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Dave's 2025 NFL Draft rookie running back rankings for fantasy football. Dynasty managers should target these players in their rookie drafts. Read the expert rankings and analysis.
The 2025 NFL Draft is just a few days away. Teams are currently meeting with prospects and finalizing their draft boards in anticipation of the big event. The arrival of the NFL Draft also marks the start of the most essential part of dynasty football leagues: rookie drafts. Many dynasty fantasy managers are hard at work studying the incoming rookie class. Whether you’re in a rebuild or coming off a championship season, selecting the correct rookies is critical to sustained success in your league.
One of the more overlooked positions in dynasty leagues the last few years has been running back. Wide receivers have become a bigger priority for managers, and to some degree, running backs have been relegated to the backseat. That will change as the incoming running back class is one of the strongest we’ve seen in recent years. It’s even been compared to the historic 2017 NFL Draft, which produced an abundance of talented backs. Today, we will examine several running back prospects that gamers should consider selecting in their upcoming rookie drafts.
Make sure you’re following RotoBaller on X and check out RotoBaller.com for all your dynasty football and 2025 NFL Draft needs. Here are the potential top five running backs available in 2025 dynasty rookie drafts.
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No. 5: Quinshon Judkins - Ohio State
Judkins broke out as a freshman in 2022 at the University of Mississippi. He ran for over 1,500 yards and scored 16 total touchdowns. Judkins would eventually transfer to Ohio State, where he was deployed in a committee with TreVeyon Henderson.
It wouldn’t slow Judkins down, though, as he still managed to eclipse 1,000 rushing yards and scored 14 rushing touchdowns last year en route to a National Championship victory over Notre Dame.
The one knock on Judkins is that his underlying data is a bit underwhelming. However, his tape paints a different picture. He’s a pretty complete player, and he is one of the few backs in this class who will enter the league as a competent blocker. That ability gives him a leg up on most of the competition and could lead to him earning a large workload from the start.
BUCKEYES TAKE THE LEAD IN THE FOURTH 👀
Quinshon Judkins punches it in for his second touchdown of the game‼️ pic.twitter.com/TeORvLn7Kc
— ESPN (@espn) January 11, 2025
Judkins has the size, speed, power, and pass-catching chops to become a fantasy difference-maker. This could lead him to being drafted higher than some pundits think. Ultimately, we will have to see what kind of draft capital he receives, but Judkins could be a major value in rookie drafts if he falls to the latter half of Day 2 in the NFL Draft.
Many dynasty players are already familiar with Judkins' name, so he might be difficult to acquire on draft day. If you want him, you might need to trade up to get him. That might be a worthwhile move, as he could hit in a big way if everything clicks.
No. 4: TreVeyon Henderson - Ohio State
Henderson declared for the NFL Draft following a successful collegiate career at Ohio State. He broke onto the scene as a freshman in 2021 and eclipsed 1,200 rushing yards. Unfortunately, injuries derailed his sophomore and junior seasons. However, Henderson would rebound in 2024 and break the 1,000-yard mark despite splitting touches with the previously mentioned Judkins.
While Henderson’s final collegiate numbers won’t blow you away, he did post some stronger advanced metrics. Among 154 backs with 100+ attempts, He finished 11th in PFF rushing grade, 13th in breakaway run percentage, and 40th in elusive rating.
TREVEYON HENDERSON 75 YARDS TO THE HOUSE, WOW‼️
Ohio State immediately answers after Texas' TD. pic.twitter.com/a0OdS0eORK
— ESPN (@espn) January 11, 2025
He also performed well at the NFL Combine, running a very solid 40-yard dash. It has since been reported that Henderson’s skill set is highly regarded by NFL evaluators and that he could hear his name called on Day 1 of the NFL Draft. That would be an ideal scenario for his dynasty supporters.
Henderson is an enticing prospect with long speed and big-play ability. He has the kind of skills that fantasy gamers typically love. He could be tough to acquire on draft day for this reason. However, if you’re a bit more bearish on Henderson, then it’s not the worst idea to trade back if he’s still available when you’re on the clock. He did have some injury issues in college, and they could re-emerge in the NFL.
Either way, if he gets a good landing spot in the NFL Draft, Henderson will be one of the first running backs taken in rookie drafts.
