Super Deep Rookie RB Sleepers To Target In 2025 Best Ball: DJ Giddens, Jarquez Hunter, and More

Who is this year’s Bucky Irving? Aka who is the rookie RB who comes out of nowhere to deliver championships?

It’s a good question, and an even better one in the context of this incredible 2025 rookie RB class.

Thanks to a massive influx of RB talent, the late-rounds of drafts are littered with a higher quality of rookie RBs than in a typical year.

Sure, there are no secrets on guys like Ashton Jeanty (ADP: 11.4) and Omarion Hampton (ADP: 45.8), who come with a significant price tag, but twelve sleepers are going after pick 190 that I think deserve our attention. In any other year, a few of these guys would be going much earlier. Instead, they are all collectively free thanks to a plethora of options.

Before we dig in, let’s set some realistic expectations. Two things can be true with these super deep RB sleepers:

Most of them will bust/be a zero all year
The one or two that do hit will hit in a massive, leaving-winning fashion

The goal of this piece is to put each individual rookie RB underneath a microscope, analyze their backfield competition and recent coachspeak, and determine whether they are a viable target right now or not.

This is ultimately an exercise in patience. We still have very little information on these backs and their position on the depth chart. As August rolls around, the picture will come into focus on a few of these backfields and then we should be prepared to move quickly.

Shout out to Dwain’s Super Model for a simple way to evaluate these RBs as fantasy prospects, as well as the Coachspeak Index’s terrific Discord for providing the quotes.

Let’s dig in…

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Rookie RB Sleepers To Target Late In Best Ball Drafts

DJ Giddens, Colts, ADP 191.1

Drafted: Round 5 (151st overall)
Super Model Rating: 67
Backfield competition: Jonathan Taylor, Khalil Herbert

Coachspeak: Earlier this summer, Shane Steichen shared what he likes about Giddens: “His movement skills. His vision and the way he sees the holes are impressive. He’s a glider; he has really good instincts through the line of scrimmage.”

Path to hitting: Giddens will offer very little stand-alone value behind Taylor, but could be a potential home run as a handcuff if he locks up the No. 2 job over Herbert. Giddens possesses a really exciting, three-down skillset which gives him a very high ceiling when things do break his way.

Action item: He’s a priority target for me right now with many of these other names facing more backfield competition. I like pairing him with either of the Colts QBs at the end of drafts.

Pete’s current exposure: 11.7%

Jarquez Hunter, Rams, ADP 196.3

Drafted: Round 4 (117th overall)
Super Model Rating: 68
Backfield competition: Kyren Williams, Blake Corum

Coachspeak: After the draft, Sean McVay highlighted his ability to hit “home runs.” A few weeks ago, he added that he’s made “positive strides.”

Path to hitting: On the surface, Hunter appears buried on the depth chart. But considering neither Kyren nor Corum offers much in the explosive plays department, it isn’t hard to envision Hunter earning a change-of-pace role early in the season.

Action item: I’ve been targeting Hunter aggressively at the end of drafts in both Zero RB builds and as a high upside dart on RB-heavy starts. I like that the bet here includes standalone value in addition to the typical contingent value.

Pete’s current exposure: 13%

Dylan Sampson, Browns, ADP 198.9

Drafted: Round 4 (126th overall)
Super Model Rating: 69
Backfield competition: Quinshon Judkins, Jerome Ford

Coachspeak: Kevin Stefanski on Sampson and Judkins: “They have done a great job of learning the system and understanding their roles and what we’re asking them to do. We’re putting a lot on their plates.”

Path to hitting: As that quote hints, I think there is more ambiguity in this backfield than the market is suggesting. Yes, Judkins was drafted two rounds earlier, but this feels like a situation where both backs are going to get a crack at starter touches.

