The 2024 fantasy football season is now over. For many of you, that means checking out until the summer. If that’s you, that’s perfectly fine. For others, it’s time to shift focus to dynasty leagues and the incoming rookie class. With that in mind, let’s take an early look at the first two rounds of a 2025 dynasty rookie mock draft.
2025 Dynasty Rookie Mock Draft | Round 1
As a caveat, it is very early in the evaluation process. This 1QB PPR mock draft represents my preliminary views on the incoming class as things stand in early January 2025. We still have a couple more bowl games, the East-West Shrine Bowl, the Senior Bowl, and the NFL Scouting Combine, all of which will influence rookie rankings.
Then, of course, we will have the 2025 NFL Draft. Assessing the talent of these young men is important, but where they land will also matter greatly. Rankings will adjust at that point as well.
All of this is to say is this is not only subject to change but guaranteed to change — a lot — over the next eight months.
1.01) Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
Now having the chance to see more of Ashton Jeanty, including watching how he performs against a top Power Four school, I’m even more confident in him having immediate fantasy value as a rookie.
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 374 times for 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns. He led the nation in rushing attempts and rushing yards in 2024 and led his conference in both statistics 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.
1.02) Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona
We will see what happens at the NFL Combine, but Tetairoa McMillan has a strong case for the best WR prospect of this class. His talent was evident the moment he stepped foot on Arizona’s campus. 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.
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.
For now, I will prioritize the wide receiver’s long-term value over the more immediate impact one of the many running backs in this class may have.
1.03) Luther Burden III, WR, Missouri
There are some who may ding Luther Burden III for the significant drop in production from his sophomore to junior years. In 2023, he had six 100-yard receiving games. He only did 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. There will be strong cases for a couple of running backs ahead of Burden, as they may be more likely to help fantasy teams right away.
1.04) Kaleb Johnson, RB, Iowa
By the time we get to April, we may very well consider Kaleb Johnson the consensus RB2 in this class. If you read my December 2024 mock, you may have noticed I already made the swap, bumping him up ahead of Omarion Hampton.
While obviously far less prolific than Jeanty, Johnson was hamstrung 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.
There’s an argument for Johnson over Jeanty, but I’m not there right now. Athletic testing at the NFL Combine, as well as what we hear about these prospects as we get closer to the NFL Draft could change my mind. However, if Jeanty’s draft capital is significantly higher than the other backs in this class, it will be difficult to move him out of the No. 1 spot.
1.05) Omarion Hampton, RB, North Carolina
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 601 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. At the very least, he has a great chance of finding fantasy value at some point in his rookie season.
1.06) Travis Hunter, WR, Colorado
As we get closer to the draft, it should become easier to evaluate Travis Hunter. We simply haven’t seen a prospect like him in decades, possibly ever.
It’s safe to say Hunter will play both cornerback and wide receiver at the NFL level. The question is — what will the split look like? How much will he prioritize one over the other?
If you want to argue Travis Hunter is the WR1 of this class, I certainly won’t stop you. In fact, if he came out tomorrow and said he was only playing wide receiver in the NFL, he could be the WR1 of this class.
Talent-wise, it’s all there. Hunter caught 96 passes for 1,258 yards and 15 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.
Hunter’s status as a mid-first-round rookie draft pick is very much in flux. As we get closer to the NFL Draft, we’ll get more clarity on how heavily Hunter’s playing time will skew WR vs. CB, which will impact whether he moves up or down the first round of dynasty rookie drafts.
1.07) Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State
At this point last year, Emeka Ebguka was considered a first-round dynasty rookie selection. Then, he decided to return for his senior season.
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 70 passes for 896 yards and 10 touchdowns and scored 24 times in his last 37 games heading into the CFP semifinal.
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.
This feels very much like an Olave situation where the talented and NFL-ready WR was dinged for returning to school for an extra year. Perhaps Egbuka’s value will only rise between now and the draft. If it doesn’t, he may end up being one of the best values of the first round.
