With the 2024 fantasy football season officially behind us, the dynasty community has begun to shift its focus to the incoming NFL Draft class as they prepare for upcoming rookie drafts. Dominating your dynasty rookie drafts is the most cost-effective way to increase roster value and create a contender with some real longevity.
- 2025 NFL Draft Guide
- Dynasty Trade Value Chart
- Dynasty Fantasy Football Advice
- Dynasty Fantasy Football Rankings
In this article, I’ll cover the top prospects who have a shot at being drafted in round one of the 2025 NFL Draft and should be valued highest in dynasty fantasy football leagues. Many prospects still have yet to decide whether they will declare for the draft or return to college football next season, so this list may look a bit different in the coming months.
For now, this should give you a good idea of who to target early in your rookie drafts, as well as where the strengths and weaknesses of this class lie.
Dynasty Rookie Overview: 2025 NFL Draft Class
Quarterback
Cam Ward is my QB1 of the class, though I’m not sure he’d even be in my top four quarterbacks from the 2024 class. The fifth-year signal-caller had an interesting collegiate career, starting in the FCS at Incarnate Word. He eventually transferred to Washington State and then finally to Miami, where he posted the best numbers of his career, finishing fourth in the Heisman Trophy race.
Ward isn’t someone who will get you a ton of fantasy points on the ground, but he is mobile enough to extend plays and can go off-script to make something out of nothing. Ward has the size and football IQ to succeed at the next level. He should, in all likelihood, be a Day 1 starter.
Shedeur Sanders (QB – Colorado)
Shedeur Sanders is the only other quarterback I’m very confident will hear his name called in the first round. I expect Ward and Sanders to be top-five picks, but I prefer Ward purely based on film.
Like Ward, Sanders isn’t a dual-threat quarterback but he has sufficient athleticism to elude pressure and extend plays. The problem is that I don’t see much pocket presence when I watch Sanders play. He was sacked 41 times in 2024, tied for first in the FBS. He’s improved in this department since 2023 but has a ways to go. Regardless, there’s no denying his raw talent.
Recent reports have come out saying Jalen Milroe has declared for the 2025 NFL Draft, which may come as a surprise to some, considering how disappointing Alabama performed this season. In terms of processing, I have some major concerns about Milroe as a passer.
I think the NFL game may end up being a bit too fast for him. Still, he’s being mocked as a first-round talent by many sites. If he lands in a situation where he can compete for the starting job in Year 1, Milroe should be considered early in Superflex rookie drafts. As we know in fantasy football, rushing upside for a quarterback can mask a lot of faults. It may not matter if he’s good — at least not for dynasty leagues.
Running Back
Ashton Jeanty (RB – Boise State)
It seems Ashton Jeanty is already the consensus 1.01 in many dynasty circles — even in Superflex formats. I’m not quite there yet, but there’s no denying Jeanty has the size, speed and production profile to be a top-five dynasty running back before he steps onto an NFL field.
Jeanty displays excellent contact balance on film and analytically has no holes. Jeanty led the FBS in yards, touchdowns, missed tackles forced and yards after contact per attempt (YCO/A) in 2024. The only knock was his limited role as a pass-catcher this season. He was elite in this department in 2023, so I have no concerns.
Kaleb Johnson is my current RB2, posting some eye-popping numbers for Iowa this season. Johnson rushed for 1,535 yards and 21 touchdowns in 2024, adding 22 receptions for 190 yards and a pair of scores.
The 6-foot-0, 225-pound bruiser has the versatility to be a three-down back at the NFL level. He doesn’t have elite speed or lateral agility, but it is more than sufficient, given his size.
Omarion Hampton (RB – North Carolina)
The common theme in this running back class is exceptional size. Hampton is built similarly to Kaleb Johnson, listed at 6-foot-0 and 220 pounds. Hampton posted back-to-back seasons of elite production for North Carolina, rushing for over 3,100 yards and 30 touchdowns since 2023.
What excites me the most about Hampton was his expanded role in the receiving game in 2024. He’s proven he’s an every-down workhorse and should immediately be a borderline RB1 in dynasty leagues.
Wide Receiver
Tetairoa McMillan (WR – Arizona)
Tetairoa McMillan is a true X receiver out of Arizona and my WR1 of the 2025 class. The Wildcats’ underwhelming passing attack capped McMillan’s ceiling to an extent, but he still managed to post some big-time numbers these past two seasons. The true junior is often compared to Drake London.
I think this is a reasonable median outcome for McMillan at the NFL level, but he has the ceiling to become a top-five dynasty receiver. McMillan’s combination of size, speed, ball skills and yards after the catch (YAC) ability should put him in the conversation for the 1.01 in dynasty Superflex rookie drafts.
Travis Hunter (WR/DB – Colorado)
It may not be worthwhile to dive deep into Travis Hunter’s prospect profile until we have confirmation he’ll be playing wide receiver at the NFL level. The Heisman Trophy winner stated publicly he plans to play on both sides of the ball, but we know Hunter isn’t making the final call here. Even if he does, we don’t know what kind of snap share he’ll see on offense.
Assuming Hunter sees a full-time role on offense, he should be an early first-round rookie pick. He’s improved drastically as a route runner and can consistently manipulate defenders at the break. Hunter’s ball skills and athleticism are undeniable; he could be a league winner in dynasty if things fall into place.
Emeka Egbuka (WR – Ohio State)
Emeka Egbuka has been overshadowed throughout his career at Ohio State, playing alongside receivers like Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Marvin Harrison Jr. and Jeremiah Smith. Don’t let his modest production fool you, though, Egbuka can play and should become a solid No. 2 WR for whatever NFL team takes a shot on him.
Egbuka is a high-IQ prospect with reliable hands and some impressive short-area quickness. I believe he’ll test better than most expect and has a chance to sneak into the late first round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Luther Burden III (WR – Missouri)
Few receivers had a more disappointing 2024 season than true junior Luther Burden out of Missouri. Burden followed up a 1,200-yard, nine-touchdown season in 2023 with just 676 yards and six touchdowns this year. Like McMillan, Burden dealt with some poor quarterback play at Mizzou.
Still, despite the drop in production, the tape looks fine. Burden is a powerful slot receiver with strong hands and is versatile enough to be used out wide and behind the line of scrimmage. I think he’ll likely fall out of the first round, but he has a shot to sneak into Day 1.
Tight End
I’ve had Michigan tight end Colston Loveland as my rookie TE1 for a while, but I think it’s time to make a change. Penn State tight end and John Mackey Award winner Tyler Warren has shown enough this season to warrant being a first-round lock and the top tight end in dynasty rookie drafts.
Warren is more of your prototypical tight end who can play in-line and hang with the big boys but also has the natural pass-catching ability and athleticism to pour on the fantasy points. Warren will be a top-10 dynasty tight end from Day 1.
Colston Loveland (TE – Michigan)
Colston Loveland’s raw numbers in 2024 may not blow you away, but from a per-route perspective, he was elite. According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), Colston saw an absurd 37.6% target rate this season. For reference, anything above 30% is an incredible mark for a wide receiver, let alone a tight end.
Colston finished with 2.67 yards per route run and a drop rate under 4%. On top of this, Loveland is a willing and capable blocker, which NFL scouts will love. I think Loveland is nearly a lock to go in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft and should be considered a top-10 rookie prospect in Superflex Tight End-Premium formats.
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