The 2025 NFL Draft took place about a month ago, and we now have draft capital and landing spots that help paint a favorable picture, giving every fantasy manager hope for their roster's potential future.
Rookie rankings have fluctuated since February, when the Super Bowl concluded and focus shifted to evaluating and ranking rookies. Thanks to some of you pre-Draft rookie draft sickos out there, we have a ton of pre-Draft ADP data to compare with where the rookies are now going post-NFL Draft.
This article will highlight some of the most dramatic changes in rookie ADPs, pinpoint suggested targets in each round of drafts, and uncover late-round flyers that could have league-winning upside.
ADP Data via DynastySharks – SuperFlex PPR Format
Biggest 2025 Rookie ADP Risers
Omarion Hampton (RB, LAC)
From 1.04 up to 1.02
Omarion Hampton managed to land the coveted Round 1 draft capital that only14 RBs have had in the last decade. Add the landing spot in a Jim Harbaugh/Greg Roman-led offense, and it is easy to imagine true workhorse potential for Hampton. But one caveat awaits: Najee Harris.
It is easy to poke fun at Harris’s production over the years, and his inability to have a single rush of 40+ yards. Despite the lack of explosiveness, Harris is a throwback to the old school, reliable culture fit that teams highly value. We have a history of Greg Roman easing in his rookies and utilizing more of a split backfield, like when the Ravens drafted JK Dobbins to place him in a 50/50 committee with Gus Edwards.
Hampton will be the perfect pick for teams that are extremely RB-needy and competing. I would argue that if you draft based on value instead of need, then at the 1.02, Hampton would actually be an avoid. This RB class is incredibly deep, and a lot of RBs landed in phenomenal spots. I prefer to capitalize on the Hampton hype and convert the 1.02 into multiple assets. Any dynasty teams that are natural 1.02s would benefit tremendously by turning Hampton into multiple potential starters/future picks.
Travis Hunter (WR/CB, JAX)
From a Late First up to 1.03
The cat is out of the bag: Travis Hunter lookslocked into a full-time receiver role. The debate all offseason, and the main reason for Hunter’s late first-round ADP pre-NFL draft, was around the uncertainty of playing time. Everyone had an opinion, but no one truly knew how an NFL team would utilize this “unicorn” of a player. Jacksonville paid a QB-like price to move up and select Hunter #2 overall in the 2025 Draft. There hasn’t been a wide receiver drafted this high sinceCalvin Johnson in 2007.
Now that we have this insane draft capital and the coach-speak to support full-time receiver reps, Hunter's ADP has spiked to 1.03. The question now becomes, can Hunter justify this price tag and become a top-12 scoring WR? There is stiff competition for targets with budding 2nd-year player Brian Thomas Jr. While I believe these two can coexist and benefit from each other's presence on the football field, I struggle to see how Hunter has a clear path to top-12 level targets the way fellow rookie Tetairoa McMillian does.
Due to the target competition and Hunter still learning the nuances of a full-time receiver role, I am fading Hunter at 1.03 and looking to trade back.
RJ Harvey (RB, DEN)
From 3.04 up to 1.11
Potentially the biggest NFL Draft winner, RJ Harvey lands in the highly coveted Sean Payton RB role. He also managed 2nd-round draft capital (top 60 overall). The draft has helped Harvey surge from a mid-3rd-round rookie pick to a late 1st-round pick. All offseason, the question surrounding the Denver Broncos wasn’t when they would draft a running back, but whom they would draft for this uber-efficient role.
Harvey has a prospect profile that looks incredibly enticing, especially as a receiver,highlighted by Brett Whitefield in his Prospect Guide, where Harvey ranked as his Pre-NFL Draft RB3. Any time Brett compares someone to a legend like Maurice Jones-Drew, fantasy managers should be on alert. While there are legitimate concerns with Harvey’s age (24 years old) and poor pass protection, these are not issues that should deter you at cost.
Harvey is the perfect piece for competing teams looking to win now. He’ll likely never retain top-tier trade capital due to his age, but the potential productivity outweighs any future trade value. I am all aboard the Harvey train and his 1.11 fantasy ADP.
Jack Bech (WR, LV)
From 4.4 up to 2.7
It should be no surprise that another one of Brett Whitefield’s flag plants received 2nd-round NFL draft capital, and dynasty managers are scrambling to course correct. Jack Bech landed as the #4 WR in the prospect guide over at Fantasy Points, and after the Raiders took Bech #58 overall in the 2nd round of the NFL draft, his rookie ADP has skyrocketed. Bech was once going in the mid-4th round of rookie drafts before the NFL Draft, and now finds himself comfortably in the mid-late 2nd.
The landing spot in Las Vegas provides immediate potential for playing time and meaningful routes. While there is concern that the offense will be run-heavy, especially with the new addition of top-10 pick RB Ashton Jeanty, that could help improve offensive efficiency. The Raiders have become a sneaky fantasy team after upgrading the entire offense, including the coaching staff.