1.08) Quinshon Judkins, RB, Ohio State
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 5.3 ypc but only saw 174 carries heading into the CFP semifinal game.
Throughout his time in college, Judkins has proven to be a decent receiver, which will help his pro upside. He has 54 receptions for 399 yards and four touchdowns across 40 college games heading into the CFP semifinal game.
The concern with Judkins is his performance against quality opponents. His overall stats were bolstered by huge games against the likes of Western Michigan and Marshall. There are no Western Michigans or Marshalls at the NFL level. It wouldn’t surprise me if Judkins ends up falling a bit as the draft nears.
At this point in the first round, there are a lot of different ways you can go. Judkins is far from a lock to have an immediate fantasy-relevant role as a rookie. He strikes me as the type of prospect whose dynasty rookie value will be heavily impacted by the landing spot.
1.09) TreVeyon Henderson, RB, Ohio State
As a four-year player, it’s great that 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 Judkins in 2024 as a result, which limited his production.
Nevertheless, Henderson remained efficient, averaging a Big Ten-best 7.3 yards per carry heading into the CFP semifinal. He also showed proficiency as a receiver, hauling in 26 balls for 209 yards in a split backfield. Henderson has the makings of an impactful satellite back in Year 1.
You could just as easily flip Henderson and Judkins. It’s always tough when one school produces NFL-caliber prospects at the same time, let alone two guys coming out in the same year.
1.10) Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan
Once considered a position with too steep of a learning curve to make an immediate impact, the NFL has seen several talented rookie tight ends be difference-makers in fantasy right away. The latest could be Colston Loveland.
The Michigan product was part of the 2023-24 CFP 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.
This pick will come down to position scarcity and need. If the team picking here doesn’t need a tight end, they will probably pass on Loveland. If a team stacked at WR and RB picks earlier, I could see Loveland creeping up a bit higher in the first round.
1.11) Isaiah Bond, WR, Texas
Isaiah Bond is an early declare who transferred out of Alabama to Texas after his sophomore season. He has only caught 33 balls for 532 yards and five touchdowns as a junior heading into the CFP semifinal.
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 an upside here for Bond to potentially emerge as a fantasy WR2 down the line.
I don’t think there will be much consensus with the wide receivers after McMillan, Hunter, and Burden. Right now, I lean toward Bond as the WR5 behind Egbuka. However, I reiterate that it is very early in the process. He could end up as high as WR4 or as low as WR10-15.
1.12) Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado
It wouldn’t surprise me if no quarterback from this class cracked the top 12 in single-QB dynasty rookie drafts. Right now, though, I’m giving Shedeur Sanders the spot. However, I would be lying if I said I’m overly excited about any quarterback in this class.
With that said, Sanders did lead the Big 12 with a 74.0% completion percentage, 4,134 passing yards, and 37 passing touchdowns this past season. He threw 10 interceptions, which gives him just 13 in his two years at Colorado on 907 attempts.
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.
Someone in your dynasty rookie draft is going to need a quarterback. With every QB rostered even in 1QB dynasty leagues, a QB-needy team needs to take the shot on the best QB from the upcoming class when the opportunity presents itself. Is that Sanders? Genuinely, I am not sure yet. But right now, he looks like the one with the most upside.
2024 Dynasty Fantasy Football Rookie Mock Draft | Round 2
With the first 12 picks out of the way, here’s how the second round of 2025 dynasty rookie drafts might look. It will certainly change when ADP rolls in and prospects move inside their positional tiers.
2.01) Cam Ward, QB, Miami (FL)
2.02) Nicholas Singleton, RB, Penn State
2.03) Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State
2.04) Devin Neal, RB, Kansas
2.05) Tez Johnson, WR, Oregon
2.06) Dylan Sampson, RB, Tennessee
2.07) Elic Ayomanor, WR, Stanford
2.08) Tre Harris, WR, Ole Miss
2.09) Ollie Gordon II, RB, Oklahoma State
2.10) Kyren Lacy, WR, LSU
2.11) Xavier Restrepo, WR, Miami
2.12) Jalen Milroe, QB, Alabama