Dynasty Fantasy Football: Post-Draft Rookie Running Back Rankings for 2025

For most fantasy football leagues, the season ended months ago.

For some, the fun is largely just beginning. "Dynasty" or "keeper" fantasy football leagues are becoming more popular as NFL fans shift to a year-long, macro outlook of the league by retaining their favorites stars and players every year.

The most important aspect of these leagues is the yearly rookie draft. You'll cut a few underperformers from the roster to make room for incoming rookies as the potential stars of tomorrow. Just last season, teams could have gone from the bottom of the league to the top with selections of Jayden Daniels, Bucky Irving, or Ladd McConkey.

With the 2025 NFL Draft having come and gone, we know where this year's top rookie prospects are settled and where their draft capital was exercised. That's more than half the battle.

This year's running back has been billed as generational in terms of talent throughout the lead-up to the draft. Admittedly, some of the landing spots for prospects weren't ideal, though. How did that impact which ones should come off the board first in rookie drafts?

Note: These rankings and projected rounds are for 12-team, half-PPR "superflex" or two-quarterback leagues, emphasizing the quarterback position. Positionally mixed post-draft rookie dynasty rankings are also available.

Post-Draft 2025 Dynasty Rookie Running Back Rankings

1. Ashton Jeanty, Raiders

Projected Round: 1st Overall

The 1.01 in rookie drafts is so presumptive that many rebuilding teams that landed it are selling to the highest bidder.

That's because Ashton Jeanty went sixth overall in April to the Las Vegas Raiders. The 2024 Heisman runner-up will fix the NFL's worst rushing offense a year ago by absorbing most of its backfield touches. Jeanty's insane contact balance, creativity, and ability to generate yardage earned him a not-so-light comparison to Ladainian Tomlinson in my pre-draft profile.

In what is likely a run-first offense for Pete Carroll and Chip Kelly, Jeanty's landing spot couldn't have been any better for fantasy football. He'll be a first-round pick in most redraft leagues, too.

2. Omarion Hampton, Chargers

Projected Round: 2nd Overall

Behind Jeanty, it could have gotten a bit dicey as to who was this class' RB2, but one of its best prospects also went to the best landing spot on the board.

Jim Harbaugh's Los Angeles Chargers will always establish the run, and investing a first-round pick in Omarion Hampton is a good sign they believe he's the go-to guy. Najee Harris came over in free agency, but he'll take a backseat to that sort of draft capital.

Hampton demonstrated a three-down skillset with the North Carolina Tar Heels in 2024 and proved to be a goal-line monster with 17 total touchdowns. An instant featured role and connection to Justin Herbert make it realistic that Hampton outscores Jeanty, still on a rebuilding offense, in 2025.

3. Kaleb Johnson, Steelers

Projected Round: Late 1st

Having Kaleb Johnson ranked as my RB9 in this class wasn't quite the disservice it'd have been in others. I'm still happy to move him up the board based on landing with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Johnson, at 6'1" and 224 pounds, is the classic Steelers type of size profile, but Johnson wins with agility, decisiveness, and intelligence instead of brute force. With that the case, a 4.57 40-yard dash plummeted his draft stock a bit, but breakaway speed was never going to be his strongest asset.

Pittsburgh's dire quarterback situation could hold back this offense as a whole in 2025, but the Steelers investing their only Day 2 pick in the former Iowa Hawkeyes running back is a good sign he'll get priority touches and keep Jaylen Warren in a change-of-pace role.

4. Quinshon Judkins, Browns

Projected Round: Mid 1st

The Cleveland Browns, clearly, were experimenting in the 2025 NFL Draft. They took two quarterbacks and two running backs. I'm not sure which was sillier.

Making Quinshon Judkins the third running back off the board, Cleveland made a statement that they're moving on from a successful Nick Chubb era after two injury-plagued campaigns. My RB2 in the class landed in a spot where he's the clear leader in the clubhouse for an offense with similar concerns to Pittsburgh.

