Dynasty Rookie Draft Rankings, Tiers & Advice (2025 Fantasy Football)

It’s that time again. Dynasty rookie draft fever SZN is here. The 2025 NFL Draft will be here before we know it, and rookie drafts will start flying daily. Before you dive head-first into our fantasy football mock draft simulator and run 3,000 rookie drafts in preparation, please read up on this talented prospect class as I roll through my quarterback, running back, wide receiver and tight end dynasty rookie draft positional primers. Below you can find snippets of my primers along with my dynasty rookie draft rankings and tiers.

Dynasty Rookie Draft Primer

Let’s dive into my dynasty rookie draft content to help you prepare for your drafts!

Dynasty Rookie Draft Quarterbacks

Tyler Shough (QB – Louisville)

Tyler Shough

dude has some nice 2nd level/layered throws on tape.

His accuracy can be spotty with them when on the move BUT there are some damn impressive throws littering his tape.

— Derek Brown (@DBro_FFB) January 25, 2025

Stats:

2024 (minimum 150 dropbacks)
- PFF passing grade: 6th
- Adjusted completion rate: 30th
- Yards per attempt: 24th
- Big-time throw rate: 35th

Deep passing (minimum 20 deep passing attempts)
- Adjusted completion rate: 72nd
- Deep throw rate: 69th

Pressured passing (minimum 50 pressured dropbacks)
- Pressured adjusted completion rate: 63rd
- Clean pocket adjusted completion rate: 17th
- Clean pocket passer rating: 15th

Scouting Report:

Tyler Shough had his 2021 (broken collarbone) and 2023 (shoulder injury) seasons cut short because of injuries.
Shough is a tall pocket passer. He has enough mobility to create out of structure, but I wouldn’t consider him a “mobile” quarterback. He isn’t a statue, either.
Shough has the arm strength to make every NFL throw. He can throw from multiple arm angles and his film includes some mouthwatering off-platform throws. I do need to add some context after saying that. His accuracy can wane when on the move or when pressured. If he can improve his consistency with off-platform throws, especially when booting, it will go a long way for his overall play.
Shough has a nice deep ball, but he will short-arm some, which will leave his wide receivers waiting. There are plenty of nice deep balls on tape that he drops in the bucket with his receiver in stride. He does need to add some arch to some throws that he’ll toss on a line.
When under pressure, Shough’s footwork can lapse. He will chuck some throws from his back foot and with his base off kilter. At times, his internal clock can also feel a second behind. Overall, he does a decent job navigating pressure by hanging tight in the pocket, stepping up in the pocket as it collapses or rolling out to allude pass rushers.
Shough can lace some nice second-level layered throws from multiple arm angles. This includes throws into tight windows. He has a gunslinger mentality at times. I’d rather a quarterback be willing to embrace risk versus be risk averse, but he sometimes writes checks his arm has a tough time cashing. Some throws in his film would have been picked off in the NFL or college if the cornerback he faced was slightly better.

Player Comp: More mobile Davis Mills

Check out my complete Dynasty Rookie Draft Quarterback Primer

Dynasty Rookie Draft Quarterback Rankings

Dynasty Rookie Draft Running Backs

RJ Harvey (RB – Central Florida)

Stats:

2024 (minimum 100 carries & 20 targets)
- Yards after contact per attempt: 31st
- Breakaway rate: 14th
- PFF elusive rating: 19th
- PFF receiving grade: 75th
- Yards per route run: 36th
2023 (minimum 100 carries & 20 targets)
- Yards after contact per attempt: 53rd
- Breakaway rate: 15th
- PFF elusive rating: 18th
- PFF receiving grade: 35th
- Yards per route run: 42nd
2022 (minimum 100 carries & 20 targets)
- Yards after contact per attempt: 36th
- Breakaway rate: 44th
- PFF elusive rating: 27th
- PFF receiving grade: 30th
- Yards per route run: 11th

Scouting Report:

