Jeanty tops among 20 rookies who should be selected in fantasy drafts

Now that we're into the summertime months, let's revisit the rookie people and get a leap connected our fantasy football draught prep for the 2025 season. The traits, the strategy fits, the imaginable usage. There's plentifulness to get into here. Plus, aft moving done mock drafts implicit the past mates of weeks with our squad astatine ESPN Fantasy, I'm starting to spot however these rookies are viewed successful presumption of their draught worth and wide upside.

For this exercise, the absorption is connected redraft formats successful 10-team PPR leagues, which is the modular setup astatine ESPN. Below, the apical 20 rookies are ranked, on with the rounds they should beryllium targeted. And to decorativeness up, determination are a fistful of further names to see for managers who play successful 12-team leagues.

It's ne'er excessively aboriginal to commencement readying for the phantasy season. After all, we are little than 100 days from opening nighttime successful Philly.

1. Ashton Jeanty, RB, Las Vegas Raiders

When to people him: Round 1 oregon 2

A difference-maker with location tally quality and elite interaction balance, Jeanty steps into the pb relation successful the Raiders' backfield nether violative coordinator Chip Kelly. In his last play astatine Boise State, Jeanty's 2,601 rushing yards and 126 forced missed tackles led the country, and helium should spot accordant usage arsenic a receiver connected backfield releases. Given his high-end traits and the anticipated play measurement successful Vegas, Jeanty is successful a presumption to nutrient RB1 numbers arsenic a rookie.

2. Omarion Hampton, RB, Los Angeles Chargers

When to people him: Round 5

Hampton delivers assemblage punches astatine 6 feet, 221 pounds and helium tin get rolling with his pads quadrate connected a downhill track. The lower-body powerfulness is determination to tally done interaction and propulsion the pile, and Hampton tin chopped to daylight erstwhile the walls commencement to close. A susceptible receiver who produced large plays connected screens and swings astatine North Carolina, Hampton tin station lower-end RB2 numbers this play successful a backfield timeshare with Najee Harris.

3. RJ Harvey, RB, Denver Broncos

When to people him: Round 5 oregon 6

Harvey is decisive with the ball, utilizing his compact, 5-foot-8, 205-pound framework and interaction equilibrium to tally done defenders. Plus, Harvey ran a 4.40 40-yard dash astatine the combine. He's got immoderate juice. And don't hide astir manager Sean Payton's quality to strategy for the moving backmost successful the walk game. Harvey has the constitution of an RB2 successful his rookie season.

4. Quinshon Judkins, RB, Cleveland Browns

When to people him: Round 5 oregon 6

Judkins is simply a carnal runner who tin driblet the hammer connected interaction with his 221-pound frame. In Cleveland's system, Judkins tin get north/south successful spread schemes, positive helium has the imaginativeness and lateral quickness to prime his lanes connected portion concepts. He's built for the extremity line, too, with the short-area burst to dart done cracks. Judkins should instrumentality implicit arsenic the pb runner, which puts him connected a way to nutrient RB2 numbers.

5. Travis Hunter, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars

When to people him: Round 7

Hunter brings a existent playmaking constituent to Liam Coen's system. A abrupt mover aft the catch, with electrical quality successful the unfastened field, Hunter besides has elite shot skills and assemblage power astatine the drawback point. Working other of Brian Thomas Jr., Hunter has the traits to elevate the Jags' offense. While his full drawback number connected discourtesy is inactive to beryllium determined, Hunter fits arsenic a WR3 who could nutrient immoderate WR2 weeks owed to his quality to flip the field.

6. Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Carolina Panthers

When to people him: Round 7

More creaseless than fast, McMillan tin play arsenic a bound X successful Carolina oregon make wrong matchups from the slot. With his 6-foot-4 frame, helium tin play supra the rim connected contested throws, and helium has a bully consciousness for uncovering unfastened voids versus portion concepts. McMillan volition play a measurement relation arsenic a rookie, which creates a WR3 floor.

7. Kaleb Johnson, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers

When to people him: Round 8

At 6-foot-1 and 224 pounds, with straight-line acceleration and vision, Johnson is an casual acceptable for the extracurricular portion strategy successful Pittsburgh. He had 21 rushes of 20 oregon much yards past play astatine Iowa, the 2nd astir successful the state down Jeanty, and helium tin station receiving numbers connected swings, screens and unders. Johnson volition stock the backfield with Jaylen Warren, but the early-down measurement tin propulsion him into the RB2 ranks.

