Zero-RB Strategy Guide: Targeting TreVeyon Henderson, Kaleb Johnson Late in Fantasy Drafts

The concept of the Zero-RB Strategy is to leverage the upside of running backs at the benefit of other positions on your roster. One may often believe that there is high-upside to be offered in later rounds at running back, thus going all-in on the rest of his team. The most common reasoning for Zero-RB is within PPR leagues — where WRs outweigh RBs.

Fantasy Football big boards provide for many high-upside options this season. This makes 2025 a good year to contemplate using the Zero-RB strategy.

Zero-RB Success in 2024

Should you have run with the Zero-RB strategy last season, your team may have looked something like this:

Player	Position	Round Drafted
Joe Burrow	QB	5
Chase Brown	RB	9
Chuba Hubbard	RB	10
Justin Jefferson	WR	1
Drake London	WR	2
Trey McBride	TE	4
Mike Evans	FLEX	3
Xavier Worthy	BENCH - WR	6
Brock Bowers	BENCH - TE	7
Jaxon Smith-Njigba	BENCH - WR	8

That right there is a championship caliber team, no doubt about it. It takes much execution, but should you leverage your opinions, Zero-RB can be very lucrative.

When to Use Zero-RB

Zero-RB is a very viable strategy, but it comes with further value in PPR formats. As you get one point per reception, WR value increases significantly. In PPR leagues, WRs will go in the first round at a high-rate, as opposed to running backs in standard scoring formats.

To the benefit of PPR leagues, there is further value in the way that you may also target RBs that catch a ton of balls. This provides for third-down running backs to be viable starters. Despite being the RB2 on your team, a ball-catching back can be of great value while you just need that player to score a reliable 10 points, or so, as your 6th, 7th highest value player on your starting roster.

2025 Zero-RB Strategy Guide

How do you attack 2025 in a Zero-RB strategy? Leave it to us.

First Two Rounds

Leverage top tier WRs. It all depends where you draft in the order, but target these guys:

Ja'Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson, CeeDee Lamb (Top End 1st Rd)

Malik Nabers, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Drake London, Puka Nacua (Late 1st Rd)

Nico Collins, Ladd McConkey, Brian Thomas Jr., Brock Bowers - TE (2nd Rd)

This leaves you with a very good core of pass-catchers in your lineup. Leverage your own opinions as for to who to take. Brock Bowers is a weapon. I would love him in the 2nd round.

3rd-4th Rounds

Fill your FLEX, Tight End spots. Leave Round 4 with your WR, TE spots filled with huge talent. You can even target a QB such as Jayden Daniels, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson. This will depend on how QBs are valued in your league. In some leagues, that contingent can hold off until Round 5-6. Every league is different, and you probably know yours.

WRs: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Garrett Wilson, Davante Adams, Marvin Harrison Jr., Terry McLaurin

TEs: George Kittle, Trey McBride

QB Rounds (3rd-6th)

Many quarterbacks in the NFL look very capable fantasy-wise. You can splash towards Daniels, Allen in the 3rd-4th rounds, or go with Jalen Hurts, Pat Mahomes, Joe Burrow, Baker Mayfield a round or two later. All these listed QBs have Top 3 Fantasy QB in their range of outcomes.

Later Rounds

Here is where we can now make league-winning splashes. Some WRs provide massive value. Some fantasy leagues go three WR on roster, or two FLEX spots. Stack WRs here with massive upside:

Tetairoa McMillan, Travis Hunter, Chris Olave, Jaylen Waddle, Cooper Kupp

In this range of the draft (Rd 7-10) we can begin to explore RBs. Zero-RB drops off once you fill most, if not all of your other skill positional starters. Some RBs have very startable ceilings. Let's look into a few:

Kaleb Johnson

Johnson comes into Pittsburgh as a draft pick investement with a promising future. In Atlanta, Arthur Smith loved using Tyler Allgeier has a big bodied back. He now has another one in Kaleb Johnson.

Jaylen Warren has been just solid in his time in Pittsburgh. Arthur Smith did not pick Warren himself, and now with his own running back, Johnson very well may quickly be the starter. In Zero-RB, any deep cut player that will be a starter provides value. Rookie's always rise to become amongst the best fantasy running backs and Johnson is one of them.

TreVeyon Henderson

Personally I was extremely high on Henderson. I had him as my top RB in the NFL draft. As Mike Vrabel comes into town, he immediately got himself his own running back. Rhamondre Stevenson is not a Vrabel guy and I fully expect Henderson to become their top running back. This Patriots offense showed a ton of promise towards the end of the season and now with a new staff added, they may pop quickly with TreVeyon Henderson as a top weapon.

TreVeyon Henderson vs Kyle Dugger.

😳

🎥: @PatriotsCLNS

pic.twitter.com/eBApF5N8D4
— Savage (@SavageSports_) July 28, 2025

Jaydon Blue

Jaydon Blue is popping huge at Cowboys camp. He is beloved by many and expects to quickly rise as the Cowboys starting running back.

Jayden Blue! I said when this young man was drafted he could be Chris Johnson 2.0. pic.twitter.com/pbDrssGcdM
— BlackLion of Defense (Aka DallasCowboysOG) (@GGOD3rd) July 27, 2025

Blue is another example of a player with high upside. He may be a starter with a new staff, newly healthy Dak Prescott, a fanbase behind him (Former Texas RB).

Value runs deep with running backs. Look even further to: Cam Skattebo, Quinshon Judkins, and in deeper, Braelon Allen, Dylan Sampson, Kyle Monangai.

Zero-RB Team Example:

Player	Position	Round
Pat Mahomes	QB	5
TreVeyon Henderson	RB	6
Kaleb Johnson	RB	7
CeeDee Lamb	WR	1
Drake London	WR	2
Brock Bowers	TE	3
DK Metcalf	FLEX	4