It’s late July, which means we’re only weeks away from the 2025 NFL season. Rest easy, folks, we’re almost there.
One good way to pass these boring summer days is by getting in on Best Ball action. While we won’t see actual football played for a while, we’re in the throes of Best Ball season.
This format has been around for a few years now, so there’s a decent chance you’ve developed a strategy you think has the potential to pay off in the long run. In recent seasons, it seems like Zero RB strategy has become most popular among Best Ball enthusiasts.
Of course, it can’t hurt to experiment with something new every now and then. If you’ve been in the Best Ball streets for a while, you’ve probably heard of Hero RB strategy, too.
What is the Hero RB strategy? Is it the best way to maximize your Best Ball lineups? Or should you stay away? Let’s find out together.
What is the Hero RB Strategy?
The Hero RB strategy – sometimes called “Anchor RB” – involves drafting one elite running back early and then waiting until the middle rounds to select additional running backs. The idea is to secure a dependable cornerstone for your RB1 slot while using the draft capital saved by not drafting multiple early-round running backs to stockpile talent at other positions, particularly wide receiver and tight end.
Let’s use 2024 drafts as an example. Christian McCaffrey was generally regarded as the No. 1 running back in preseason rankings, so he was likely the first player at the position off the board in your drafts. In this scenario, let’s say you were fortunate enough to land McCaffrey after the person ahead of you in the order took Justin Jefferson at 1-1.
If you wanted to try the Hero RB strategy, you’d then use your next several picks to address other positions before circling back and filling out your remaining running back slots.
Remember, you’re passing on most other premium RBs with this strategy. If you waited until the 7th or 8th rounds to grab your next running backs, you likely could’ve gotten your hands on the likes of Rhamondre Stevenson, Aaron Jones, or Tony Pollard.
It’s funny to look back on and easy to forget just how many premium RBs failed to live up to expectations last season. McCaffrey had yet another season ruined by injuries, while Breece Hall, Travis Etienne, and Isiah Pacheco were among the other early-round RBs who failed to pan out. If you nailed your “Hero RB” with your first pick and got lucky with one of those later-round sleepers, you likely had yourself a profitable campaign.
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Why the Hero RB Strategy Works in Best Ball
1. Positional Scarcity and Consistency
Elite running backs are a rare breed. While they ideally provide high floors and high ceilings, it doesn’t always work out that way. By securing one of these top-tier talents, you’re theoretically ensuring a steady stream of points from your RB1 position. This consistent output is extra crucial in Best Ball, where you can’t make in-season adjustments.
Naturally, the Hero RB strategy makes it all the more important that you actually hit on the Hero. If you were unlucky enough to use a premium pick on McCaffrey or Pacheco, there’s a decent chance you didn’t get enough overall running back production to survive last season.
2. Depth at WR and Other Positions
Wide receivers generally also offer more week-to-week variance in performance. By focusing on drafting a plethora of wide receivers after securing your Hero RB, you increase your chances of having multiple wideouts who can explode any given week, thus benefiting from the Best Ball format, which automatically starts your highest scorers.
Wide receiver is easily the deepest fantasy position these days, especially with how pass-happy the NFL has become in recent years. Plus, more and more teams are adopting RB-by-committee approaches, which makes the true bell-cow backs all the more scarce.
Of the 100 highest-scoring players in PPR formats in 2024, 40 were wide receivers. Just 22 were running backs, and none of the top 5 scorers were RBs. However, Jahmyr Gibbs, Saquon Barkley, Bijan Robinson, and Derrick Henry were among the 10 highest-scoring PPR players.
3. Optimizing Value
Middle- and late-round running backs often provide substantial value, especially those in committees or with high upside as backups. By waiting to draft your RB2 and beyond, you can scoop up potential league winners at a fraction of the cost, while your competitors may overpay for RB2s and RB3s.
Football is a brutal game, and injuries, unfortunately, play a major role. We see it every year, and 2024 was no exception. Several RBs with questionable preseason value – like Chase Brown and Chuba Hubbard – went on to finish among the highest-scoring PPR players.
