Fantasy Football Fallout of the 2025 NFL Draft: Quinshon Judkins, Jalen Milroe, and More
Ian Hartitz goes position by position to break down the 2025 fantasy football outlook of the newly drafted rookie class.
Draft weekend is officially in the rearview mirror, so it's time to dive into the fantasy football fallout of the 2025 NFL Draft.
What follows are quick blurbs on every player that should have some semblance of fantasy relevance in the seasons to come.
As always, it's a great day to be great!
NFL Draft Fantasy Football Fallout
See below for skill-position breakdowns of what the 2025 rookie class' fantasy football outlook for the upcoming season looks like.
For the most up-to-date dynasty rookie rankings, click here!
Curious to see how the first rookie drafts are shaking out? We've got you covered there, too.
Premium
Go FantasyLife+
Your league is unique. Your advice should be too. Get personalized tools, rankings, and projections tailored to your fantasy football league settings.
Quarterbacks
Cam Ward Fantasy Football Outlook with Tennessee Titans
Ward's arm talent and ability to create off-script should translate to bunches of fantasy-friendly passing production … once the Titans' rather abysmal offensive environment catches up. Barring immediate top-tier passing efficiency, I find it awfully difficult to rationalize ranking the No. 1 overall pick ahead of more proven passers like Geno Smith, Matthew Stafford, and Sam Darnold.
Jaxson Dart Fantasy Football Stock with New York Giants
It's unfortunate the Giants are planning to stick with Russell Wilson as their starter to open the season, as Dart's demonstrated rushing goodness (averaged 499 rush yards and 4 TD per season from 2022-24, including sacks) could have separated him from the low-end QB2 pocket passers.
Alas, the NFL's youngest (potential) starting QB looks more like a stash for 2026 and beyond as opposed to someone 2025 re-draft fantasy managers should be getting overly excited about.
Tyler Shough Fantasy Football Outlook with New Orleans Saints
I'm cautiously optimistic that Shough's big arm and Power 5-best 8.7% pressure-to-sack rate will translate well to the professional level. That said, Derek Carr (shoulder) still profiles as QB1 if he feels like playing this year is healthy enough to suit up.
Spencer Rattler also feasibly isn't out of the picture. Best-case scenario, Shough is the Week 1 starter, but even then, we're talking about someone who might only barely crack the top-30 re-draft QBs in fantasy land ahead of 2025.
Jalen Milroe Fantasy Football Outlook with Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks now boast a QB room featuring Sam Darnold, Drew Lock, and Milroe. ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?
While Milroe shouldn't be viewed as legit competition for Darnold, the former Viking also is hardly guaranteed to be Seattle's long-term solution under center, considering his career has been filled with far more downs than ups.
It would have been a lot cooler if Milroe landed somewhere with a legit chance to start in 2025, although QB-needy dynasty squads should still take a long look at throwing a mid-round pick on the Alabama product due to the sky-high potential he brings with his electric dual-threat ability.
Does Dillon Gabriel have Fantasy Football Value with Cleveland Browns?
Hilariously taken before Shedeur Sanders, Gabriel's range of 2025 outcomes includes starting in Week 1 and sitting as the fourth QB on the depth chart.
Maybe the pint-sized 24-year-old Oregon product is simply HIM, but the plethora of concerns in Cleveland at offensive line and WR make it tough to paint an overly encouraging picture in fantasy for any of the team's signal-caller.
Running Backs
Ashton Jeanty Fantasy Football Value with Raiders
The touch ceiling here might as well be the moon: Jeanty is poised to work as the every-down workhorse inside a Chip Kelly offense that posted average top-seven rankings in rush attempts and yards during his time with the Eagles and 49ers.
While it'd be a lot cooler if the Raiders' offensive line and overall scoring upside were better, Jeanty checks virtually every other box you could hope for from a fantasy RB. Guys like Christian McCaffrey and Derrick Henry certainly could out-score the rookie with good health, but I'm betting on Jeanty's youthful upside winning out in the long term, and accordingly, he's my sixth overall player in half-PPR scoring.
