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This season, we’re kicking things off with the crown jewel of dynasty and redraft prep: the 2025 Rookie RB Rankings. These prospects are poised to shake up leagues, and we’ve got the inside scoop on who’s primed to be the next fantasy superstar. Let’s dive in!
2025 Rookie RB Rankings: The Future Starts Now
Tier 1: The Franchise-Changers 
1. Ashton Jeanty (RB, Boise State) – is a dynamic, versatile weapon tailor-made for modern football. At 5’9″ and 210 pounds, he combines elite contact balance and a low center of gravity to churn through tackles, rarely going down on first contact. His vision and patience allow him to exploit creases in blocking schemes, while his burst through the hole and sharp lateral cuts make him a nightmare in open space. Jeanty shines as a dual-threat playmaker, boasting soft hands and route-running savvy (43 receptions in 2023) to thrive in passing schemes. Though not a pure burner, his football IQ, relentless physicality, and adaptability in both zone and gap schemes make him a high-floor prospect with three-down potential.
A true “engine” back who elevates offenses.
2. Omarion Hampton (RB, North Carolina) – is a bruising, high-motor powerhouse built to dominate between the tackles. At 6’0” and 220 pounds, he leverages raw physicality and a relentless downhill running style to bulldoze through arm tackles and wear down defenses. Hampton’s excellent pad level and leg drive allow him to churn out yards after contact, while his deceptive long speed (4.46 40-time) turns chunk runs into home-run plays. Though not overly shifty, his one-cut decisiveness and knack for finding creases in zone schemes make him a consistent chain-mover. He’s a red-zone hammer (17 TDs in 2024) with underrated hands (38 catches in 2024), though his value peaks in traditional rushing roles.
Think a faster, more agile Ezekiel Elliott with bell-cow durability. A tone-setter for grind-it-out offenses.
Tier 2: High-Impact Playmakers 
3. Treveyon Henderson (RB, Ohio State) is a lightning-quick, explosive playmaker with game-breaking versatility. At 5’10” and 205 pounds, he pairs elite acceleration (4.43 40-Time) and razor-sharp agility to slice through defenses, turning routine runs into highlight-reel touchdowns. His vision and instinctive reads in zone schemes let him exploit cutback lanes, while his juke-and-go fluidity in open field leaves defenders grasping at air. Henderson’s reliable hands (25+ receptions in 2024) and polished route tree make him a dual-threat nightmare, capable of aligning in the slot or motioning into mismatches. Though leaner than prototypical bell-cows, his home-run-hitting efficiency (7.1 YPC in 2024) and knack for splash plays (11 TDs in 2024) cement him as a modern offensive centerpiece. Think Alvin Kamara meets Chris Johnson – a turbocharged weapon built to thrive in space-heavy systems.
A fantasy goldmine in PPR formats.
4. Quinshon Judkins (RB, Ohio State) is a polished, high-volume workhorse built to anchor backfields with his blend of durability, efficiency, and old-school grit. At 5’11” and 215 pounds, he thrives as a chain-moving grinder, leveraging patient yet decisive pacing in zone schemes to let blocks develop before hitting gaps with sudden urgency. Judkins’ low-to-the-ground power and relentless leg churn make him a nightmare in short-yardage situations (16 TDs in 2024), while his above-average vision and knack for maximizing minimal blocking (4.8 YPC career) ensure steady production. Though not a burner, his reliable hands (20+ receptions in 2024) and underrated route tree elevate him as a three-down asset. Durability concerns are muted by his tackle-shedding efficiency – he rarely takes big hits, opting to fall forward or slide. Think a more explosive Josh Jacobs with shades of Rashaad Penny’s tackle-breaking tenacity.
A plug-and-play RB1 for teams craving consistency over flash. Fantasy gold in standard leagues.
5. Kaleb Johnson (RB, Iowa) is a rugged, north-south bruiser built to thrive in physical, grind-it-out schemes. At 6’0” and 220 pounds, he maximizes downhill explosiveness and brute strength to plow through arm tackles, often requiring multiple defenders to bring him down. Johnson’s excellent pad level and relentless leg drive turn 3-yard gains into 5-yard marches, while his patient yet decisive reads in gap/power schemes allow him to exploit creases before accelerating into the second level. Though lacking elite long speed (4.57 40-time), his short-area burst and contact balance (led Big Ten in broken tackles in 2024) make him a red-zone staple (23 TDs in 2024). Limited as a receiver (29 career catches), he’s a classic early-down hammer with the durability to handle 20+ carries. Think AJ Dillon with smoother lateral agility – a throwback workhorse for teams committed to controlling the clock.
