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Who should I draft for fantasy football in 2025? Fantasy football outlooks for Austin Ekeler, Braelon Allen, D'Andre Swift, Josh Jacobs, Aaron Jones, James Cook, Alvin Kamara, Travis Etienne, Zach Charbonnet, Rico Dowdle, Jerome Ford.
Finding value at the running back later in drafts can provide one of the biggest edges in fantasy football. It's generally tougher at wide receiver to find extreme upside late in drafts, which makes peppering multiple of them in the early to middle rounds an optimal strategy. We'll be looking at three running backs with mid to later ADPs here: Austin Ekeler, Braelon Allen, and D'Andre Swift.
Ekeler and Allen come off the board in a very similar range on NFFC, whereas Swift is drafted nearly 100 picks higher. All three face varying degrees of backfield uncertainty, which creates an opportunity to capitalize on the unknown. Which one is the best pick at cost in redraft leagues this season?
We'll take into account traditional and advanced stats for each player while also considering the team context. Ultimately, I tend to prefer the higher upside plays, especially at running back, and this group provides some intrigue.
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Austin Ekeler Fantasy Football Outlook
- NFFC ADP: 164
With Brian Robinson dealt to San Francisco, Ekeler's role doesn't seem to deviate too much from what it was supposed to look like before. He should be the team's primary pass-down back and will continue to get manufactured touches underneath. The 30-year-old looked spry and explosive in his first season with Washington, and ended up finishing as the top-rated running back in ESPN Analytics’ Receiving Ratings.
Washington relied on his dynamic ability after the catch last season, with a lack of a consistent receiver threat outside of Terry McLaurin. His 8.9 yards per target in 2025 was the second-best mark of his career, while his rushing efficiency also rebounded to a strong 4.8 yards per carry with the option threat of Jayden Daniels in the offense.
VINTAGE AUSTIN EKELER 🎸
pic.twitter.com/tvddTkyX8Y— PFF Fantasy (@PFF_Fantasy) September 24, 2024
Training camp superstar Jacory Croskey-Merritt will have a big role in this backfield, given how consistent the drumbeat has been from reporters and the team. He has an interesting college profile with real explosive ability as a runner.
Additionally, third year back Chris Rodriguez has had a strong camp and is in line to earn early down carries with his downhill, physical running style. And then Jeremy McNichols also made the roster and is highly trusted as a pass blocker.
Washington's offense is projected to be one of the highest-scoring teams in the league this season, led by one of the best quarterbacks. Daniels takes carries and targets away with designed rushes and scrambles, so the upside is capped a bit there. And with multiple other backs likely to be involved for carries, the touchdown upside could be lower.
But along with Deebo Samuel, Ekeler is one of the team's best ball-in-hand players and will be schemed touches to get in space. That gives him a higher floor and lower ceiling, which is a fine pick to take in tandem with one of the rookie backs.
Braelon Allen Fantasy Football Outlook
- NFFC ADP: 163
Allen has generated some buzz during the summer and into draft season with word that the Jets want to use multiple running backs. He's split first-team reps with Breece Hall in the preseason and figures to handle a lot of the short-yardage work as well.
Hall was a high first-round pick in fantasy drafts last season, but he dealt with injuries and wasn't as effective overall as the entire Jets offense floundered with Aaron Rodgers. Allen was a 20-year-old rookie who flashed a downhill running style and the ability to churn out yards after contact at 240 pounds. The coaching staff has also praised his usefulness as a receiver, adding to Allen's case.
great cut on Duo by Braelon Allen pic.twitter.com/AQ2mJ8ncAu
— Nate Tice (@Nate_Tice) August 26, 2025
The Jets' offensive line projects to be a formidable unit, especially in run blocking. Add in Justin Fields at quarterback, and the rushing lanes could open up beautifully for Jets running backs.
However, it's also an offense that doesn't project to score a lot of points per game or target the running back frequently. Fields takes sacks and scrambles more than any quarterback, which is a damaging combo to a team's pass volume.
In this backfield, I'd prefer betting on the talent with Hall if the costs were equal. But Allen goes much later and is a strong bet to make at his ADP with projected standalone value and contingency value if Hall were to go down.
D'Andre Swift Fantasy Football Outlook
- NFFC ADP: 67
Swift was one of the least efficient runners in the NFL last season, finishing with -174 rushing yards over expectation (RYOE). He’s consistently struggled as a traditional runner, dating back to his time in Detroit under then-offensive coordinator and current head coach Ben Johnson.
The 26-year-old thrives on outside runs on the edge, where he's able to read things out a bit cleaner and use his explosiveness and cutting ability. But the real appeal with Swift is his receiving upside.
Swift is one of just 21 running backs since 2000 to record at least 50 targets in four of their first five seasons. And the season he didn't exceed it, he had 49 targets. The only backs to exceed 50 in each of their first five seasons include Alvin Kamara, Duke Johnson, Giovani Bernard, LeSean McCoy, Matt Forte, and LaDamian Tomlinson.
"He's got that ability to be a spark for us."
Ben Johnson has a weapon in the backfield with D'Andre Swift 😏
(via @ChicagoBears) pic.twitter.com/GJMwHquLZ4
— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) August 26, 2025
The coachspeak has been mostly positive this summer for Swift. The Bears' offense figures to operate much more cohesively under offensive mastermind Ben Johnson, which is a positive for all players involved. Swift has upside to catch roughly 50 balls, along with the chance for more explosives on the ground with an improved offensive play caller.
It's a tricky draft range, however, with plenty of wide receivers worth targeting as well, with players like George Pickens, Travis Hunter, etc. At the same position, Broncos rookie RJ Harvey is in the same neighborhood and feels like a much better selection.
Who Should I Draft in Fantasy Football?
The three profiles discussed all have cases for and against, and none of them have the high-end upside we truly crave. At cost, Braelon Allen is likely the pick that has the potential to pay off the most.
It's an affordable draft slot, and the vibes around Breece Hall have been a tad off. There’s a chance Allen takes the lead share of the workload and produces in a Gus Edwards–with-the-Ravens type of role for fantasy.
I'm an advocate of selecting Ekeler along with taking swings on multiple rookie running backs. Ekeler gives playable production in the early phase of the season before the rookies elevate the entire roster. Swift would need to be targeted in a specific build, where wide receivers and the onesie positions were attacked early. But again, if managers try for a Zero-RB approach, Swift has the environment around him and the talent to be impactful at his price.
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Below are some popular searches and comparisons from our Who To Draft tool for 2025 drafts for Austin Ekeler, Braelon Allen, D'Andre Swift, Josh Jacobs, Aaron Jones, James Cook, Alvin Kamara, Travis Etienne, Zach Charbonnet, Rico Dowdle, Jerome Ford:
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