Omarion Hampton Fantasy Value with LA Chargers
The much-rumored Broncos landing spot would have been ideal, although landing with Jim Harbaugh and company *should* provide plenty of fantasy-friendly returns in the long run. 2025 could be just a bit problematic due to the presence of ex-Steelers bell cow Najee Harris, but Round 1 RBs don't tend to spend too much time on the bench.
Ultimately, I'm approaching this Chargers backfield as a middle-class man's version of the Lions: Give me Hampton over Harris straight up, but both are deserving of borderline RB2 treatment, and an injury to either would instantly lead to RB1 upside for the healthy back.
Quinshon Judkins Fantasy Football Outlook with Cleveland Browns
Judkins profiles as the immediate 1A option inside a Browns committee that will also include incumbent slasher Jerome Ford and fourth-round pick Dylan Sampson. Here's to hoping the Ole Miss/Ohio State produce assume more of the pre-injury Nick Chubb role (329 touches in 2022) as opposed to what we saw last season (13.4 touches per game).
Ultimately, the likely lack of a high pass-game role will limit Judkins to early-down usage behind a meh offensive line inside an offense not exactly expected to light up the scoreboard. Look for Gen-Z Marion Barber to fight for every yard he can get in Cleveland, but expecting more than borderline RB2 production in fantasy land might be wishful thinking due to the lackluster offensive environment.
TreVeyon Henderson Fantasy Football Stock with New England Patriots
On the one hand, Henderson's explosive three-down skill set makes him a viable home-run hitter in any offense. On the other hand, Josh McDaniels' RB committee plans have never been easy to predict, and Patriots GM Eliot Wolf just gave incumbent starter Rhamondre Stevenson a four-year, $36 million extension last June.
A 1A/1B role alongside Stevenson that produces around 15 combined carries and targets per game could be enough for Henderson to supply upside RB2 production in an efficient Bucky Irving-esque manner, although don't put it past McDaniels to ALSO keep Antonio Gibson involved and really muddle up this situation.
Ultimately, Henderson is a fun talent who certainly makes the Patriots better, but then again, New England also doesn't exactly boast the world's most fantasy-friendly offense ahead of 2025 despite some solid offseason additions.
RJ Harvey Fantasy Football Stock with Denver Broncos
Harvey hit the nut landing spot here inside the reigning top-10 Broncos scoring offense that brings back PFF's second-ranked offensive line. Throw in one of the softer RB rooms in the league, and it's possible the UCF talent emerges as a legit upside RB2 in fantasy land inside a Sean Payton offense that has always loved to throw the ball to its backs.
That said, Mark Ingram only averaged 10.3 touches per game in his first three seasons under Payton after earning Round 1 draft capital back in the day. Weirder things have happened. Still, Harvey undoubtedly deserves a big jump up the ranks in re-draft and dynasty land alike; he has as good a case as any non-Jeanty rookie RB for No. 2 treatment in this class.
Kaleb Johnson Fantasy Football Outlook for 2025
While it would've been a bit cooler if Johnson snagged Round 2 draft capital, he lands in arguably his best-case landing spot when it comes to scheme fit and potential day one volume. After all, Arthur Smith gave Najee Harris a whopping 299 touches last season, and Johnson's physical running style should land him that early-down job ahead of incumbent scat back Jaylen Warren.
Now, Warren isn't the sort of pint-sized pass-catching back who is incapable of running between the tackles; just realize Smith has generally preferred to lean on multiple RBs over the years, and Johnson (comped as "Honey I shrunk Derrick Henry" by Yahoo's Nate Tice) could thrive in his outside zone scheme.
Johnson has the potential to work as the second-most productive rookie RB in this class if things go right for him.
Cam Skattebo 2025 Fantasy Football Outlook with NY Giants
Day three draft capital is seldom good for rookie RBs, but then again, Skattebo lands on a Giants depth chart with very little competition in Tyrone Tracy and Devin Singletary.