In 2024, Judkins didn't manage the raw production he did in previous seasons with only 215 touches. That should be a good thing as he still turned them in 1,221 scrimmage yards. He successfully won a title and reserved some tread on the tires with the Ohio State Buckeyes.

5. RJ Harvey, Broncos

Projected Round: Late 1st to Early 2nd

The theme here will be similar to Pat Bryant in my 2025 rookie wide receiver dynasty rankings. Sean Payton is a good eye to trust.

Ranked 72nd overall on my board, I thought I'd overshoot 5'7" RJ Harvey's draft position by a good margin. He went in the second round to the Denver Broncos as an RB that -- hopefully for them -- puts nightmares of last year's committee in the rear view mirror.

I just expect Denver's other two backs to still be involved. Audric Estime is a perfect goal-line option, and Jaleel McLaughlin has a better resume on third downs than Harvey's 39 catches in the last two seasons.

Harvey ended up in a nice spot, but there are more concerns for him than Judkins, including how Bo Nix's sophomore season looks after a rookie year that surpassed all expectations.

6. TreVeyon Henderson, Patriots

Projected Round: Mid 1st

Judkins' arrival helped TreVeyon Henderson's NFL future become glaringly apparent.

In a sort of Jahmyr Gibbs role with limited touches, Henderson is a spark plug. Many will remember him housing a screen pass in Ohio State's semifinal win over the Texas Longhorns or scampering 66 yards against the Oregon Ducks in the Rose Bowl.

However, he battled injuries in all prior college seasons as a featured back. Luckily, it appears the New England Patriots are going to give him that secondary role next to Rhamondre Stevenson, and that's still exciting in fantasy football -- especially in PPR leagues. I'm sure you've heard about Hendo's pass protection skills by now.

Five others ahead of him could be featured backs for years, but I can't blame anyone preferring Henderson's talent and per-touch efficiency somewhere in the late first round.

7. Jaydon Blue, Cowboys

Projected Round: Late 2nd to Early 3rd

Where would you draft rookie Tony Pollard in this year's crop? The Ringer's Todd McShay sees that as an apples-to-apples comparison for Jaydon Blue's new role in Big D.

Blue was drafted in the fifth round by the Dallas Cowboys in large part thanks to a sensational 4.38-second 40 at the combine. Blue's 730-yard season in the Longhorns' committee wasn't quite as productive of any of the running backs that'll go before him.

There's no doubt Dallas needs rookie contributions in its backfield. Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders are newcomers making around the league's minimum salary as they exit disappointing 2024 seasons. I'm all for a dart around the second turn when the Cowboys have a pronounced history of fantasy-relevant rookie RBs.

8. Cam Skattebo, Giants

Projected Round: Mid 2nd

In your league, chances are Cam Skattebo is going to go to a manager enthralled with him before it's responsible on paper to do so.

Skattebo became a cult hero with the Arizona State Sun Devils with an otherworldly performance in ASU's playoff appearance, and he was incredible all season with 2,310 scrimmage yards and 25 total touchdowns. The problem? That campaign was an advanced-age breakout for the 23-year-old against poor Big 12 competition.

America's running back prospect didn't run the 40-yard dash, so I've got questions if he's big (5'9") or fast enough to play at the next level. Competing with 2024 rookie sensation Tyrone Tracy Jr. doesn't help, either.

I haven't had a hard decision around him yet. He's usually gone way, way before ADP.

9. Bhayshul Tuten, Jaguars

Projected Round: Late 2nd

If Skattebo belongs to the masses, Bhayshul Tuten belongs to us fantasy nerds.

Tuten came from nowhere to run a 4.30 40-yard dash at the combine, but his elusiveness rating (143.2) at Pro Football Focus (PFF) was outstanding entering the combine. Adding those two things together, the former Virginia Tech Hokies rusher could be a dynamic NFL playmaker.

