If you use value-based drafting or go with a Robust RB strategy in your fantasy football drafts, you may be looking at running backs in the dead zone. What is the dead zone, you ask? It is generally defined as a short period in the draft (rounds three to six) when running backs fall short of expectations relative to wide receivers.
That doesn’t mean every back is destined to disappoint. D’Andre Swift, for instance, has defied these odds every single year by finishing as an RB2. Last season, James Cook was selected early in the dead zone, with many expecting him to regress in touchdowns. Instead, he scored 14 total touchdowns and finished as the fantasy RB6 in PPR leagues.
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Fantasy Football Running Backs to Draft Inside the RB Dead Zone
If you’re taking on this quest of drafting inside that forbidden dead zone, take a look at these five running backs who all have the volume and opportunity to outperform their average draft position (ADP).
Breece Hall (RB – NYJ) | ECR: RB16/ADP:38
If you are going to attack the dead zone, it’s better to go early than late. The Jets’ offense may not excite you, but Breece Hall attached to Geno Smith should.
Smith has consistently been ranked near the top among quarterbacks in shorter throws at or behind the line of scrimmage. That plays right into Hall’s strength, who has finished inside the top 10 in receiving yards at the position in three straight seasons.
Despite only seeing an 8.7% target share last season and only catching 36 passes (his lowest total since 2022), Hall still produced solid numbers as a receiver.
According to the Fantasy Points Data Suite, among running backs with 150 routes run, Hall ranked 10th in receiving yards per game, 10th in yards per route run (YPRR) and 14th in first downs per route run.
Hall should see an increase in targets, especially considering Ashton Jeanty saw 69 targets with Smith under center for the Raiders last season. If Hall sees more opportunities in the passing game, his receiving role alone justifies taking him in the dead zone.
Cam Skattebo (RB – NYG) | ECR: RB19/ADP: 50
You have to love the energy that Cam Skattebo plays with. He’s a battering ram that looks for contact, but his size makes you nervous every time he touches the ball.
We only saw Skattebo for half a season after he suffered an ankle dislocation in Week 8, which ended his rookie campaign. Skattebo still flashed elite traits, tying Jahmyr Gibbs and Josh Jacobs in first-down runs.
Through Week 8, the Fantasy Points Data Suite shows that among 32 qualifying running backs, Skattebo was tied for first in missed tackles forced, eighth in yards after contact per attempt and seventh in red-zone carries.
It doesn’t stop there. Skattebo also showed off his hands as a receiver, ranking sixth at the position in YPRR, fifth in targets per route run and 10th in receptions among running backs with 90 routes run.
With an expert consensus ranking (ECR) of RB19, Skattebo showed enough to justify being drafted in the dead zone and has RB1 upside if healthy.
Quinshon Judkins (RB – CLE) | ECR: RB21/ADP: 53
Anytime you can get a bell-cow back in the heart of the dead zone, you take him. Quinshon Judkins finished with the 18th-most carries last season. His 66.1% rushing attempt share ranked third in the NFL.
Although a new coaching staff adds some uncertainty, and he could lose third-down snaps to Dylan Sampson, Judkins should remain the early-down runner.
Despite averaging only 3.6 yards per carry, Judkins showed some positives in the run game. According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), Judkins averaged 3.20 yards after contact per attempt and avoided 41 tackles on 230 carries.
No other running back on this roster should steal red-zone or goal-line work from him either. Judkins dominated this area of the field, recording 32 carries inside the 20-yard line, while the rest of the Browns’ backfield combined for 18.
Judkins has three-down upside and should be a target wherever he falls on draft day.
D’Andre Swift (RB – CHI) | ECR: RB22/ADP: 56
D’Andre Swift is arguably the safest running back to take in the dead zone. For his entire career, Swift has always found a way to finish as an RB2 in fantasy scoring.
The Bears’ offensive line has improved as well, with PFF grading the Bears’ unit as the third-best run-blocking offensive line in the league last season. That improvement showed up in Swift averaging 4.87 yards per carry and earning the 12th-most carries inside the red zone.
Opportunities are crucial, and despite Kyle Monangai having a solid season, the backfield belongs to Swift. He even outsnapped Monangai in the passing game, with a 43.8% route participation rate.
Among all running backs last season, Swift ranked sixth in yards after the catch per reception, 13th in receiving yards and 15th in targets, per PFF.
For a running back with proven RB2 production and a strong receiving role, history suggests Swift is worth drafting at his current ADP.
David Montgomery (RB – HOU) | ECR: RB24/ADP: 62
David Montgomery is on the fringe of the dead zone, but worth taking a shot on in this range. There are, however, some concerns. He’s entering his eighth season and is 29 years old.
Montgomery could very well end up being just an early-down runner with Woody Marks taking on more of a receiving role. If so, Montgomery could end up being touchdown-dependent and disappoint fantasy managers if he doesn’t find the end zone.
Volume is key when drafting inside the dead zone. Marks had his opportunity to take control of Houston’s backfield last season but never ran away with the job, prompting the Texans to trade for Montgomery.
One thing working in Montgomery’s favor is the red-zone and goal-line role. He has a proven track record in the short area of the field, where he handled 24 carries from inside the 10-yard line and punched in six touchdowns for the Lions last season.
We haven’t seen Montgomery get a decent-sized workload since 2023, when Jahmyr Gibbs was drafted. He finished as the RB15 in PPR points per game that year. Don’t be surprised if Montgomery has enough juice left in the tank to prove the doubters wrong.
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