Could Skattebo simply have more dog in him and emerge as the offense's workhorse? Yes! Could Brian Daboll also more or less decide to form a fairly evenly split three-back committee? Also yes.
Ultimately, Skattebo's big-time receiving numbers at Arizona State make him the sort of rare late-round prospect worth betting on; just don't get too carried away when comparing him against guys like Omarion Hampton and Kaleb Johnson.
Bhayshul Tuten Fantasy Football Outlook for 2025 with Jacksonville Jaguars
Landing with Liam Coen is a good thing for any playmaker. That said, Tuten failed to earn day two draft capital and isn't exactly guaranteed to displace Travis Etienne or Tank Bigsby on the depth chart. Speed kills, and Tuten has plenty of it, although a learning curve could be in play considering the Virginia Tech product had *zero* runs under center over the last two years (per Underdog's Hayden Winks).
Betting on Tuten in the RB4/5 handcuff range seems fine; just be careful about assuming a featured role will unfold anytime soon for any day three back.
Premium
Go FantasyLife+
Your league is unique. Your advice should be too. Get personalized tools, rankings, and projections tailored to your fantasy football league settings.
Wide Receiver
Travis Hunter Fantasy Football Outlook for 2025
Landing with Liam Coen and Trevor Lawrence in Jacksonville is certainly a better outcome for Hunter than joining the Browns, although the presence of Brian Thomas certainly caps the target ceiling.
Luckily, it sounds like Jacksonville wants to feature Hunter on offense first and defense second, meaning something close to a full-time receiver role should be on the table.
Full confirmation could lead to top-20 treatment at the position, but for now I'm exercising just a bit of caution and leaving the reigning Heisman Trophy winner as a borderline WR2 in the same tier as fellow talents with a bit more target competition than we'd prefer like Marvin Harrison, DK Metcalf, and DeVonta Smith.
Tetairoa McMillan Fantasy Football Stock for 2025
McMillan has the highest target ceiling of any rookie pass-catcher, and the same could be true for his fantasy ceiling (big) IF Bryce Young can build on his encouraging second-half revival. The gargantuan-sized rookie should emerge as the clear-cut No. 1 pass-game option inside this underwhelming WR room before too long, and the likelihood that Carolina's defense (again) stinks should lead to plenty of fantasy-friendly shootout game-scripts.
For now, I'm leaving T-Mac on the WR2 borderline ahead of fellow top-10 pick Travis Hunter, but just a touch behind Marvin Harrison; just realize as I write that I'm already wondering if the Arizona product deserves more benefit of the doubt.
What is Emeka Egbuka's Fantasy Value with Tampa Bay in 2025?
Ugh. Egbuka certainly makes the Bucs a better real-life football team, but that would be true for any squad. The problem in fantasy land is the reality that Mike Evans and Chris Godwin (once healthy) will assuredly lead the way in targets, and it seems unlikely Jalen McMillan is completely shoved to the curb after catching eight TDs as a rookie.
First-round draft capital should result in the Ohio State product snatching McMillan's job sooner rather than later; just realize even some sort of rotation between the four could render both complementary options obsolete when it comes to fantasy upside. Egbuka is nothing more than a WR5 dart who needs at least one injury ahead of him to become someone you will be able to start with any level of confidence.
Green Bay Packers Fantasy Football Outlook on Matthew Golden and Savion Williams
On the one hand, Golden's first-round draft capital could result in him leading Green Bay's passing game in routes and targets. On the other hand, it's far from a guarantee that Matt LaFleur kicks his incumbent four-some to the curb. I'd expect the Texas speedster to replace Dontayvion Wicks in the starting lineup, but similar to the Egbuka-McMillan equation, we aren't guaranteed to see the rookie run away with a true full-time role inside an offense that loves to keep plenty of WRs involved.
Still, Jordan Love and LaFleur have demonstrated the ability to operate this passing attack at a high level; I have the 23rd overall pick neck-and-neck with his new teammate Jayden Reed in the high-end WR4 range for the time being.
