Finding value late in fantasy football drafts can be the difference between a good team and a championship contender. That’s why we asked our Featured Pros – a trusted collection of industry-leading fantasy football analysts – to share their favorite late-round draft steals for the 2024 season. Specifically, we wanted to know: Which one running back and one wide receiver outside the top 45 in half-PPR ADP do you plan to target in all drafts and why?
Whether you’re looking to stash upside on your bench or hit big with a sleeper pick, this expert-driven list of fantasy football sleepers is loaded with insights to help you win your draft in the later rounds.
Fantasy Football Sleepers: Running Backs
Which running back outside the top 45 in half-PPR RB ADP do you plan to target in all drafts as a late-round fantasy football sleepers and why?
Isaac Guerendo (RB – SF)
“Well, another injury to Christian McCaffrey in 2025 would add another wrinkle to things, wouldn’t it? Now, who stands to benefit if CMC cannot stay healthy? Issac Guerendo. Guerendo is now the clear handcuff to McCaffrey with Jordan Mason now in Minnesota, and any McCaffrey injury will have Guerendo as a minimum top-20 weekly play. Last season, when Guerendo was the guy in the backfield for the 49ers (without Mason or McCaffrey), he finished no less than the RB25 in weekly scoring and finished as high as the RB2. For any CMC managers, Guerendo is a must-have. For any non-CMC managers, Guerendo has league winner written all over him and is one of the best lottery tickets in fantasy for 2025.”
– Ed Birdsall (Talking Points Sports)
“Isaac Guerendo fits the suit nicely, slotted behind an aging Christian McCaffrey and tied to a Kyle Shanahan offense. Of course, the Niners likely have a below-average offensive line, but Shanahan has found a way around that before. When San Francisco traded Justin Mason (a nice sleeper himself, though he’s too pricy for today’s assignment), it was a quiet endorsement for Guerendo.”
– Scott Pianowski (Yahoo! Sports)
“We’ve already seen the 49ers make stars out of relative unknowns at running back. Isaac Guerendo is next in line should something happen to Christian McCaffrey. And we’ve already seen something happen to McCaffrey. It’s unlikely Guerendo will stay this low, as he’s the must-have handcuff of a top-ranked stud running back, so snag him if he’s available anywhere beyond Round 10.”
– Matt De Lima (Athlon Sports)
Braelon Allen (RB – NYJ)
“The Jets want to run the football in 2025 with a stable of RBs. And that means we could see a lot of second-year RB, Braelon Allen. Allen earned a role as an extremely young rookie last season (20 years old), despite Breece Hall being healthy to start the season. Allen is a no-nonsense rusher and could very much be the “David Montgomery” in the Jets’ offense under new OC Tanner Engstrand (formerly of the Lions). Allen converted on 11 of his 12 carries on 3rd-1 last year, a 91.7% rate that was not only the best among all NFL backs in 2024 but the best by any back from 2021-24 (Jets.com). With Justin Fields under center, expect Allen to take full advantage of wide-open rushing lanes.”
– Andrew Erickson (FantasyPros)
Jaydon Blue (RB – DAL)
“Jaydon Blue is a high-upside late-round steal in fantasy drafts, particularly in half-PPR formats, due to his elite speed, pass-catching ability, and potential opportunity in Dallas’ backfield. Despite being a fifth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Blue turned heads at Texas’ Pro Day, running a 4.25 and 4.28 40-yard dash. Now, he’s already stealing the show in Cowboys OTAs, impressing coaches and analysts with his explosiveness and versatility. With Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders ahead of him on the depth chart, he still appears in line to cement himself as the RB1 in Dallas. Dallas has a strong history of producing fantasy-relevant running backs, and Blue could carve out a valuable role, particularly in passing-down situations. If his speed translates to the field and he earns increased touches, he has the potential to be a league-winning late-round pick.”
