Conventional lifter assemblies are relatively expensive to manufacture and generally extend laterally significantly beyond the ends of the roller surface thereof. As a result, fuel pumps utilizing such conventional assemblies must be spaced relatively far apart so that a sufficient roller surface is provided to contact a camshaft. Further, such assemblies are generally relatively heavy, leading to high inertial changes on reciprocation thereof. The ends (42,43 or 142,143) of the roller (14 or 114) are adjacent the inner diameter of the sleeve (28 or 128), whereby the roller (14 or 114) of the resulting lifter assembly (10) extends nearly the full width thereof. A roller holder (30 or 130) fits within one end (32 or 132) of the sleeve (28 or 128) and holds the roller (14 or 114) in a cavity (36 or 136) therein.