Those arguing Ashton Jeanty should have won the Heisman certainly have a strong case to make. What Jeanty did this season was otherworldly. The Boise State superstar ran the ball 344 times for 2,497 yards and 29 touchdowns. He led the nation in rushing attempts and rushing yards for the second straight year. Despite no running backs going in the first round of last year's NFL Draft, there's a decent chance Jeanty could garner first-round draft capital. If he does, odds are he's landing on a team that is ready to give him a heavy workload right out of the gate. Jeanty is the most likely player from this class to make an instant impact in fantasy.
At 6’5”, McMillan looks like a classic X receiver. But he’s not just a go-up-and-get-it guy -- he is a polished route runner who should be able to win right away at the NFL level. It would be a major surprise if McMillan didn’t start in Week 1 as a rookie. As a true freshman, McMillan led the Pac 12 in yards per reception at 18.0. Sure enough, McMillan took a huge leap forward as a sophomore, catching 90 balls for 1,402 yards and 10 touchdowns. As a junior, he led the Big 12 in receiving yards with 1,319, which included five games with 100+ yards receiving.
There are some who may ding Luther Burden for the significant drop in production from his sophomore to junior years. In 2023, he had six 100-yard receiving games. He’s only done that once this past season. However, it’s not entirely his fault. In fact, it may not be his fault at all. Missouri experienced injuries at the QB position, which played a huge role in Burden’s dip. As a reminder, he caught 86 passes for 1,212 yards and nine touchdowns in 2023. The landing spot will be paramount for Burden. As a primary slot receiver, he will need the right offense and the right quarterback to maximize his potential.
While obviously far less prolific than Jeanty, Johnson was hamstring by a much less explosive Iowa offense. Even so, he still managed to run for 1,537 yards and 21 touchdowns, both leading the Big Ten. Mind you, this is a Big Ten conference that also featured two Ohio State running backs that could go on Day 2. Johnson profiles as a classic two-down grinder. However, he progressed considerably as a receiver in his junior year, hauling in 22 passes for 188 yards and two touchdowns. If Johnson can continue advancing as a receiver, he has a chance to be a real difference-maker in fantasy.
If you look at Omarion Hampton’s sophomore and junior seasons, you might think you’re seeing double. He averaged exactly 5.9 yards per carry and scored 15 rushing touchdowns in both. Hampton has led the ACC in rushing yards for two straight seasons with totals of 1,504 and 1,660. He’s also a solid receiver, amassing 595 yards on 67 receptions over his final two years at North Carolina. With 20+ carries in seven games, Hampton has the durability to handle large workloads. On the right NFL team, he could be a true three-down back. On the right team, Hampton could be a Week 1 starter.
If Travis Hunter came out tomorrow and said he was only playing wide receiver in the NFL, he would be the WR1 of this class. Talent-wise, it’s all there. Hunter caught 92 passes for 1,152 yards and 14 touchdowns this season. He led the Big 12 in receptions and receiving scores. The main concern for his fantasy value is that two-way players simply do not exist anymore. We will learn a whole lot more about the NFL’s plan for the Heisman Trophy winner during the pre-draft process. Obviously, for fantasy purposes, we don’t want him playing much cornerback at all. But if NFL teams view him as a better corner than wide receiver, he could end up being a completely wasted pick if he’s only playing part-time on offense.
We know the stigma against four-year players is real. However, it can also be taken a bit too far. The reason early declares are viewed more favorably is because it shows an ability to perform at a high level sooner. Ebguka was capable of going to the NFL as a junior, he simply chose not to. Chris Olave did the same thing. Egbuka caught 60 passes for 743 yards and nine touchdowns. He’s scored 23 times in his last 35 games. Ohio State has a pretty good track record when it comes to producing highly capable NFL-caliber wide receivers. Given that Egbuka was pro-ready a year ago, he should be able to hit the ground running on whatever NFL team drafts him.
The trajectory of Quinshon Judkins’ collegiate career hasn’t been ideal. He burst onto the scene as a freshman, leading the SEC in attempts (274), yards (1,567), and touchdowns (16). Judkins saw similar usage as a sophomore, but his yards per carry dipped from 5.7 to 4.3. As a junior, Judkins transferred to Ohio State, where he had to play alongside fellow NFL prospect TreVeyon Henderson. Judkins got back to 5.5 ypc but only saw 147 carries.
A four-year player, it’s great that TreVeyon Henderson was so productive as a freshman, rushing for 1,248 yards and 15 touchdowns. It’s less than ideal that it was his most productive college season. With that said, Henderson easily could have joined the NFL last year. Some would argue he probably should have, considering he split the Buckeyes’ backfield with Quinshon Judkins this season, which limited his production. Nevertheless, Henderson remained efficient, averaging a Big Ten-best 7.0 yards per carry. He also showed proficiency as a receiver, hauling in 19 balls for 135 yards in a split backfield. Henderson has the makings of an impactful satellite back in Year 1.
The Michigan product was part of the 2023 National Championship team. He finished his career at Michigan with 117 receptions for 1,466 yards and 11 touchdowns in 39 games. As a junior, he had an impressive six games with at least six receptions. Could Loveland be Sam LaPorta as a rookie? Probably not. But his long-term upside is that of a productive fantasy tight end.
Isaiah Bond is an early declare who transferred out of Alabama to Texas after his sophomore season. He only caught 33 balls for 532 yards and five touchdowns as a junior. Still, Bond is currently projected to go in the first round, which sets him up to play a key role right away. With some polish, there is upside here for Bond to potentially emerge as a fantasy WR2 down the line.
Sanders did lead the Big 12 with a 74.2% completion percentage, 3,926 passing yards, and 35 passing touchdowns this past season. He only threw eight interceptions, which gives him just 11 in his two years at Colorado. Sanders is an impressive athlete who can tactically scramble when needed. He can extend plays within the pocket, which was necessary given Colorado’s suspect offensive line. With the right head coach, Sanders could become a viable fantasy asset as a rookie starter.
