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

Dynasty Fantasy Football Rookie Running Back Draft Sleepers: Must-Target RBs in 2025

Bhaysul Tuten - NFL Draft Prospects, Rookie Rankings

2025 Dynasty Fantasy Football rookie draft sleeper RBs. Hidden gems to target in your dynasty draft: Bhayshul Tuten, Brashard Smith, RJ Harvey, and Dylan Sampson.

This is a deep, deep running back class. Consensus rookie rankings have five of them as 1st-rounders: Ashton Jeanty, Omarion Hampton, Kaleb Johnson, Treveyon Henderson, and Quinshon Judkins. But every class has underrated prospects. That's especially important in classes that are stacked at one position.  The deeper they are, the more likely they are to be sleepers.

And the more the talent at the "top" is viewed in higher regard, the better the "lower tier" of backs can be without attracting as much attention. When you consider, additionally, that scouting routinely undervalues great players (like Brian Thomas Jr.) and whiffs hard on others (like Bucky Irving), it's absolutely worth it to try to develop methods to identify those that have the talent to win fantasy football leagues outside the first round of rookie drafts.

I've been doing that since last season, when I insisted everyone buy Irving and Thomas ahead of Week 4, after thoroughly analyzing their tape and play to that point. Over the past few months, I've spent hundreds of hours pouring over the tape of every running back prospect ranked in the top 20, and I have identified three that are huge talents, yet hugely underrated in rankings. So, let's dive in.

Editor's Note: Explore RotoBaller’s Dynasty Fantasy Football hub for year-round dynasty rankings, trade tips, rookie analysis, and long-term player outlooks. Dominate your league with our sleepers, stash targets, and dynasty draft advice. Click here for Dynasty rankings and strategy.

 

Bhayshul Tuten, RB, Virginia Tech

Usually, when talking about sleepers, you expect to see some big perceived weaknesses in their game and try to see if their strengths can help them succeed in spite of them. In the case of Irving, his small size and lack of speed were issues. Turns out that didn't matter because he was so elusive that he was incredibly difficult to bring down in the NFL.

That isn't the case with Tuten on either front. He stands 5-foot-11 and weighs 209 pounds. He's also ridiculously fast and will be able to outrun defensive backs at the next level. His highest clocked speed in college was over 22 miles per hour. Most notably, when scouting him, I struggled to find any glaring weaknesses in his game. Instead, what I saw was an elite prospect.

He's also highly elusive and forced missed tackles at one of the highest rates of any running back in college football in 2024, aside from Jeanty, of course. Some have speculated that his pass-protection is poor, but that doesn't show up on tape, and that can be something backs aren't asked to do much, depending on the offense they play in.

Tuten is an absolute monster of an athlete. He has elite strength and lateral agility. And he accelerates to full speed very quickly. He's part track-star-in-a-football-uniform. There also isn't another back in the class, save for Jeanty, who can take a head-on smack from a linebacker, shrug it off like it's nothing, and re-accelerate quickly enough to beat a defensive back to house the play.

Tuten has a significant speed and acceleration edge over Jeanty as well. He's projected to run in the 4.3s at the combine, and he'll probably rise up draft boards as he does. Just like the rest of the players on this list, who should test well at the combine.

Tuten went to Virginia Tech instead of a school like Ohio State University or Alabama, so he simply didn't get the attention he deserved after running 183 times for 1,159 yards (6.3 yards per carry) and scoring 15 rushing touchdowns. If he gets the volume for it, he can be an immediate fantasy star, must-start player, and league winner in 2025.

He has rookie-season Breece Hall level of curvilinear acceleration, and has enough athleticism to stymie defenses on horizontal runs. Often, he's quick enough to win on multiple gaps or just getting to the edge. On the above play, he explodes vertically, forcing the linebacker to overcommit and run right into a blocker. Then he just outruns DBs who are 20 pounds lighter than he is.

He's my "Most Likely Running Back To Be A League-Winner" next season. He has rocket boosters strapped on his back when he plays, and he will hit home run plays in his first year in the league because he's just faster than a lot of cornerbacks and safeties. Tuten is elite and is one of the best running backs in this class. He's in my top-3 RBs of the 2025 class.

