The NFL season is around the corner, and alongside it is fantasy football. The difference between a championship season and a disaster could hinge on decisions a manager makes about players in the lead-up to the draft. However, one way to maximize one’s chances is to find the diamonds in the rough.
There might not be a more lucrative source for hidden points than choosing the correct backup running back. As such, here’s a look at five of the biggest backup running backs you should take a flyer on near the end of the draft.
Backup Fantasy Football Running Backs You Can’t Ignore
#5 – Isiah Pacheco, Detroit Lions
Isiah Pacheco didn’t survive another season with the Kansas City Chiefs, but he could find new life in Detroit. David Montgomery was seemingly on his last legs when he joined the squad and instantly became a usable back. Pacheco could see a similar jump behind Jahmyr Gibbs.
#4 – Tank Bigsby, Philadelphia Eagles
Saquon Barkley isn’t getting any younger, and Tank Bigsby showed some spark with the Jaguars before he joined Philadelphia. As such, you could do worse in terms of running backs with more value than it might appear on paper. Bigsby earned 766 yards and seven touchdowns in 2024 while averaging 4.6 yards per carry. He also averaged 5.9 yards per carry with the Eagles in a limited role in 2025.
#3 – Emmett Johnson, Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs signed Kenneth Walker III this offseason, fresh off a Super Bowl MVP. However, Seattle has a history of offloading players to disastrous results elsewhere.
Geno Smith, Russell Wilson and DK Metcalf have all struggled to duplicate their success elsewhere, and the Chiefs added Emmett Johnson in the NFL draft after having time to spend some extended time thinking and looking at Walker’s fit with the team. The odds of Johnson getting significant snaps appear to be growing by the day.
#2 – Rico Dowdle, Pittsburgh Steelers
Rico Dowdle was seemingly poised to be the lead back in Carolina for years to come, but the team mysteriously cooled on the back. If Dowdle can get back on a 1,000-yard pace early in the season and rip the job from Jaylen Warren, managers around the fantasy football world will facepalm.
#1 – TreVeyon Henderson, New England Patriots
TreVeyon Henderson is listed in numerous depth chart projections as the backup running back behind Rhamondre Stevenson. That is due for a change with Henderson now entering a second season in Mike Vrabel’s system. Henderson showed enough flash in 2025 that most Patriots fans agree he should be getting the snaps on first and second down, so it is seemingly only a matter of time.
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