Fantasy Football Rookie Breakouts - Draft Targets With Big Upside

Nathan's fantasy football rookie breakouts, draft sleepers and upside picks for 2025. Draft these 2025 NFL rookies as potential fantasy football league winners.

Every year, NFL teams rely more and more on rookies to be immediate difference-makers. Rookies like Jayden Daniels, Brian Thomas Jr., and Brock Bowers were able to catapult not only their organizations, but fantasy managers as well.

According to ESPN Fantasy, four of last season’s 10 most common players on championship teams were rookies!

The path to great drafts and fantasy championships will likely involve at least one fantasy football breakout from this year’s rookie class. So here are five fantasy football rookies with big upside -- draft picks who may even have the potential to be league-winners in 2025.

TreVeyon Henderson, RB, New England Patriots

After being drafted by the New England Patriots in the second round, former Ohio State running back TreVeyon Henderson is poised to be a league winner this season as a rookie.

Henderson was as efficient as any running back in the country last season, leading the Big Ten in yards per carry (7.1). The Patriots, despite having multiple needs throughout the roster, spent the 38^th pick in the draft on Henderson.

Head coach Mike Vrabel wants his offense to be run-heavy, as shown by his previous offensive system in Tennessee. This was Vrabel’s only move to this running back room, adding an explosive player who can score from any part of the field, as well as pass-protect amongst the best in the rookie class.

TreVeyon Henderson was the ONLY RB in CFB to hit these marks:

➖7.0+ Yards Per Carry
➖1,000+ Rushing Yards
➖250+ Receiving Yards

His 145 Rushing Attempts were the LEAST by a player who cleared the 1,000+ yard mark..

➖Size: 5’10, 207 lbs
➖40 Time: 4.43 (92nd Percentile) pic.twitter.com/pOMx91jEKQ

— Austin Abbott (@AustinAbbottFF) April 1, 2025

Henderson joins the backfield with Rhamondre Stevenson, who has regressed immensely since his 1,000-yard campaign in 2022. Stevenson has had problems staying on the field, missing seven games in the last two seasons due to foot and ankle injuries.

His main concern is his recurring fumbling issues, leading all running backs with seven fumbles last season. Meanwhile, Henderson fumbled just once in 578 carries in his college career with the Buckeyes. Vrabel will not tolerate fumbles as he attempts to relaunch the “Patriot Way.”

Henderson ranked second among this class with 850 career receiving yards in college and is touted as a fantastic receiving back. He enters offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels' system, which has heavily utilized running backs in the passing game, with at least one running back with 40 or more receptions in every season McDaniels was with the Patriots. This should be a match made in heaven and make Henderson a weapon in PPR formats.

Henderson has been stealing the show at Patriots training camp with his playmaking ability and his aggressiveness in pass protection. At his current ADP of 63, according to RotoBaller's rankings, Henderson is a player you cannot leave your fantasy drafts without.

Omarion Hampton, RB, Los Angeles Chargers

The Los Angeles Chargers made a splashy move in the first round, selecting North Carolina Tar Heels running back Omarion Hampton. Hampton was the only running back in this year’s class to have over 1,500 rushing yards and 15+ touchdowns in each of his last two seasons in college. At 6-foot, 222 lbs, Hampton is a prototypical workhorse who is entering a fantastic landing spot for a running back.

New Chargers RB Omarion Hampton is HIM!

97th percentile in Yards After Contact per Attempt (4.3!) —he refuses to go down
➖ Age: 21
➖ Size: 6’0”, 220 lbs

Last 2 seasons:
➖ 24 touches a game
➖ 150.4 yards per game
➖ 1.32 TDs per game

Certified WORKHORSE. Let’s eat. #BoltUp pic.twitter.com/CriiqB1YAF

— ًBoltUpYo (@BoltUpYo) April 25, 2025

The Chargers have completely changed their system from their Air Raid days, where quarterback Justin Herbert threw the ball over 600 times a season. Under head coach Jim Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman, the Chargers implemented a more run-heavy offense, finishing with the 10th-highest run play percentage in 2024.

This was despite lackluster running backs consisting of the aging Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins, who was coming off an Achilles tear. Now, they have rebuilt their running back room, adding Hampton and perennial 1,000-yard rusher Najee Harris.

Usually, Roman’s offenses run a full-blown running back by committee, but that wasn’t the case last season in Los Angeles. Edwards missed time due to an ankle injury, and Dobbins took over as the workhorse. Before getting hurt, Dobbins played over 65% of the snaps in every game from Week 3 until Week 12 and averaged over 18 attempts per game.