EDIT: Tuten ran a 4.32-second 40-Yard-Dash and logged a 40.5" vertical. Like I said, he's elite! Hope you picked him up in rookie drafts, his stock is about to shoot up. 

 

Brashard Smith, RB, SMU

You should be gunning to take Smith in 100 percent of your PPR leagues that have running back slots. New York Giants running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. taught us as much, and he wasn't even used to his full potential as a receiver. Like Tracy, Smith is a converted WR who can run routes (and win) out of traditional WR spots on the field.

This already gives him plenty of upside in PPR leagues, but he's a legitimately great RB. He's extremely explosive and has great short-area quickness. He has lightning-fast feet, so he can stop on a dime, re-adjust his body position, and quickly re-accelerate to attack bad angles from defenders. And he has excellent top-end speed, enough to compete with the league's defensive backs.

It's extremely important for running backs to re-accelerate after making defenders miss so they can reach the next level without getting caught quickly. Trying to run over defenders isn't sustainable and doesn't help backs speed to the end zone, and if they can't quickly burst out of their move, they're not outrunning the next set of defenders.

Smith is extremely dangerous with any kind of space. He's an underrated athlete who can plant one foot in the ground and take off before defenders have enough time to react and get in a position to make a tackle. He regularly sets up defenders to fail, putting him in a position to take two angles forward and still beat guys trying to chase him down.

If he lands on a team that has any idea what they're doing, he'll get immediate usage as a pass-catching back. He's highly elusive with the ball in his hands. Backs with a combination of shiftiness, great acceleration, and ~22 MPH top speed can torch linebackers with ease.

He's ridiculously smooth running routes out of the backfield and a massive headache for linebackers. He should immediately be a mismatch weapon in the passing game. But he won't be limited to just being a pass-catcher. He's the closest player in this class to Miami Dolphins running back De'Von Achane, though he's not quite as quick.

It's probably unreasonable to expect him to be an immediate workhorse, but he's the perfect safety valve and a highly explosive and capable runner. Landing spot will be very important -- a good offensive coordinator will need to recognize his value and get him targets early and often.

But he's the RB18 currently in FantasyPros rookie rankings, which is absurd. He's a slightly less explosive but more shifty Achane, so his best-case scenario presents a sky-high ceiling.

EDIT: Smith ran a 4.39-second 40-Yard-Dash. His stock will rise. 

 

RJ Harvey, RB, UCF

Harvey is another complete running back who's being overlooked. Guys from smaller schools with weaker supporting casts tend to be underrated, while the ones who went to bigger schools and had better teams around them are given boosts simply due to the situation. After hundreds of hours of film review, I've ranked Harvey, Smith, and Tuten over Judkins, Henderson, and Johnson.

I'll be lambasted for my Johnson ranking, but you can find some of my analysis of him here. Harvey put up elite production with elite efficiency two years in a row- in 2023, he logged 226 rushes for 1,416 yards and 16 touchdowns (6.3 yards per carry) and improved those numbers with 232 rush attempts, 1,577 yards, and 22 touchdowns (6.8 YPC) in 2024. The tape shows zero holes in his game.

His exploits were even more remarkable considering the run-blocking and quarterback play were mediocre. He quietly carried the offense on his back, accounting for over half of UFC's offensive touchdowns in 2024.

Harvey's lateral agility is elite. He can overcome subpar blocking and rapidly move to another gap when a defender gets through one, as you see in the above clip. And he had to do that quite often.

Despite the bad blocking, he was still first in his class in explosive run rate. His elusiveness contributes to this. He has great vision and easily identifies and takes the best paths to juke and slip away from defenders. He has sufficient long speed to outrun linebackers and hit long runs before defensive backs can chase him down. He also has excellent strength, can break hard tackle attempts, and is a great goal-line back.

And he's a fantastic pass-catcher, though that aspect of his game was underutilized in college. He often beat linebackers running routes out of the backfield and made them miss after the catch with the ball in his hands. His elusiveness evokes shades of Bucky Irving, though he's around 13 pounds heavier.

