The Senior Bowl doesn’t have too many top prospects each year, but there are always a few worth keeping an eye on. With the annual game set for this weekend, here are the key names fantasy football managers should remember.
Fantasy Football Names To Watch in 2025 Senior Bowl
Jalen Milroe, QB, Alabama
The 2025 QB class is considered one of the weakest in recent memory. There is no quarterback in this class better than any of the six taken in last year’s first round.
The consensus top two, Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward, are not playing in this game. Alabama’s Jalen Milroe should see some action.
Milroe is a great athlete who is dangerous with the ball in his hands. However, his abilities as a passer are very questionable. A good showing in the Senior Bowl could improve Milroe’s draft stock, but he remains more of a project than we’d like him to be.
Regardless, if Milroe ends up starting at some point, his rushing prowess will make him fantasy-relevant.
Devin Neal, RB, Kansas
Perhaps one of the more underrated running backs in a very deep class, Devin Neal has the physical stature of a three-down back while possessing the skill set of a satellite back. This lethal combination could turn him into one of the unheralded stars of this class.
Neal had nearly identical seasons in his final two years at college, rushing for 1,280 and 1,266 yards with 16 rushing touchdowns in each.
A creative runner with good vision but questionable pass-blocking skills, it will be interesting to see how he fares in a game with the college’s best seniors.
Cam Skattebo, RB, Arizona State
Few players have done more for their NFL Draft stock this year than Cam Skattebo. He had three games with 170 rushing yards or more. Famously, he rushed, received, and threw for a touchdown against the Texas Longhorns despite losing in the College Football Playoff.
Skattebo is an excellent downhill runner who can patiently set up his blocks with good lateral agility. He is also equally skilled as a receiver. These strengths make him all the more dangerous when paired with his infectious energy, which will make him a valuable asset on the field and in the locker room.
Another good showing in the Senior Bowl could secure Day 2 draft capital for Skattebo, which would do wonders for his fantasy upside.
Elic Ayomanor, WR, Stanford
It’s pretty impressive that Elic Ayomanor is good enough to declare for the NFL Draft despite redshirting his entire freshman season. In the 12 games he played this past season, Ayomanor finished with 63 receptions for 831 yards and six touchdowns. Having spent two years in the Cardinal’s starting lineup, he led the team in receptions and receiving yards both years, leading in receiving touchdowns in 2023 and tying for the lead in 2024.
Ayomanor has the look of a classic X receiver. He still has work to do as a route runner, but a strong effort at the Senior Bowl could lock him in as a Day 2 selection.
Tez Johnson, WR, Oregon
Currently projected to be an early third-round pick, Tez Johnson could work his way into Round 2 with a nice outing at the Senior Bowl. The Oregon product put together a career year in 2023, totaling 86 receptions for 1,182 yards and ten touchdowns. He also stepped in as Oregon’s primary punt returner, averaging 9.5 yards per return on 20 returns.
Johnson profiles as a slot receiver at the NFL level. He has good hands, a good feel for getting open, and excellent after-the-catch skills. However, he doesn’t offer much on the outside, limiting his versatility. Johnson is also undersized, weighing just 165 pounds.
Already set to be 23 years old as a rookie, Johnson should be looking better than the competition at the Senior Bowl. Let’s see if he can put on a show.
Xavier Restrepo, WR, Miami
The Miami WR is likely the type of player who will go as far as his quarterback takes him. Xavier Restrepo benefited heavily from Cam Ward improving the quality of the Hurricanes’ offense.
Restrepo is built to play in the NFL at 202 pounds but is likely too short to be a primary outside receiver at just under 5’10”. He has great hands and is not afraid to do the dirty work that comes with being a receiver, but that doesn’t pay the bills in fantasy football. Nevertheless, he’s one to watch in the Senior Bowl.
Jayden Higgins, WR, Iowa State
Currently projected for Day 3 draft capital, Jayden Higgins would be well-served to do enough at the Senior Bowl to convince a team to take a shot on him in Round 3. There’s a significant difference in upside for Day 2 vs. Day 3 picks.
Higgins only spent two years at a Division I FBS program, initially playing at Eastern Kentucky. His two seasons at Iowa State were certainly good ones. PFN’s Dalton Miller was impressed by Higgins, stating, “Higgins not only has the size and length to pluck passes out of the air, but the fluidity to uncover as a route runner from multiple alignments.”
Let’s see how he performs with college football’s best seniors.
Jalen Royals, WR, Utah State
It’s hard to gauge how good Jaylen Royals actually is, largely due to Utah State’s lack of competency in the offense. Royals is great at generating separation, but it remains to be seen how much he can work downfield, as Utah State rarely used him in that capacity. Hopefully, we can see something from Royals in the Senior Bowl.
Harold Fannin Jr., TE, Bowling Green
Colston Loveland and Tyler Warren are pretty much locked in as the top two tight ends in this class. The TE3 spot is up for grabs, though, and Harold Fannin Jr. has a strong claim.
Fannin owns the record for most single-season receptions by a TE in FBS history with 117 and most single-season receiving yards by a TE in FBS history with 1,555. That doesn’t happen without talent.
Fannin is a stocky 6’4″ and 240 pounds but moves with eye-popping contact balance and has the route-running skills to impact every level of the field. His run blocking is nothing to write home about, but any deficiencies he has there are made up for down the field.
A good outing at the Senior Bowl and strong athletic testing at the combine could secure TE3 status for the Bowling Green product.
Gunnar Helm, TE, Texas
If Fannin isn’t this year’s TE2, it will likely be Gunnar Helm. Ironically, Helm’s mediocrity as a blocker works to his benefit at the NFL level. Fantasy managers want their tight ends to be running routes.
Helm does only have one year of quality production as a receiver, but it was a good one, catching 60 passes for 780 yards and seven touchdowns. Helm can route up defenders from any alignment and has the innate ability to make defenders miss for yards after the catch. Given the recent surge in production from rookie tight ends, Helm could surprise in 2025.
