10 Instant-Impact Fantasy Football Rookies: First-Year Breakout Candidates to Draft (2025)

Ryan Kirksey breaks down 10 fantasy football rookie breakout candidates, impact players, and potential draft targets for 2025. His projected top rookie performers for fantasy football.

Every year, there are a handful of rookies who make an instant impact in fantasy football. Sometimes those rookies make a bigger impact than in other years. In 2024, for example, players like Malik Nabers, Brian Thomas Jr., Jayden Daniels, and Brock Bowers were just some of the rookies who made a fantasy impact right away. However, relative to expectations, Marvin Harrison Jr., Rome Odunze, and Caleb Williams disappointed. 

As good as the crop in 2024 might have been, the 2023 class might have been better. C.J. Stroud, Puka Nacua, Bijan Robinson, De'Von Achane, and Rashee Rice all were dominant fantasy forces by season's end. In other years, like 2022, the crop ends up being relatively weak.

You never know what you're going to get from rookies until the ball is snapped in the upcoming season. But one thing is certain: some rookies are going to take over fantasy football. Here are 10 rookies who are primed to have a solid year in fantasy and should make an instant impact this upcoming season. 

Cam Ward, QB, Tennessee Titans 

Cam Ward is the one quarterback from the 2025 rookie class who has a no-doubt-about-it starting job heading into this season. The only competition for Ward as he starts his rookie season is flameout Will Levis and Brandon Allen. Ward should have the starting job in Week 1 and be given a long leash, considering the low expectations for the Titans in his first year.

2 minutes of #Miami QB Cam Ward being an absolute menace in the pocket

Incredible houdini-like instincts#NFLDraft #Devy pic.twitter.com/DiuIRfM2Ss

— Cory P. (@FF_Guitarist) January 24, 2025

Ward had 39 passing touchdowns (three per game) and over 200 rushing yards in his final college season in 2024. To help with his onboarding, the Titans also brought in wide receiver Xavier Restrepo (his Miami teammate) and wide receiver Elic Ayomanor, who is already developing a rapport with Ward in minicamp.

Tyler Shough, QB, New Orleans Saints

Tyler Shough being set up to make an immediate impact in 2025 is like Taco Bell making an impact on you during a long road trip because it's the only restaurant for the next 60 miles. With Derek Carr's retirement, the only real competition for Shough in New Orleans is Spencer Rattler and his 4:5 touchdown-to-interception ratio from his rookie season last year.

Shough, already 25 years old, had 23 passing touchdowns and 3,195 passing yards in just 12 games last season for Louisville. He also has multiple collegiate seasons with more than 200 rushing yards under his belt, so he can put it under his arm and run when needed. New Orleans should give him a long look this year, and he can make an impact in 2QB leagues.

Ashton Jeanty, RB, Las Vegas Raiders

Ashton Jeanty is the running back who needs no introduction. If you tuned in to any college football last season, you likely heard about Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty and his 2,739 total yards and 30 total touchdowns in 2024. He led the world in those categories and now will be a bell-cow for the Las Vegas Raiders.

Only three RBs have averaged over 6 Yards Created and forced over 0.45 missed tackles per carry in their final college season:

– Joe Mixon (2017)
– Saquon Barkley (2018)
– Ashton Jeanty (2025)

(out of 111 charted RBs since 2016)

— Graham Barfield (@GrahamBarfield) May 29, 2025

But after almost 600 rush attempts the past two seasons, can Jeanty also handle a punishing workload in the NFL? Fantasy drafters are betting "yes," as he is always gone in drafts by the time the second round ends. In an age where the workhorse back is dying, Jeanty is a safe bet for 300 touches, assuming he stays healthy.

Omarion Hampton, RB, Los Angeles Chargers 

If Jeanty didn't exist, University of North Carolina running back Omarion Hampton would be the rusher dominating all the rookie fantasy football conversation. He rushed for over 1,600 yards and scored 17 total touchdowns in 13 games in 2024, and now enters an ideal situation for his skill set. Just barely 22 years old, Hampton looks like he could dominate touches right away.

The Los Angeles Chargers no longer have J.K. Dobbins, and Hampton's primary competition is Najee Harris. Hampton could cede work at the beginning of the season, but his 11.5% target share and 373 receiving yards in 2024 mean that he could take on an every-down role if given the opportunity.

Quinshon Judkins, RB, Cleveland Browns

We have enough evidence by now to know that Jerome Ford and Pierre Strong Jr. are not difference-makers for fantasy football, or for the NFL in general. That's why the Cleveland Browns drafted Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson this year to fortify their rushing game while they figure out what the heck they are doing at quarterback for the future.

Judkins may not have been the yards-gainer at Ohio State, but he was the touchdown scorer. He had 16 scores in 16 games on just 216 touches. His bruising style makes him perfect near the goal line, which is where he should see plenty of work in Cleveland.

Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Carolina Panthers

Bryve Young leaped during the second half of his sophomore season in 2024. Despite only having Xavier Legette, Jalen Coker, and the corpse of Adam Thielen in his receiving corps, Young turned the Panthers into a legitimate passing attack and now gets a weapon unlike any he has had in his two NFL seasons.

 McMillan is a physical, dominating, fast receiver who demanded a 31% target share and 84 receptions for 1,319 yards for Arizona last season. He should immediately be the WR1 for Carolina and push for 90-100 targets. 

Travis Hunter, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars

There is no doubt Travis Hunter is going to have an immediate impact in the NFL, but the question is, will it be primarily on offense or defense? It remains to be seen how many snaps Hunter will play on offense versus how many he will play on defense. But assuming he lines up in at least 75% of offensive snaps, he could make an immediate impact.

Brian Thomas & Travis Hunter competing in drills 🌟 pic.twitter.com/tfjLqy8cPp

— The Money Down (@Themoneydownpod) May 31, 2025

The Jaguars lost Christian Kirk, Gabe Davis, and Evan Engram this offseason, so there will be targets to go around this season. Brian Thomas Jr. needs some pressure taken off him, and Hunter is the perfect opposite-side complement.

Matthew Golden, WR, Green Bay Packers

The Green Bay Packers seemingly have five or six talented receivers at their disposal, but none of them have been able to either A) stay healthy or B) take a dominant step above the others to become the alpha of Jordan Love's passing attack. Enter Matthew Golden, who was selected 23rd overall in the draft, is not yet 22 years old, and immediately becomes the best downfield threat the Packers have on their roster.

Tyler Warren, TE, Indianapolis Colts

The Colts have tried a lot of options at tight end over the past few years. None of Mo Alie-Cox, Jelani Woods, or Drew Ogletree has worked out, so Indianapolis decided to try an elite option with the 14th pick in the draft: Tyler Warren.

Warren was the best tight end in college football at Penn State, racking up over 1,200 yards and eight touchdowns on 104 receptions last season. Now available as a safety blanket for Anthony Richardson or Daniel Jones, Warren should soak up just about every tight-end target on the team.

Colston Loveland, TE, Chicago Bears

Can a tight end with just 582 receiving yards and five touchdowns come in and make an instant impact on a team already overflowing with talented pass-catchers?

Don't let the meager numbers last year fool you, as Loveland was the primary option on a run-heavy Michigan team. Loveland had a 28% target share for the Wolverines and should now come in and take over Cole Kmet's spot on a new Bears offense that should see more pass attempts and an improvement from Caleb Williams in Year 2.

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