I have no doubt he would have shredded in the SEC, so "Went to UCF" is, I believe, a big reason why he's not higher in the RB rankings.  You should capitalize on that by drafting him wherever you can because he can be a three-down back the moment he steps on the field and has the skill set to be highly productive. If he gets enough volume, he'll probably be a league winner.

EDIT: Harvey ran a 4.40-second 40-Yard-Dash. His stock will rise. 

 



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

Quentin Johnston

Not Assured of Starting Role
Cordarrelle Patterson

on the Roster Bubble in Pittsburgh?
Shedeur Sanders

Not Assured of Roster Spot in Cleveland?
Wan'Dale Robinson

Hoping For More Downfield Opportunities
Anfernee Simons

Celtics Are "Actively Trying to Trade" Anfernee Simons
NBA

Alex Ducas Heading to Australia
Dominick Barlow

Inks Two-Way Deal With 76ers
Jordan McLaughlin

Spurs Re-Sign Jordan McLaughlin to One-Year Deal
Dylan Harper

Out Thursday, Expected to Play Saturday
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. Homers Twice on Wednesday
Mike Trout

Homers Twice in Win Over Rangers
Jazz Chisholm Jr.

Leads Yankees to Victory
Salvador Perez

Crushes Two Homers in Win
Cleveland Browns

Greg Newsome on the Trade Block?
VJ Edgecombe

Diagnosed with a Sprained Thumb
Zach Tom

An Extension Candidate in Green Bay
Devin Booker

Agrees to Extension with Phoenix
Trevor Williams

to Undergo Season-Ending Elbow Surgery
Kyren Williams

Rams Not Willing to Pay Kyren Williams Top-Market Money?
Byron Buxton

Exits After Hit-by-Pitch, X-Rays Negative
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. Playing on Wednesday
Alex Bregman

has "Really Good Chance" to Return Before All-Star Break
Christian Kirk

the No. 2 WR in Houston?
Teoscar Hernández

Teoscar Hernandez Expected to Return on Friday
Jerome Ford

the Likely Starter for Cleveland to Begin 2025
Chig Okonkwo

"Poised" for Best Season of Career
Xavier Watts

Falcons High on Xavier Watts
Xavier Restrepo

Training With Star Wideouts
Walter Clayton Jr.

Leads Jazz to Summer League Win
Carter Bryant

Struggles in Summer League Loss
Kyle Filipowski

Drops a Double-Double in Summer League Action on Tuesday
Oklahoma City Thunder

Malevy Leons Logs Impressive Summer League Outing on Tuesday
Dalton Knecht

Collects 25 Points in Lakers Summer League Win
Los Angeles Lakers

Darius Bazley Drops 27 Points in Summer League on Tuesday
Gary Woodland

Looking to Find Rhythm at Scottish Open
Aaron Rai

Brings Consistent Play to Scottish Open
Maverick McNealy

a Solid Value Play at Scottish Open
Aldrich Potgieter

Making Scottish Open Debut
Tom Kim

Looks to Rebound at Scottish Open
Brian Harman

a Safe Option at Scottish Open
Luke Clanton

a Sneaky Value Play at Scottish Open
Tristan Wirfs

Undergoes Knee Surgery, Likely to Miss Start of Season
Sam Burns

Looking to Stay Hot at Scottish Open
Chet Holmgren

Agrees to Rookie Max Extension
Alex Bregman

Not Returning Wednesday
Jhoan Duran

Unavailable Due to Illness
Shane McClanahan

Tosses Clean Frame in First Rehab Appearance
Jacob Wilson

Day-to-Day After HBP
Nicolai Hojgaard

May Feel More at Home in Europe
Harry Hall

Showing Fine Form Heading to Scotland
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. to be Reassessed Wednesday
Ryan Fox

