The 2024 fantasy football season is nearing its conclusion. With leagues down to four teams, then two, and then over, the calendar is about to shift from redraft season to dynasty season. With that in mind, let’s take an early look at 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 December of 2024. We still have bowl games, the Shrine game, the Senior Bowl, and the 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
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 immediate impact in fantasy.
1.02) Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona
We will see what happens at the Combine, but Tetairoa McMillan has a strong case for 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, WR, Missouri
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. 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) 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 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. At the very least, he has a great chance of finding fantasy value at some point in his rookie season.
1.05) Travis Hunter, WR, Colorado
If you want to argue Travis Hunter is the WR1 of this class, I certainly won’t stop you. 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.
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?
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.
On the flip side, if Hunter goes all-in at WR, he could quickly emerge as one of the best in the NFL.
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.
1.06) Kaleb Johnson, RB, Iowa
By the time we get to April, we may very well consider Kaleb Johnson the consensus RB2 in this class. While obviously far less prolific than Jeanty, Johnson was also playing in a much less explosive Iowa offense. Yet, he still managed to run for 1,537 yards and 21 touchdowns, both tops in 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 Combine, as well as what we hear about these prospects as we get closer to the draft could change my mind, though.
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 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.
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 5.5 ypc but only saw 147 carries.
Throughout his time in college, Judkins has proven to be a decent receiver, which will help his pro upside. He has 52 receptions for 390 yards and four touchdowns across 38 college games.
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
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.
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) Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado
It wouldn’t surprise me if no quarterback from this class cracked the top 10 in single QB dynasty rookie drafts. Right now, though, I’m giving Shedeur Sanders the spot.
Sanders led 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.
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.
1.11) Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan
Once considered a position with too steep of a learning curve to make an immediate impact, the NFL has seen a number of 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 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.
1.12) Isaiah Bond, WR, Texas
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.
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. But, I reiterate, it is very early in the process. He could end up as high as WR4 or as low as WR10-15.
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
2.02) Tre Harris, WR, Ole Miss
2.03) Nicholas Singleton, RB, Penn State
2.04) Devin Neal, RB, Kansas
2.05) Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State
2.06) Dylan Samson, RB, Tennessee
2.07) Evan Stewart, WR, Oregon
2.08) Jalen Milroe, QB, Alabama
2.09) Ollie Gordon, RB, Oklahoma State
2.10) Kyren Lacy, WR, LSU
2.11) Tez Johnson, WR, Oregon
2.12) Xavier Restrepo, WR, Miami
