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The 2025 NFL Draft produced its fair share of storylines, as plenty of offensive superstars entered the league looking to make a name for themselves. From Cam Ward at first overall, to Travis Hunter being a surprise trade-up for the Jacksonville Jaguars, to Ashton Jeanty donning the black and silver, there is plenty of excitement for both the 2025 NFL and fantasy football seasons.
But storylines don’t win fantasy football championships. Let’s take a look at the rookie-year roles for the core running backs, wide receivers, quarterbacks, and tight ends to give you an early look at which players you should (and shouldn’t target) in your fantasy football drafts.
Any mentions of average draft position (ADP) refers to the 2025 Sleeper ADP rankings.
Running Backs
Ashton Jeanty – RB
Las Vegas Raiders
It is without a doubt that Jeanty will be in contention to be the first rookie drafted in a lot of drafts this season. Competing with Hunter for that top spot, Jeanty has no real competition in the backfield for the Las Vegas Raiders.
With Zamir White and Raheem Mostert the other names that likely will see work, Jeanty will immediately become RB1 for the Raiders. However, while you may be tempted to value Jeanty as a first-round pick in your fantasy football drafts, you should pump the brakes on his stock, at least for one season.
While the likes of Christian McCaffrey, Saquon Barkley, Bijan Robinson, and Jahmyr Gibbs all recorded top-10 finishes at RB in their inaugural seasons, the flip side is the first years that De’Von Achane (RB24), Josh Jacobs (RB21), and Kenneth Walker III (RB18) put up. Comparing Jeanty to some of these backs isn't fair, but the point remains; you can elevate Jeanty’s draft stock into even an early second rounder, but tread lightly if putting him into round-one conversations.
Prediction: Jeanty is as advertised, as he scores double-digit touchdowns and racks up 1,000 all-purpose yards on his way to being a high-end RB2 in 2025.
Omarion Hampton – RB
Los Angeles Chargers
Fighting with Najee Harris (and potentially JK Dobbins too) cloudies the rookie campaign for Omarion Hamption. While the Los Angeles Chargers used their first-round selection on the North Carolina running back, he isn’t the clear clubhouse leader like Jeanty is.
Operating with a run-focused offensive attack provides Hampton with a stronger floor than others in a two-RB stable, but Harris is bruiser that rarely deals with injuries, not painting an optimistic picture for Hampton’s first season. Don’t be afraid to grab him in the middle rounds, but it might be a slower start to the season than you’d like.
Hampton’s assumption into the RB1 role doesn’t happen in 2025, as he fills the sideshow role behind Najee Harris; while still rushing for 400 yards and three scores, his rookie season is quieter than hoped.
TreVeyon Henderson – RB
New England Patriots
It was a bit of a surprise to see the New England Patriots take a running back so high, especially after signing Rhamondre Stevenson to a four-year extension. But they thought very highly of TreVeyon Henderson, who will compete with Stevenson and Antonio Gibson for a backfield role.
Henderson is the best option of the three, as he is a multi-faceted RB with potential to help out in all three areas of the offense. He is a strong runner with the football, physical at the point of attack but fluid enough to make defenders miss; his pass-catching abilities (77 receptions in four seasons) fall under the radar but he has soft hands and presents a mismatch for linebackers; but most importantly, his pass-blocking acumen will help him see the field early on, as he frequently would stonewall a blitzer in his tracks, helping keep his QB upright.
Henderson is the full package and a great fit for the Patriots offense, it just might take a bit to have the pecking order figured out in Foxborough.
Henderson comes out of the gate slowly but eventually jumps Stevenson on the depth chart; the OSU rookie assumes the RB1 after the bye week, finding the end zone six times in total in 2025.
Quinshon Judkins – RB
Cleveland Browns
The heir to the throne once held by Nick Chubb, Quinshon Judkins, doesn’t have to move far for his NFL team. After pairing up with Henderson in a 1-2 combo with the Ohio State Buckeyes, Judkins has his eyes on a clean backfield with the Cleveland Browns.
Judkins was the second of the two OSU backs drafted, but profiles as the better prospect, as he is more of a physical threat. Having recorded double-digit rushing touchdowns in each of his three collegiate seasons, Judkins is the main man for the Browns, with Jerome Ford and fellow rookie Dylan Sampson the depth behind him. Expect a big year for Judkins, who could threaten Jeanty for the top-producing rookie back in 2025.
Judkins is exactly what the Browns needed for their backfield, rushing for over 1,000 yards and finding the end zone eight total times (two receiving), finishing as the second-best rookie RB in 2025.
