Winning your fantasy football league often comes down to the players you grab in the final rounds of your draft. While early-round stars set the foundation, it’s the late-round steals who can deliver league-winning upside at a bargain. Our 2025 list of Fantasy Football Late-Round Draft Steals comes straight from the trusted insights of our Featured Pros experts. These undervalued sleepers could turn into weekly starters — or even this year’s breakout stars — if you play your draft right. Let’s break down the late-round picks you can target to outsmart your league mates this season.
Late-Round Fantasy Football Draft Steals
Late-Round Running Back Steals
Which one RB outside the top 45 in half-PPR RB ADP do you plan to target in all drafts as a late-round steal and why?
Ray Davis (RB – BUF)
“This seems like the obvious choice, but I’m going with Ray Davis here. We’ve all heard the James Cook contract conversations, and we’re not sure how that’s all going to play out. We’ve seen what Davis can do as the featured back with 20 rushes for 97 yards with 55 receiving yards in the one game Cook didn’t play last year. Even with Cook as the starter, Davis still managed to have three top-20 finishes for running backs. He’s shown he can be a great complementary back to Cook and also be the featured back if Cook doesn’t play.”
– Joey Meinerding (Fantasy Dink)
“Ray Davis barely qualifies but sits as a very high upside target. James Cook is in a public contract dispute with the Bills. While he has reported to offseason activities, the chance for a holdout looms. If Cook misses time, Davis immediately receives a volume role in one of the best offenses in the league, putting double-digit touchdown upside in play. In best ball formats, his role still creates opportunity for weeks that make starting lineups.”
– Jeff Bell (Footballguys)
“The longer James Cook goes without a contract, the more Ray Davis’ stock will rise. Cook is currently seeking a long-term extension with Buffalo, and if this contract situation becomes a problem, Buffalo can immediately turn to Davis. Cook missed Week 6 against the Jets, and Davis pulled up with over 150 yards from scrimmage. Davis is an elite handcuff, at worst, as the RB47 and 145 overall. At best, he is the Bills’ No. 1 RB who would be a locked-in top-15 weekly play.”
– Ed Birdsall (Talking Points Sports)
Jaylen Wright (RB – MIA)
“Jaylen Wright. His explosive skill set makes him one of my favorite running backs to stash. He enters camp as the No. 2 RB behind De’Von Achane, whose injury history includes foot (2023), shoulder (2023), knee (2023) and ankle (2024) injuries. The 188-pounder also sustained a concussion last season.”
– Kevin English (Draft Sharks)
“If you’re looking for someone further down the draft rankings, don’t forget about Jaylen Wright. Wright takes over for Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson in the Dolphins’ running back by committee backfield, both of whom are no longer in Miami. Wright showed off his blistering speed at the NFL combine back in 2024 with a sizzling 4.38 forty time. He’s a threat to score every time he touches the rock. And, if anything happens to De’Von Achane, Wright’s fantasy outlook would suddenly become very interesting. He reminds me of former Chiefs all-pro back Jamaal Charles.”
– Mark Ringo (Sleepers and Busts)
Brashard Smith (RB – KC)
“Brashard Smith is the easiest click in the final round of drafts. Smith was another talented victim of this deep running back class. He dropped to the seventh round of the NFL Draft, which was surprising. The Chiefs added him to their already overstocked backfield. 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 was 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 Pro Football Focus (PFF). Smith’s skillset is different from every other back on this depth chart. He could easily carve out a standalone role as Kansas City’s new Jerick McKinnon.”
– Derek Brown (FantasyPros)
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