Bech has the opportunity to be a meaningful contributor in your flex spot as a rookie, similar to how we utilize Jakobi Meyers. Brett's comparisons to Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp in his prospect profile immediately caught my attention, and the draft capital further reinforced my excitement about Bech's potential. Bech’s rookie ADP is hovering around the 2.07, and at that cost, he’s a must-target.
Bhayshul Tuten (RB, JAX)
From 5.05 up to 2.08
“This year's Bucky Irving” has already been a phrase often associated with Bhayshul Tuten after landing with the Jaguars and Liam Coen with the 2nd pick in the 4th round (104th overall). Tuten’s insane 40-yard dash time of 4.32 at the Combine immediately had fantasy managers excited about his home run-hitting ability.
This is an example of another new head coach investing in a skill position that one could argue didn’t need any help. The Jaguars even double-dipped with a pass-catching specialist in the 7th round in LeQuint Allen. If you weren’t concerned for Travis Etienne and Tank Bigsby, well, you might have missed your window to sell (maybe you’ll get another opportunity if Etienne is traded in the actual NFL).
There are some legitimate concerns regarding Tuten becoming a bell cow back, especially with his ball security issues. But explosive plays rule the NFL, and a player who can take the top off the defense will demand touches. Tuten is a smash selection in the middle of your rookie drafts, and I encourage anyone who wants to acquire him to consider trading up to the 2.04 or 2.05 to secure him. In many drafts, I have seen people debate among the Higgins/Burden/Skattebo/Tuten tier, and you want to make sure you are in the middle of that range of players to call your shot.
Jarquez Hunter (RB, LAR)
From 6.10 up to early 4th
Sean McVay just added some serious explosiveness to his backfield, and immediately, Rams GM Les Sneadmentioned the potential benefits of utilizing a split backfield in the future. Snead suggested “a committee with different skill sets…”, and there is no doubt that Hunter brings a different type of explosive element to the Rams' backfield. In my previous article, I discussed the stylistic similarities between Kyren Williams and Blake Corum.
The deck continues to get stacked against Kyren Williams. I had tweeted aboutKyren’s inefficiency back in late March, highlighting the lack of explosive runs (ranking outside the top 40 RBs). Hunter will help provide a significant spark to this running back room that the others can't.
Certain offenses in fantasy football are a necessity to invest in, especially late in rookie drafts. We have seen multiple offensive wizards like Sean McVay, Sean Payton, and Kyle Shanahan find late-round gems who become significant fantasy contributors. Jarquez Hunter should be a target for any RB-needy team or championship contender needing that potential lightning in a bottle. Even his current rookie ADP in the early 4th round still feels too late.
Kyle Williams (WR, NE)
From 6.11 to 2.11
The UDFA darling for the early part of the draft cycle has officially updated on Sleeper — going from a name you had to search for to a 2.11 ADP. Williams is another gigantic riser, thanks in large part to his 3rd-round draft capital and an extremely lackluster receiving corps in New England.
The New England Patriots have retooled their offense with the addition of Stefon Diggs and by spending their first four picks on that side of the ball. Williams has the 4.4 speed needed to threaten defenses and allow Drake Maye to unleash his arm. At this point in Diggs' career, he will be an underneath security blanket who can help Williams ease into the NFL.
Kyle Williams' rise in ADP is absolutely warranted. He's staring down the opportunity for #1 target volume.
Pat Bryant (WR, DEN)
From UDFA up to late 3rd
As the resident Broncos fan at Fantasy Points, I was completely shocked by Denver drafting Pat Bryant with the 74th overall pick. That same night, I sent a text to the data charting team asking if this was the replacement for Lil’Jordan Humphrey. Then Sean Payton had his press conference and raved about Bryant in a way no one saw coming,offering comparisons to Michael Thomas.
Thanks to the hype around Pat Bryant and his draft capital, he's gone from a fantasy UDFA to a late-third or mid-fourth-round pick. I am all in on this ADP and would even reach in the mid-3rd round. The opportunity to land the big slot role in Sean Payton’s offense is too good to pass up.
Biggest 2025 Rookie ADP Fallers
Tetairoa McMillan (WR, CAR)
1.02 down to 1.05
After almost two years of being the consensus WR1 in this rookie class, I believe prospect fatigue has set in hard with Tetairoa McMillan. Add in the fact that Travis Hunter landed the draft capital he did, and fantasy managers are falling asleep at the wheel.
Tet is still my 1.02, allowing me to move those 1.02 and 1.03 picks to acquire extra value. I recently traded back from the 1.03 to the 1.06, picked up a 2.05, and still landed McMillan in a rookie draft at the 1.06 (Hunter went 1.05). It’s a rare example because Cam Ward went ahead of Tet here (superflex), but it’s an example of where people’s mindsets are. And right now, they are chasing the hype with Travis Hunter or the draft capital with Omarion Hampton as an RB, and somehow overlooking the top 10 pick in McMillan.
