Featured Pros analysts have identified the best late-round draft steals for running backs and wide receivers in the 2024 fantasy football season. Finding these little-known gems could be the game-changer that takes you from a good season to a championship run. These deep sleepers have a chance to overperform their draft positions and give amazing value to your team in fantasy leagues. Continue reading to find out which players you should be going after in later rounds in order to maximize your team’s chances of winning.
Let’s start with some running backs they are targeting.
- 2024 Fantasy Football Draft Kit
- 2024 Fantasy Football Rankings
- 2024 Dynasty Fantasy Football Draft Kit
- Fantasy Football Mock Draft Simulator
Late-Round Draft Steals: Running Backs
Which one RB outside the top 55 in half-PPR RB ADP do you plan to target in all drafts as a late-round steal and why?
Elijah Mitchell (RB – SF)
“If Christian McCaffrey were to miss time, Elijah Mitchell would be an auto-start with high weekly upside in one of the NFL’s most ruthlessly efficient running games. Some drafters in deeper leagues might shy away from Mitchell because the 49ers seemingly muddied the RB waters behind McCaffrey by spending a fourth-round pick on the ultra-athletic Isaac Guerendo. But reports from the 49ers’ offseason program suggest that Mitchell is entrenched as the No. 2 and that Guerendo, who has fewer than 250 college carries on his resume, is on a developmental track. Mitchell demonstrated his potential value as a rookie in 2021 when Raheem Mostert went down with a season-ending injury in Week 1 and fellow rookie Trey Sermon didn’t pan out, rolling up five 100-yard rushing days in 11 games. Mitchell makes sense as a high-upside dart throw late in deeper drafts.”
– Pat Fitzmaurice (FantasyPros)
Roschon Johnson (RB – CHI)
“I can’t help but think the best fantasy value in the Chicago backfield is second-year RB Roschon Johnson, who should/could emerge as the primary receiving back/third-down RB for the Bears with his excellent pass-blocking chops. The only rookie RB who had more pass-blocking snaps than Johnson last season was Tyjae Spears (who played two more games). I like the chances of Johnson at 219 pounds to be the Bears’ goal-line back in 2024 – an easy access point to fantasy production. D’Andre Swift has been an afterthought as a red-zone rusher on his last TWO teams, but his backfield teammates between Jamaal Williams and Jalen Hurts have averaged 16 rushing TDs. And typically…second-year RBs that fail to fire as rookies are the best bets to see BOOMs in value the following season.”
– Andrew Erickson (FantasyPros)
D’Onta Foreman (RB – CLE)
“D’Onta Foreman in Cleveland. At RB62 in current rankings, there is still a world of uncertainty surrounding Cleveland with the Nick Chubb injury. Getting Foreman on a team that uses two running backs in a timeshare is a slam dunk. He’s likely to have goalline work, which can dictate some easy fantasy points.”
– Rhett Manuel (Fantasy In Frames)
“D’Onta Foreman keeps finding himself in situations that garner fantasy consideration. After tearing his Achilles in 2017, he had a resurgence on the Carolina Panthers and followed it up with an inspiring season on the Bears. With these late-round picks, I target players who will be able to show their role in Week 1 and can drop them right away. Foreman could be this team’s early-down back with Nick Chubb out. We know this team wants to run the ball, and there’s a world he takes substantial touches from Jerome Ford.”
– Ellis Johnson (RotoBaller)
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