8. TreVeyon Henderson, RB, New England Patriots

When to people him: Round 8

A slasher with big-play foodstuff and the pass-catching skills to nutrient connected 3rd downs, Henderson volition stock the backfield with Rhamondre Stevenson successful New England. Henderson caught 46 passes implicit his last 2 seasons astatine Ohio State, and helium tin run arsenic a matchup people for backmost Drake Maye. With the expected measurement here, Henderson has upside arsenic a RB2/flex play this season.

9. Matthew Golden, WR, Green Bay Packers

When to people him: Round 8

With his 4.29 velocity and ball-tracking ability, Golden brings a playmaking accomplishment acceptable to Matt LaFleur's offense. Last play astatine Texas, Golden led the state with 23 receptions of 20 oregon much yards, positive helium tin enactment the underneath levels of the way histrion from aggregate alignments. With Christian Watson inactive recovering from a genu injury, Golden tin look rapidly arsenic a people for backmost Jordan Love. Golden projects arsenic an upside WR3.

10. Cam Skattebo, RB, New York Giants

When to people him: Round 9 oregon 10

Skattebo volition person an accidental to determination past Devin Singletary and instrumentality connected the No. 2 relation successful the Giants' backfield down starter Tyrone Tracy Jr. Skattebo makes up for his deficiency of top-end velocity with fantabulous interaction equilibrium and ft quickness to widen plays connected the ground. He besides added 605 yards connected 45 receptions astatine Arizona State past season. Skattebo volition person phantasy worth arsenic a rookie if helium works his mode into the rotation.

11. Colston Loveland, TE, Chicago Bears

When to people him: Round 10 oregon 11

At 6-foot-6, 248 pounds, Loveland uses his ft quickness and route-running skills to enactment each portion of the field, and helium presents issues for opposing defenses retired of a slot alignment. Look for Ben Johnson to strategy matchups for Loveland, who fits arsenic a fringe TE1 successful Chicago's upgraded offense.

12. Jack Bech, WR, Las Vegas Raiders

When to people him: Round 11

Bech is simply a savvy way runner with the spot to play done interaction astatine each 3 levels, and helium tin rip done tacklers aft the catch. Bech volition spot targets arsenic the 3rd enactment successful the walk crippled other of Brock Bowers and Jakobi Meyers, but the Raiders' run-heavy attack could bounds his play totals.

13. Jaydon Blue, RB, Dallas Cowboys

When to people him: Round 11

The Cowboys signed veterans Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders this offseason. However, Blue's 4.38 velocity and matchup quality arsenic a receiver could let him to spot reps successful the Dallas backfield. At 5-foot-9, 196 pounds, Blue is champion suited to property the shot to the edges arsenic a runner, portion helium wins connected backfield releases. He's a late-round people with upside successful PPR leagues.

14. Bhayshul Tuten, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars

When to people him: Round 11 oregon 12

Drafted by the caller coaching unit successful Jacksonville, Tuten joins Travis Etienne Jr. and Tank Bigsby successful the Jags' moving backmost room. If Tuten tin look successful campy and make a defined role, helium is simply a sanction to show fixed his 4.32 velocity and location tally ability.

15. Jayden Higgins, WR, Houston Texans

When to people him: Round 12

Higgins (6-foot-4, 214 pounds) has the enactment flexibility to play connected the perimeter oregon align successful the slot. He's a earthy hands-catcher and displays the assemblage power to decorativeness plays. Higgins besides had 8 reddish portion touchdown grabs past play astatine Iowa State. The Texans signed Christian Kirk successful escaped agency, and we cognize Nico Collins is the apical target. But with Tank Dell recovering from a genu injury, Higgins could enactment his mode into the rotation successful three-WR sets.

16. Emeka Egbuka, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

When to people him: Round 12

A receiver with inside/outside flexibility, Egbuka is simply a creaseless way runner who tin get unfastened and marque himself disposable to the quarterback. Plus, helium is competitory aft the catch. The early-season presumption of Chris Godwin (ankle) could make much accidental for Egbuka, but Mike Evans is inactive a premier people successful Tampa, portion Jalen McMillan caught 8 touchdowns arsenic a rookie successful 2024. This could bounds his volume, but Egbuka is inactive worthy a late-round pick.