Action item: Sampson is my favorite late-round rookie RB target right now. The fact that he goes 120 picks later than Judkins is something I want to exploit. At worst, he’s an exciting handcuff, but there’s room for surprise standalone value. If Sampson makes waves at training camp and into the preseason, his ADP could easily skyrocket as the market overcorrects.

Pete’s current exposure: 11.1%

Brashard Smith, Chiefs, ADP 201.1

Drafted: Round 7 (228th overall)
Super Model Rating: 65
Backfield competition: Isiah Pacheco, Kareem Hunt, Eli Mitchell

Coachspeak: Last month Andy Reid said, “He’s got good speed and he’s a good route-runner. It’s tough to evaluate running backs and linebackers in these camps. He’s done a good job of what we’ve asked him to do.”

Path to hitting: As a former WR, there is plenty of opportunity for Smith to eventually lock down the pass-catching role that Samaje Perine vacated. Still, this is a Round 7 rookie who is very unlikely to see a big early-down role over Pacheco, Hunt, or Mitchell.

Action item: Smith spooks me more than he does some of my fellow best ball bros. This is extremely weak draft capital, and we know that the Chiefs like to slow-play their rookies. I’m worried Smith is going to be a zero for the majority of the year. I’ve actually drafted him more than I thought (co-managers are responsible for a good chunk of that) and plan to wait for more info before taking any more.

Pete’s current exposure: 8.4%

Tahj Brooks, Bengals, ADP 212.6

Drafted: Round 6 (193rd overall)
Super Model Rating: 63
Backfield competition: Chase Brown, Samaje Perine, Zack Moss

Coachspeak: OC Dan Pitcher on the backfield behind Brown last month: “I love having Perine back in the fold. He’s really smart, pro, tough. Every superlative I could give to Samaje. Coaches are gonna love the dude. He meshes well with Chase. Brooks has been excellent. He’s a rookie, he’s gonna do some rookie stuff. But really happy with him. And then after those guys, it’ll kind of shake out. We’ll see with Zack Moss and the other young guys, and we’ll just kind of go from there.”

Path to hitting: That quote was pretty telling, specifically the fact that Moss was mentioned as an afterthought. We know what Perine does, but Brooks could easily be the No. 2 in line for early-down touches behind Brown. If this is the case, he should definitely be getting drafted at a much higher clip.

Action item: I’ve been prioritizing the other backs listed above in either better situations or with better draft capital, but if we get more confirmation that Moss is not relevant, I think Brooks should get mixed in at a similar frequency to Hunter. At the very least, I see very little difference between him and Brashad.

Pete’s current exposure: 1.8%

Kyle Monangai, Bears, ADP 214.7

Drafted: Round 7 (233rd overall)
Super Model Rating: 58
Backfield competition: D’Andre Swift, Roschon Johnson

Coachspeak: Earlier in June, Ben Johnson said that Monangai has “really stepped up. I appreciate the attention to detail and the pride he takes and how quickly he’s picking things up.”

Path to hitting: Monangai would need an injury to get a crack and his Super Model score is very weak, but there is appeal in this backfield after the Bears did not address the position in FA or the Draft. Still, the lack of draft capital concerns me.

Action item: I have yet to draft him yet. I will need to see some strong buzz that he’s challenging Roschon before I take the plunge.

Pete’s current exposure: 0%

Jordan James, 49ers, ADP 214.7

Drafted: Round 5 (147th overall)
Super Model Rating: 66
Backfield competition: Christian McCaffrey, Isaac Guerendo

Coachspeak: After the Draft, GM John Lynch said, “James is a powerful back. Runs through tackles. Doesn’t necessarily have tremendous top-end speed, but he has dart and burst. He has very natural hands. He’s a very physical runner who leaves defenders hurting.”

Path to hitting: If James hit it would not be the first time an unheralded Niners RB came out of nowhere and made fantasy noise. Still, James is likely two injuries away from a significant role, similar to Monangai.

Action item: I don’t mind a sprinkle here, especially if you are bearish on CMC, but there’s a very high risk for a zero with this selection. I’m holding off for now.

