Training camps are underway and preseason games are on the horizon. With that, fantasy football draft season is here. To help you prepare, this four-part series will feature redraft rankings, targets, fades, sleepers, and overall strategy for each of the positions (QB, RB, WR, TE).
The series began with Quarterback and continues with Running Back. Discussions assume redraft, start two running backs with a flex, PPR. Targets, fades, and sleepers are all based on how I see a player’s value in relation to their current ADP.
There are very few players that I am completely out on. There is almost always a point where a player would slide far enough in a draft that I would select him. However, based on ADP, there are several players at each position that I am likely to not roster in a single league; those players make up my “fade” list.
In the same way, my “targets” and “sleepers” are players I see as being undervalued, and as such, I am bound to be heavily invested in them this year, barring a significant change to their ADPs.
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Rankings
| Rank | Name | Team |
| 1 | Saquon Barkley | PHI |
| 2 | Bijan Robinson | ATL |
| 3 | Jahmyr Gibbs | DET |
| 4 | Ashton Jeanty | LV |
| 5 | Derrick Henry | BAL |
| 6 | De’Von Achane | MIA |
| 7 | Chase Brown | CIN |
| 8 | Jonathan Taylor | IND |
| 9 | Josh Jacobs | GB |
| 10 | Kyren Williams | LAR |
| 11 | Bucky Irving | TB |
| 12 | Christian McCaffrey | SF |
| 13 | Alvin Kamara | NO |
| 14 | Breece Hall | NYJ |
| 15 | James Cook | BUF |
| 16 | Omarion Hampton | LAC |
| 17 | TreVeyon Henderson | NE |
| 18 | Kenneth Walker III | SEA |
| 19 | Chuba Hubbard | CAR |
| 20 | Kaleb Johnson | PIT |
| 21 | Quinshon Judkins | CLE |
| 22 | RJ Harvey | DEN |
| 23 | James Conner | ARI |
| 24 | D’Andre Swift | CHI |
| 25 | Aaron Jones Sr. | MIN |
| 26 | Joe Mixon | HOU |
| 27 | Tony Pollard | TEN |
| 28 | Isiah Pacheco | KC |
| 29 | Javonte Williams | DAL |
| 30 | David Montgomery | DET |
| 31 | Brian Robinson Jr. | WAS |
| 32 | Travis Etienne Jr. | JAC |
| 33 | Trey Benson | ARI |
| 34 | Najee Harris | LAC |
| 35 | Cam Skattebo | NYG |
| 36 | Tyrone Tracy Jr. | NYG |
| 37 | Tyjae Spears | TEN |
| 38 | Zach Charbonnet | SEA |
| 39 | Jordan Mason | MIN |
| 40 | Jaydon Blue | DAL |
| 41 | Ray Davis | BUF |
| 42 | Jaylen Warren | PIT |
| 43 | Bhayshul Tuten | JAC |
| 44 | Rhamondre Stevenson | NE |
| 45 | Tank Bigsby | JAC |
| 46 | Rico Dowdle | CAR |
| 47 | Rachaad White | TB |
| 48 | Jordan James | SF |
| 49 | Tahj Brooks | CIN |
| 50 | Kyle Monangai | CHI |
| 51 | Woody Marks | HOU |
| 52 | Dylan Sampson | CLE |
| 53 | Jaylen Wright | MIA |
| 54 | Brashard Smith | KC |
| 55 | Phil Mafah | DAL |
| 56 | Roschon Johnson | CHI |
| 57 | Justice Hill | BAL |
| 58 | DJ Giddens | IND |
| 59 | Tyler Allgeier | ATL |
| 60 | Braelon Allen | NYJ |
Targets
Chase Brown
After seeing less than a 41% snap share in each of his first five games and topping out at a 58% share from weeks 6-8, Chase Brown began seeing true bell-cow usage during the second half of the season, never dipping below an 81% snap share from Week 9 on. While it is true that the Bengals offense runs through the arm of Joe Burrow, Chase Brown still offers top-five upside as a true three-down back, with a likely floor of 70 receptions with double-digit touchdowns in one of the league’s top offenses. Brown is one of fantasy’s most undervalued players at any position, frequently coming off the board in the third round, despite having the potential to put up numbers that rival backs being selected in the late first/early second.