– Lawrence Iacona (Gridiron Experts)
Jaylen Wright (RB – MIA)
“I still have faith in Jaylen Wright in Miami. I’ve said many times that De’Von Achane is a trade-away target due to his price of dynasty RB5 in ECR. Achane’s RB7 ADP is still a little high and makes me worried. Enter the much cheaper Dolphins’ RB in Wright as a much less risky option. RB53 and 173 overall make him someone I’d gladly want to stash on my bench. His 2024 stats weren’t great, but what we saw was worth another look this year.”
– Andrew Hall (FantasyPros)
“Here’s a Ringo summer special: buy one sleeper, get the second one absolutely free. Jaylen Wright takes over for Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson in the Dolphins’ RBBC, both of whom are no longer in Miami. Wright is an explosive threat to score every time he touches the rock. And when it comes to New York, Sports Illustrated insider Albert Breer thinks that Braelon Allen’s role in the Jets’ offense could be “pretty significant” in 2025. Both Wright and Allen already have part-time roles in RBBCs, but if anything happens to the other part of their respective committees (De’Von Achane or Breece Hall), then their fantasy potential opens up like the Red Sea.”
– Mark Ringo (Sleepers and Busts)
“There was some excitement for Jaylen Wright this time last year when the Dolphins gave up a future 3rd to move up and draft him in the 4th round, but his season was a bit disappointing. However, Raheem Mostert is out of the picture now, and coach McDaniel loves using 2 RBs in his system. This offense can support another fantasy-relevant RB alongside De’Von Achane; it’s just a matter of who between Wright and newcomers Alexander Mattison and Ollie Gordon II. I’m going to bank on the speedster in Wright to fill that role and make a huge leap in his sophomore year.”
– Joey Meinerding (Fantasy Dink)
Brashard Smith (RB – KC)
“We’ll see how training camp pans out, but if he’s heavily involved in the backfield rotation early, as I expect, I’ll be drafting Brashard Smith everywhere this season as a final-round pick. The Chiefs are no strangers to allowing a seventh-round running back a legit shot at starting (hi, Isiah Pacheco), so we can’t say that Smith has zero shot. I am enamored with Smith’s receiving ability as a converted wide receiver, his lightning quickness, and his possible upside as a rusher for a player who is still getting acclimated to the position. Last year, Smith ranked 34th in breakaway percentage, second in receiving grade, and 22nd in yards per route run (per PFF). Smith’s skill set is different from every other back in this depth chart. He could easily carve out a stand-alone role as Kansas City’s new Jerick McKinnon, with the upside to be their every-down back if Pacheco proves unable to stay healthy again.”
– Derek Brown (FantasyPros)
Elijah Mitchell (RB – KC)
“This isn’t the safest of answers, but I’ll take some chances on Elijah Mitchell/Brashard Smith in case one of them becomes the next shiny toy in the Chiefs’ backfield. Isaiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt have had their time in the sun, to be sure, but they’ve also had plenty of time on the sidelines due to injuries. Mitchell and Smith are both worth late-round dart throws in what is still a dynamic Chiefs’ offense. Whoever wins the RB3 battle is the one to keep an eye on heading into the new season.”
– Zach Greubel (Gridiron Experts)
MarShawn Lloyd (RB – GB)
“MarShawn Lloyd is RB59 by ADP and is a screaming value. He had some of the worst luck ever in his rookie season, but the Packers completely ignored the RB class in 2025 after spending Day 2 capital on Lloyd in the 2024 draft. The Packers, and head coach Matt LaFleur, are outspoken about how much they want to run a committee approach and were forced into Josh Jacobs seeing all those touches in 2024. I expect Lloyd to be featured in a pass-catching/explosive RB 1B role behind Jacobs, with the size to be a great handcuff if the aging Jacobs were to miss time.”
– Justin Frye (Pro Football Network)
Ray Davis (RB – BUF)
“Ray Davis (RB47 in the rankings) is one of my favorite late-round running back draft targets. Buffalo led the NFL with 32 rushing touchdowns last season. James Cook led the league with 16 rushing touchdowns, while Josh Allen had 12 scores. However, Davis also had an impact on the ground, totaling three rushing touchdowns. More importantly, he stood out when Cook missed time due to an injury. The former Kentucky star was outstanding in the one game Cook missed with an injury last year. Davis finished Week 6 as the RB14, totaling 23 touches for 152 scrimmage yards and 16.7 half-point PPR fantasy points despite not scoring a touchdown. The second-year pro is a solid flex option with significant upside if Cook’s contract situation leads to a holdout.”
