The Zero RB strategy: Can it help you win a fantasy football title?
While that's a pretty easy ditty to remember, it's a little more difficult to accomplish. And how does one go about all this zigging and zagging anyway?
In its simplest terms, the idea here is that it's easy to follow the crowd -- whether you're using the most popular fantasy analyst's cheat sheet or focusing on ADP value when you're drafting. But if everyone is doing the same thing, the person who bucks the trend has an opportunity to gain a significant advantage.
One way to do this is by using what's called the Zero-RB Strategy.
2025 POSITION RANKINGS: QB | RB | WR | TE | K | D/ST | Overall
What is the Zero-RB Strategy?
What's now known as the Zero-RB Strategy was first introduced in 2013 by fantasy football analyst Shawn Siegele in his groundbreaking article "Zero RB, Antifragility, and the Myth of Value-Based Drafting."
While it's impossible to outline his complete theory here (without the threat of legal action), the basic idea is that fantasy football drafters have historically placed too much importance on running backs. Sure, the best ones are the stars who rack up big numbers both rushing and receiving. But they often get hurt and/or underperform, making it hard to live up to their high draft position.
Siegele's revolutionary idea was to use that volatility to one's advantage by passing on not only the top running backs, but most all of the projected starting running backs in the early rounds of drafts. In place of them, target high-volume receivers (who typically get hurt less frequently) to gain a significant advantage at the position over every other team in the league. Focus exclusively on wideouts -- and even get a starting tight end and quarterback -- before turning to the running back position last. (Hence the "Zero RB" name.)
The running backs remaining on the draft board are going to be almost exclusively backups or role players. But that's fine. Try to find the ones with the highest upside when injuries to the starters eventually come. Throw as many darts as you can and then scour the waiver wire for replacements during the season.
Does Zero RB really work?
Siegele certainly has an impressive track record with the strategy, winning the 2013 NFFC Primetime championship, as well as 11 NFFC Main Event league titles.
The idea behind it is to have an advantage over your opponents at all the other positions, while gradually improving your stable of running backs by the time the league playoffs roll around. That's the primary takeaway: Your main goal isn't to have the best team coming out of the draft, it's to have the best one at the end of the season.
Zero RB wins in 2024
While no strategy is foolproof, fantasy managers who embrace Zero RB in the draft will usually be more aggressive in finding potential breakouts. Some running backs who delivered second-tier production after pick 100 last season:
Statistical info from FantasyData.com
2023 wins included Raheem Mostert (RB 47 -> RB5), Kyren Williams (RB69 -> RB7), Jerome Ford (RB62 -> RB16)
Zero RB targets for 2025
So the big question is who might be among this season's breakout running backs.
If you're going to embrace the Zero-RB Strategy, you might consider players from among this group:
2025 ADP from NFFC.com
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Times
8 hours ago
- New York Times
U.S. Open mixed doubles lineup is loaded, but awaits Cincinnati Open results
The first edition of the new U.S. Open mixed doubles tennis tournament has its final field — at least for a day or two. After announcing 14 teams late last month, the United States Tennis Association (USTA) has given the last two wild card spots to Naomi Osaka and Gael Monfils, and Jannik Sinner and Katerina Siniakova. Advertisement Yes, indeed, the world's top-ranked men's singles player has ended up with one of the world's best doubles players — who is also a multiple Grand Slam winner and Olympic champion — at the last minute, immediately placing them among the favorites to win the $1 million first prize. Both the direct-entry field and the wild-card entries had last-minute changes. Sinner lost his original partner, Emma Navarro, who withdrew. When he ended up with Siniakova, their combined singles ranking was not high enough to receive direct entry, so they needed a wild card. Jasmine Paolini withdrew, and her previous partner, Lorenzo Musetti, re-paired with Caty McNally. They needed a wild card, too. But Frances Tiafoe and Madison Keys no longer needed one. So there was room for everyone, including Osaka and Monfils, and even Andrey Rublev and Karolina Muchova, who got in on direct entry. Here's the field. World No. 2 Coco Gauff is missing due to scheduling commitments, while