2025 NFL Draft Notebook: This season's Bucky Irving and more fantasy football takeaways
Dalton Del Don reveals his fantasy football expectations for members of the 2025 NFL Draft class.
Quinshon Judkins' ugly tackle-breaking numbers need to be contextualized, but he enters with some real questions regarding his prospect profile, including production against non-Power Four defenses (IE he racked up stats against weaker competition). Judkins has second-round capital and only Jerome Ford to beat on Cleveland's depth chart, but the Browns also added Dylan Sampson in the fourth round. Judkins is the RB39 in early ECR, as he's the favorite for carries in a committee on a bad offense.
TreVeyon Henderson went after his Ohio State teammate Judkins in the draft, but that might've been a mistake. New England's offense is going to be greatly improved, but this isn't an ideal situation for fantasy purposes. Henderson (RB31) and Rhamondre Stevenson (RB29) will likely split work, with Antonio Gibson remaining in the mix as well.
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RJ Harvey looks like one of the drafts biggest winners with a path to Denver's starting running back job. Sean Payton clearly loves him, grabbing Harvey in the second round. Harvey was highly productive throughout college, where he flashed elite burst while recording the most 15+ yard runs over the last two seasons. Harvey owns the highest career EPA/rush among this year's draft class, and he's also a strong receiving back who's joining a Denver offense with a top-three O-line that also led the NFL in check down rate last season. Harvey will need to prove he can hold up in pass protection, but there's an opportunity here for a three-down role in a Payton offense. Harvey could be this year's Bucky Irving. Harvey is the RB60 in early ECR, but he's a top-25 RB on my board.
Kaleb Johnson was drafted by Pittsburgh in the third round, which obviously hurts Jaylen Warren's outlook. Expect Johnson to fill Najee Harris' old role, including at the goal line. Johnson lacks speed, but he appears to be a great fit for Arthur Smith's zone-scheme. Still, he'll lose work to Warren, and scoring opportunities will be limited with Mason Rudolph currently the team's QB1.
Cam Skattebo had a highly productive college career, when he became one of only two players in CFB history with 1,600 rushing yards and 600 receiving yards in the same season (Christian McCaffrey is the other). Only Ashton Jeanty averaged more fantasy points among this year's RB draft class. Tyrone Tracy Jr. impressed as a rookie and Skattebo was taken in the fourth round, so expect a timeshare in New York's backfield.
Jarquez Hunter is a fantasy sleeper landing with the Rams. Sean McVay loves Kyren Williams, but Blake Corum should be easy to leap. Hunter brings explosion that's missing from Los Angeles' backfield, and he'll be an RB to target later in fantasy drafts.
Jordan James looks like a Jordan Mason clone, and he'll battle Isaac Guerendo for San Francisco's RB2 role. He's a rookie to remember given his situation and injury history of CMC and Guerendo.
Jaydon Blue only needs to beat out Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders and has upside. But he's also 195 pounds with only 214 career rush attempts who's a fifth-round pick with a serious fumbling problem. Dallas still needs a true RB1 (and a WR2).
Jeanty looks like a special prospect, finishing with the second-most rushing yards (2,601) in FBS history last season. He's a tackle-breaking machine who had more yards rushing after contact than any other player had rushing yards. Jeanty is short, but he's not small, and he's proven he can handle heavy workloads.
Most total missed tackles forced by any FBS RB in any season in PFF College history (since 2014)1. Ashton Jeanty, 2024 (163)---2. Cam Skattebo, 2024 (115)3. Bijan Robinson, 2022 (112)4. David Montgomery, 2017 (109)5. Ashton Jeanty, 2023 (106)
— Scott Barrett (@ScottBarrettDFB) February 4, 2025
There are some negatives; Pro Football Focus graded Jeanty 112th out of 148 qualifying running backs in pass protection last season, and his huge numbers came against weak competition. But Jeanty is a former wideout with receiving upside not revealed by his college stats (Boise State went after the rushing record force-feeding carries). Jeanty's receiving yards per team pass attempt (1.88) was in the 92nd percentile. Give him opportunities, and Jeanty can be a legit receiving threat.
The Raiders had a historically inept rushing attack (-0.30 EPA/rush) last season, but the addition of OC Chip Kelly will help Las Vegas' scheme. The Raiders also upgraded at quarterback with Geno Smith. Brock Bowers is already a superstar, so Las Vegas' offense will dramatically improve. The team views Jeanty as a 'perfect player' for their offense. The last five running backs who were taken in the top 10 of the draft averaged 291.4 touches as rookies.
Jeanty is my RB4 given the question marks surrounding Christian McCaffrey (coming off multiple injuries including bilateral Achilles tendinitis, entering his ninth year in the league), Derrick Henry (31 years old, 2,335 career carries, 1.29 targets per game last season) and other backs in his range. One could even argue Jeanty is a 'safer' pick than Saquon Barkley coming off a 482(!) touch season that was the 10th most in NFL history. Jeanty is the real deal and well worth grabbing in the first round of fantasy drafts.