Fantasy value spikes in standard formats and touchdown-heavy leagues.
Tier 3: Sleepers with Star Potential 
6. Cam Skattebo (RB, Arizona State) is a versatile, hard-nosed playmaker who embodies old-school grit with modern adaptability. At 5’10” and 225 pounds, he blends bruising physicality and elite tackle-breaking efficiency (led Pac-12 in forced missed tackles in 2023) to wear down defenses. Skattebo’s relentless motor and low pad level allow him to churn through contact, while his surprising agility and one-cut explosiveness turn inside zones into chunk plays. A true Swiss Army knife, he’s a reliable receiver (45 catches, 600+ yards in 2024) and even moonlighted as an emergency punter, showcasing his athletic IQ. Though not a burner (4.50+ 40-time), his red-zone reliability (21 Rushing TDs in 2024) and third-down utility make him a three-down asset. Think James Conner with Kyle Juszczyk’s versatility – a culture-setting grinder who elevates offenses with toughness and underrated flair.
Fantasy managers in deep leagues should target him as a high-floor flex with TD upside.
7. Dylan Sampson (RB, Tennessee) is a lightning-fast, elusive sparkplug built to thrive in spread offenses that prioritize speed and space. At 5’11” and 201 pounds, he leverages elite acceleration (4.42 40 Yd Dash) and twitchy lateral agility to turn routine plays into explosive gains, regularly leaving defenders whiffing in his wake. Sampson’s vision in outside-zone schemes and stop-start suddenness make him a home-run threat every touch, as evidenced by his 5.8 YPC and 1,491 rushing yards in 2024. A dynamic dual threat, he hauled in 20 receptions for 143 yards last season, showcasing natural receiving instincts and route-running polish out of the backfield. Though undersized for heavy workloads, his low center of gravity and contact balance defy his frame, allowing him to slip through arm tackles (12 broken tackles in 2024). Sampson’s big-play flair also delivered 22 total TDs in 2024. Think Raheem Mostert meets Kenyan Drake – a track-star accelerator with the versatility to gash defenses as a runner, receiver, or returner.
A high-upside stash in dynasty leagues and PPR formats, especially for teams craving a change-of-pace dynamo.
Tier 4: Dart Throws with High Upside 
8. Devin Neal (RB, Kansas) is a versatile, explosive weapon built to thrive in modern, up-tempo offenses. At 5’10” and 205 pounds, he combines elite agility and 4.58 speed to slice through defenses, turning check-downs and inside-zone runs into chunk plays. Neal’s vision in space and one-cut decisiveness (5.8 YPC in 2024) maximize his opportunities, while his natural receiving instincts (24 catches, 254 yards in 2024) make him a matchup nightmare in the slot or out of the backfield. Though slightly undersized, his low center of gravity and contact balance allow him to bounce off arm tackles and fall forward for extra yards. A big-play threat, he tallied 17 total TDs in 2024, including a 51-yard receiving score.
Think Austin Ekeler with Miles Sanders’ between-the-tackles grit – a dual-threat dynamo who can anchor a committee or explode as a PPR gem.
9. RJ Harvey (RB, UCF) is a shifty, high-octane playmaker built to thrive in spread systems that prioritize speed and creativity. At 5’9″ and 205 pounds, he combines elite lateral agility and pinball-like bounce to evade tacklers, leading the AAC in missed tackles forced (69) and yards after contact (780) in 2024. Harvey’s instant acceleration (4.40 40-speed) turns swing passes and outside-zone runs into explosive gains, evidenced by his 1,577 rushing yards and 22 TDs last season. A dual-threat dynamo, he added 20 receptions for 267 yards, showcasing crisp route-running out of the slot. Though undersized, his low center of gravity and contact balance let him thrive between the tackles, while his return-game prowess adds hidden value.
Think Jahmyr Gibbs lite with Devin Singletary’s grit – a versatile weapon for creative coordinators.
10. Ollie Gordon II (RB, Oklahoma State) is a bruising, high-volume bell cow built to dominate the trenches. At 6’2” and 225 pounds, he bulldozes defenses with relentless leg churn, elite vision, and contact balance, leading the FBS in rushing yards (1,732) and TDs (22) in 2023. Gordon’s patience in zone schemes allows blocks to develop before exploding through gaps with downhill violence, with a 4.61 40. A red-zone hammer, he converted 85% of his carries inside the 5-yard line into TDs. His third-down pass-blocking IQ cement his three-down value.
Think Derrick Henry meets Jonathan Taylor but not quite as complete. A throwback workhorse with modern efficiency.
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