world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka is opting out, too. The draw is filled with enticing first-round matchups. Alcaraz and Raducanu against Pegula and Draper. Swiatek and Ruud against Keys and Tiafoe, to name just two. The tournament begins Aug. 19, the day after the Cincinnati Open singles finals, and concludes Aug. 20. The winning team will receive $1 million. Doubles players have criticized the USTA for devaluing a Grand Slam trophy by introducing a new format and holding the tournament in the same week as singles qualifying, rather than alongside the tournament proper. USTA executives have responded that not enough people were watching or even thinking about mixed doubles. Nothing, they argue, devalues an event more than that. So out went the 32-team tournament played alongside the singles events. In came first-to-four-games sets, with no-ad scoring and a match tiebreak at a set apiece, with ESPN interviewing players between the sets. The business will get done well ahead of the singles, giving players a competitive warm-up and the broader tournament a promotional boost, or so the theory goes. The start of the U.S. Open proper on Aug. 24 should not take anyone by surprise. Advertisement But the biggest question — whether all the players who raised their hands to play will actually play — remains an unknown. The biggest complication might be the singles finals of the Cincinnati Open, which will take place on Monday, Aug. 18, the day before the mixed doubles start. Alcaraz, Świątek and Paolini are all playing that day, leaving no turnaround time. The USTA will have a few teams in reserve as injuries and scheduling conflicts arise. Maybe the actual doubles players of renown, people like Marcelo Arévalo, who had offered himself up with Siniakova, before she grabbed the chance to play with Sinner, will enter the mix. Or Desirae Krawczyk and Evan King, or Hsieh Su-wei and Jan Zieliński. $1 million is $1 million after all, and the actual doubles players think they have a built-in advantage against even the top singles stars. Olympic results from last year go some way toward proving that point: Rajeev Ram and Austin Krajicek eliminated the feted Rafael Nadal / Alcaraz partnership with a clinic in court geometry and rally tolerance at the net. But the loudly unspoken priorities of this new event — selling tickets and thrilling fans with an extra chance to see the biggest stars in the sport — have been met by this all-singing, all-dancing cast. The question is how many of them will make it from the poster to the stage. (Photo of Jannik Sinner: Dylan Buell / Getty Images) Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
Hamilton Spectator
9 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Scheffler rallies to win BMW for 5th PGA Tour victory of year. Rahm takes LIV points title
Scottie Scheffler poses with the trophies after winning the BMW Championship golf tournament Sunday, Aug. 17, 2025, in Owings Mills, Md. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough) GW flag wire: true flag sponsored: false article_type: : sWebsitePrimaryPublication : publications/hamilton_spectator bHasMigratedAvatar : false :
NBC Sports
9 hours ago
- NBC Sports
Winless Jon Rahm successfully defends LIV Golf individual title
Scottie Scheffler shows off his deft touch around the green, sinking a long chip on the 17th hole to take a two-stroke lead heading into the final hole of the BMW Championship. WESTFIELD, Ind. — Jon Rahm successfully defended his LIV Golf season points title Sunday without winning an event all year, closing with an 11-under 60 before losing a playoff to Sebastian Munoz on the first extra hole in the Indianapolis event. Munoz won two days after becoming the first player to shoot 59 with a double bogey. The Colombian player —with Rahm hitting balls on driving range — birdied the final two holes in regulation for a 65 to match Rahm at 22 under at The Club at Chatham Hills. Rahm also lost on the first extra hole last week outside Chicago, falling to Dean Burmester in a three-way playoff that included Josele Ballester. On Sunday, Munoz beat the Spanish star with a birdie on the par-4 18th in the playoff. Rahm took the season points title from Joaquin Niemann, a five-time winner this season. Niemann shot a 66 to tie for fourth at 17 under, his first top-10 finish of the year that he didn't win. Munoz led Torque GC to the team event championship. Torque finished at 64 under to break the LIV record of 53 under. Ian Poulter birdied four of his last five holes for a 67 to tie for 17th and avoid relegation from the tour. Majesticks teammate Henrik Stenson was relegated, missing a 20-foot birdie putt on the final hole that would have keep him on the tour and left Poulter out.
