*Note- some of these calls aren’t sleepers just players I think could have a good year. It’s difficult to find a true sleeper in today’s fantasy football landscape, but I’ll do my best to uncover some longshots in larger leagues or leagues with deeper rosters.

Without further adieu, it’s time to start running!!!!!!

Saquon Barkley
There’s really not much to say about Saquon. He showed all of you that he still had plenty in the tank. And he showed what he can do with a good offensive line and all-pro players around him. Barkley played a big part in helping the Eagles go the distance and win another Super Bowl title. Once again Ringo is letting is ride with Saquon.

Jahmyr Gibbs
Once again, not to sound like a broken record, but there’s not much to say. Gibbs is electric. Every time he touches the rock he’s a threat to go the distance. He plays on one of the best offenses in the league. He won’t be cheap in drafts, but he’s really good. Gibbayy!!!

Ashton Jeanty
Ashton Jeanty is an explosive, three-down back, who is an adept receiver too. Unfortunately, the other fantasy analysts have caught on to their previous bs excuses that rookies can’t do well. There won’t be a sale on Jeanty in drafts this summer. If you want him you’re going to have to pay full price (Jeanty’s consensus ranking is RB 4). He’s fairly valued because of his bell cow RB potential.

Bottom line- Jeanty is a talented playmaker capable of taking any touch to paydirt. He seems destined for fantasy stardom. It’s seems it’s not a question of if, but when he hits. Will it happen in 2025? That’s the question.

Ringo's comp- LaDainian Tomlinson.

Derrick Henry
Henry proved the doubters wrong and showed he’s still King of the fantasy mountain. Joining fellow star Lamar Jackson was a match made in heaven. I didn’t see any signs of a decline is his play. Those that doubt his powers, understand this. Derrick Henry is the most ruthless King in all of the NFL. As long as he stays healthy, he should have another good year and punish those who betray him.

Christian McCaffrey
Last year, CMac never got on track. His injury was severely under-reported. Hey, blame the 49’ers not me. I can only go by what they tell me. And all indications were he was going to be fine- ugh! Note to self- never trust John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan. Anyway, if he’s healthy, CMac is one of the best fantasy players in the league. Will he stay healthy? That’s the million dollar question.

Jonathan Taylor
Colts GM Chris Ballard and head coach Shane Steichen are on the hot seat this year. Anthony Richardson will have to show more or it’s Daniel Jones running the offense. Either way, competition is a good thing for Jonathan Taylor. Taylor will get his regardless, but adding Jones increases his potential, imo. The Colts also drafted highly regarded TE Tyler Warren in the first round to boost the offense. Warren’s biggest strength might be his blocking ability of which Taylor will be the main beneficiary. It’s a must win year for the Colts, so I’m figuring they’ll lean on their best player. And without a doubt, that’s Jonathan “The Tool Man” Taylor.

We need more power for our fantasy teams. For that I will demonstrate the art of karate (pronounced ka-rah-teh). I must channel that power through focus and concentration. Fortunately, those are two things Mark Ringo excels at, haha! Taylor is fairly valued at RB 10, but seems in store for another solid year. Jonathan! Jonathan!! Jonathan!!!

Omarion Hampton
(08/08) UPDATE- The Chargers are jinxed this summer. First it was Najee Harris with a fluke accident during the Fourth of July which injured his eye and now it’s LT Rashawn Slater, who tore his patellar tendon. He’s out for the year. Joe Alt played LT in college and that’s probably the Chargers best option. He could transition there with little problem. That said, Slater was an all-pro. He’ll be missed. Maybe the Chargers will rely more on the running game? Is that’s even possible?

As for Harris, his eye injury is something to monitor. Harris was hurt when a firecracker injured his eye over the Fourth of July weekend and is without a timetable to return. As much as I want my picks to click, I never root for injuries. I’m praying Najee is okay. That said, my duty is to report the latest fantasy news and give my take. This is something to monitor very closely. If for some reason Najee Harris is sidelined for any length of time, Omarion Hampton’s draft stock skyrockets into the stratosphere (aka early first round), imo. And yes, I would still take him there. Below is what I wrote back on July 2nd before learning about Najee’s injury, with no timetable to return. I had previously heard he would be ready for week one, which is why I didn’t update it. Now, I’m not so sure.