17. Tyler Warren, TE, Indianapolis Colts

When to people him: Round 13 oregon 14

A carnal and rugged mover who tin enactment the mediate of the tract and nutrient aft the catch, Warren tin interaction the Colts' walk crippled from a assortment of pre-snap alignments. He tin beryllium targeted arsenic an underneath outlet and enactment the interior seams. Warren should beryllium viewed arsenic a rock-solid dynasty pick, but the backmost concern successful Indianapolis lowers his level successful redraft formats. However, if you hold connected the presumption successful drafts, oregon transportation 2 choky ends, Warren is an upside play precocious owed to his carnal profile.

18. Luther Burden III, WR, Chicago Bears

When to people him: Round 13 oregon 14

Burden has upper-tier catch-and-run skills and tin beryllium schemed up successful Ben Johnson's offense. In summation to moving multi-level routes from the slot and perimeter, Burden tin nutrient connected screens and alert sweeps. He volition person to vie for targets with DJ Moore, Rome Odunze and Colston Loveland, but helium has the playmaking endowment to station breakout weeks.

19. Tre Harris, WR, Los Angeles Chargers

When to people him: Round 14

Harris (6-foot-2, 205 pounds) has the illustration to play connected the bound arsenic an X receiver. He is simply a vertical glider connected deep-ball throws, and helium tin triumph underneath connected three-step concepts, utilizing his carnal play benignant aft the drawback to determination the chains. If Harris tin determination past seasoned Mike Williams, helium volition transportation immoderate late-round worth successful drafts.

20. Woody Marks, RB, Houston Texans

When to people him: Round 14

Marks has the elusive quality to find openings successful choky quarters, portion making defenders miss successful space. But it's his receiving skills that enactment him connected the phantasy radar arsenic the imaginable No. 2 down Joe Mixon. Marks, who caught 47 passes past play astatine USC, is worthy a late-round flier arsenic an security backmost if you roster Mixon.

Targets for 12-team leagues

If you play successful a 12-team format, present are much rookies to enactment connected the phantasy radar this summertime arsenic late-round additions.

Kyle Williams, WR, New England Patriots

Williams is simply a dynamic subordinate who brings immoderate much-needed foodstuff to New England. He tin get implicit the apical of antiaircraft backs and is simply a accelerated accelerator underneath connected catch-and-run throws. Yes, the Patriots person a crowded wide receiver room, but Williams is worthy the late-round prime fixed his playmaking talent.

Dylan Sampson, RB, Cleveland Browns

Sampson is an instinctive runner who tin look arsenic a change-of-pace slasher successful Cleveland. Despite his smaller framework astatine 5-foot-8 and 200 pounds, Sampson led the SEC with 22 touchdowns and is decisive adjacent the extremity line. He volition request to grow his way histrion arsenic a pro, but helium could gain aboriginal touches successful Cleveland down Judkins and Jerome Ford. Keep Sampson connected the phantasy radar successful the precocious rounds.

DJ Giddens, RB, Indianapolis Colts

A diligent and controlled runner with pro size (6 feet, 212 pounds), Giddens uses his imaginativeness and lateral quickness to make successful choky quarters. He volition person to amusement much powerfulness connected interaction arsenic a pro, but helium has the traits to beryllium a productive NFL runner. Giddens volition transportation late-round worth if helium tin triumph the No. 2 relation down Jonathan Taylor successful Indy.

Pat Bryant, WR, Denver Broncos

A physical, 6-foot-2 receiver who tin play done contact, Bryant is simply a high-riser with big-time shot skills from slot and perimeter alignments. He doesn't person elite top-end speed, but helium did drawback 10 touchdowns past play astatine Illinois. Bryant volition person late-round worth if helium tin triumph a occupation successful camp, putting him successful the premix to play a relation arsenic a slot people successful Sean Payton's offense.

Jaylin Noel, WR, Houston Texans

Noel has the lateral quickness to bushed property coverage, and his play velocity jumps connected crossers and implicit routes. Noel is an casual mover retired of the slot who tin make splash plays owed to his separation ability. And successful the Texans' caller violative system, helium volition get much escaped entree disconnected the ball. Noel volition person to gain reps and targets, but helium has upside arsenic a big-play enactment successful the walk game.