Could Ashton Jeanty start his career off as a Top-5 fantasy RB? 😳 pic.twitter.com/GHw4I0Z98s
— Yahoo Fantasy Sports (@YahooFantasy) April 25, 2025
Hampton found a strong landing spot with the Chargers for his dynasty value, but his 2025 outlook would've looked far better had Denver drafted him two picks earlier. Hampton finished behind only Jeanty in rush yards after contact last season, and he has the tools to be a three-down back in the NFL. He's a solid prospect with first-round draft capital, but Najee Harris has averaged 319.3 touches while missing zero games over his four years in the NFL. The Chargers signed Harris to a one-year, $5.25 million contract during the offseason, so he'll be a big part of Los Angeles' backfield in 2025.
The Chargers may very well turn to Hampton down the stretch when he can undoubtedly be a difference maker, but fantasy managers will require patience. My very early ranks have Harris (RB21) and Hampton (RB22) back-to-back.
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Hunter enters the league a unicorn planning to play two positions, and his upside at wide receiver is massive if given the opportunity. Hunter recorded one of the best Reception Perception profiles ever, and he did so while attending zero offensive meetings.
Brian Thomas Jr. is the clear alpha in Jacksonville*, but targets are wide open afterward, and Hunter will surely be utilized; GM James Gladstone said Hunter will start with a 'heavy dose on offense,' and coach Liam Cohen said Hunter is an offensive player first. The math says Malik Nabers would've still been a top-20 fantasy WR last season even if his route share dropped to 75%, and Hunter looks like another special talent with a better quarterback.
* Hunter joining Jacksonville isn't ideal news for BTJ (you could use it in a tiebreaker versus Nabers), but Thomas remains my WR7.
Hunter is a top 35 fantasy wideout right away with upside for much more.
The Panthers allowed the most points in NFL history last season, yet they selected Tetairoa McMillan with the No. 8 pick in the draft. McMillan has his detractors — and it remains to be seen if his game will translate to the pros like Drake London and/or Mike Evans (like he's most often compared). But McMillan landed in a favorable spot to earn targets right away, with Xavier Legette, Jalen Coker and 35-year-old Adam Thielen his competition. McMillan's college production was impressive, and he says Bryce Young went into GM Dan Morgan's and HC Dave Canales' offices and told them both that Carolina needed to pick Tet. McMillan can be Carolina's WR1 as a rookie, so he's a top 40 fantasy wideout.
Meanwhile, Young averaged 26.8 fantasy points over the final three games last season, and he ranked #1 in Big Time Throw Rate after taking over again in Week 8. McMillan may not help Carolina's lack of separation problem, but he's another weapon for Young to build on last season's second half breakout.
Young is just the QB24 in early 'expert consensus ranks,' so he's someone to target (and another example of how ridiculously deep quarterback is).
Tet McMillan could have a huge role on the Panthers 😳 pic.twitter.com/j8wcrrhUA2
— Yahoo Fantasy Sports (@YahooFantasy) April 25, 2025
It surprised many when the Packers selected a wide receiver in the first round for the first time since 2002. Aside from trolling Aaron Rodgers, the Packers grabbed an early WR knowing Christian Watson could be out for 2025 and after Josh Jacobs requested the team acquire a true WR1.
Matthew Golden is extremely fast, recording a 4.29 40. He now has first-round draft capital and plays for a terrific offensive coach and in a Green Bay system that utilizes four wide receivers more than any other team. That last part will help him see the field, but the spreading-it-around aspect has been a killer to fantasy values.
Golden is a polarizing prospect who did most of his damage over the final four games last season, when Isaiah Bond was hurt. Golden's career YPRR (1.85) was in the seventh percentile, and he ranks dead last in career TPRR (18.8%) among this year's top WR draft prospects. Golden also had a drop problem. That said, the Packers clearly like him, and Golden can be a dangerous complement.
But Green Bay is likely still missing a true WR1, and the Packers remain loaded with secondary pass-catching options to make this a crowded situation even with Watson sidelined. Green Bay also ranked second to last in pass rate last season. Golden will have spike weeks, but his fantasy expectations should be held in check for 2025.
More than 27% of Shedeur Sanders' passes came behind the line of scrimmage while taking the most sacks in college football each of his two years in Colorado. He also reportedly didn't interview well at all. The extent of which Sanders dropped was surprising, but him falling wasn't exactly shocking. That said, Sanders ultimately landed in a spot where he could easily emerge as the best QB on the depth chart.
Winners: Chase Brown, D'Andre Swift, Brian Robinson/Austin Ekeler, C.J. Stroud, Trevor Lawrence, Drake Maye, Caleb Williams, Justin Fields, CeeDee Lamb, Cedric Tillman
Losers: Russell Wilson, Najee Harris, Tyrone Tracy Jr., Rhamondre Stevenson, Jaylen Warren, Jerome Ford, Jalen McMillan, Packers WRs, Rome Odunze, Christian Kirk, Cole Kmet, David Njoku
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