Omarion Hampton isn’t the fastest RB and he’s not the most elusive. No one is going to mistake him for Saquon with his or rather lack there of Shake and Bake. But “The Hammer” is a battering ram who consistently bounces off would be tacklers. And he’s won over coaches and scouts from across the country with his strong work ethic. Hampton is a hard worker who wants to be great. And unlike many RBs, Omarion has the ability to be one of the few workhorse backs in the league with his build and his prowess to catch passes. My only concern is how much of a workload he’ll get this year? The Chargers signed Najee Harris, but only to a one-year deal. Still though, Hampton could very well take the lead in this RB committee sometime during the season. And if he does, there are a lot of touches there for the taking.

The Chargers’ brass gushes about him. L.A. targeted him in the draft and took him in the first round. Folks, you don’t take a guy in the first round and not use him, well unless you’re the Falcons that is, haha! Kyle Pitts, good lord wth man? Why? Just why did Atlanta do that? Anyway, I digress…..Jim Harbaugh called Hampton a four down RB. That’s sounds pretty good to me. Jim Harbaugh and Greg Romans want to run the ball….a lot. They want to play physical smashmouth old school football and assert their will on their opponent. And Omarion can run behind a really good offensive line with Rashawn Slater, Joe Alt, and newly signed Mekhi Becton opening up holes for him. Hampton could be the guy who starts off under the radar in fantasy leagues, but by later in the year could very well be leading shrewd drafters to titles. You can’t touch this. Stop! Hammer Time!

Ringo’s comp- Hampton reminds me a little of former Steelers’ all-pro RB Barry Foster. You youngsters can check out Barry Foster in the first video below.

David Montgomery
I’m not sure why Monty is still undervalued by the experts. His role is the same as last year. He’s in a RBBC and will see the bulk of the short yardage runs in one of the best offenses in the league.

Fantasy football fans, my brothers of the sword. I’d rather fight besides you than any army of thousands. Let no man forget how menacing we are. We are Lions! Do you know what’s there? Waiting…beyond that draft? Immortality. Take it! It’s yours!

TreVeon (aka Tre) Henderson
Well the Patriots didn’t draft Tre Henderson for his charming personality. Obviously they aren’t happy with Rhamondre Stevenson. One more fumble and it could be game over for Dre. The Pats are going to use Henderson. It’s just a matter of how much? Henderson had some injuries in college. He’s only 202 lbs. Henderson might be best suited for a platoon role to limit the wear and tear. However, on the flip side, he has a three down skill set. According to scouts, Henderson has advanced pass protection skills which will keep him on the field. And the word is that Ohio St absolutely loved Henderson. Tre is a team first guy. That will no doubt endear him to new head coach, Mike Vrabel. With a current consensus ranking around RB 25, Tre Henderson’s price tag seems about fairly priced given his talent and upside.

Ringo’s comp- I agree with scouts. Henderson reminds me a little of Aaron Jones. Both are about the same build, unselfish, team first players, with a good, all-around skillset.

Kaleb Johnson
Kaleb Johnson seems very cheap at his current consensus ranking- RB 26. He's got size (6'1" 225 lbs.) and plays faster than his 4.57 forty time suggests. Despite the possibility that Kaleb might not be a big factor in the passing game, he’s still very talented. Maturity issues caused him to slip to day two, but he’s considered to be a first round talent by many scouts.

Ringo's comp- Kaleb Johnson reminds me of former Chiefs' all-pro RB Larry Johnson. For you youngsters, the first video is Larry Johnson.

R.J. Harvey
Denver wanted more explosive playmakers on offense and they got one with Harvey. RJ can fly. Sean Payton figures to use him plenty in both the run and passing game. Note- the Broncos also signed J.K. Dobbins. Perhaps they prefer RBs without vowels in their first name, haha! Ahem…anyway, Dobbins seems more like a depth piece than a threat to Harvey. Audric Estime returns. He’s a bigger RB. He could be used in short yardage and possibly down near the goal line if Sean Payton wants to go in that direction.

Given his potential for big plays because of his blistering speed, Harvey seems fairly valued with a consensus ranking around RB 26.

Quinshon Judkins
Quinshon Judkins’ ADP plummeted after he wax charged with domestic violence in Florida. His future was uncertain and career very much up in the air. Judkins maintained his innocence throughout the process. The district attorney has decided not to move forward with those charges. He’s expected to join the Browns’ training camp soon. Will Quinshon still be suspended by the NFL? If so, for how long? Those are the million dollar questions, but Quinshon’s ADP is still set to rocket up rankings lists based on this recent news.