Playing Well Since Early Spring Struggles
Malaki Branham

Traded to Washington
Max Greyserman

has Solid History at the Genesis Scottish Open
Blake Wesley

Moves to Washington
Harris English

Aims High for Scotland Next
Corey Conners

Primed for the Genesis Scottish Open
Kelly Olynyk

on the Move Again
Daniel Brown

Attempts the Scottish Swing Again
Anthony Davis

Recovering From Eye Surgery
Jacob Bridgeman

Needs Putter to Work at Genesis Scottish Open
Nikola Jokić

Nikola Jokic to Delay Extension Talks Until 2026
Cal Raleigh

Continues Historic Homer Pace Tuesday
Jacob Wilson

Exits Early On Tuesday With Left Hand Contusion
Scottie Scheffler

Headlines Field at Genesis Scottish Open
Rory McIlroy

a Smart Play for Scottish Open
Adam Scott

Looking to Build on History at The Renaissance Club
NASCAR

Sepp Straka Not Likely to Find Momentum at Scottish Open
Justin Rose

Hopes Month Hiatus Helps Him Bounce Back at Scottish Open
Laken Tomlinson

Confident in Texans Offensive Line
J.K. Dobbins

the Starter in Denver?
JT Woods

Seahawks Release JT Woods
Darren Waller

Trade to Miami Becomes Official
Asante Samuel Jr.

Dolphins Interested in Asante Samuel Jr.
Nyheim Hines

Seeking Return to NFL
Dak Prescott

Expects to be Full-Go for Training Camp
Ajay Mitchell

Posts 16 Points in Summer League Win on Monday
Milwaukee Bucks

Vasilije Micic Waived by Bucks
Luis Garcia

Fans Four in Rehab Outing
NHL

Tyler Johnson Retires After 13 NHL Seasons
Jack McBain

Inks New Five-Year Deal with Mammoth
Cam York

Re-Signs with Flyers for Five Years
Jake Knapp

Fits the Mold for Success at The Renaissance Club
Anthony Santander

Hoping to Hit Soon
Luis Robert Jr.

Returning in Short Order
Alex Bregman

Could Return Later This Week
Ketel Marte

Day-to-Day with Groin Tightness
Ty Gibbs

Finishes Second at Chicago and Advances in In-Season Challenge
Alex Bowman

Defeats Bubba Wallace in In-Season Challenge, but Not Without Controversy
Alex Bowman

Bubba Wallace Wrecked by Alex Bowman Again, Putting Playoffs in Doubt
Michael McDowell

Throttle Failure Ends Michael McDowell's Chances to Win at Chicago
Austin Hill

Earns First NASCAR Cup Series Top Ten at Chicago
Tyler Reddick

Scores a Strong Third-Place Run at Chicago
Kyle Busch

Matches his Best Career Finish At Chicago on Sunday
Denny Hamlin

Fights his Way to a Top-5 Finish at Chicago
William Byron

has his Worst Weekend of the Season at Chicago
T.J. Watt

Pittsburgh Still Not Close on New Contract
Sonny Milano

on Track to Be Ready for Training Camp
Jakub Dobes

Signs Two-Year Deal with Canadiens
NHL

Hendrix Lapierre Signs One-Year Deal with Capitals
Carson Hocevar

Should DFS Players Consider Carson Hocevar for Chicago Lineups?
Tye Kartye

Kraken Re-Sign Tye Kartye for Two Years
Ross Chastain

May be A Decent DFS Option for Chicago Lineups
Dmitri Voronkov

Signs Two-Year, $8.35 Million Extension with Blue Jackets
Ryan Preece

Should DFS Players Roster Ryan Preece at Chicago?
Austin Dillon

Is Too Great of A Risk to Add to Chicago Lineups
Zane Smith

Is A Value Play Worth Rostering At Chicago
Austin Hill

is A Favorable Value Option for Chicago DFS Lineups
Ty Dillon

Is Ty Dillon A Decent Driver to Add For NASCAR DFS At Chicago?
William Byron

Qualifying Crash Makes William Byron a Likely DFS Must-Have
Alex Bowman

Should Finish Well, but Probably Costs Too Much for Serious DFS Consideration
Joey Logano

Has Been Relatively Mediocre on Road Courses Lately
Ryan Blaney

Doesn't Really Fit Neatly into Optimal DFS Lineups
ARI

Christian Fischer Retires From NHL at 28
NHL

Spencer Martin Moves to Russia
WAS

Anthony Beauvillier Re-Signs With Capitals for Two Years
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF