.
We should also expect Swift to see the majority of carries in this backfield. Given that the Bears didn't add a running back through free agency and only selected Kyle Monangai (Round 7) in the 2025 NFL Draft, the former Pro Bowler is a safe RB2 option. There's a strong chance he sees over 250 touches in this up-and-coming Bears offense.
Round 8: Kaleb Johnson, Pittsburgh Steelers
Fantasy managers should be looking to target another rookie in Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kaleb Johnson in the eighth round. Johnson was taken in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft and essentially replaces Najee Harris in this Pittsburgh backfield. The Steelers let Harris walk in free agency this offseason after not agreeing to a new contract.
Arthur Smith does #TheMath.
In terms of designed carries, we currently at:
* Kaleb Johnson 46%
* Jaylen Warren 35%
* Kenneth Gainwell 10%
* Cordarrelle Patterson 7%
* Calvin Austin 2% pic.twitter.com/ETLh47mdXZ— Adam Levitan (@adamlevitan) June 17, 2025
That surely bodes well for Johnson because he now has every opportunity to emerge as the team's goal-line back. The 21-year-old will have to compete for touches with Jaylen Warren, but the rookie fits more of the early down role in this offense. He rushed for 1,537 yards and 21 touchdowns in his final season at Iowa.
Therefore, Johnson could turn out to be a value pick in the eighth round. The Steelers ran the ball at the fifth-highest clip (48.3%) last year, and the potential is there for the Iowa product to see over 200 carries in his first season. That could equate to at least 850 rush yards and six touchdowns for the rookie in 2025.
Round 9: Javonte Williams, Dallas Cowboys
There aren't many running backs remaining in the ninth round who could lead their team in carries this season. Fortunately, fantasy managers can find exactly that in Javonte Williams. The Cowboys signed Williams to a one-year contract in the offseason, and he has a great chance to earn that RB1 job in Dallas.
Williams will have to compete with Miles Sanders, fifth-round rookie Jaydon Blue, and seventh-round rookie Phil Mafah. Although the former Broncos running back is coming off a disappointing campaign in which he totaled just 513 rush yards and four touchdowns, he could emerge as a low-end RB2 option for fantasy managers this year.
Rico Dowdle was a solid fantasy option in that RB1 role last season, and Williams could be headed for a bounce-back campaign. The 25-year-old said last month that he is feeling like himself again on the football field. Therefore, he's worth taking in this Zero RB approach in the ninth round. What's not to love about a running back who could be the RB1 on a Cowboys offense that should rank toward the top of the league?
Round 10: Cam Skattebo, New York Giants
With all the starting running backs off the board at this point, now is the perfect time to draft some high-upside backups. That makes New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo a potential target in the 10th round. The Giants selected Skattebo in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, and he should start the year as New York's RB2.
However, there is a path where Skattebo sees more opportunities than Tyrone Tracy Jr. as the season goes on. The Arizona State product can do it all, and his versatility should help him make an impact in Year 1. He rushed for 1,711 yards and 21 touchdowns in his final season with the Sun Devils while also catching 45 passes for 605 yards and three touchdowns through the air.
If Tracy's fumbling issues continue into 2025, it wouldn't be surprising to see Skattebo eventually overtake him in this backfield. So, the rookie is a solid target in the 10th round. He'll provide some receiving upside and could thrive with Russell Wilson under center. Wilson checked it down at a high rate last season, which benefits the new Giants running back.
Round 11: Tyjae Spears, Tennessee Titans
UPDATE: Spears suffered a high-ankle sprain in Tennessee's first preseason game, which could affect his early-season role.
Tennessee Titans running back Tyjae Spears' upside will always be capped by Tony Pollard. Pollard is the clear RB1 in this Tennessee backfield, and Spears plays second fiddle to him. Nevertheless, Spears is one injury away from being a high-end RB2 option for managers.
Spears averaged 20.7 PPR fantasy points per game and saw 60.7% of the team's offensive snaps from Week 15 to Week 17. Coincidentally, that stretch came when Pollard was battling an ankle injury that limited his playing time. In the one game he missed in Week 17, Spears saw 23 touches to go with 103 yards from scrimmage.
YOU RAISE ME UP @tyjae22
📺: Watch #CINvsTEN on @NFLonFOX stream on NFL+ pic.twitter.com/g71UCZv4gr
— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) December 15, 2024
So, there is some reward in grabbing Spears in the later rounds. The Titans should have a better offense in 2025, and the 24-year-old running back should play around 40% of the team's offensive snaps. That 40% snap share could be enough for him to emerge as a potential flex play this season. He's surely worth a shot in the 11th round.
Round 12: Tank Bigsby, Jacksonville Jaguars
This whole Jaguars backfield is a mess. Travis Etienne Jr. is looking to bounce back following a poor season, Bhayshul Tuten was taken in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, and Tank Bigsby was the team's preferred early down rusher in 2024. With all these running backs in Jacksonville, fantasy managers are probably staying away from this backfield completely.
However, one of these three backs will emerge as the go-to option. As a result, Bigsby is at least worth grabbing in the 12th round because he could pay off. The 22-year-old ran the ball well in 2024, rushing for 766 yards and seven touchdowns, and could be Jacksonville's early down back to start the season.
Fantasy managers have nothing to lose by taking Bigsby this late in drafts. While there is some uncertainty about how this backfield will shake up come Week 1, the Jaguars aren't going to shove their best rusher to the side. He will get his fair share of chances in this offense, making him a solid Zero RB target in the 12th round.
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