Judkins has the skillset and traits to be a potential bell cow RB, although it’s seems more likely that Cleveland will use him in a RBBC with either veteran Jerome Ford or rookie Dylan Sampson. The Browns figure to try and play ball control, and Judkins is a good guy to do that with. He has size and speed and will add some much needed explosiveness to an offense in desperate need of more playmakers.

Jordan Mason
The Vikings went out and traded for Jordan Mason this past offseason. They’ve got to like him a little bit to trade away one of their few draft picks. When Mason got opportunities in San Francisco, he looked good. Mason has good size 5’11” 223 lbs. and is adept at catching the ball out of the backfield. And it seems likely that Mason gets the short-yardage and valuable goal line carries over Jones. This sounds much more like a 50/50 RBBC than most analysts are factoring in. Aaron Jones has the name value, but he’s 30 and has had a difficult time staying healthy. If Jones goes down, Mason could suddenly find himself in a bell cow role. And on a good defensive team like the Vikings, that could mean a lot of opportunities in close games for Mason to flourish.

Trey Benson LONGSHOT PICK LARGE LEAGUES (12 TEAMS+) WITH DEEP ROSTERS
(7/01) UPDATE From what I’m hearing, it sounds like James Conner is still the lead back in Arizona. NBC’s Matthew Berry reported that Arizona loves Conner. Trey tried for too many home run plays and doesn’t take what’s there. Coaches hate that because instead of getting a more manageable down and distance it becomes 2nd or 3rd and long.

Benson’s freshman season was cut short due to injury. However, it’s worth mentioning that Conner usually misses a few games with injuries. Benson has good size and speed to be a bell cow back if given the chance. And with Marvin Harrison Jr. and Kyler Murray more familiar with one another, there are a lot of TD opportunities in Arizona if anything happens to Conner. Keep an eye on this situation during the summer, but after hearing Matthew’s report, I’m tempering my expectations for Benson. He’s pretty dialed in with his sources from around the league.

Jaylen Wright LONGSHOT PICK
UPDATE (08/21)- Wright has not had a strong camp. I like his talent, but Ollie Gordon could pass him on the depth chart if he doesn’t pick it up. Unfortunately, Wright is becoming more of a dart throw than a must have sleeper than I figured earlier this summer. We’ll see what happens.

If you're looking for someone further down the draft rankings, don't forget about Jaylen Wright. Wright takes over for Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson in the Dolphins' RBBC, both of whom are no longer in Miami. Wright showed off his blistering speed at the NFL combine back in 2024 with a sizzling 4.38 forty time. He's a threat to score every time he touches the rock. And, if anything happens to Devon Achane, Wright's fantasy outlook would suddenly become very interesting.

Ringo's comp- Jaylen Wright reminds me a little of former Chiefs' all-pro RB Jamaal Charles. (see video of Jamaal Charles in first video below- Click Watch on YouTube)

Bhayshul Tuten LONGSHOT PICK LARGE LEAGUES (12 TEAMS+) WITH DEEP ROSTERS
The word on the street, per Jeremy Fowler at ESPN, is that the new regime in Jacksonville is not very high on RB Travis Etienne. Remember, it was former Jaguars' GM Trent Baalke who drafted Etienne, not current GM James Gladstone. Etienne is in the last year of his contract. It’s possible that he gets traded. Gladstone drafted Bhayshul Tuten so at least he’s one of Gladstone’s guys. However, I’ve also heard that, like many rookie RBs, Tuten needs to improve his pass blocking skills. Until he does, that could limit his opportunities. Keep an eye on this situation as the summer progresses. There could be a lot of TDs available in Duval County if we can figure out who will be the Jaguars’ RB running them in.

When it comes to Bhayshul "Rootin'" Tuten, his talent is obvious. He's the fastest RB north, south, east, and west of the Pecos, in the 2025 NFL Draft, according to Yosemite Sam Ringo.

Ringo's comp- a smaller version of former Bronco and Redskin, Clinton Portis. (see second video below to see how good Portis was)

Braelon Allen LONGSHOT PICK LARGE LEAGUES (12 TEAMS+) WITH DEEP ROSTERS
Jets head coach Aaron Glenn has hinted of a RBBC- comprising of Hall and Braelon Allen, where Allen gets the short-yardage and potential goal line touches. Glenn said, “With Braelon, a 240-pound man that's always falling forward. Listen, that's where he's going to make his money." And this just in, per Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda, people close to this situation think Breece Hall might be moved before the trade deadline. If that happens, Allen’s stock gets a major boost. My best guess is Allen would be the primary RB in a RBBC with Isaiah Davis.