– Mike Fanelli (FantasyPros)
“Ray Davis profiles as one of the top late-round steals for 2025. When James Cook missed Week 6 last season, Davis proved he could be a three-down workhorse, racking up 23 touches for 152 total yards. In games where he saw at least a 50% snap share, he averaged over 100 total yards, while ranking in the top five in missed tackles forced per attempt. He also contributed as a pass-catcher, recording 17 receptions and two touchdowns in a limited role. With Cook’s contract situation up in the air and Davis’ ADP sitting outside the top 100, he’s a high-upside lottery ticket that I’ll be targeting everywhere.”
– James Emrick-Wilson (Armchair Scouting)
Austin Ekeler (RB – WAS)
“Austin Ekeler is being left for dead (RB48) in early ECR, even though he was productive when healthy last year and is playing in an exciting, up-and-coming offense. Ekeler scored double-digit PPR points in 8-of-12 games last season and finished RB31 in fantasy points per game. When Brian Robinson Jr. missed a pair of midseason games with a hamstring injury, Ekeler had 134 yards from scrimmage and scored three touchdowns in those two contests. Two of those TDs came against a tough Pittsburgh defense. I’m not expecting a return to the high-end RB1 days for the 30-year-old Ekeler, but I think he’s a value in the later rounds.”
– Pat Fitzmaurice (FantasyPros)
Audric Estime (RB – DEN)
“A player that stands out to me who has legit upside is Audric Estime. In a press conference, head coach Sean Payton said, “He’s a back that requires enough touches. He’s gonna get those opportunities.” Alvin Kamara was selected only 7 picks after RJ Harvey in the 2017 NFL Draft. Kamara and Mark Ingram co-existed in New Orleans, and I think that Estime and Harvey could be Payton’s new Kamara and Ingram. Kamara was the RB4 in FPPG his rookie season, while Ingram was the RB8. Harvey is a great pass-catching RB, just like Kamara, and Estime is a thumper who will run through the defense. Estime had 13 MTF on only 76 rushing attempts last season.”
– Nick Penticoff (Fantasy Football Astronauts)
Kendre Miller (RB – NO)
“For me, it’s target Kendre Miller of the Saints, whom I plan to target outside the top 45 RBs. His current ADP is RB85 and 288th overall, meaning you can use your last pick on him. Miller showed flashes of explosiveness in limited action last season, and with potential changes in the Saints’ backfield as veteran Alvin Kamara nears the age cliff, he could see a significant role. His pass-catching ability fits well in half-PPR formats, offering value if he secures more touches. Kendre Miller’s athleticism and receiving skills make him a breakout candidate if he earns a larger share of the Saints’ backfield in 2025. With Alvin Kamara’s contract situation uncertain and Devin Neal as the only other competition, Miller could capitalize on increased opportunities. His low ADP makes him a high-reward pick with minimal risk in late rounds.”
– Aaron St Denis (Fantasy Sports Advice Network)
Tyler Allgeier (RB – ATL)
“Tyler Allgeier remains one of the NFL’s most efficient and underrated complementary backs. In 2024, he posted a broken tackle rate of 0.26 per carry (top 12 among RBs with at least 100 carries), averaged 3.1 yards after contact per attempt, averaged 4.7 YPC (11th among running backs with at least 100 carries), a 100% catch rate, and recorded a positive run on 83.2% of his carries. While Bijan Robinson is the clear lead in Atlanta, Allgeier carved out a valuable role in short-yardage and red zone situations, logging 31 carries inside the 10-yard line and converting 9 of them into touchdowns. His north-south efficiency, vision between the tackles, and low fumble rate (0.4%) make him a reliable asset providing weekly contributions and an immediate RB1 should anything happen to Bijan.”
– Avery Thrasher (The Branded Sports)
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