When preparing for your fantasy football drafts, knowing which players to target and others to avoid is important. The amount of information available can be overwhelming, so a great way to condense the data and determine players to draft and others to leave for your leaguemates is to use our expert consensus fantasy football rankings compared to fantasy football average draft position (ADP). In this way, you can identify players the experts are willing to reach for at ADP and others they are not drafting until much later than average. Let’s dive into a few notable fantasy football sleepers below. And check out all of the fantasy football sleepers experts love in our consensus sleeper rankings.
Fantasy Football Sleepers Experts Draft: Running Backs
Here are fantasy football sleepers the experts love to target in drafts.
Who are Fantasy Football Sleepers?
Fantasy football sleepers are players who have a strong chance to exceed expectations and become surprise difference-makers for fantasy managers.
Fantasy Football Sleepers Rankings: Running Backs
Our RB sleepers are based on a poll of experts who selected their favorite RBs with high upside. Each RB has a consensus draft rank below #45.
| Rank | Running Backs | Team | Bye | Num Experts | ECR | ADP |
| 1 | Bhayshul Tuten | JAC | 8 | 6 | 53 | 45 |
| 2 | J.K. Dobbins | DEN | 12 | 5 | 45 | 38 |
| 3 | Jaydon Blue | DAL | 10 | 6 | 54 | 42 |
| 4 | Roschon Johnson | CHI | 5 | 4 | 56 | 56 |
| 5 | Jaylen Wright | MIA | 12 | 3 | 52 | 50 |
| 6 | Jerome Ford | CLE | 9 | 3 | 47 | 54 |
| 7 | Isaac Guerendo | SF | 14 | 4 | 48 | 44 |
| 8 | Austin Ekeler | WAS | 12 | 2 | 46 | 49 |
| 9 | MarShawn Lloyd | GB | 5 | 4 | 57 | 62 |
| 10 | Brashard Smith | KC | 10 | 3 | 72 | 65 |
Fantasy Football Sleepers: Running Backs
The Jaguars selected Bhayshul Tuten with one of the first picks of Day 3 of the NFL Draft. Jacksonville is likely to have a messy RB committee this year with Travis Etienne, Tank Bigsby and Tuten, but Tuten could get an extended audition this year if the Jaguars decide they’re going to let Etienne walk after his contract expires at the end of the season. Tuten has game-breaking, sub-4.4. speed. If he gets to the edge, look out. But Tuten is also an effective inside runner who bursts through holes and doesn’t go down easily.
After tearing his Achilles in Week 1 of the 2023 season, J.K. Dobbins made a successful return in 2024, rolling up 905 rushing yards and nine touchdowns for the Chargers in 13 games. Dobbins now joins the Broncos, where he’ll be part of Sean Payton’s backfield. Payton likes to use multiple running backs, and no doubt rookie R.J. Harvey will be prominently involved. But Dobbins figures to have a role as well, and it’s possible he’ll be Payton’s preferred goal-line back.
Jaydon Blue fell to the fifth round of the NFL Draft as he was swimming in a ridiculously deep running back draft class. The former Longhorn displayed some three-down big play ability in his final collegiate season. He ranked 26th in elusive rating, 35th in yards after contact per attempt, and 25th in yards per route run (per PFF). It’s not hard to envision Blue having a role in the backfield immediately in Week 1, considering the lackluster players surrounding him on the Dallas Cowboys’ depth chart. Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders’ best football looks to be behind them. Blue could be the passing down back from Day 1 with an avenue to become the team’s lead back quickly.
Isaac Guerendo could be the most valuable handcuffs in fantasy football this year as the presumed backup to the oft-injured Christian McCaffrey, who played only four games last year. I say “presumed” because Guerendo will have to beat out rookie Jordan James. But Guerendo showed some intriguing flashes as a rookie. When he made his first two NFL starts in Weeks 14 and 15, Guerendo rolled up 203 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns in those contests.
