Fantasy championships are rarely won by playing it safe. In a 12-team league, only one team wins — and the biggest edge comes from finding undervalued players with league-winning upside.
Think rookie-year Odell Beckham Jr., Justin Jefferson, Brock Bowers, Puka Nacua, or Jayden Daniels. Playing it safe with “small hit–big miss” veterans lowers your ceiling. Upside isn’t optional — it’s essential.
This year’s upside jackpot might come from a historically strong rookie running back class. Thanks to the NFL’s devaluation of the RB position, even elite talents didn’t all receive massive draft capital — creating rare value pockets.
Everyone knows Ashton Jeanty is a stud (Average Draft Position (ADP) 11.2 in Apex leagues). But at that cost, he needs to smash. Let’s instead focus on the rookies who can truly tilt leagues relative to their price.
TreVeyon Henderson — ADP 48.2
Henderson’s not cheap, but the ceiling is huge.
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Elite freshman season at Ohio State, then continued to flash despite sharing touches
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4.43 forty, explosive leaping ability, and the best Yards Per Touch in the Power Five
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Drafted 38th overall — aside from this year’s draft class, RBs drafted that high or higher in the last three years: Bijan Robinson, Jahmyr Gibbs, Breece Hall
Henderson is a dual-threat with 77 catches for 853 yards in college, despite competing with one of the best WR rooms ever. Josh McDaniels has already called him the fastest RB he’s ever coached, and he’s tearing up camp as a receiver.
TreVeyon Henderson has been absolutely CARVING up the Patriots defense.
The Patriots rookie RB is reportedly “well on his way” to becoming the team’s RB1 😳 pic.twitter.com/j78Db3KDam
— Rookie Watch (@RookieWatxh) August 5, 2025
Rhamondre Stevenson and Antonio Gibson aren’t stopping this freight train.
RJ Harvey — ADP 53.7
Sean Payton loves targeting RBs in the passing game — Javonte Williams was 7th in RB receptions last year despite playing like one of the league’s worst backs.
Enter Harvey:
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Nearly 3,000 rushing yards in the last two seasons
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Added 39 catches for 505 yards as a receiver
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Drafted in Round 2 to upgrade the passing game
His only major competition is J.K. Dobbins, who has unfortunately struggled to stay healthy. In this offense, there’s enough volume for Harvey to thrive immediately.
Cam Skattebo — ADP 113.4
Currently sidelined by a hamstring injury, Skattebo’s price is falling — but the college profile is electric. A healthy Skattebo could be a late-season league-winner.
Jaydon Blue — ADP 119.4
As a 5th-round pick, the thesis for Jaydon Blue is a little thinner. After Jonathan Brooks left, Blue didn’t truly dominate his backfield as we would hope. With just 214 carries in his three-year collegiate career, it’s fair to wonder if he can be a team’s primary rusher. But the positives are obvious:
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Blazing 4.38 forty (reportedly 4.25 at his Pro Day)
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Dominant receiving chops (42 catches last year)
Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders have been replacement-level at best. Blue comes with an explosiveness and pass-catching ability that his veteran teammates likely can’t replicate. A bone bruise in his ankle will throw cold water on his positive reports, but allow you to draft him at a more palatable ADP.
Dylan Sampson — ADP 144.4
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SEC Offensive Player of the Year after 1,634 yards and 22 TDs in 2024
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Ran a 4.46 forty
Quinshon Judkins’ legal issues could open the door wide. That would leave Sampson battling only Jerome Ford, whom the Browns clearly didn’t trust last year. They subsequently drafted two running backs in the first four rounds of the draft. Sampson is the much more compelling pick when chasing upside.
Note: Since writing this article, news has broken that Quinshon Judkins will not be charged for his July arrest.
Bhayshul Tuten — ADP 147.6
Drafted 104th overall, Tuten’s profile is loaded:
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94% dominator rating in his junior season
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Led Power Conference RBs in missed tackles and yards after contact
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Freak athlete
He’s positioned behind Travis Etienne and Tank Bigsby — but Etienne has averaged just 3.8 YPC over the last two years. Bigsby offers little in the passing game and is a replacement-level talent. Tuten is easily the most exciting upside dart in this backfield.
Final Thoughts
This rookie RB class is special — and the market hasn’t fully caught up. While Jeanty may be the crown jewel, these mid-to-late round rookies offer league-winning upside without the early-round price tag.
2025 could be the year rookie RBs take over fantasy football. Don’t be the manager who misses the wave.