No. 3: Kaleb Johnson - Iowa
Johnson’s stock took a hit after running a 4.57 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine. While that was not the most ideal time, it’s not a death nail by any means. Plenty of successful backs have posted mediocre scores in the 40-yard dash and gone on to have successful careers. Johnson could very well be the next.
Nobody's catching Kaleb Johnson in the open field 💨
We're flashing back to some of his long TDs from his three seasons with @HawkeyeFootball 👀#FlashbackFriday x #B1GFootball pic.twitter.com/gPB22oUBLY
— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) March 28, 2025
While he may not boast ideal long speed, Johnson remains a talented prospect. His 1,537 rushing yards last season ranked seventh in the nation, and he was one of just six backs to score at least 20 rushing touchdowns. His advanced metrics were also very good. Among 154 collegiate backs with 100+ carries, Johnson ranked 24th in PFF rushing grade, 13th in PFF elusive rating, and 10th in missed tackles forced (MTF).
KALEB JOHNSON GOES UNTOUCHED TOUCHDOWN HAWKEYES pic.twitter.com/Iv3XOp0fRA
— SuperHawkeyeFan (@superhawkeyefan) September 7, 2024
Yes, Johnson did have the luxury of playing behind a very good offensive line, but it’s not really fair to bring that up as a critique of Johnson’s game. Good offensive line play helps a running back reach his ceiling.
None of this is to say Johnson is the perfect prospect. He might indeed need ideal circumstances to reach his ceiling, but how is that different from any other running back? Remember, Saquon Barkley wasn’t able to realize his full potential until he got a major offensive line upgrade and joined the Philadelphia Eagles.
No, Johnson doesn’t have the raw athletic talent that Barkley does, but the point is we shouldn’t hold good offensive line play against a running back.
Johnson fits best with a team that primarily deploys a zone-blocking scheme. We should then expect that whichever team drafts him will know this ahead of time and deploy him accordingly. If he gets the right landing spot, Johnson could be a massive value in rookie drafts.
No. 2: Omarion Hampton - North Carolina
While Ashton Jeanty has been getting all the headlines, the reality is that Hampton isn’t too far behind him.
TO THE HOUSE 🏠
Omarion Hampton rushes for a 75-yard touchdown ‼️ pic.twitter.com/dLVvz2Sr3G
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) November 30, 2024
The former North Carolina Tar Heel had a standout 2024 season. He ran for 1,660 rushing yards (third in the nation) and scored 15 rushing touchdowns. His advanced metrics were also very strong. Among 154 backs with 100+ carries, Hampton finished eighth in PFF rushing grade, 16th in PFF elusive rating, and fifth in MTF.
Hampton also crushed last month’s NFL Combine. Shortly after, it was reported that multiple NFL teams have him and Jeanty “neck and neck” for the RB1 spot. We should not be the least bit surprised if Hampton hears his name called on Day 1 of the NFL Draft.
He’s an elite prospect in his own right and has everything needed to be a team’s RB1. If you missed out on the 1.01 in your rookie draft, fret not because Hampton is an excellent consolation prize.
No. 1: Ashton Jeanty - Boise State
Jeanty is a special player. He ran for a ludicrous 2,601 rushing yards and led the nation in rushing last year. Jeanty also scored 30 total touchdowns. These are video game-type numbers, and it’s part of the reason why Jeanty is seen as the RB1 of this rookie class.
ASHTON JEANTY 61-YARD TOUCHDOWN 🔥🔥
HIS 27TH RUSHING TOUCHDOWN ON THE SEASON 😱 pic.twitter.com/ureDEtgegv
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 24, 2024
His raw numbers were outstanding, and it should be no surprise that you will also find Jeanty’s name at the top of many advanced metrics. Even though Boise State didn’t utilize him as a receiver in 2024, he’s more than capable as a pass-catcher and should be a true dual-threat option in the NFL.
There’s little he can’t do, and it makes him an easy choice as the 1.01 in rookie drafts regardless of format. If you’re fortunate enough to own the first pick in your draft this year, congratulations. You’re about to land a gem. Jeanty will quickly join the upper echelon of running backs in the league and will surely be on many championship dynasty teams in the years to come.
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