Jaydon Blue Could Be This Year’s Bucky Irving in Fantasy Football
Jaydon Blue Could Be This Year’s Bucky Irving | 2025 Fantasy Football
Every fantasy football season features a breakout rookie who exceeds expectations and carves out a weekly role despite low draft capital. In 2024, that player was Bucky Irving. This year, Cowboys fifth-round pick Jaydon Blue has all the makings of that same late-round lightning bolt who catches fire in the right system—and Dallas just might be the perfect landing spot.
A Golden Opportunity in Dallas
Let’s start with context: the Cowboys did next to nothing at the running back position this offseason. They lost Rico Dowdle and only added veterans Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders, both of whom come with serious question marks. Williams has yet to regain the explosiveness he flashed as a rookie in Denver, while Sanders has been on a steep decline for the past two seasons.
That leaves the door wide open for a rookie to step in and claim meaningful work early—and Blue is the most athletic and dynamic back on the roster. If you’re looking for a low-cost fantasy asset with real upside in the double-digit rounds of your draft, Jaydon Blue needs to be on your radar.
What Makes Jaydon Blue Special?
Blue brings rare juice to the Cowboys backfield. He clocked a 4.38 40-yard dash and pairs that top-end speed with quick feet, lateral agility, and open-field elusiveness. He’s a natural weapon in space, which makes him a perfect fit for third down and change-of-pace duties early in his career.
At Texas in 2024, Blue led the team with 8 rushing touchdowns while logging 134 carries for 730 yards (5.4 YPC) and adding 42 receptions for 368 yards and 6 receiving touchdowns. His 11.8% reception share was elite for a college running back and points to his future as a high-value fantasy contributor in PPR formats.
Explosive but Inexperienced
Despite his talent, Blue is far from a finished product. He spent his first two years at Texas buried behind stars like Bijan Robinson, Roschon Johnson, and Jonathon Brooks. As a result, he enters the NFL relatively raw, particularly when it comes to vision and decision-making between the tackles.
Blue isn’t going to run anyone over, and he’s not the type of runner you want banging inside on early downs. But his skill set doesn’t need to be traditional to be effective in fantasy. The blueprint for fantasy relevance is already there: dynamic receiving back, electric in space, and a depth chart that gives him a path to meaningful touches.
Room to Grow
There are some technical areas Blue must clean up to secure a bigger role. He struggled with drops in college, posting a 10% drop rate in 2024, and has had some ball security issues as well. In pass protection, he’s a liability—which could limit his third-down usage early unless he improves quickly.
However, his natural athleticism, combined with a clear path to opportunity, makes him one of the most intriguing late-round running backs in 2025 drafts. If he can smooth out the rough edges, he could evolve into a high-end committee leader, especially in an offense looking to reinvent itself post-Zeke and Pollard.
Jaydon Blue’s Fantasy Outlook for 2025
The Cowboys backfield is wide open, and Blue brings a unique skill set that none of the other backs on the roster possess. He may begin the year as the team’s primary third-down option, but don’t be surprised if he’s leading a committee by midseason.
Whether Dallas leans on Sanders, Javonte, or even fellow rookie Phil Mafah for the grinder role, Blue is a perfect complement. If he gets 8–12 touches per game—including 4–6 targets—he’ll hold weekly flex value in PPR leagues. And if he ever claims a bigger share of the rushing pie, we could be looking at RB2 upside.
Final Thoughts: A Bucky Irving Blueprint?
Jaydon Blue checks a lot of the same boxes Bucky Irving did in 2024. He’s a smaller back with receiving chops, explosive traits, and a clear path to playing time. He’s also being undervalued in fantasy football circles because of his size, role concerns, and draft capital.
But don’t let that scare you off.
The NFL has changed, and so has fantasy football. Pass-catching specialists like Blue can become league-winners with the right deployment. If you’re looking for a post-Round 10 dart throw with real upside in 2025, Jaydon Blue could be your guy.
TL;DR – Why You Should Target Jaydon Blue
- Most explosive and athletic back on the Cowboys roster
- 4.38 speed with elite open-field ability
- Clear path to third-down and change-of-pace work as a rookie
- Underrated receiving upside (42 catches, 6 TDs in 2024)
- Opportunity is king—and Dallas offers plenty of it
Draft him late. Thank yourself later.
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