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Frank's favorite Zero RB fantasy football sleepers, draft targets for the later rounds. His top 2025 running back sleepers for the fantasy football ZeroRB strategy.
Zero RB is a draft strategy where you wait until the ~sixth round to select your first running back. The idea here is to stack your wide receiver room, perhaps adding an elite quarterback and/or tight end before taking the most volatile position in fantasy football. From there, you mix in some floor picks with several upside dart throws, especially in the later rounds. That's where this page comes into the picture.
We're going to dive into Zero RB fantasy football sleepers to help you with this type of roster build. I'm looking at players who are available outside of the top 150 ADP, so only true sleepers apply. That means that you won't find Braelon Allen or Bhayshul Tuten on this list because they've already been steamed up past this draft position.
So, without further ado, read on to find out why Keaton Mitchell, Blake Corum, Kendre Miller, Sean Tucker, and Trevor Etienne are five of my favorite sleepers for Zero RB teams.
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Keaton Mitchell, RB, Baltimore Ravens
Let's not forget how explosive Mitchell looked in his rookie season, when he rushed for 396 yards on only 47 carries, averaging 8.4 yards per attempt. After Mitchell's first year was cut short by a torn ACL, he was sparingly used last season as he got back up to speed.
Now fully healthy, Mitchell has a chance to play a role as a change-of-pace to Derrick Henry in an elite Ravens' running game.
Every Keaton Mitchell touch - first preseason game (Year 3) pic.twitter.com/pDmsB8lmki
— Jacob Gibbs (@jagibbs_23) August 10, 2025
What's great about taking Mitchell is not only that you're getting Henry's main handcuff -- Justice Hill would likely only maintain his passing downs role if Henry missed time -- but you also have some standalone value here.
Think about a game where the Ravens are double-digit home favorites against the Browns. It's a projected blowout where Mitchell may get more work in the fourth quarter with the game out of reach. This would put him on the FLEX radar in this type of game script.
Blake Corum, RB, Los Angeles Rams
Corum got some hype coming into last season, as many (including myself) believed that he would pose a threat to Kyren Williams' heavy workload. That didn't happen, and then the Rams took another running back, Jarquez Hunter, in the fourth round.
I came into the offseason preferring Hunter, but it appears that Corum currently has the leg up on the RB2 job in Los Angeles. That means that the former Michigan standout is the best bet as Kyren's handcuff.
Blake Corum’s understanding of how to create yardage with vision and footwork >>>#RamsHouse pic.twitter.com/RK58jlZrqE
— Jared Feinberg (@JRodNFLDraft) August 29, 2025
We've also seen talk of the Rams wanting to give Kyren less work this year. I'll believe that when I see it on the field, but there's an outside chance that it happens, giving Corum some potential standalone value.
While it's likely that Corum would be the 1A in a committee with Hunter if Kyren went down, this is still the type of ceiling play you want to target as you build your Zero RB room with deep sleepers.
Kendre Miller, RB, New Orleans Saints
Miller has had an injury-plagued start to his career, followed by being put in the doghouse by Dennis Allen.
Saints running back Kendre Miller:
“I feel normal now, finally. This is the most healthy I’ve been since I’ve been in the NFL.”
The #Saints drafted Miller with the 71st pick in the 2023 NFL draft. pic.twitter.com/1DDJXmzKxL
— SleeperSaints (@SleeperSaints) July 28, 2025
But now, Miller is fully healthy and ready to contribute for a new coaching staff, led by Kellen Moore. We saw what Miller can do in a small sample last season, particularly against the Commanders, when he rushed for 46 yards on nine carries.
I have a feeling that the Saints -- who project as one of the worst teams in the NFL -- will trade Alvin Kamara at the deadline, as they look to get an asset for a veteran to help out their rebuild.
That would leave Miller as the lead back, perhaps sharing some touches with rookie Devin Neal. Even with the Saints being a bad team, Miller would be on the RB2/FLEX radar in that scenario, making him an ideal pick for your Zero RB build.
Sean Tucker, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
I'm betting that Tucker supplants Rachaad White as the Bucs' RB2 this season, making him one of the most appealing handcuffs in fantasy football.
I haven't forgot what @MatthewBerryTMR has been trying to tell us about Sean Tucker https://t.co/mQ7OoaL38L pic.twitter.com/uxIHqz2eE8
— Scott Barrett (@ScottBarrettDFB) August 10, 2025
We saw what Tucker can do in a spike week against the Saints last year, where he rushed for 136 yards and added 56 receiving yards with two touchdowns.
The Bucs are projected to have one of the best offenses in the NFL, so if Bucky Irving were forced to miss time, Tucker could do serious damage and potentially be a league-winner for your fantasy team.
What's good here is that if I'm right that Tucker overtakes White as the next in line in this backfield, you'd likely get some standalone value as well.
Considering these factors, it's a good idea to make Tucker another late-round dart throw for your Zero RB team.
Trevor Etienne, RB, Carolina Panthers
Now, this is what we call a legitimate sleeper. No one is talking about Panthers fourth-round rookie Etienne. On the surface, he looks like the third-string back for the Panthers, behind Chuba Hubbard and Rico Dowdle.
While Hubbard is a stud, one of his weaknesses is in the passing game, as he only put up 4.0 yards per reception last season. The Panthers will be looking for more big-play ability when Bryce Young dumps it off to his back.
Trevor Etienne reminds me of Travis Etienne pic.twitter.com/QtVMC0lyAd
— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) August 24, 2025
As for Dowdle, while the team signed him after a rock-solid year as a starter in Dallas, it's not like this is a special talent. After all, Dowdle is entering his age-27 season, and last year was the only time he put up reasonable production.
Etienne has looked good in camp and could force his way into the mix. Don't be surprised if this rookie overtakes Dowdle and becomes Hubbard's main handcuff.
More Zero RB Fantasy Football Tips
When building a Zero RB team, it's important to have a strategy in mind. Follow these tips to help you:
1. Make sure your RB1 has some floor with some projectable volume. This is going to be your anchor while you wait for your late-round dart throws to establish a role. Some good examples are Tony Pollard and Isiah Pacheco.
2. Try to get an RB2 with a combination of standalone value and contingent upside. In other words, you're taking a back who has somewhat of a role with a chance to pop off if the starter gets hurt. Two perfect targets are Jordan Mason and Zach Charbonnet.
3. Fill the rest of your RB room with high ceiling targets, even if they don't have a Week 1 role. Examples include Bhayshul Tuten and Ollie Gordon.
Remember, you can't only shoot for upside and have an entire bench of lottery ticket RBs who can't be started. You still need to field a lineup every week. With that in mind, it's a good idea to mix in some projectable volume in your RB room.
