Looking to steal a league-winner in the double-digit rounds? Running back sleepers are always the key to fantasy football gold, and the 2025 class is stacked with late-round backs (thanks, rookie class) who could erupt if given the chance. Whether it’s an explosive rookie buried on the early depth chart or a talented vet who’s one injury away from a 20-touch role, these RB sleepers could be the difference between a playoff push and a championship t-shirt.
Below are our favorite 2025 Fantasy Football RB Sleepers to stash late and watch grow. Be sure to also check out our 2025 Fantasy Football Rankings to see where The Wolf stands with these running backs and our 2025 Fantasy Football Draft Guide for even more sleepers, breakouts, and draft strategies to dominate your league this season.
2025 FANTASY FOOTBALL RB SLEEPERS
JAYDON BLUE, DALLAS COWBOYS (ADP 131, RB43)
Jaydon Blue is that classic late-round lotto ticket that could turn into a league-winner. The Cowboys’ backfield is wide open, and Blue’s speed and pass-catching chops make him the most explosive option on the roster.
He clocked a 4.38 at the Combine on a bum groin, then ran a blistering 4.25 at his Pro Day, the second-fastest RB forty ever. This isn’t just track speed either. Blue popped big plays left and right at Texas, including a 77-yard TD vs. Clemson and two touchdowns against Ohio State’s elite defense.
Despite being just 5’9”, 198, Blue runs angry: he led this RB class in rush yards after contact percentage (73%) and ranked top-5 in yards after contact per rush. And as a receiver? Blue popped with a 25% target share, the second-highest among RBs in this class, while lining up in the slot a whopping 16% of the time. Think “Diet Jahmyr Gibbs” in a Cowboys offense that’s top-5 in outside zone usage, a scheme Blue averaged 7.3 YPC in.
He’s been lighting up camp, making circus catches and drawing high praise from HC Brian Schottenheimer, who said Blue reminds him of a “bigger Darren Sproles.” With only Miles Sanders and Javonte Williams in his way, Blue could smash his Round 11+ ADP and go nuclear.
TANK BIGSBY, JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (ADP 138, RB46)
The Jaguars’ backfield is wide open, and Tank Bigsby is quietly making his move. He’s been the “clear leader” early in camp, running with the starters and dominating goal-line and 2-minute work. Coaches are raving, and beat writers note he’s pulling away from Travis Etienne.
Bigsby was quietly one of the most efficient runners in 2024: No. 1 in yards after contact per rush, top-10 in explosive run rate, and top-5 in PFF Elusive Rating. He’s one of only two running backs (Kenneth Walker) with over 70% of his rushing yards coming after contact. He may not offer much as a receiver, but Liam Coen’s system leans on physical backs who fight for extra yards, and Bigsby checks every box.
If he keeps this momentum, Bigsby could lead the Jaguars in carries and TDs, especially if the offense clicks under Coen. You’re getting a potential 10+ TD bruiser for the price of a backup.
BRAELON ALLEN, NEW YORK JETS (ADP 154, RB55)
The Jets are expected to run the ball more than any team in 2025, and Braelon Allen looks like their battering ram. He’s been one of camp’s standouts, flashing improved burst, downhill power, and even pass-catching ability. At only 21 years old and 240 lbs, Allen is a nightmare to bring down, and the Jets are already leaning into his goal-line skill set.
Coaches and beat reporters alike have called this backfield “more 1A-1B than 1-2,” and if Hall misses time, Allen could be a 20+ touch guy in a run-heavy offense. He’s one of the few backs outside the top 50 with top-20 upside and elite handcuff value.
KYLE MONANGAI, CHICAGO BEARS (ADP 208, RB61)
If history holds, Ben Johnson’s “big back” is headed for double-digit TDs again. From Jamaal Williams to David Montgomery, this role in Johnson’s system always delivers, and Kyle Monangai could be next in line.
Monangai was the heart of the Rutgers offense, with 250+ touches in back-to-back seasons, over 2,700 total yards, and 22 TDs. He’s not a burner, but he runs with power, vision, and zero hesitation. Even better? He never fumbled across 670 career carries. Coaches love his reliability and toughness, and Johnson already said, “He’s a guy we’re going to trust this fall.”
If D’Andre Swift misses time or Monangai beats out Roschon Johnson, you’ve got a volume hog in a TD-heavy role, which is a perfect bench stash with “plug-and-play” upside.
BRASHARD SMITH, KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (ADP 221, RB62)
Brashard Smith is a converted WR who’s now working as the Chiefs’ RB version of Jerick McKinnon – and maybe more talented. A former receiver, Smith posted 1,977 all-purpose yards in his first year playing RB, showing off elite route-running, consistent hands, and big-play burst.
He led the 2025 class in yards per route run and targets per route run, and he’s already catching bombs from Patrick Mahomes in OTAs. Smith has 4.39 speed and is drawing Alvin Kamara comps from Louis Riddick. Yes, he’s a 7th-rounder, but so was Isiah Pacheco. Andy Reid has used Smith all over the formation, and the checkdown-heavy Chiefs offense is tailor-made for his skillset.
If he climbs this depth chart, Smith could be a late-round PPR cheat code in the valuable McKinnon role.
WOODY MARKS, HOUSTON TEXANS (ADP 233, RB67)
Woody Marks is emerging as a deep sleeper in fantasy drafts as he continues to impress at Texans training camp. With Joe Mixon sidelined for all of camp due to a foot injury and Nick Chubb still shaking off rust from a devastating 2023 knee injury, Marks is climbing the depth chart fast.
Mixon’s Week 1 status is in doubt, Chubb reportedly looks like dust, and suddenly, the rookie dual-threat out of USC has a clear path to early-season touches. At 5’10”, 210 pounds, Marks offers a compact, elusive frame and Alvin Kamara-lite skillset, racking up over 1,100 rushing yards and 47 catches last season with the Trojans.
Even if Marks begins the year as the third-down back, that role alone carries standalone fantasy value, especially on a Texans team likely to be playing from behind often with a bottom-tier offensive line. He’s already flashing reliable hands and sharp route running in camp, and the coaching staff reportedly loves him.
With Mixon and Chubb both aging and banged up, it wouldn’t take much for Marks to see 10–12 touches per game. He’s the kind of late-round pick who could turn into a flex-worthy weapon, and potentially much more.
JACORY CROSKEY-MERRITT, WASHINGTON COMMANDERS (ADP 257, RB73)
Jacory Croskey-Merritt went from the best-kept secret to the worst-kept secret in fantasy drafts. He dominated inside zone in college (7.2 YPC), and lands in a Commanders offense that ran the third-highest rate of those concepts, almost exclusively from shotgun, which fits him perfectly.
Since arriving, JCM has been the “star of OTAs,” earning first-team reps and praise from Dan Quinn for his physical, downhill style. With Austin Ekeler aging and Brian Robinson teetering on plodder territory, Croskey-Merritt has a real shot to lead this backfield by midseason or by the end of the season, per the team’s beat writers.
In an offense projected to be Top-5 in scoring, JCM is a high-upside stash with a path to fantasy relevance, and he’s free in most drafts.