Omarion Hampton
Everything points to Omarion Hampton’s potential for a breakout rookie season. Hampton received first round draft capital, has bell-cow size, athleticism, and a three-down skill set, and will be playing in one of the league’s most run-heavy offenses. The presence of Najee Harris has kept Hampton’s ADP firmly in the fourth round, with him sometimes sliding to the fifth. The Chargers run the ball at a rate that allows for two backs to produce fantasy relevant numbers, giving Hampton a safe floor and worth his current price tag. If Hampton were to take over the backfield, he would offer league-winning production at a fourth-round cost.
Fades
Christian McCaffrey
We all know what a healthy Christian McCaffrey in a functional offense offers. Few players come with a more tantalizing combination of a high PPR floor with a league-winning ceiling. I do, however, have concerns. Even if you were to ignore his lengthy injury history, the 49ers offense comes into the season with significant questions at wide receiver. Between Brandon Aiyuk’s health, Jauan Jennings’ contract issues, and Ricky Pearsall’s inexperience, there are significant passing-game question marks. Throw in the likelihood that San Francisco tries to lesson McCaffrey’s rushing load, and I think his top-three running back days may be over. This could be a fade that I regret, but as McCaffery’s ADP gets closer and closer to the early second round, I am comfortable passing on the talented, but aging star.
Joe Mixon
Joe Mixon crested 17 fantasy points in eight of his first ten games as Houston’s unquestioned three-down back. Mixon faded down the stretch, failing to top ten PPR points in each of the final three games. The Texans traded a future 3rd to select Woody Marks in this year’s draft, who profiles as a passing-down specialist, potentially capping Mixon’s upside. Mixon could also see competition for early-down touches in the form of Nick Chubb, further capping his ceiling. Mixon headed my “targets” list last season, but fantasy football is a game of adjustments, and fantasy gamers should be prepared to make adjustments to their rankings of Joe Mixon in 2025.
Sleepers
Jordan Mason
Jordan Mason was brought in to lesson the load of 30-year-old Aaron Jones. How much work Mason is set to receive is an unknown at this point, but signs point to him being asked to be the 1b in a committee, rather than the occasional breather-back. If Mason could lock in goal line touches and anything near 40% of the early-down work, he would be a steal at ADP, and a priority best ball target.
Kyle Monangai/Jordan James/Woody Marks/Dylan Sampson/Brashard Smith
While the fantasy community is excited about the potential elite production of this year’s top rookie runners, there are several later-round sleepers that have the potential to open the season with some sort of role in their team’s offense. Kyle Monangai could realistically come into Week 1 as the Bears RB2, with only D’Andre Swift in front of him. The same could be said for Jordan James in San Francisco, and Dylan Sampson in Cleveland. Both Woody Marks and Brashard Smith could offer PPR flex appeal as passing-down backs in productive offenses. Any one of those backs make for excellent bench stashes in traditional leagues and great late-round best ball targets.
Overall Strategy
With an influx of talented rookies whose ADP’s have not yet reflected their potential production, combined with a large pool of productive committee backs, running back has become a surprisingly deep position. This does not mean that there is not value in selecting at least one high-volume back early, especially in traditional redraft.
In traditional redraft (setting lineups/starting at least two backs), I want to be sure to secure at least two high-volume backs, readily available through the first four rounds. As is always the case, I want my bench to feature as many high-upside handcuffs that I can roster, setting aside the bulk of my late picks for selecting as many backs with that profile as I can. Ideally, I am able to secure at least 3-4, high-volume wide receivers that are “set it and forget it” types. That would allow me to hammer running backs as the draft progresses, filling up my roster with committee backs and high-end handcuffs, to plug and play when the matchups are great or injuries make someone on my bench a volume play that week.
In best-ball, I am more flexible in my roster construction, being content to secure one every-day back through the early rounds and fill the rest of my roster with true committee backs, not priority handcuffs, saving the final rounds for kickers, defenses, and potentially a third QB/TE.
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Matthew Hill
Fantasy Sports Writer
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