With the NFL Draft right around the corner, our dynasty rookie drafts will be underway before we know it. To help you navigate through your rookie draft and maximize value, I’ve put together a quick guide covering which areas of the draft I’m looking to move into. My values in this article will be based on a Superflex, PPR, tight end-premium format.
- 2025 NFL Draft Guide
- 2025 NFL Draft Scouting Reports
- 2025 NFL Mock Drafts
- Dynasty Mock Draft Simulator
Dynasty Rookie Draft Pick Trade Advice
What To Do With the 1.01
Regardless of league format, there is one player in a tier of his own at the 1.01: Ashton Jeanty. Many consider Jeanty a similar level prospect to Bijan Robinson entering the NFL. If you traded for the 1.01 and your team is in a good spot, grab Jeanty and don’t think twice.
However, if the 1.01 is your own rookie pick (meaning you finished last in 2024), you probably aren’t in a position to contend in 2025, even if you have a plethora of additional rookie picks.
In this particular situation, I would at least entertain the idea of selling the 1.01 for a package of picks or ascending assets, as investing heavily into running backs in a rebuild is generally not wise.
If your team has low roster value, one player isn’t going to carry the entire starting lineup. Spreading that roster value across multiple assets with upside can give you the best odds of emerging from the rebuild quickly.
Early First Round
In my Superflex rookie rankings, I have Jeanty in a tier of his own, followed by Cam Ward, Tetairoa McMillan and Omarion Hampton in Tier 2. Depending on draft capital and landing spot, I could see adding another running back into this tier post-NFL draft.
Regardless of how my second tier ends up, these early first-round prospects are significantly weaker than we’ve seen in the past couple of years.
For instance, McMillan would have been the WR3 or WR4 in the 2024 class pre-draft. Ward would’ve likely been the QB5. This is not your typical early first-round talent, so if someone is willing to pay early first-round prices for your picks, I’d strongly consider moving back in the draft. There are a ton of pretty good prospects in this class, but only one elite prospect.
Mid/Late First Round
The mid-to-late first round of rookie drafts this year should be exciting. If you’re playing in a tight end-premium format, Tyler Warren and Colston Loveland should be atop your list. We have a pair of dynamic slot receivers in Emeka Egbuka and Luther Burden valued in this range, as well as the Ohio State backfield duo of TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins.
Shedeur Sanders should be a nice target here assuming early round one NFL draft capital. Jaxson Dart has an outside shot to climb into this tier for me. Lastly, we can’t forget about Travis Hunter. Even with the risk of not being a full-time receiver, Hunter’s elite athleticism and upside make him worth the gamble in the late first of Superflex dynasty rookie drafts.
I prefer the mid-to-late first-round picks over the early firsts, relative to cost. Shop those early picks and try to move back and acquire additional capital. If you’re selling the 1.01, I’m confident at least one of your league mates will be willing to pay a king’s ransom, but I would primarily focus on moving picks 1.02-1.04.
Second- and Third-Round Picks
The second and third rounds of rookie drafts this year are a goldmine. This running back class is the most talented we’ve seen since maybe 2017. These 2025 rookie running backs are coming at the perfect time when a large percentage of the NFL’s top rushers are nearing the end of their careers. There are upwards of 30 running backs with a legitimate shot at being drafted and 15-20 who could eventually hit our starting lineups in dynasty.
I like the wide receiver value in this range as well. While this class lacks some top-end wide receiver talent, the mid-tier prospects may be sneaky good values. Matthew Golden, Jayden Higgins, Tre Harris, Elic Ayomanor, Jaylin Noel, Jalen Royals and Xavier Restrepo could all be excellent values in the middle rounds.
Load up on as many 2025 second- and third-round rookie picks as possible. If you’re trading veteran players this offseason, see if you can get your league mate to throw in an extra third before hitting accept. That’s one more dart throw on a running back who could pay massive dividends.
Positions to Target
As I alluded to earlier, this is the year to load up on running backs if you have a hole to fill. Even if you don’t, I’d suggest taking a couple of late-round backs if you have the picks. The 2026 running back class looks thin. The 2025 class could be the face of the position for years to come.
Overall, the 2026 draft class looks uninspiring thus far, but the one position that could be promising is the quarterback position. This works out well because the 2025 quarterback class is not strong. If you need quarterback help this year, consider acquiring a cheap veteran and wait for the 2026 class to arrive before investing in a rookie quarterback. The strengths of the 2025 class lie in the running back and tight end positions, which I’ll be targeting in my rookie drafts.
If you have any questions about rookie draft strategy or specific rookie player takes, I can be reached on X @jim_DFF. Let’s dominate the offseason and win some dynasty championships.
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