RJ Harvey is a tough runner. His leg drive allows him to pinball off defenders and pick up tough yards. He sheds arm tackles well, especially in the second level and is a better short-yardage runner than you’d expect from a player his size.
Harvey’s lateral agility and burst improved toward the end of the 2024 season. After watching some of his early-season games, I questioned his long speed, initial burst and lateral agility. All of those improved as the 2024 season moved along. While he might not be a home run hitter in the NFL (he gets caught from behind plenty), he should have the ability to break off chunk runs.
He has a good feel for when to press and flow with outside-zone runs. He can get tentative at the line with some inside zone and interior runs. His vision isn’t horrible by any stretch of the imagination, but when the picture is muddier, his feet can get choppy. Needs to be more willing to bounce runs at times.
Harvey’s grit shows in pass protection. He’s a willing and able blocker who can stick his nose in there and get physical. His strong lower half serves him well here.
As a receiving option, he is nothing more than a dump-off option at this juncture. Harvey was tasked with only leaking out the backfield for check-downs in college. He does have moments as a receiver where he has concentration drops when he gets ahead of himself and worries too much about what he is about to do with the ball in his hands before securing the pass.

Player Comp: Aaron Jones

Check out my complete Dynasty Rookie Draft Running Backs Primer

Dynasty Rookie Draft Running Backs Rankings

Dynasty Rookie Draft Wide Receivers

Jayden Higgins (WR – Iowa State)

Stats:

2024 (FBS WRs, minimum 50 targets)
- Yards per route run: 27th
- PFF receiving grade: 1st
2023 (FBS WRs, minimum 50 targets)
- Yards per route run: 16th
- PFF receiving grade: 18th

Scouting Report:

Jayden Higgins is a physical X wide receiver. His play strength shows up in his routes and against press coverage. He has no issues playing through contact and dealing with physical corners. It shows up consistently at the catch point, as he had a 2.2% drop rate or lower in each of the last three seasons and a 55.6% contested catch rate in his collegiate career.
Higgins excels in the short/intermediate areas of the field with surprisingly nimble footwork for his size. He gets open at will on slants and out routes where his footwork shines. Uses his size to box out corners. I wouldn’t be surprised if he were to transition to a big slot role in the NFL. If Sean Payton drafts him, don’t be surprised if he turns him into Michael Thomas 2.0.
Higgins has a decent second gear, but I question his long speed. I wonder in the NFL if he has the raw speed to stack corners on the perimeter downfield consistently. Higgins has plenty of route nuance in the short and intermediate routes, but he has to continue to add tricks to the bag as a downfield receiver. He struggles to get separation on go routes, but he wasn’t asked to run them much at Iowa State. Higgins also needs to sell the vertical push on comebacks and curls consistently. He’ll get lax here at times, and it leaves corners glued to him after his route break.
He has nice body control in the air and some nice back-shoulder grabs, especially in the red zone. His strong hands and ability above the rim should help him on the perimeter and in the red zone in the NFL.
Higgins isn’t a dynamic YAC threat. He looks more like an athletic tight end after the catch. He can provide some YAC, though, with his physicality and tackle-breaking skills.

Player Comp: developmental Michael Thomas

Check out my complete Dynasty Rookie Draft Wide Receivers Primer

Dynasty Rookie Draft Wide Receivers Rankings

Dynasty Rookie Draft Tight Ends

Harold Fannin Jr. (TE – Bowling Green)

Stats:

2024 (FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets)
- Yards per route run: 1st
- PFF receiving grade: 1st
- MTF: 1st
2023 (FBS TEs, minimum 20 targets)
- Yards per route run: 3rd
- PFF receiving grade: 1st
- MTF: 5th
Career:
- 52.6% slot or out wide in his collegiate career

Scouting Report:

Harold Fannin’s calling card in the NFL will be his receiving ability. He is a functional blocker and can hold his own, but no one should be asking him to be the main ingredient of his NFL usage.
Fannin has build-up speed he maximizes with strong footwork. His light feet cover up some slightly stiff hips and average bursts. I honestly was expecting him to be more explosive off the line and in short areas with his size, but his efficient feet allow him to make the most of his raw speed.
He was a versatile piece of the Bowling Green offense who was utilized all over the formation. Last year, he had 32 snaps from the backfield while running 31.7% of his routes from the slot and 26.2% from the perimeter.
Fannin ran primarily up the seam, slants, drags, ins and outs. His crisp footwork at the top of his stem and his strong understanding of leverage allow him to gain separation well and at a higher clip than his raw foot speed might suggest at first glance.
He can create after the catch with jab steps and manufacturing poor angles for would-be tacklers. His legs are also underrated with the power he runs with as he can run through weak tackles and poor wraps.

Player Comp: Isaiah Likely

Check out my complete Dynasty Rookie Draft Tight Ends Primer

Dynasty Rookie Draft Tight Ends Rankings