When it comes to drafting rookies in your Fantasy Football drafts, there is always some apprehension for most managers, and that will be no different in 2025 Fantasy Football drafts. It’s always easier to make the call on drafting a player you’ve seen play in the NFL, scoring your team’s Fantasy points, and settling into a defined role on his offense. However, rookies have proven to be the source of league-winning draft picks for years now. Just recently, in 2024, if you spent an early-to-mid round pick on Malik Nabers or a mid-to-late round pick on Brian Thomas Jr. — well, you were likely in contention and/or won your league. If you drafted Brock Bowers with a late-round draft pick, you had an even better percentage chance of winning your league.
We’ve spent time breaking down the rookie sleepers to draft, but today let’s focus on those players who could be the next Nabers or Thomas. Below, we’ll look at Fantasy Football Today’s Jacob Gibbs’ rookie profiles for the 2025 season. We start with none other than the easiest breakout call of the rookie class:
*All outlooks are written by Jacob Gibbs.
Since 2010, there have been four RBs selected with a top-six pick in the NFL Draft. That group — which includes Trent Richardson and Leonard Fournette — averaged 20.1 PPR points per game with a low of 17 per game (Richardson). Bijan Robinson ranked as the RB3 in 2024 with 20.1 PPR points per game, for reference. Kyren Williams was the RB10 with 17 PPR points per game. Jeanty will serve as the offensive engine for Pete Carroll, Chip Kelly, and the new-look Raiders. Kelly reinvented the run game for the 2024 Ohio State Buckeyes, implementing more man/gap run designs that resulted in career-best efficiency for TreVeyon Henderson. And, of course, Carroll has also watched over some legendary RB seasons. Jeanty is set up for a monstrous rookie output. He probably will not slip much further than the end of Round 1 in Fantasy drafts and may well lead the RB position in scoring right away.
Hampton turned in one of the most impressive yardage-after-contact creation profiles in recent RB prospecting memory during his time running behind a North Carolina offensive line that often struggled to create yardage before contact. It’s no surprise that the Chargers wanted more electricity after L.A.’s backfield ranked in the bottom-third of the NFL in yards after contact per rush and explosive run rate in 2024. Hampton adds a new dimension with speed to threaten defenses. Hampton’s offensive environment could be fantastic. J.K. Dobbins was RB14 in points per game before his 2024 injury. With explosive play ability and the potential to play on all three downs, Hampton provides an easy-to-envision outlook for massive Fantasy production. It’s hard to imagine Najee Harris cutting into Hampton’s opportunities in a significant way. Of the 14 running backs selected in Round 1 over the past 10 years, only Christian McCaffrey and Rashaad Penny did not register 200+ touches as rookies. Melvin Gordon, Sony Michel, and Penny were the only ones to not top 1,000+ scrimmage yards. Hampton is worth targeting as early as Round 4 in your Fantasy drafts and has upside to beat that projection.
Hunter logged 14 career games with a route rate above 80% at Colorado and averaged 11 targets and 19.4 PPR points. That was the highest mark of any incoming rookie if only including games with a route rate above 80%. When allowed to be a full-time WR, Hunter turned in massive production. And even then, his primary focus was on the defensive side of the ball. That may change as a pro. If Hunter’s primary focus shifts to wide receiver play, just how high can he fly? We might be about to find out. If the Liam Coen-designed infrastructure can support the No. 2 overall pick, he may just deliver historic rookie season production. Coen’s offense was so Fantasy-friendly in Tampa Bay. The skill sets of Chris Godwin, Mike Evans, Jalen McMillan, Bucky Irving, and Cade Otton were all accentuated — each enjoyed spurts of brilliant Fantasy production. Coen did not miss a beat in finding creative solutions to missed time for his star players. The offensive line and QB play probably won’t play to the level of the 2024 Bucs, but the skill-position groups are electric. Brian Thomas Jr. demands defensive attention. Hunter is far too talented to leave cornerbacks on an island against in coverage, but what other choice will opposing defensive play-callers have? Hunter is worth drafting as early as Round 6.
Only 7% of Loveland’s targets in 2024 came on screens — compare that to 24% for Tyler Warren and 21% for Harold Fannin Jr. in their massively productive final CFB seasons. This is noteworthy because Loveland drew a target on 40% of his routes in his third season, even without the benefit of designed screen looks. That’s an unheard-of rate for any position, but especially tight end. Fannin’s best single-season rate was 39.3%. Before that, Trey McBride held the single-season record with a 32.4% rate. Loveland’s 40% rate is brain-breakingly high. Michigan’s offense averaged 56 passing yards in games that Loveland missed. It takes a special player to buoy up an entire offense. Ben Johnson emphatically making Loveland the first selection of his head coaching tenure with the 10th overall pick signals special talent, indeed. Johnson has already engineered one TE1 rookie season. In terms of untapped Fantasy upside after the “big three” at TE, Loveland is clearly the player most likely to ascend. Where to take the plunge in drafts is totally a question of risk tolerance. There’s a good chance that Loveland is minimally productive in the early portions of his rookie season. However, his upside makes him worth targeting in the early double-digit rounds of your drafts.
The 2024 Broncos backfield ranked 11th in yards before contact per rush but just 28th in yards after contact per rush. This backfield lacked playmaking juice. The backfield totaled 117 targets — only the Saints, Dolphins, and Buccaneers targeted the RB position more. Those targets resulted in the 10th-most backfield receiving Fantasy points. The infrastructure was there for monster Fantasy production, but this was simply an inefficient backfield. Ahead of even Ashton Jeanty, Harvey led college football in rushes of 15+ yards across the 2023-24 seasons. Harvey posted an avoided tackle rate of 30% or better with a yards after contact per rush rate of 3.5 or better in all three seasons as a starter. Those are elite thresholds. If only including his career runs vs. Power Four competition, Harvey maintained a 30.8% avoided tackle rate and 3.61 yards after contact per rush. He’s a dynamo with the ball in his hands, and he got the Sean Payton stamp of approval in Round 2 of the NFL Draft. Feel free to follow Payton’s lead and select Harvey as early as you want to. He checks all of the boxes. Harvey has the upside to be worth targeting as early as the beginning of Round 5 of your Fantasy drafts.
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Author: Dan Schneier
June 27, 2025 | 11:00 am
