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Fantasy football rookie running back rankings for 2025. RotoBaller's top rookie running backs and draft targets, including Ashton Jeanty, Omarion Hampton, RJ Harvey, and more.
We're in the thick of fantasy football rookie draft season, and our NFL team has released its 2025 fantasy football rookie running back rankings after the 2025 NFL Draft. This is a strong group of ball carriers set to enter the league, so many of these first-year players are set to make an impact right away. Let's check below to find out where key ball carriers like Ashton Jeanty, Omarion Hampton, RJ Harvey, Jarquez Hunter, Bhayshul Tuten, Tahj Brooks, and more stand among all rookie RBs.
These 2025 rookie rankings are released after the 2025 NFL Draft. Continuous tweaks will be made to these rankings for fantasy football rookies all offseason long, so be sure to check back regularly for updates. In addition to this article, you should also be sure to check out our other dynasty rookie rankings and analysis articles, including in-depth coverage of the NFL Draft and various NFL rookie profiles.
Four of our lead fantasy football analysts -- Phil Clark, Jackson Sparks, Andrew Lalama, and Matt Donnelly -- have put together these fantasy football rookie rankings. In addition to these rookie rankings, in our 2025 fantasy football rankings dashboard, you will also find our team's Dynasty League rankings. Bookmark that page, and use it to prepare for all of your 2025 fantasy football dynasty league drafts.
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NFL Rookie Running Back Rankings for Fantasy Football (Post-Draft)
Rookie rankings are from after the 2025 NFL Draft
| RB Tier |
RB Rank |
Player Name |
Pos. | Overall Rank |
| 1 | 1 | Ashton Jeanty | RB | 1 |
| 1 | 2 | Omarion Hampton | RB | 2 |
| 1 | 3 | TreVeyon Henderson | RB | 5 |
| 1 | 4 | Quinshon Judkins | RB | 6 |
| 1 | 5 | RJ Harvey | RB | 7 |
| 1 | 6 | Kaleb Johnson | RB | 12 |
| 2 | 7 | Cam Skattebo | RB | 16 |
| 2 | 8 | Bhayshul Tuten | RB | 20 |
| 2 | 9 | Dylan Sampson | RB | 23 |
| 3 | 10 | Devin Neal | RB | 25 |
| 3 | 11 | Jaydon Blue | RB | 29 |
| 3 | 12 | Ollie Gordon II | RB | 30 |
| 3 | 13 | Jarquez Hunter | RB | 31 |
| 3 | 14 | Tahj Brooks | RB | 35 |
| 3 | 15 | Damien Martinez | RB | 36 |
| 3 | 16 | DJ Giddens | RB | 38 |
| 3 | 17 | Brashard Smith | RB | 40 |
| 4 | 18 | Trevor Etienne | RB | 42 |
| 4 | 19 | Jordan James | RB | 45 |
| 4 | 20 | Woody Marks | RB | 48 |
| 4 | 21 | Jacory Croskey-Merritt | RB | 51 |
| 4 | 22 | Kyle Monangai | RB | 52 |
| 5 | 23 | Kalel Mullings | RB | 55 |
| 5 | 24 | LeQuint Allen | RB | 56 |
| 5 | 25 | Raheim Sanders | RB | 60 |
| 5 | 26 | Lan Larison | RB | 65 |
| 5 | 27 | Phil Mafah | RB | 66 |
| 5 | 28 | Marcus Yarns | RB | 71 |
| 5 | 29 | Donovan Edwards | RB | 80 |
| 5 | 30 | Corey Kiner | RB | 86 |
| 5 | 31 | Montrell Johnson Jr. | RB | 88 |
Fantasy Football Outlooks for Rookie Running Backs
Ashton Jeanty, Las Vegas Raiders
Ashton Jeanty's entrance into the Las Vegas backfield should immediately launch the explosive playmaker into a massive workload. Jeanty's excellent blend of vision, acceleration, and contact balance ignites his exceptional big-play ability, which should supply the perfect tonic for a rushing attack that ranked dead last in yards per game (79.8), yards per attempt (3.6), and rushing first downs per game (4.6), during 2024.