He's got a seat at the table for one the league's hardest RB rooms to predict. Incumbents Travis Etienne and Tank Bigsby haven't seem to won the love of the Jacksonville Jaguars' new regime given they drafted Tuten and another running back we'll discuss.

10. Woody Marks, Texans

Projected Round: Early 4th

Shortly after April's proceedings, I formulated my own unique rookie rankings and have stuck to them. I'm nearly two dozen spots higher than consensus on Woody Marks of the Houston Texans.

Houston traded a third-round pick next year to move up for Marks, so they essentially made him a Day 2 pick. That was earlier than expected, but for a contender like Houston, his three-down skillset could reap rewards even into the postseason -- especially if Joe Mixon were to get hurt.

Marks' final season with the USC Trojans (63.9% rush share) was quite the change of pace from his pass-happy days with Mike Leach at Mississippi State. Either way, he's now shown elite ability as a rusher and pass-catcher in college.

It's crazy to me he is going in the fourth round of rookie drafts when, given Houston's depth chart, he's a Mixon injury from a monstrous workload on a good team.

11. Tahj Brooks, Bengals

Projected Round: Mid-to-Late 4th

This is definitely a "talent over landing spot" choice, but we've already seen that pay off with the Cincinnati Bengals in recent seasons.

Chase Brown seem blocked from playing time by Joe Mixon, but Mixon departed. Brown doesn't seem to be going anywhere, but it's no secret the Bengals would like to lift carries off their 5'10" tailback. They signed Samaje Perine for reliable third-down work, but I think Tahj Brooks plays his way into a committee where both guys can eat.

Brooks had the best college career you barely heard about, becoming the Texas Tech Red Raiders' all-time leading rusher (4,560 yards) this past season. It's odd how negatives in his profile, like conference and touches, are identical to Skattebo's yet treated very differently.

If Brown were to get injured, the rookie might be Joe Burrow's back at the goal line. That's not too shabby.

12. Dylan Sampson, Browns

Projected Round: Early 3rd

Dylan Sampson's landing spot is the second-most frustrating one on the board.

Sampson's dynamic season with the Tennessee Volunteers had most tiering him with Kaleb Johnson on the periphery of this class' top guys, but skipping key workouts at the combine clearly impacted his stock. Of course, a spot on the Browns means that he won't even be the top rookie in Cleveland's offense with Judkins present.

Consider me skeptical on Sampson as the "third-down compliment" as hypothesized when he had just 20 catches for 142 yards last year. Jerome Ford caught 37 balls in the NFL.

The Browns made curious decisions throughout the draft, and their quarterback situation is poor. I like Sampson's talent well enough, but similar to a Jaylen Wright from his same school, it might be a long time before he holds a fantasy-relevant role in the league.

13. Devin Neal, Saints

Projected Round: Early-to-Mid 3rd

My draft grades believe New Orleans Saints bombed the Tyler Shough selection at quarterback. That hurts Devin Neal is his rookie season, but I still see a path to NFL viability for him.

Alvin Kamara, 29, isn't getting any younger, and NOLA is definitely entering a rebuild. It's quite possible that Kamara is rested or dealt in 2025 with such a long road ahead, and Neal is the first hand-picked running back on the roster for Kellen Moore.

A son of Lawrence, Neal put up three straight 1,000-yard rushing seasons with the Kansas Jayhawks and stayed loyal to his hometown school despite big dollars lurking in the transfer portal. The pre-draft process -- and namely a 4.58 40-yard dash -- just wasn't kind to him in a generational class.

Neal is my favorite third-round target at RB. He wouldn't be the first poor combine performer to go to an underrated landing spot and churn out yards for years. Plus, NOLA can address quarterback again in what's projected to be a loaded 2026 class.

14. DJ Giddens, Colts

Projected Round: Late 3rd

Sampson's silver medal in "disappointing spot" came only to DJ Giddens.

