NFL Fantasy running back sleepers 2022

With the NFL season due to get underway in a matter of weeks, fans worldwide are also eagerly anticipating the return of fantasy football!

Millions of us spend hours deliberating who to put into our line-up weekly. While star running backs such as Derrick Henry and Christian McCaffrey are bound to be unavailable in your league, there are still plenty of potential studs on the waiver wire.

Here are five NFL fantasy football sleeper running backs you can snag for the 2022 season.

#5 – Rhamondre Stevenson

Jacksonville Jaguars v New England Patriots

New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson is being overlooked in many NFL fantasy drafts, mostly as he’ll serve as a backup to starter Damien Harris. Stevenson was virtually unseen until Week 9 of 2021, but following an injury to Harris, he saw his playtime increase. He is a viable fantasy option because even when Harris returned, Stevenson still saw plenty of touches.

According to fantasypros.com, Stevenson’s ADP (Average Draft Position) is 38, despite ending 2021 as the 25th overall fantasy points scorer. While Bill Belichick often rotates his running backs, Stevenson is a sleeper worth taking a chance on.

#4 – Dameon Pierce

The Houston Texans have fallen off a cliff in terms of talent in the last couple of years, but that, in turn, gives fantasy players more opportunities to pick up a sleeper from them. One example is the relatively unknown Dameon Pierce, who could be the team’s starting rusher in Week 1. The Texans don’t have an established starter, and Pierce has impressed his coaches during training camp.

His ADP of 43rd overall running back means he could be a low-risk, high-reward option for your team this year.

#3 – Travis Etienne Jr.

Many NFL fans may have forgotten that the Jacksonville Jaguars invested a 2021 first-round draft pick in reuniting Trevor Lawrence with his Clemson teammate, running back Travis Etienne Jr. Eyebrows were raised at the decision as the team had a great back in James Robinson. Still, Etienne never saw the field, suffering a tear in the Lisfranc zone of his foot tear that would end his rookie campaign before it started.

However, the tables have turned, and now Robinson has gone down with an ACL tear he suffered in December, clearing the way for Etienne to start. Etienne is currently RB19 in drafting according to fantasypros.com, but we can see his ceiling way higher than that should Robinson miss substantial time.

#2 – Isiah Pacheco

On the face of it, Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco is unlikely to see much game time in 2022. Pacheco wasn’t drafted until round seven of the 2022 NFL Draft and sits behind Clyde-Edwards Helaire and Ronald Jones in the pecking order.

However, CEH was a fantasy bust in 2021 and hasn’t been impressive throughout his NFL career thus far, while Jones has had mixed success in fantasy during his career.

Pacheco has earned rave reviews by Chiefs coaches during training camp and offers a more athletic substitute to CEH and Jones.

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#1 – AJ Dillon

Green Bay Packers running back AJ Dillon may split carries with Aaron Jones, but if his 2021 fantasy output shows us anything, he’s an excellent sleeper option. After a slow rookie campaign, he exploded in 2021, rushing for 803 and five touchdowns in just two starts.

With the Packers losing Davante Adams and Jones being an elite receiving threat, there’s a chance Dillon can top his excellent 2021 campaign this year. Dillon’s ADP is currently 23rd amongst running backs, but if the Packers offense shifts like many expect, there’s no reason Dillon can’t end the year as a top 10 fantasy running back.