Undervalued Fantasy Football Running Back Sleepers: Mid-Round RBs To Target In 2025 Drafts

July 10, 2025

Phil's middle-round fantasy football running back sleepers, league-winners, and Zero-RB draft targets. His must-have RBs for 2025 fantasy football.

After you have dedicated your efforts toward assembling a competitive roster during the initial rounds of your drafts, you should maintain the same degree of diligence as you construct your teams through the middle rounds. That also applies to your strategic approach at the running back position, which remains critical regardless of how you have opted to structure your rosters during the early rounds.

This includes your ability to identify which backs should be targeted at their ADPs in the middle rounds. James Conner, Aaron Jones, D'Andre Swift, Tony Pollard, and Chase Brown were all selected in Rounds 6-8 during the 2024 draft season, and all five backs finished between 14th and 22nd in fantasy points per game.

Brown ultimately became an outstanding middle-round investment for savvy managers who secured him at his Round 8 ADP (RB30). There is also a group of backs that are undervalued at their current draft positions but remain capable of emerging as valuable resources this season.  This article will focus on five of these backs, whose ADPs range from 56 to 109 in FFPC leagues.

Chuba Hubbard, Carolina Panthers 

FFPC ADP: 56 (RB18)

Chuba Hubbard remained available until Round 11 during the 2024 draft process. However, he was surprisingly proficient while operating as Carolina’s lead back. Hubbard is now positioned to outperform his draft position once again, despite the career-best results that he delivered last season.

Chuba Hubbard breaks away for a Panthers touchdown! 🔥 @fedex pic.twitter.com/Gg6UelJCQ5

— NFL (@NFL) October 6, 2024

Hubbard finished 11th among all backs in attempts (250), and maximized his opportunity by rising to seventh in yards after contact (743), eighth in rushing yards (1,195/79.7 per game), and ninth in yards per attempt (4.8). He also vaulted to third in rush yards over expected, according to Next Gen Stats (282), while generating a career high 10 touchdowns.

That includes Hubbard’s numbers from Week 3 through Week 16, when he finished fourth in carries (234/18.0 per game), rushing yards (1,117/95.9 per game), and red zone carries (45). Hubbard also paced his position in routes run during that sequence (304), while finishing among the top 10 in targets (49/3.8 per game), and receptions (39/3.0 per game).

Chuba Hubbard really went out there and finished as PPR RB12 (RB13 in ppg) with a surging offense over the 2nd half of the year and yet somehow adding Rico Dowdle has him at RB18 in ADP.

Guess I’m gonna have a lot of Hubbard this year. pic.twitter.com/X670eeTU2m

— Drew Davenport (@DrewDavenportFF) June 29, 2025

Jonathon Brooks will remain sidelined throughout the season as he recovers from his second torn ACL. Carolina did sign Rico Dowdle in March and selected Trevor Etienne during the NFL Draft (114th overall).

However, Hubbard signed a four-year contract extension last November and has proven that he can flourish with an extensive workload. That should preserve his role as the lead back in Dave Canales’ improving offense. He will also reward anyone who secures him at his enticing ADP.

D'Andre Swift, Chicago Bears

FFPC ADP: 72 (RB23)

As the offseason has advanced, D'Andre Swift has evolved from a player to avoid at his ADP to an intriguing back who should be targeted. Swift’s outlook was altered after the Bears refrained from adding a talented veteran during free agency and did not select a running back until Round 7 of April’s NFL Draft (Kyle Monangai).

D'Andre Swift finds the end zone for his first Bears touchdown! 🔥 @Fedex pic.twitter.com/vbtPSxNH1C

— NFL (@NFL) September 29, 2024

Those decisions have ensured that Swift will operate without formidable competition for touches, while maintaining his role as Chicago’s primary back. Swift is now stationed atop a reshaped depth chart with only Roschon Johnson and Monangai contained below him. 

D'ANDRE SWIFT RUMBLES FOR THE TD!!! 😎

(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/lddy0OqlFO

— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) November 17, 2024

Only three backs accumulated more snaps than Swift (703) during 2024. He also secured a career-high 253 carries (14.9 per game) during 2024 and assembled 959 rushing yards (56.4 per game). Swift’s efficiency was uninspiring, as he averaged 3.8 yards per attempt and was 47th in rush yards over expected per attempt  (-0.69), according to Next Gen Stats.

Swift did finish fifth in routes run (351), while rising to 10th overall in receiving yards (386/22.7 per game), 14th in receptions (42/2.5 per game), and 15th in targets (52/3.1 per game) among running backs in 2024.

Swift will operate behind a vastly improved offensive line while operating in an attack designed by new head coach Ben Johnson. Those factors provide rationale for targeting him at his Round 6 ADP in upcoming drafts.

Tony Pollard, Tennessee Titans

FFPC ADP: 81/RB28

Tony Pollard signed a three-year contract with Tennessee during the 2024 offseason and performed proficiently as the Titans’ primary back during his first year with the team.
 He has also emerged among the most viable backs to target in the middle rounds of your fantasy drafts. 

Tony Pollard scores a 26-yard touchdown

Welcome to the Titans 🔥
pic.twitter.com/0JnLPN18oU

— NFL Retweet (@NFLRT) September 8, 2024

Pollard finished ninth in offensive snaps (666) among all running backs last year, despite contending with a lingering ankle issue that impacted his late-season usage and production.

Pollard also operated with a 72.4 percent snap share from Week 1 through Week 14 before his share decreased to 53.3 percent from Weeks 15-18. He was also ninth in both carries (213/16.4 per game) and rushing yards (937/72.1 per game) from Weeks 1-14 while rising to sixth in yards after contact (634) during that span.

