3 Sleeper Running Backs to Target for Fantasy Football in 2025

Hitting on a sleeper can be a huge boost to your fantasy football season, so let's dig deep and highlight some late-round running backs who are worth having on your radar.

We'll focus on only players with an average draft position (ADP) outside the top 30 at the RB position, per FantasyPros' ADP data.

Sleeper Fantasy Running Back Targets

Jordan Mason, Vikings

ADP: 96th Overall (RB35)

Jordan Mason is an intriguing late-round RB selection this season.

We gotten a lot of mixed signals from the Minnesota Vikings about who their RB1 is between Jordan Mason and Aaron Jones. Coach Kevin O'Connell called Mason a "1B" option in April. In late July, O'Connell seemed to be changing his tune after giving Mason some first-team reps, with the coach saying "you can look at (this backfield) a lot of ways." But then, in the Vikes' first preseason game, Mason played while Jones did not, signaling that Mason is behind Jones on the depth chart, which is how the team lists it on their official website.

It's been a lot of back and forth.

While we'll likely have to wait until the real games start to know for sure what this split will look like, one way to find low-cost breakout running backs is by investing in backfields that look like timeshares, and Mason is one of the best late-round running backs for 2025.

Mason got a chance to shine last year with the San Francisco 49ers, and he did just that, ranking third in the league in rushing yards over expectation per carry (RYOE/C) at a clip of 1.35, according to Next Gen Stats. Jones, meanwhile, ranked 24th with 0.17 RYOE/C and was brutally bad at the goal-line, notching -2 total rushing yards on 16 attempts inside the five.

Mason might just be the better back overall, although Jones is still a quality pass-catcher (51 receptions in 2024). If Mason is able to carve out the leading role in a timeshare and seize the goal-line work, he's got a great shot to return value at his current ADP of RB35. If he's able to earn a bigger role than that or if Jones misses time, Mason boasts league-winning upside.

Jaydon Blue, Cowboys

ADP: 131st Overall (RB43)

The Dallas Cowboys have one of the weaker RB depth charts in the NFL, with Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders atop it as of now. That has me gobbling up rookie Jaydon Blue as a late-round dart throw.

Neither Williams nor Sanders is that big of a hill to climb for Blue. Among qualified backs, Williams ranked third-worst in RYOE/C last year (-0.60) while Sanders -- who didn't get enough carries to qualify -- picked up just 3.7 yards per attempt on 55 rushes for the Carolina Panthers in 2024.

Blue showed a good all-around skillset last year for the Texas Longhorns, punching in 14 scores and recording an 86th-percentile target share (11.3%), according to PlayerProfiler.

Simply put, I don't think Williams and Sanders are very good, and that gives Blue a chance to force his way into a meaningful role for a Dallas offense that might find itself in a lot of high-scoring games if their defense struggles again (second-most points allowed in 2024).

Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Commanders

ADP: 244th Overall (RB70)

The Washington Commanders should be one of the NFL's best offenses, with our Jim Sannes projecting them to score the sixth-most points. Brian Robinson is a solid back, but there's a chance for rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt to get on the field quite a bit this fall.

Croskey-Merritt was kind of an unknown heading into last spring's NFL Draft. He played just one game for the Arizona Wildcats in his final college season in 2024 and is an old rookie (24) after spending six years in college. Following four years at Alabama State, Croskey-Merritt cooked at New Mexico State in 2023, going for 1,190 rushing yards and 18 total tuddies on 189 carries.

And although it was just one game at Arizona, Croskey-Merritt was excellent in that contest, turning 13 carries into 106 yards and a score. That helped him get an invite to the East-West Shrine Bowl, where he scored twice and ran for 97 yards en route to winning MVP.

Washington selected Croskey-Merritt in the seventh round, meaning they didn't invest much in him. Brian Robinson and Austin Ekeler are established NFL backs, so he has some hurdles to clear to garner playing time. But Ekeler -- who is 30 years old -- and Robinson have both missed multiple games in two consecutive seasons.

While Croskey-Merritt is going undrafted in most leagues, he's someone who could end up being a hot early-season waiver add, and if he's able to work himself into a good role in a Jayden Daniels-led offense, he could be one of the season's breakout running backs.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.