Williams has earned a lot of Cordarrelle Patterson comps around the industry which is pretty freaking sweet considering I (Ian Hartitz) am the longtime President of the Cordarrelle Patterson fan club. That said, Williams profiles as the likely WR5 at best in Green Bay entering Week 1, and his rushing/gadget touches seem likely to be taken by Jayden Reed.
Good on Williams for earning day two draft capital, but it's tough to envision a scenario where he emerges as an overly viable fantasy asset in 2025.
Houston Texans Fantasy Outlook for Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel
Higgins figures to immediately slot in as the Texans' No. 3 WR alongside Nico Collins and Christian Kirk. While a rotation is possible, considering Houston added fellow Iowa State talent Jaylin Noel in Round 3, Higgins' near first-round draft capital should make him the frontrunner. A year-three bounce-back from C.J. Stroud could feasibly boost Higgins into boom-or-bust WR3 territory, although for now, there's still more bankable volume for WR4/5 guys like Rashid Shaheed and Keon Coleman.
The Texans add Noel to a suddenly crowded WR room that might not have space for him in the starting lineup until 2026 when Christian Kirk hits free agency. Still, Noel tied for the Power 5 lead in catches on passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield last season and accordingly adds a deep-threat dimension to this offense that is lacking as long as Tank Dell (leg) is sidelined.
Don't expect more than boom-or-bust WR5/6 numbers from Noel in 2025, although there's enough talent here to eventually boom with a full-time opportunity.
Luther Burden Fantasy Football Outlook on Chicago Bears
Another great addition for Caleb Williams truthers, however, it's really tough to imagine Burden consistently earning enough targets to boom in fantasy land. It's reasonable to project him as the No. 4 target earner in this offense behind DJ Moore, Rome Odunze, and (probably) No. 10 overall pick Colston Loveland inside a Ben Johnson offense that led the NFL in 12 personnel (two TE) snaps last season.
Go ahead and hang another offseason champions banner, Chicago, but Burden is at least one injury away from being overly relevant in 2025 re-draft fantasy land.
Tre Harris Fantasy Outlook with LA Chargers
One of the best landing spots for any incoming rookie WR goes to the reigning college football leader in yards per route run (5.12!). While Harris' route tree and ability to win vertically are in question due to the ease with which Lane Kiffin's Ole Miss offense operates, we're talking about one of the draft's single-most efficient pass-catchers here.
Throw in the presence of Justin Herbert and potential for Harris to unseat old man Mike Williams from the starting lineup sooner rather than later, and there's legit WR2 upside here if everything breaks right. Expect Harris to be drafted as more of a WR4 alongside fellow rookies like Matthew Golden and Emeka Egbuka, but he has a chance to be more productive than both in 2025.
Kyle Williams Fantasy Football Outlook with New England Patriots
This was arguably the best-case scenario for Williams: He finds himself as a likely instant starter on this depleted depth chart with the upside to potentially lead the team in targets if 31-year-old veteran Stefon Diggs fails to return to form following last year's season-ending ACL injury.
Throw in the upside of rising second-year QB Drake Maye, and Williams should be viewed as a re-draft WR4 with potential WR2 upside if his separation ability and downfield lethalness translate to the next level. I'm looking forward to betting on Williams in the later rounds of fantasy drafts this Summer.
Detroit Lions Fantasy Football Fallout for Isaac TeSlaa
Clearly the Lions think highly of TeSlaa after shipping three third-round picks to acquire his services, but it's tough to imagine too heavy of a target share inside an offense that returns all key contributors from a season ago. Tim Patrick's time as the starting No. 3 WR is probably over, but even then, the veteran had just 44 targets all of last season.
TeSlaa is a freaky athlete and willing blocker who will help the Lions' real-life offense; it's just tough to see too much fantasy upside here until 2026 at the earliest without an injury or two.
