6 Fantasy Football Rookies With Top-12 Positional Upside In 2025

May 19, 2025

Quincy Milton III looks at 6 fantasy football rookies with top-12 positional upside. His top rookie performers for 2025 fantasy football drafts. Read the expert fantasy analysis.

Every season, a handful of rookies finish in the top 30 or so players at their respective positions in fantasy football. However, the truly elite players finish in the top 12 and go on to be difference-makers for your team. Running backs and wide receivers in particular can achieve such a feat.

Rookie seasons from players such as Saquon Barkley, Ja'Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson, and Brian Thomas Jr. have become the norm. However, that list of players is short, and only a few rookies can produce elite numbers each season. Each rookie's fantasy outlook is different and is heavily based on draft capital, opportunity, and the strength of their respective offense.

2025 presents a new crop of rookies with varying levels of opportunities. Here we will explore those with clear opportunities to produce at a high level immediately, and those with a potential path to doing so. With the NFL season just a few months away, let's dive in and see which rookies could finish as No. 1 options at their positions in 2025.

Ashton Jeanty, RB, Las Vegas Raiders

The most obvious player for this list in 2025 is the No. 6 selection in the draft, Ashton Jeanty. Jeanty is universally considered to be a generational talent with game-changing ability rivaled by few in the league. Jeanty's vision and combination of power and speed will serve him well immediately.

The case for Jeanty is that he will step into an immediate workhorse role. The Raiders have others on the roster who can spell him, but you do not draft a talent like Jeanty where the Raiders did, and not give him the rock repeatedly. Expect Jeanty to push for 300 carries and 60-plus targets.

Get excited for Ashton Jeanty in fantasy football - and these new graphics!

Just maybe ignore the last thing I said 😔😂 pic.twitter.com/ubApzMBTLZ

— Michael F. Florio (@MichaelFFlorio) April 30, 2025

Jeanty's success in 2025 hinges on the success of the Raiders offense as a whole. The offensive line is nothing to bat an eye about, and the high-end quality of the wide receivers is limited. The presence of quarterback Geno Smith will make this offense respectable, but he will need to elevate the unit into the top 10 to 15 in the league for Jeanty to soar.

New Raiders head coach Pete Carroll wants to run the ball just like he did in Seattle for over a decade. If everything breaks correctly, Jeanty could have a Marshawn Lynch-esque season. His talent and opportunity are too good to ignore, and he should be drafted as an RB1 in 2025 fantasy football drafts even if he finishes closer to No. 12 than No. 1.

Omarion Hampton, RB, Los Angeles Chargers

As the second of two running backs selected in the first round, Hampton has the draft capital and clear commitment to be a high-end contributor. However, Hampton has a Najee Harris problem as Harris was signed to a one-year deal and will be a factor in this backfield.

Given that Harris never misses time, Hampton's path to a top-12 season is through sheer talent rather than as an insurance back. If Hampton shines as bright as the player we saw at North Carolina, then he may give the Chargers no choice but to keep him on the field. Talent often wins in the NFL, and while Harris is a solid player, Hampton is substantially better.

When Omarion Hampton lands on the Los Angeles Chargers at pick 22 in the 1st round.

Is he the fantasy and dynasty 1.01 for the 2025 rookie class? I think this needs to be in consideration Ashton Jeanty at a meh spot or Omarion Hampton guaranteed workhorse use on the Chargers… pic.twitter.com/Z0NkJLEefX

— Football Fanatics (@FFB_Fanatics) March 3, 2025

There does exist a scenario in which Harris poaches a lot of touchdowns and short-yardage work from Hampton. This is a player who will have a solid floor in fantasy, but he will need a couple of factors to break loose for him to achieve RB1 status. However, the presence of Harris will likely be factored into Hampton's ADP, and you may be able to select a high-end producer at a substantial discount in redraft formats.

Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Carolina Panthers

This is not necessarily a prediction, but the path to a WR1 season is there for Tetairoa McMillan. The Panthers offense is on the rise and was a legitimately solid unit down the stretch of the 2024 season. If the ascension of quarterback Bryce Young continues, this could be a team picking in the 20s of next year's draft.

By selecting McMillan at No. 8 in this year's draft, the Panthers signaled that they are ready to hand over the reins of their wide receiver room to him. McMillan was highly productive in college, totaling at least 1,319 yards and eight touchdowns in each of the last two seasons.

He has excellent body control that can help him win at the point of the catch. His path to a WR1 season is through the end zone, and his physical abilities could realistically push him toward 10 touchdowns in 2025.

