Fantasy Football League Winners: Nick Chubb, Tyjae Spears, Javonte Williams

Finding the right running backs can make or break your fantasy football season, and in 2025, the margin for error is smaller than ever. Whether you’re drafting early-round studs or searching for mid-to-late-round gems, identifying the running backs who can truly swing a league is the key to building a championship roster. To help you make those crucial decisions, we’ve gathered insights from our collection of Featured Pros experts, who have analyzed every angle — from offensive schemes and depth charts to advanced metrics and historical trends.

Below, you’ll find the running backs our experts believe have the upside, opportunity, and talent to become true league-winners in 2025. These are the players who could outperform their average draft position (ADP) cost and carry your fantasy football team to the title.

Fantasy Football League-Winning RBs to Target

What one running back outside the top 20 in our consensus half-PPR RB ADP has the most league-winning upside?

Nick Chubb (HOU)

“You have to scroll all the way down to RB46 for Nick Chubb. A horrendous Cleveland offensive line and offense masked what was a triumphant return to form for Chubb in 2024. While Houston’s offensive line doesn’t look great, they’re moving to a gap scheme that favors Chubb’s running style, and they brought in a couple of linemen who specialize in it. What’s more, Joe Mixon is hurt, and the Texans are being dodgy about it. Remember Christian McCaffrey last season? Head coach DeMeco Ryans comes from that same San Francisco background. I expect Chubb to be more involved than not in that Texans backfield.”
– Lou Brunson (Optimus Fantasy Football)

Tyjae Spears (TEN)

“Tyjae Spears is quietly turning into a bigger, faster version of Darren Sproles. The Titans need his explosive playmaking on the field, especially with Tony Pollard looking like a worn-down veteran. When Tennessee falls behind, and they will, it’s “hit me, baby, one more time,” as Spears racks up cheap PPR points like it’s choreographed. Screens, dump-offs, broken plays, etc. He thrives in chaos. Draft him late and let him dance his way to league-winning value.”
– Muntradamus (Beast Dome)

Javonte Williams (DAL)

“I am not sure why fantasy owners are sleeping on Javonte Williams. OK, I am, but they shouldn’t be. Williams is an extremely talented running back who had a devastating knee injury that has pretty much derailed his last three seasons. This offseason, he signed with the Cowboys, an extremely high-powered offense, noted that he finally feels fully recovered from the injury, and is getting “a lot” of the first-team reps in training camp. He has shown he can be a threat out of the backfield with 43+ receptions in each of his three “healthy” seasons. If he can parlay his receiving ability with a return to his rookie form on the ground (203/903/4), he will make teams who waited on running backs (Williams is RB36) extremely happy and could lead them to the playoffs and a fantasy championship.”
– Adam Dove (The Fantasy Couriers)