He also finished 13th in explosive yards (282), according to Fantasy Points Data, and 66.5 percent of Pollard’s yards were generated after contact from Weeks 1-18. Pollard also rose to eighth in routes run during that sequence (265), while vaulting to sixth in targets (53/4.1 per game) and seventh in receptions (39/3.0 per game).

6 minutes of Tony Pollard being criminally underrated pic.twitter.com/1gXqYG49DI

— SleeperTitans (@SleeperTitanUp) May 8, 2025

Pollard’s lead back role will be sustained this season within a Tennessee offense that added veterans Dan Moore Jr. and Kevin Zeitler to the offensive line and will benefit from a sizable upgrade to Cam Ward under center.

Tyjae Spears will continue to operate as the Titans' RB2 and could exceed last year's 42.6 percent snap share. However, Pollard can still be targeted as a low-end RB2 in fantasy drafts.

Jordan Mason, Minnesota Vikings  

FFPC ADP: 106 (RB32)

Jordan Mason’s ADP was located in Round 14 (157/RB51) before the trade that transported him from San Francisco to Minnesota in March. However, his draft position has ascended to Round 9 since he was sent to the Vikings. That includes a rise from RB42 to RB32 during the past seven days.

Mason's migration to Minnesota has fueled his placement directly below 30-year-old Aaron Jones on the Vikings' restructured depth chart. Mason should capitalize on the workload that will be allocated in Kevin O’Connell’s innovative offense. He will also seize a massive workload as Minnesota’s lead back if Jones is unavailable at any point of the season.

It’s your night Jordan Mason #FTTB

📺: #NYJvsSF on ESPN/ABC
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus and ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/4IRdbxk2xE

— NFL (@NFL) September 10, 2024

Mason soared into responsibilities as the 49ers' primary back last season after health issues forced Christian McCaffrey (Achilles/tendinitis/calf) and Elijah Mitchell (hamstring) into extended absences.

Mason finished third in offensive snaps from Weeks 1-7 (312). He also thrived with his extensive workload while vaulting to second among all backs in attempts (128/18.3 per game), rushing yards (667/95.3 per game), and runs of 20-plus yards (eight).

Mason also paced his position in yards after contact (390) and finished 10th in PPR fantasy points per game from Weeks 1-7 (14.5). However, he encountered multiple injuries (shoulder/ankle) that reduced his snap share from 70.6 percent to 18.8 percent from Weeks 8-13 before he suffered a season-ending ankle injury in Week 13. 

I am so amped to watch Jordan Mason behind our offensive line man pic.twitter.com/FEF51KIscW

— Football Analysis (@FBallAnalysisYT) June 16, 2025

Mason will operate behind an offensive line that added former Colts Ryan Kelly and Will Fries in the offseason and selected Donovan Jackson with the 24th pick in April’s NFL Draft.

Mason should attain standalone value and will become a valuable asset if Jones is sidelined. That should incentivize you to prioritize him when your drafts approach Round 9.

Najee Harris, Los Angeles Chargers

FFPC ADP: 109 (RB36)

Najee Harris's ADP has fluctuated throughout the offseason after he signed a one-year deal with the Chargers in March. His exodus from Pittsburgh to Los Angeles launched his draft position from the bottom of Round 7 into Round 6.

His unobstructed runaway toward a workhorse role suddenly dissipated when the Chargers secured Omarion Hampton during Round 1 of April’s NFL Draft (22nd overall). That fueled the descent of Harris's ADP into Round 8.

NAJEE HARRIS WHAT A RUN FOR HIS FIRST TOUCHDOWN OF THE SEASON 😱 pic.twitter.com/TuO6da4o9e

— NFL Fantasy Football (@NFLFantasy) October 13, 2024

Harris is now being drafted as a low-end RB3 (RB36). This presents an opportunity to target him during your upcoming drafts, as his output should transcend his diminished draft position.

Great run by Najee Harris. Nimble cutback to have No. 93 grabbing air. Strong finish breaking two tackles and churning legs.

Turns what should've been a loss/no gain into 20 yards. #Steelers pic.twitter.com/d41s7iGk5I

— Alex Kozora (@Alex_Kozora) September 10, 2024

This is not a suggestion that Hampton will fail to match expectations that have surged as his rookie season approaches. Harris’s status should also be monitored in the aftermath of a superficial eye injury that he sustained during a Fourth of July fireworks event. However, Harris is expected to recover by Week 1 and should still maintain an ongoing role in the Chargers’ run-heavy attack.

Los Angeles rose to 10th in run play percentage (45.5 percent) and 11th in rush attempts (27.2 per game) last season after finishing 26th and 24th in those categories during 2023 (39.0 percent/25.4 per game).

Najee Harris rush yards by season:

2021: 1,200
2022: 1,034
2023: 1,045
2024: 1,043

the only RBs since 2000 to enter the NFL with 4-straight 1k rush seasons:

Najee Harris
Chris Johnson
Adrian Peterson
Clinton Portis
LaDainian Tomlinson

— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) March 11, 2025

Harris’s ability to play in 17 games during all four of his seasons with the Steelers has been widely discussed. He also soared to second among all backs in rushing attempts from 2021 to 2024 (1,097/16.1 per game).

Harris finished seventh in carries last season (263/15.5 per game) and seventh in missed tackles forced (50), according to Fantasy Points Data. The Chargers' investment in Hampton should not be dismissed, but Harris should retain a role that will propel him to mid-range RB3 production.

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