After a week, I just stumbled across my favorite Tetrairoa McMillan comp so far - and he’s is a player I have praised over the years:

Tee Higgins 🤝🏽

They are nearly identical in size, speed, and game (from what I’ve seen of TMac). I saw a lot more of Tee at Clemson.

Shout… pic.twitter.com/ZehjJ9q2Mc

— Panthers Culture 🥷🏽 (@PanthersCulture) May 1, 2025

We have seen wide receivers have success in this offense over the last couple of years. Adam Thielen performed like a WR1 for a while in 2023 before tapering off. Diontae Johnson had his moments in 2024. Both of those stretches came when the offense was terrible, but it should be much improved this year.

McMillan should not experience the usual ADP bump we see for first-round wide receivers because he is not as highly touted as many wide receivers we have seen drafted in recent years. As such, he will be an excellent value, and he certainly has top-12 upside.

Tyler Warren, TE, Indianapolis Colts

Tyler Warren was viewed as the No. 1 tight end in the 2025 draft class, but he was ultimately drafted behind Colston Loveland. Warren's success will be contingent on the success of either quarterback Anthony Richardson or Daniel Jones, but he has the talent and the play-caller in head coach Shane Steichen to potentially overcome any quarterback deficiencies.

This route was telling from Tyler Warren, because a lot of his tape was being schemed wide open looks, this shows he has solid route running ability and can continue to work on his craft.

I think Steichen is going to utilize him similarly to how he was used in college with runs… pic.twitter.com/iOH4AGyyMR

— Steve DeAngelo (@FantasySavvy) May 1, 2025

The Colts are not exactly boasting a highly proven core of pass-catchers. Wide receiver Josh Downs is a solid slot player with a short average depth of target. Michael Pittman Jr. is a good but not great wide receiver and second-year wideout Adonai Mitchell never quite found his footing in 2024.

Warren could step in as the No. 2 target in this offense immediately. If he receives a high target volume, he could easily crack the top 12 of a position that does not have many elite options outside of Trey McBride, George Kittle, or Brock Bowers. Given the singular nature of this position in fantasy, a top-12 finish in 2025 seems possible, if not likely, for Warren.

Terrance Ferguson, TE, Los Angeles Rams

Terrance Ferguson is a sneaky TE1 prospect in 2025. He was drafted by the Rams, who had Tyler Higbee finish as the TE6 as recently as two seasons ago. Higbee has battled injuries since then and has not replicated that same success, but Ferguson is a talented player who could step into that void.

When everyone is throwing darts at Day 3 RB’s in RD4 of rookie drafts – you’re allowed to just draft Terrance Ferguson.

4-Star Recruit (90 Prospect Grade).

4-year starter (18/209/2, 32/391/5, 42/414/6, & 43/591/3 in 4 seasons).

Has the athletic & tackle-breaking traits you… pic.twitter.com/BAFzj7PgvO

— David J. Gautieri (@GuruFantasyWrld) April 17, 2025

In 2023, Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta was not expected to become the player he is. He was the No. 2 tight end off the board in the second round, and he would go on to become the fantasy TE1. Ferguson is entering a great offense that has the potential to throw a lot of touchdowns. If he can carve out a solid target share, he could fill a red-zone void left by departed wide receiver Cooper Kupp.

Ferguson is likely to be mostly an afterthought in drafts. He may not even have immediate fantasy value, but he is a name to keep an eye on as the season progresses. If he comes on quickly, he could explode over the second half of the season.

Cam Ward, QB, Tennessee Titans

Last but not least, we have Cam Ward. Because of the singular nature of the quarterback position in most leagues, it is not unreasonable to believe that Ward could finish in the top 12 at quarterback.

Ward is not entering the best situation possible for a young signal-caller, but he certainly is not entering the worst. Then again, no one thought that Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud was entering a good situation when he took the league by storm in 2023.

Cam Ward has WEAPONS around him 🚀 pic.twitter.com/sKbwLI6uiF

— PFF Fantasy & Betting (@PFF_Fantasy) April 28, 2025

Ward will fall under the tutelage of head coach Brian Callahan, who spent many years helping to mold Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow into what he is. Callahan has a knack for offense that was on display down the stretch of the 2024 season when the Titans finally found success in the passing game.

If Callahan can deliver as an offensive mastermind, Ward could have a solid season. Additionally, Ward is not a statue. He is a solid athlete who rushed for at least four touchdowns in each of his final three seasons in college. That will give him a solid fantasy baseline.

He is also a relatively polished passer with many years of college experience. Perhaps he will continue the recent trend of successful rookie quarterbacks.

More Fantasy Football Analysis