Fantasy Football 2024: Sleeper Running Backs to Target in Late Rounds
Fantasy football managers need to find depth at every position, but it's especially critical to have at the running back spot.
The same injury concerns that have NFL teams wary of paying a premium for running backs should have fantasy managers looking to back up their best options at the position. Plus, the same workload splits that have cut into the carries of most starting running backs have also opened the door for less heralded ones to play their way into a bigger role.
That's a long-winded way of saying late-round sleeper running backs should be a focus for all fantasy managers. We're here to spotlight three with an average draft position (ADP) outside of the top 100 picks, per FantasyPros.
Chuba Hubbard, Carolina Panthers (ADP: 143)
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Chuba Hubbard can't offer much in the way of season-long appeal. Carolina traded up to make Jonathon Brooks the first running back selected in this year's draft for a reason, after all.
Having said that, Brooks is coming off a torn ACL and could be eased into action. That's where the appeal lies with Hubbard.
There's a non-zero chance he opens the year as the Panthers starting running back. And even if he only holds down that spot for a handful of games, that's tremendous value from someone you can get outside of the top 10 rounds.
He wasn't very efficient this past season, yet he still volumed his way to 902 rushing yards, 233 receiving yards and five touchdowns. If the Panthers play it slow with Brooks, Hubbard could wind up with the kind of workload sure to produce decent-or-better counting stats.
Bucky Irving, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (ADP: 177)
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Tampa Bay tasked Rachaad White with more offensive snaps than any other running back in the league last season. He provided just 3.6 rushing yards per carry, which tied for second-fewest among the top 25 players in rushing attempts.
Maybe that's why the Buccaneers spent a fourth-round pick on Oregon's Bucky Irving. They needed a little more juice in the running game, and Buccaneers director of player personnel Mike Biehl described Irving as "quick and explosive" and "a slippery runner."
Irving has the skill set to take on a three-down role. That doesn't mean he'll earn one right away, obviously, but if White is slow out of the gate or runs into any kind of injury trouble, the ceiling for Irving is enormous.
He rushed for more than 1,000 yards (on better than six yards per carry) in each of his two seasons at Oregon while also catching a combined 87 passes for another 712 yards. He scored 21 touchdowns across the two campaigns. His talent is tremendous, and his opportunity could be a lot greater than fantasy folks seem to think.
Tyrone Tracy Jr., New York Giants (ADP: 168)
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The Giants' ground game is in the middle of a face lift after Saquon Barkley's departure in free agency.
Devin Singletary sits atop the depth chart for now, but he has often operated in some kind of time share. Maybe New York envisions more for him, but the 5'7" back has yet to see enough volume to tally 1,000 rushing yards or 300 receiving yards in a season.
The door could be open for someone to push him for playing time, and maybe rookie fifth-rounder Tyrone Tracy Jr. could be that someone. He is a unique talent who played receiver at Iowa before moving to running back after transferring to Purdue. This past season was his first as a primary rusher, and he used it to turn 113 carries into 716 yards and eight scores.
He has quick and elusive but also physical and powerful. He can handle carries but also shines as a pass catcher and a pass blocker. At the very least, he is talented enough to swipe the RB2 role away from Eric Gray, who managed an anemic 3.3 yards per touch behind Barkley last season.
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