Pat Bryant Fantasy Football Outlook with Denver Broncos
The Broncos are another AFC West team with a fairly barren WR depth chart, making Bryant someone fantasy managers need to pay attention to, even if he wasn't exactly the biggest name in pre-draft WR rankings. While many will be quick to paint any bigger-bodied, lesser-known WR as Sean Payton's next Marques Colston, Bryant still seems likely to work behind at least Courtland Sutton and Evan Engram in Bo Nix's pecking order, even with the benefit of a day one starting job (far from guaranteed). Bryant is more of a late-round dart than someone we should actively expect to produce fantasy fireworks for meow.
Tai Felton Fantasy Football Outlook with Minnesota Vikings
Profiles as a potential upgrade over Jalen Nailor, and could be leaned on if Jordan Addison faces suspension stemming from last year's arrest on suspicion of driving under the influence.
Still, we're talking about the No. 4 pass-game option at best here–Felton is more of a long-term dart throw than someone to expect bankable production from in 2025.
Tight Ends
Colston Loveland Fantasy Football Impact on Chicago Bears
With Loveland, the talent is easy to get behind; I would only rank him behind Brock Bowers and Trey McBride in dynasty. That said, Bears GM Ryan Poles gave incumbent starter Cole Kmet a four-year, $50-million extension for a reason, and it tentatively doesn't look like Chicago can get out of that contract until 2026 at the earliest.
Accordingly, Loveland could have a tough time earning the sort of 70-80% route rate that is almost essential to high-end fantasy production, and that's before considering the reality that he would still almost certainly be behind DJ Moore and Rome Odunze in Caleb Williams' pecking order. I'm tentatively sticking with my pre-draft TE15 ranking for Loveland due to this depressed target ceiling.
Tyler Warren Fantasy Outlook with Indianapolis Colts
Great job by the Colts for landing many's idea of a top-five talent at pick 14, although expecting 2025 fireworks might be wishful thinking. This is due in large part to Indy's gigantic question mark under center as well as the reality that guys like Josh Downs and Michael Pittman figure to continue to work in the same underneath and intermediate areas of the field where Warren would theoretically thrive.
The presence of Anthony Richardson and Jonathan Taylor also has me bearish on Warren receiving anything close to a prominent role in the run game. Shane Steichen should give the Penn State talent a full-time role from day one, but the potential for limited pass-game efficiency and a meh target share has been treating the first-rounder as more of a borderline TE1 in 2025 re-draft leagues despite legit top-five upside in dynasty land.
Mason Taylor Fantasy Football Stock for 2025 with Jets
Taylor doesn't turn 21 until May and profiles as the likely immediate starter for Gang Green. While much has been made of Justin Fields' negatives as a passer, he was good enough to enable both DJ Moore and Cole Kmet (73-719-6, TE9 in fantasy) to rather great seasons all the way back in 2023.
Taylor faces minimal target competition outside of Garrett Wilson and profiles as a quality late-round sleeper at the position, albeit low-end TE2 guys like Hunter Henry, Mike Gesicki, and Dalton Schultz probably still profile as better 2025 options due to their superior situations under center.
Terrance Ferguson Fantasy Football Outlook with LA Rams
This feels like more of a 2026 and beyond pick, as longtime starter Tyler Higbee is in the last year of his deal and turned 32 in January. Still, Rams TEs have the fourth-fewest targets in the league over the past two seasons, as Sean McVay's passing game has always flowed through its WRs first and foremost.
Ferguson's dynasty stock is firmly on the rise, but don't expect much out of the rookie in 2025.
Elijah Arroyo Fantasy Football Stock for 2025 with Seahawks
The presence of Arroyo adds serious credence to the idea that Noah Fant's days might be numbered in Seattle. The ex-Bronco veteran is on the last year of his deal, and the Seahawks could save $8.9 million vs. the cap while "only" eating $4.5 million in dead money if they desire.
Even then, AJ Barner figures to maintain at least a part-time role inside a passing game that should continue to heavily flow through Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Cooper Kupp. Solid enough long-term spot for Arroyo, but don't expect a big enough role to make much of an impact in 2025 fantasy leagues.
Premium
Go FantasyLife+
Your league is unique. Your advice should be too. Get personalized tools, rankings, and projections tailored to your fantasy football league settings.