However, there’s a world where Braelon Allen becomes a rare bell cow RB and those are very valuable in fantasy football, especially on a run heavy team which the Jets figure to be. And with a current overall ADP of 155th, Ringo is going to take a Babe Ruth home run swing in the Empire State, and hope for some late round magic.

Ringo's comp- Braelon Allen reminds me of Nick Chubb in his prime.

Marshawn Lloyd LONGSHOT PICK LARGE LEAGUES (12 TEAMS+) WITH DEEP ROSTERS
(08/21) UPDATE- Another week and another injury for Marshawn Lloyd whose NFL career appears to be snakebit. I’m getting close to throwing in the towel on Lloyd, but like with Jaylen Wright, he’s becoming more of a late round dart throw than a sleeper I’m aggressively reaching for. Lloyd’s talent is undeniable, but it only matters if he’s healthy enough to play.

Lloyd has a good RB build 5’9” 220 lbs to handle a bell cow role if Jacobs were to go down. What’s really impressive is his speed for a RB his size. Lloyd has a burst where he just runs away from defenders (see video below). He has good vision and his pass protection skills are good enough to get him on the field in passing downs, unlike many rookies. The main concern is his propensity to put the ball on the ground. Lloyd had eight fumbles in three seasons in college. He’ll need to clean that up if he wants to avoid the bench. That said, Lloyd has some serious burst. Moreso than either Jacobs or Emanuel. If Lloyd ever gets a shot, he could become an overnight fantasy sensation, much like yours truly, haha!

Miles Sanders RINGO’S LONGSHOT SPECIAL LARGE LEAGUES (12 TEAMS+) WITH DEEP ROSTERS
Ringo’s hot take- most analysts are assuming Javonte Williams is going to win the starting gig in Dallas. And while he still could, I’m hearing that it’s been Miles Sanders who has been the more impressive of the two so far. Sanders has shown more burst and you can see it in their play in last year’s highlights. Williams, at least last year, has lost a step due to the severe knee injury he suffered a few years ago. That’s why Sean Payton cut him- per former scout and Cowboys insider, Bryan Broaddus. According to Broaddus (and I’m paraphrasing here), Payton spoke highly of Williams’ work ethic and willingness to pass block, but at the end of the day, they wanted more burst and explosiveness from their RBs and thus Denver drafted R.J. Harvey in the late 2nd rd (60th overall).

If Dallas doesn’t trade for or pickup another RB, (note- they still could, perhaps Dameon Pierce?) I expect Miles Sanders to win the Cowboys’ starting gig over Javonte Williams. Note, rookie Jaydon Blue is too undersized to have anything more than a role on passing downs. Even if this happens, will Sanders threaten Saquon Barkley or Bijan for the top RB in fantasy? Probably not, but he could be a top 20-30 RB, which isn’t a bad profit for a guy ranked at the bottom of many analysts rankings right now. Keep an eye on this situation as the summer progresses. See video below of Sanders best season- it happened only a few seasons ago back in 2022- click Watch on YouTube)

Jacory Croskey-Merritt SPECULATIVE LONGSHOT- LARGE LEAGUES (12 TEAMS+) WITH DEEP ROSTERS
Trade rumors are running rampant that Brian Robinson Jr. is being shopped. NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported that Washington is willing to trade RB Brian Robinson Jr. if the price is right. If Washington moves on from Robinson, it would send Jacory (aka Bill) Croskey-Merritt’s stock soaring. As of now, this is just a speculative play, but if it comes to fruition, a late round dart throw on Croskey-Merritt could yield big dividends on a potent offense like Washington’s. Worth a shot.

Montrell Johnson Jr. IMPROBABLE LONGSHOT PICK LARGE LEAGUES (12 TEAMS+) WITH DEEP ROSTERS
If you're looking for an improbable deep longshot, I still like Montrell Johnson Jr.'s talent. He has ideal size, speed, and receiving ability to be a bell cow, if he’s healthy and given an opportunity. Montrell went undrafted, but shortly thereafter, signed with the Eagles. Time will tell if he makes the team or eventually lands somewhere else, but Montrell Johnson Jr. is a very talented lottery ticket that I'm willing to take a shot with, and he's going very late (Current Consensus Redraft Rankings RB 149 Current Consensus Dynasty- Rookie Draft Rankings RB 30).

Ringo's comp- a faster version of former Broncos Hall-of-Fame RB, Terrell Davis (see first video below to see how good Terrell Davis was)