My favorite thing about McMillian is his ability to step into Carolina and demand targets from the X position. A quick quote from Brett Whitefield’s Prospect Guide: “Mouth-watering prototype X WR profile. McMillan is a classic height, weight, speed wide receiver – a throwback X type.” Yeah, I’m still in.
Luther Burden (WR, CHI)
From 1.07 down to 2.03
Most drafters don’t seem to know how to decipher the pecking order in Chicago. That uncertainty, along with some negative draft buzz, has seen Burden slip out of the first round, sometimes to the mid-2nd.
Burden is a polarizing player with a range of outcomes, from being a fantasy league winner to being a fantasy zero. Scott Barrett suggested he resides somewhere on a spectrum between D.J Moore to Malachi Corley. Now that we have a landing spot for Burden with Ben Johnson at the helm, similarly to the McVay/Payton/Shannahan reference, Burden is absolutely worth an early 2nd-round pick, on upside alone.
Johnson has taken this opportunity in his first season as a head coach to fully invest in the offensive side of the ball, not just on the offensive line, but with skill players with their first two picks in the NFL Draft. New coaches look to establish their fingerprint early, and any time a coach invests team capital in players like Burden and Colston Loveland, there has to be a plan of immediate return on investment to justify the expense.
If D.J. Moore is traded, Caleb Williams takes a giant leap forward, or there’s an injury to any of the other Bears pass-catchers, then Burden’s value will immediately go through the roof.
Shedeur Sanders (QB, CLE)
From 1.10 down to 2.12
Now that some of the dust has settled from the chaos of the NFL draft and Shedeur Sanders' colossal fall, his fantasy value has become slightly intriguing. While there has been plenty of speculation around the reasons for Sanders’ slide, the fact is, for fantasy purposes, Shedeur is a 5th-round draft pick — and second QB drafted by his own team — who never had any real fantasy upside. As a primary pocket passer, Sanders has a limited ceiling even with first-round draft capital. Look at QBs like Matthew Stafford, Tua Tagovailoa, and even rising sophomores like Michael Penix. This archetype is typically penalized for their lack of rushing upside in fantasy football and is drafted well outside the top 12.
In superflex leagues, the value of a starting QB is always worth a gamble late in the 2nd or early 3rd. Once the QB gets the opportunity to start, the return on investment is a key factor that allows smart managers to quickly rebuild or retool their teams. The retrade value, or potential QB2 opportunity with Sanders, has me drafting him late in the 2nd-round of rookie drafts.
There is a pathway in which Sanders takes over the starting role halfway through the season, and he plays a game-manager style of football that will allow him to hold onto the starting gig. If/when that happens, then Sanders will regain long-standing value as a QB2 on my team or as a trade asset for any QB-needy teams due to injury or unforeseen benchings.
Ollie Gordon II (RB, MIA)
From 2.8 down to 3.10
A year ago, Ollie Gordon was seen in a similar tier as Omarion Hampton and TreVeyon Henderson. Unfortunately for him, the Oklahoma State team was abysmally poor in 2024, resulting in a considerable decline in college production. Then at the NFL combine, Gordon ran a 4.6 40-yard dash and officially became a Day 3 draft capital guy.
The draft spot in Miami was interesting, to say the least, because Mike McDaniel historically values elite speed. After the Dolphins let Raheem Mostert walk in free agency, there were some rumblings that Achane and Jaylen Wright could split the workload. It is clear that the Dolphins will lean more into a thumper like Ollie Gordon compared to years past, and Wright becomes more of a handcuff to Achane.
The landing spot is worth a dart throw in the late third round of your rookie drafts. The depth at running back in this year's class gives those RB-needy teams a chance at multiple lottery tickets, and Gordon could turn into a low-end RB2. The upside may be capped, as Ollie will most likely become touchdown dependent in what will look to be a short-yardage, grinder-style role.
Elic Ayomanor (WR, TEN)
From 2.11 down to 3.9
Wrapping up with another Brett Whitefield stamp of approval, Elic Ayomanor ranked as the #2 WR in the Prospect Guide (Travis Hunter excluded). Surprisingly, Ayomanor fell to the 4th round in the NFL draft, as it appears there may have been some medical issues unbeknownst to many. Thanks to the Day 3 draft capital, Ayomanor has fallen a full round in most rookie fantasy drafts.
One of the highlights in Ayomanor’s college career was cooking Travis Hunter as a redshirt freshman, primarily using his big body to leverage the defense and out-man DBs at the point of attack. It is easy to see why Ayomanor appears to be a natural fit to step into the NFL and immediately excel as the X receiver.
The landing spot is a fantastic opportunity for Cam Ward and Ayomanor to grow together. The Titans already have their established veteran in Calvin Ridley, who desperately needed help in the receiver room. Ridley primarily plays as a Z receiver and rotational slot, and just turned 30 years old, as hard as that is to believe. That gives a clear future growth opportunity for Ayomanor. He’s worth your attention late in the 3rd round of your rookie drafts.
