Late Round Running Back Targets in FFPC

With FFPC drafts underway, one of the best ways to build edges is by finding running backs late. Everyone is chasing the elite backs early, but leagues are often won when you hit on the right RBs after pick 100. Each year, we see players smash ADP and become every-week starters despite being drafted as backups. Last year, I nailed Rico Dowdle, Chuba Hubbard, and Jordan Mason in this column.

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Woody Marks

FFPC ADP: 184 overall

Marks is one of my favorite deep stashes this year. Houston took him on Day 3 but traded a future 3rd-round pick to get him. At USC last season, Marks ran for 1,135 yards and nine touchdowns, averaging over 5.2 yards per carry, while also catching 31 passes for 321 yards. That kind of dual-threat production is exactly what we want from late-round RBs — the ability to play all three downs if given the chance.

Right now, he sits behind Nick Chubb, but Chubb has struggled to regain his explosiveness coming off major knee surgery. There were some tough quotes from HC Demeco Ryans on Chubb, including:

"Guys age. He’s been through a lot. It’s not always gonna be the same as his early years in the NFL, but what I hang my hat on with him is that this guy loves football. He’s physical, he plays and prepares the right way, really sharp guy in the protection scheme."

Marks has also made his impact in the preseason so far, with Ryans praising him after his Week 2 performance.

Joe Mixon looks unlikely to play much, if at all, this season, and the Texans have never been shy about turning to rookies once they prove themselves. By midseason, we could be looking at a player who handles 10+ touches per game with all the valuable passing-down work and some early down work if Chubb isn't as efficient. That’s an ideal stash profile at pick 184 — worst case, you cut bait if he’s buried, best case, he’s a legit starter by November.

Braelon Allen

FFPC ADP: 139 overall

Allen enters year two with a chance to carve out a real role in New York. As a rookie, he carried the ball 98 times for 334 yards (3.4 YPC) and two touchdowns while adding 19 receptions for 148 yards. Those aren’t gaudy numbers, but what stood out was his ability to create after contact — Allen forced 16 missed tackles and averaged 2.9 yards after contact per rush, metrics that translate well to short-yardage and red-zone opportunities.

New head coach Aaron Glenn came over from Detroit, where they successfully deployed a committee between David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs. Preseason usage has hinted at a similar approach in New York. Allen has consistently rotated with Breece Hall on first-team reps, rather than only playing with backups. At 6’2” and 240 pounds with 4.40 speed, Allen is built to handle the dirty work — goal-line plunges, third-and-shorts, and clock-killing carries. That role alone could make him a flex option in tight games. If Hall misses any time, Allen would project as a true workhorse. At pick 139, he’s one of the cheapest ways to buy into a run-heavy scheme that wants to bludgeon defenses with multiple backs.

Zach Charbonnet

FFPC ADP: 107 overall

Charbonnet is the one who could pay off the fastest. Kenneth Walker has already been in and out of camp with a recurring foot injury, the same issue that nagged him last year. We’ve seen this story before. In the six games Walker missed in 2024, Charbonnet averaged 18.3 touches and 19.2 fantasy points per game, a pace that would’ve made him a top-10 RB across the season. Even when Walker played but wasn’t 100%, Charbonnet picked up extended work and flashed.

Beyond the injury hedge, the scheme shift is massive. New offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak has installed a zone-blocking system, the same style that helped elevate runners like Arian Foster and countless others over the years. Charbonnet is a natural fit — a decisive one-cut back who runs with power and vision. Last season, he ranked top 10 among RBs in missed tackles forced per attempt and averaged over 3.0 yards after contact per rush, showing he can create yards on his own.

He’s also been dominant this preseason whenever Walker has sat. In two exhibition games, Charbonnet has averaged over 5.0 yards per carry and caught multiple passes with the first team, proving he’s more than just an early-down grinder. At ADP 107, you’re drafting a back with RB1 upside if Walker’s foot continues to linger.

Honorable mention: Jacory Croskey-Merritt: Brian Robinson may get traded or cut, and the team has raved about JCM all offseason.

FFPC has some of the best high-stakes fantasy football leagues around, including multiple contests with $1 Million to first. Up your game and Get $25 off your first FFPC team!