Kaleb Johnson – RB
Pittsburgh Steelers
With Najee Harris no longer in the fold, it falls to rookie Kaleb Johnson to pair with Jayeln Warren. Johnson is a multi-dimensional runner who didn’t get a massive chance to showcase his passing-game abilities at Iowa.
Most of Johnson’s tape shows his running abilities between the tackles, which paints a picture of a physical running back not afraid to run you over. That physical style will translate extremely well for Mike Tomlin and Arthur Smith, so look for Johnson to play the 1B role alongside Warren in his rookie campaign.
Johnson plays second fiddle to Warren, failing to build off of his pre-draft hype, but still is an every-week FLEX option, just with a lower ceiling.
RJ Harvey – RB
Denver Broncos
The final RB under the microscope in this 2025 preview is RJ Harvey, who fell into a great spot with the Denver Broncos. Sean Payton seemed incredibly unhappy with his RB group last year, with Jaleel McLaughlin, Audric Estime, and Javonte Williams earning considerable burn.
But with Williams out of the picture, Harvey joins the party as Payton’s first hand-picked back. Harvey has the skills to exceed some of the names ahead of him on this list, just based on his role in an above-average offense. Needing to add a solid rushing threat to help Bo Nix, Harvey could very well be the steal of this RB rookie class.
Harvey takes hold of the RB1 role in Denver, earning 160+ carries, racking up 900 total yards, and filling the role of an RB2.
Wide Receivers
Travis Hunter – WR/CB
Jacksonville Jaguars
The two-way superstar landed in probably the best location possible, as Travis Hunter gets to line up opposite Brian Thomas Jr. and catch passes from Trevor Lawrence. While the conversation of how much time Hunter will see defensively, conversations so far show that he will focally be a receiver, great news for new head coach Liam Coen.
Last year, the top wideout drafted (Marvin Harrison Jr.) failed to meet the high levels the fantasy football community expected from him, so expectations may need to be tempered a bit for Hunter. But don’t let that steer you away from drafting him, as his ceiling is the highest of all rookie WRs in their first season.
Hunter forms a solid pairing with Thomas, racking up 65 catches for 850+ yards and six TDs, playing offense on more than 80 percent of his snaps.
Tetairoa McMillan – WR
Carolina Panthers
Bryce Young finally has his WR1, as Tetairoa McMillan fills a glaring hole on offense for the Carolina Panthers. Rebuilding the offense has had its fair share of bumps in the road, but head coach Dave Canales looks ready to help this unit take another step forward.
McMillan is a big name and likely will see an inflated ADP because of it, but you might want to steer away from the Arizona Wildcat product, as the Carolina offense likely will be a unit to not heavily invest in.
McMillan becomes Young’s favorite target, earning 65 receptions, over 900 receiving yards, and six TDs, on his way to a strong rookie season.
Emeka Egbuka – WR
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
It’s an unfortunate landing spot, fantasy football-wise, for Emeka Egbuka, as the former Buckeye wideout has no clear path to a sustained target share with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. With Mike Evans and Chris Godwin both still in the fold, Egbuka will be fighting Jalen McMillan for snaps and targets, even though Egbuka is the better talent.
The ages of both Evans (31) and Godwin (29) provide reasoning for why GM Jason Licht and his scouting department selected Egbuka, but his fantasy stock in his rookie season is hard to feel optimistic about.
Egbuka takes a backseat in his rookie campaign, struggling to make a dent on the depth chart – the former OSU prospect fails to his 35 receptions or 400 yards.
Matthew Golden – WR
Green Bay Packers
With the type of high-powered offense the Green Bay Packers run, you would think that at least one of their receivers would be a fantasy-relevant target, but that is yet to be seen on a regular basis. The hope is that Matthew Golden helps change that narrative, as the former Texas Longhorn has speed for days, hopefully positioning him to become Jordan Love’s top target.
Fighting Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed, and Dontayvion Wicks right out of the gate for snaps, Golden might have a boom/bust first season in the NFL. These players are tough to trust on your fantasy football rosters, but his ceiling alone and what offense he is a part of what gives him value that you can consider later in your drafts, as he is in a perfect position to hit on the boom part of things.
Golden becomes the missing link in the Green Bay offense, becoming the deep threat Love needs – he hauls in six touchdowns and over 50 receptions on the year, finishing the year in WR2 territory in fantasy football.
Tre Harris – WR
Los Angeles Chargers
It is safe to say that the passing attack for the Los Angeles Chargers should take on a larger importance this season – should. Last year’s breakout rookie Ladd McConkey and middling first-rounder Quentin Johnston are now joined by Ole Miss rookie Tre Harris to form a solid trio of targets for Justin Herbert.