Jeanty became the first running back to be selected with a top 10 pick since 2018, and his significant draft capital was earned after he stockpiled 594 attempts (22.8 per game), 3,948 rushing yards (151.8 per game), and 43 rushing touchdowns in 2023-2024. Jeanty also accumulated 374 carries (26.7 per game) and erupted for the second-highest yardage total in FBS single-season history (2,601 yards/185.8 per game) during 2024. He also led all backs in carries of 15+ yards (36), missed tackles forced (152), and yards after contact (1,970), according to PFF.
Jeanty's extensive role in the Raiders' reconstructed offense will also be beneficial to fantasy managers who capitalize on their opportunity to seize him for their rosters. He should flourish in a restructured attack that will be designed by Chip Kelly, while remaining consistent with Pete Carroll's run-first philosophy. That should incentivize you to target him late in Round 1 in all best ball and dynasty startup drafts.
- Phil Clark, RotoBaller
Cam Skattebo, New York Giants
New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo had to wait until Round 4 to hear his name called in the 2025 NFL Draft. He will enter a backfield with another former Day 3 running back in Tyrone Tracy Jr., already in place as the starter. Additionally, the Giants still have veteran running back Devin Singletary, who figures to work into the rotation. Skattebo is a much different player than Tracy or Singletary. He brings a hard-hitting style to the backfield that is a necessary complement to the speed already in place.
Since no running back in this offense has significantly set themselves apart, Skattebo has a chance to make a very meaningful difference right away. Skattebo has thrived as an underdog throughout his entire football career, but he is nowhere near devoid of talent. Skattebo is fresh off a 1,711-yard and 21-touchdown season with Arizona State.
He has yet to prove himself on an NFL field, but the blueprint is right in front of him. The fantasy community seems to think the same thing as RotoBaller currently has Skattebo ranked as the RB41, which is inline with his ADP as a low-end RB3 or flex. With an excellent opportunity ahead of him, Skattebo could be one of several rookie running backs with a chance to finish inside the top 24 at the position this season.
- Quincy Milton III, RotoBaller
Bhayshul Tuten, Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville Jaguars running back Bhayshul Tuten, drafted early in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, has absolutely monstrous athletic upside. He ran a 4.32-second 40-yard dash after showcasing his blinding speed on tape in 2024. He was also an excellent tackle-breaker and was very elusive, as both the tape and his advanced stats showed.
Technically, he's in a crowded running back room, joined by veterans Travis Etienne Jr. and Tank Bigsby. The team also selected LeQuint Allen in the seventh round of this year's draft. But new head coach Liam Coen made a rookie Bucky Irving a league-winner with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last season, and Tuten was the first running back he was presumably involved heavily in selecting. Etienne had a terrible 2024 after a wildly inefficient (sub-4.0 yards per carry) season in 2023, and Bigsby has massive fumbling issues and a lack of pass-catching upside.
Tuten will seize the starting job and run with it as soon as he rips off his first touchdown of 50 yards or more. He's immediately one of the best athletes at the RB position in the league. Sleep on him at your own peril. He is worth reaching for in redraft and dynasty leagues.
- John Johnson, RotoBaller
Jarquez Hunter, Los Angeles Rams
Los Angeles Rams rookie running back Jarquez Hunter, chosen by the team in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, has the skills to immediately become one of the highest upside handcuffs in all of fantasy football. Additionally, he excelled in college against some of the best possible defenses (those in the SEC) in many areas where both Kyren Williams and Blake Corum struggled. Hunter averaged a ridiculous 6.3 yards per rush in 2024, additionally logging breakaway runs on over 10 percent of his carries.
He was also top-5 in both missed tackle rate and yards after contact per attempt. Williams was given a massive workload last season, which was fantastic for his production, but he averaged just 4.1 yards per carry and took a big step back from his 2023 campaign. This is because the Rams' offensive line played much more poorly in the run game after an elite 2023. Hunter is a dark horse candidate to simply take over his backfield, whether it be mid-season in Year 1 or his sophomore campaign.
His contingent upside is also huge. Obviously, he'll have to "beat out" Corum for the RB2 spot first, but Corum wasn't impressive last year. In dynasty leagues, he's a must-draft. It's unlikely the Rams will re-sign Williams after his rookie contract expires.
- John Johnson, RotoBaller
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