We are getting ready to embark on lengthy period of downtime in the fantasy football world…for most managers. For the dynasty crowd, things are just getting started. Let’s take an updated look at the first two rounds of a 2025 dynasty rookie mock draft for 1QB PPR leagues.
2025 Dynasty Rookie Mock Draft | Round 1
As a caveat, it is still very early in the evaluation process. This 1QB PPR mock draft represents my preliminary views on the incoming class as things stand in early February 2025. We still have the NFL Scouting Combine, free agency, and the NFL Draft itself. All of these events collectively impact the fantasy values of the rookies.
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 seven months.
1.01) Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
Now that I’ve had 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 his immediate fantasy value as a rookie.
Those arguing Jeanty should have won the Heisman certainly have a strong case. What he did this season was otherworldly.
The Boise State superstar ran the ball 374 times for 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns. Jeanty 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, Jeanty is currently projected to receive Round 1 draft capital. If he does, odds are he’s landing on a team 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’ll see what happens at the NFL Combine, but Tetairoa McMillan has a strong case for the best wide receiver prospect of this class. His talent was evident the moment he stepped foot on Arizona’s campus, leading the Pac-12 in yards per reception (18.0) as a true freshman.
Sure enough, McMillan took a huge leap forward as a sophomore, totaling 90 receptions 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’s a polished route runner who should be able to win right away at the NFL level. It would be a major surprise if he didn’t start in Week 1 as a rookie.
For now, I will prioritize the WR’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, but he had just one this past season.
However, it’s not entirely Burden’s fault. In fact, it may not be his fault at all. Missouri experienced injuries at the QB position, which played a huge role in his 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 for 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. Still, 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 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 and 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 very possible Hunter plays 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 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, that could very well be the case.
Talent-wise, it’s all there. Hunter caught 96 passes for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns this season, leading the Big 12 in receptions and receiving scores. The main concern for his fantasy value is that two-way players simply don’t exist anymore.
We will learn much more about the NFL’s plan for the Heisman Trophy winner during the pre-draft process. Obviously, for fantasy purposes, we don’t want Hunter 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 his 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 Egbuka 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. Egbuka was capable of going to the NFL as a junior, he simply chose not to. Chris Olave did the same thing.
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) TreVeyon Henderson, RB, Ohio State
As a four-year player, it’s great that TreVeyon Henderson was so productive as a freshman, rushing for 1,248 yards and 15 touchdowns. However, 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 in 2024 as a result, which limited his production.
Nevertheless, Henderson remained efficient, averaging a Big Ten-best 7.1 yards per carry on the year. He also showed proficiency as a receiver, hauling in 27 receptions for 284 yards in a split backfield.
Henderson has the makings of an impactful satellite back in Year 1.
1.09) Quinshon Judkins, RB, Ohio State
The trajectory of 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). He saw similar usage as a sophomore, but Judkins’ yards per carry dipped from 5.7 to 4.3.
As a junior, Judkins transferred to Ohio State, where he had to play alongside Henderson. Judkins got back to 5.5 ypc, but he finished under 200 rushing attempts on the season.
Throughout his time in college, Judkins proved to be a decent receiver, which will help his pro upside. He finished his career with 59 receptions for 442 yards and five touchdowns.
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 several 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.
You could just as easily flip Henderson and Judkins. I did just that since my last mock.
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 only caught 34 receptions for 540 yards as a junior, however, including just one catch for eight yards in the Longhorns’ loss to Ohio State in the College Football Playoff semifinal.
Nevertheless, 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) Devin Neal, RB, Kansas
In 1QB formats, I just can’t justify any quarterback in the first round. I don’t think there’s a single future top-half QB in this class.
This 1.12 spot will likely shuffle throughout the coming months, but for now, it’s Devin Neal. The Kansas product’ game would suggest he’s a 190-pound scatback, but actually, he’s a 215-pound wide-zone savant.
While Kansas’ wide-open offense often allowed Neal not to have to think too hard about his landmarks, he still displayed excellent movement and good vision. In the right offense, there’s 2024 Bucky Irving potential for Neal.
2025 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) Tre Harris, WR, Ole Miss
2.05) Cam Skattebo, RB, Arizona State
2.05) Harold Fannin Jr., TE, Bowling Green
2.06) Dylan Sampson, RB, Tennessee
2.07) Elic Ayomanor, WR, Stanford
2.08) Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado
2.09) Jaxson Dart, QB, Ole Miss
2.10) Kyren Lacy, WR, LSU
2.11) Xavier Restrepo, WR, Miami (FL)
2.12) Jalen Milroe, QB, Alabama