While we can do as much preseason research as we want, sometimes we’re just wrong about projecting roles. Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry thrived playing next to running QBs, while Jahmyr Gibbs was the highest-scoring PPR running back despite sharing the backfield with David Montgomery. Zack Moss, Zamir White, and Rachaad White had significantly higher ADPs than Chase Brown.
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Implementing the Hero RB Strategy
1. Identify Your Hero RB Targets
Your draft position will heavily influence which elite running backs are available to you. Players like Jahmyr Gibbs, Bijan Robinson, and Saquon Barkley are alluring targets if you have an early pick. If you’re drafting later in the 1st round, you might look at options like Bucky Irving or Ashton Jeanty.
One issue last year was the sheer lack of apparent Hero RB candidates. McCaffrey was the only running back consistently going first overall in drafts. That isn’t the case this season. Of the 15 players with the highest ADP heading into 2025, 7 are running backs.
2. Load Up on Wide Receivers Early
After securing your Hero RB, turn your attention to wide receivers. Aim to draft at least three to four wideouts in the next rounds. Players in high-powered offenses or with clear WR1 roles on their teams are prime targets, though the true premium receivers are likely to go in the 1st round.
You’re not getting your hands on CeeDee Lamb, Ja’Marr Chase, or Justin Jefferson if you go RB with your first pick. Thanks to the depth at the position, though, you can still find elite value.
Garrett Wilson, Drake London, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba are a few players with paths to WR1-type production who will likely be available beyond the first round. It’s never a bad idea to take fliers on players in crowded receiver rooms, either, especially considering injuries will likely shake up depth charts over the course of the season. Sharing targets with A.J. Brown and CeeDee Lamb doesn’t make DeVonta Smith and George Pickens undraftable, for example.
3. Take Advantage of Value in the Middle Rounds
Once you’ve built a solid wide receiver corps, start targeting running backs with high upside in the middle rounds. Look for backs in timeshares who could emerge as the lead back, or backups to injury-prone starters.
Nobody feels amazing about drafting an aging James Conner, but who’s to say he won’t once again emerge with a high-volume role next season? Deebo Samuel’s stock is low, but perhaps the grass is greener in Washington than it was in San Francisco. If they can stay healthy, maybe Isiah Pacheco and Rhamondre Stevenson will bounce back.
4. Don’t Forget Tight Ends and Quarterbacks
While executing the Hero RB strategy, don’t neglect the other positions. If an elite tight end like Trey McBride or Brock Bowers falls to you at a good value, don’t hesitate to grab them.
Similarly, targeting high-upside quarterbacks in the middle rounds can round out your roster nicely. QB is fairly deep, so there’s a good chance you can find a consistent producer without having to spend a premium pick on Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson. Dak Prescott, CJ Stroud, and Justin Fields are 3 potentially undervalued QBs who could outperform their ADP.
Hero RB Strategy Conclusion
Part of the appeal of Best Ball is there is no be-all, end-all strategy when it comes to drafting. People may have certain convictions, but there’s an awful lot of luck involved regardless of whatever plans you make heading into draft day.
It’s easy to see why some Best Ballers will swear by the Hero RB approach. There’s a perception of safety involved with taking one of the highest-ranked players at a position with such scarcity. After the first few big names are off the board, though, it’s essentially a crapshoot.
You can also use Hero RB in your season-long leagues, on sites like Sleeper, for example. (Check out our Sleeper promo code to play Sleeper Picks.)
A good way to capitalize on the uncertainty is by waiting until the later rounds to fill out the rest of your RB room. Every year, there are a handful of undervalued and/or backup running backs who wind up stepping into larger roles and winning fantasy leagues as a result.
More Best Ball Fantasy Football Tips
- DraftKings Best Ball Roster Construction
- Raybon: Best Ball Running Back Strategy
- Sleepers and Late-Round Targets
If you want to dip your toe into other types of fantasy sports, PGA DFS or NASCAR DFS.