Giddens was my RB4 and 55th-ranked player in the entire class. "The Human Glitch" didn't start playing football until his sophomore year of high school, and he's just 21, but he still largely dominated in a committee with the Kansas State Wildcats to post 6.6 yards per carry (YPC) and 12.3 yards per reception (YPR).

Of all these Big 12 backs, I named the youthful, untapped potential of Giddens as the best prospect. He'll have to settle for an immediate backup role with the Indianapolis Colts, who have 26-year-old Jonathan Taylor locked under contract.

We know the nature of the beast in the NFL. If Taylor is ever seriously injured and Giddens stars, Indianapolis will find a way to use the latter's rookie contract. I still love betting on his talent at ADP.

15. Brashard Smith, Chiefs

Projected Round: Late 4th

Here's one of two 2025 late-round rookie draft sleepers I identified at the running back position earlier this month.

I'm not sure anyone is sleeping on a potential weapon for Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs -- especially when we've seen the movie before. Isiah Pacheco went in the same round as Brashard Smith and enjoyed brief stardom in fantasy football.

Smith is a great fit to replace Samaje Perine if he cleans up his pass protection. The converted wide receiver posted 1,659 scrimmage yards last year, and a good chunk of that came through the air with a 12.9% target share. He was the SMU Mustangs' entire offense.

Pacheco and Kareem Hunt are immediate obstacles to playing time, but no one should be surprised if Andy Reid turns Smith into a PPR-league contributor pretty quickly.

Honorable Mentions

Those 15 running backs represent the top of the class for me, but 10 more backs were selected in the 2025 draft. Here are a few of my favorite potential undrafted options.

• Kyle Monangai (Bears)
  • Being the one running back on the Chicago Bears' roster that Ben Johnson drafted can't hurt, right? I'd have adored for Sampson, Neal, or Giddens to land in this Chicago spot with two underwhelming returning running backs, D'Andre Swift and Roschon Johnson. Instead, Monangai got the job. The seventh-rounder from the Rutgers Scarlet Knights will contribute in 2025 if he can play.
• Trevor Etienne (Panthers)
  • Etienne will be selected in most drafts, but I had no problem dropping him outside the rankings. The Carolina Panthers made him the ninth running back off the board, but he'll struggle to carve out an extremely attractive role when Chuba Hubbard and Rico Dowdle have three-down experience. For me, this situation and offense aren't good enough to deal with the headache.
• Jarquez Hunter (Rams)
  • We've now had two consecutive offseasons where "committee" rumors ended up just being a godly workload for Kyren Williams with the Los Angeles Rams. L.A.'s selection of Jarquez Hunter has marked a third, but Hunter's fourth-round selection might have more to do with Blake Corum's bust potential. Sean McVay's lead running back always gets fed, so I understand the attention geared toward securing the right handcuff.
• LeQuint Allen (Jaguars)
  • Allen was my RB7 and a top-85 prospect on my board. He, like many other backs, dropped via supply and demand, but I actually think he's got as good of a chance as any seventh-rounder to contribute in 2025. Allen's 14.0% target share in 2024 with the Syracuse Orange gives him a very clear identity as a third-down back in the NFL. To me, he's Rachaad White's doppelganger if he improves his pass protection.
• Phil Mafah (Cowboys)
  • The former Clemson Tigers captain is a good reminder that stats alone don't always tell the full story. Mafah gritted through a bad shoulder injury to hurt his 2024 numbers, and it was a surprise for many to see him drafted at all. Dallas has no defined RB1, so if the big-bodied seventh-round pick can turn heads in camp, he's got as good of a shot as anyone on the roster to receive goal-line handoffs from Dak Prescott.

Which futures stand out to you this offseason? Check out FanDuel Sportsbook's NFL betting odds to see the full menu of options.

Sign up for FanDuel Sportsbook and FanDuel Daily Fantasy today!

The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.