Pete’s current exposure: 0.6%

Jacory Croskey‑Merritt, Commanders, ADP 215.2

Drafted: Round 7 (245th overall)
Super Model Rating: 60
Backfield competition: Brian Robinson Jr., Austin Ekeler, Jeremy McNichols, Chris Rodriguez

Coachspeak: No major coachspeak surfaced yet, although there has been some buzz from the beats.

Path to hitting: Croskey-Merritt is in a very similar spot as Monangai. In most scenarios, he’s buried as the RB3, but would have an opportunity to shine if there were an injury to BRob or Ekeler. Still, the presence of McNichols and Rodriguez makes this a tough sell.

Action item: Hold off for now, but keep on a watch list.

Pete’s current exposure: 0.6%

Devin Neal, Saints, ADP 215.4

Drafted: Round 6 (184 overall)
Super Model Rating: 65
Backfield competition: Alvin Kamara, Kendre Miller

Coachspeak: I couldn’t find any coachspeak.

Path to hitting: Neal would need an injury to get touches, but there is some appeal here when you consider Kamara’s age and Miller’s inability to stay healthy.

Action item: I was drafting a good bit of Neal immediately following the draft, but cooled off when Miller started to get some buzz. I can’t click Neal anymore when Miller, who also goes undrafted, appears to be the RB2. Keep him on speed dial, though.

Pete’s current exposure: 7.2%

Ollie Gordon, Dolphins, ADP 215.6

Drafted: Round 6 (179 overall)
Super Model Rating: 65
Backfield competition: De’Von Achane, Jaylen Wright, Alexander Mattison

Coachspeak: No notable quotes or mentions thus far.

Path to hitting: The presence of Mattison really puts a wet blanket on the Gordon buzz. As a bigger-bodied back, the hope would be that Gordon could sneak his way into the goalline role, but Mattison’s presence makes that much more unlikely.

Action item: I don’t mind the idea of taking a blind leap of faith on the Dolphins backfield, in the same way we’ve approached the Niners. We know these offenses generate a ton of RB points. Still, it’s hard not to view Gordon as anything other than a 6th-round rookie who is likely the RB4.

Pete’s current exposure: 1.2%

Trevor Etienne, Panthers, ADP 215.6

Drafted: Round 4 (114th overall)
Super Model Rating: 69
Backfield competition: Chuba Hubbard, Rico Dowdle

Coachspeak: Canales said that Etienne has “all his work cut out for him. It’s gonna be a great competition there.”

Path to hitting: Etienne’s Super Model Rating is the same as Sampson, and better than any of the other deep RB selections we’ve been discussing. Yes, the depth chart feels very solidified in front of him, but the combo of draft capital and his pass-catching chops make him the most interesting of these late rookies with ADPs of 215+.

Action item: I haven’t selected him yet, but I plan to start sprinkling in at a similar clip to a guy like Brooks.

Pete’s current exposure: 0%

Woody Marks, Texans, ADP 215.8

Drafted: Round 4 (116th overall)
Super Model Rating: 67
Backfield competition: Joe Mixon, Nick Chubb, Dameon Pierce

Coachspeak: After the draft, DeMeco Ryans said “I really like Woody and what he’s able to provide. I really like him out of the backfield, catching the football. Really great hands. Really has that ability to make guys miss at the line of scrimmage, and ability to play behind his pads, play physical. So, really like the addition of him to our running back room.”

Path to hitting: There’s basically no way Marks can earn early-down touches on this team, so the path is hoping for a robust pass-catching role—think old school Nyheim Hines.

Action item: I took some before the Chubb signing, but he’s an avoid for me now.

Pete’s current exposure: 1.8%

Players Mentioned in this Article

Super Deep Rookie RB Sleepers To Target In 2025 Best Ball: DJ Giddens, Jarquez Hunter, and More