The rushing attack, with Hampton and Tre Harris, will still likely be the focal means of moving the football for the Chargers offense, but the passing attack should take a step forward in 2025. Herbert was tough to trust last season because of the run-heavy attack, but Tre Harris will hopefully carve out a secondary role that makes him a relevant option in his first season.
Tre Harris earns the WR2 on the depth chart but struggles to make an impression due to a run-focused approach, racking up over 400 yards and four TDs.
Jayden Higgins – WR
Houston Texans
The depth chart behind Nico Collins is pretty questionable for the Houston Texans, which makes sense why they added both Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel from Iowa State. Higgins is the better prospect of the two, as he did receive higher draft capital.
Even after adding Christian Kirk, Higgins should have the inside track to take over as the WR2 in Houston’s offense. While many in the fantasy football community know Higgins, his workload and stat line might surprise a few when looking back after the season wraps up.
Higgins starts the year as the WR3 but becomes a trusted target for Stroud, going for 350 receiving yards and multiple scores.
Quarterbacks
Cam Ward – QB
Tennessee Titans
The starting quarterback job for the Tennessee Titans is being handed to Cam Ward right out of the gate, full stop. Any sort of Will Levis talk won’t last and should only be seen as coach speak as offseason work begins.
With that being said, the Titans offense is lacking in talent. While the two-headed backfield of Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears remains, as does WR1 Calvin Ridley, rolling Tyler Lockett, Van Jefferson, Treylon Burks and rookie Elic Ayomanor out at wideout doesn’t do enough to excite.
It will likely be a rough start to his NFL career, but Ward should be able to turn things around the more he gets comfortable. If you need an extra QB or a bye week fill-in, Ward can absolutely fill that role for your roster – just not as an every-week starter.
Ward struggles out of the gate but rounds into a serviceable QB to end the season, throwing for 20 TDs and 15 INTs.
Tyler Shough
New Orleans Saints
With Jaxson Dart likely using 2025 as a redshirt season with both Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston earning snaps, Tyler Shough becomes the next likeliest rookie QB to earn significant playing time this season. Derek Carr has decided to retire, leaving Shough and second-year incumbent Spencer Rattler as the two fighting for the starting job.
Shough’s age (25) means he absolutely has to hit the ground running if he wants a chance at the starting job. Even if he does earn the QB1 role for Kellen Moore, outside of Alvin Kamara and Chris Olave, the New Orleans offense doesn’t have a ton of talent on it. It is tough to trust many pieces in this offense, so stay away.
Shough earns the nod (over Rattler) in a bridge year for the Saints, but struggles, throwing double-digit INTs before giving way to Rattler to close out the season.
Tight Ends
Colston Loveland – TE
Chicago Bears
It is clear that the Chicago Bears were prioritizing offensive firepower in their 2025 NFL Draft class, and Colston Loveland helped kick that off for them in the first round. Seen as a 1A/1B conversation between Loveland and Tyler Warren, the former Michigan Wolverine won out, as his route-running abilities jump off the page.
Loveland will join Cole Kmet in the tight end room for the Bears, which muddies the stocks of both players. However, it is clear that Ben Johnson has a plan for Loveland, so it would be the safer bet to assume the top-10 pick will be featured heavily in the offense.
Loveland makes a name for himself in the offense, becoming Caleb Williams’ favorite red-zone target, catching five-plus TDs.
Tyler Warren – TE
Indianapolis Colts
For far too long, the tight end position has been a black hole for the Indianapolis Colts – hopefully Warren can be the reason that conversation is put to bed. The Penn State TE can be a Swiss Army Knife for the Colts, as he spent plenty of time receiving handoffs and under center in college, which would turn into solid fantasy football production.
The QB debacle between Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones makes any predictions about the Colts offense tough, but Warren’s talent should help him be hyper-targeted in passing situations. Plus, if the QB situation turns into the team playing from behind often, that would help give Warren a safer floor of passing-game work.
Warren shows he is QB-proof, as he leads all rookie tight ends in receptions, receiving yards, and total TDs, on his way to a top-six overall finish at the TE position.
Mason Taylor – TE
New York Jets
As the first of three tight ends drafted in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft, Mason Taylor finds himself in one of the better fantasy football situations, with the New York Jets. Garrett Wilson is the only solidified target for Justin Fields, giving Taylor a great shot at having an impactful start to his career.
Malachi Corley, Xavier Gipson, Josh Reynolds, and rookie Arian Smith are expected to factor into the passing game for the Jets, and none of these names are super exciting. Taylor’s dad, former Miami Dolphins legend Jason Taylor, has a great shot at holding an important role for the Jets, and he could very well become the third-best TE in this year’s class and have a long career.
Taylor has a slow acclimation process but becomes Fields’ safety valve to end the season, earning 50-plus targets and 35-plus catches.