Now, Harris suffered a “superficial” eye injury during an incident on the Fourth of July. This situation is very concerning for Harris, who is still on the NFI (Non-Football Injury) list. He has not practiced since July 4^th and has received treatment at Stanford University. With uncertainty surrounding Harris’ eye, Hampton has gotten most of the first-team reps and now has a substantial head start in the system.

Hampton is currently going in the fourth round in most fantasy formats, and with his talent and current situation, the price is only going to increase.

RJ Harvey - RB, Denver Broncos

This running back draft class is one of the best we’ve seen, and no running back landed in a better spot than RJ Harvey. Harvey had back-to-back 1,400-yard rushing seasons with UCF, and averaged over 6.3 yards per carry in all three seasons in college. The former Golden Knight was selected in the second round by the Denver Broncos, which is a perfect landing spot for Harvey.

RJ Harvey was the ONLY RB in CFB to hit these marks:

➖1,500+ Rushing Yards
➖Sub 250 Attempts

His 2nd Round Draft Capital tells us a lot..

Notable Information:

➖40 Time: 4.40 (96th Percentile)
➖Target Share: 9.3% (96th Percentile)

A VERY clear path to being Denver’s RB1 pic.twitter.com/MhwIlbFz59

— Austin Abbott (@AustinAbbottFF) May 8, 2025

The Broncos had a breakout season in 2024 despite having one of the worst rushing attacks in the NFL. The Broncos were the only team not to have a player rank inside the top 40 in rushing yards last season, despite having the second-highest offensive line grade, trailing only the Philadelphia Eagles.

Head coach Sean Payton’s offensive scheme has produced elite running backs in the past and made noticeable changes to the Broncos running back room. They drafted Harvey in the second round of the draft and also signed veteran J.K. Dobbins.

Dobbins has been a very efficient and good running back when on the field, but health has always been the question with him. Dobbins has only been active in 37 of 85 games in his NFL career, missing significant time with major knee injuries and a torn Achilles. If Dobbins were to miss time, Harvey immediately becomes an elite running back for fantasy.

Even when Dobbins is healthy, there is plenty of room for Harvey to succeed in Payton’s offense. Payton’s offenses have peppered running backs in the receiving game, with players like Alvin Kamara, Reggie Bush, and Darren Sproles having several 70+ catch seasons. Even former Broncos running back Javonte Williams caught over 50 passes last season, so the door is open for Harvey to be a PPR machine in 2025.

Harvey has been impressing in camp and, despite being listed as the RB5 on the Broncos' unofficial depth chart, played more with the first team than Dobbins in the opening preseason game against the San Francisco 49ers. Harvey is currently ranked as the RB23 in the RotoBaller half-PPR rankings, as he enters one of the best situations in the NFL.

Emeka Egbuka, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been raving about first-round rookie wide receiver Emeka Egbuka. Egbuka has been turning heads at training camp, with multiple coaches and players stating he looks like a “seasoned pro.” Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield called Egbuka “a stud” and said that he can line up all over the formation.

Emeka Egbuka 2025 #ReceptionPerception Prospect Profile 👀

- 68.1% success rate vs man
- 83.6% success rate vs zone (82nd percentile)
- 81.3% success rate vs press (very limited reps caveat)
- Strong set of hands

My appreciation for Egbuka grew the more games I added to the… pic.twitter.com/r9gSzNLXzH

— Matt Harmon (@MattHarmon_BYB) March 28, 2025

The Buccaneers' decision to draft a wide receiver in the first round when they have an already loaded group came as a surprise. After recent developments around wide receiver Chris Godwin’s ankle recovery, Egbuka's selection makes more sense.

Godwin suffered an ankle fracture in Week 7 last season that needed surgery. ESPN’s Jenna Laine reported that Godwin underwent a second surgery in the spring, which has pushed back his recovery date.

Godwin has faced two major injuries over the past four years, including a torn ACL and MCL in 2021. Godwin is currently on the PUP (Physically Unable to Perform) list, and his status for Week 1 is still up in the air.

If Godwin were to miss time, Egbuka would slide right into Godwin’s role in the Buccaneers offense. Last season, Godwin caught over 50 passes for 576 yards and five touchdowns in just seven games, averaging the second-most half-PPR fantasy points per game during that span.

Egbuka is currently ranked as the WR42, according to RotoBaller’s rankings. With the uncertainty surrounding Godwin’s ankle and Egbuka’s stellar performance during training camp, the rookie receiver is a potential league winner.

Cam Skattebo, RB, New York Giants

Arizona State superstar running back Cam Skattebo slipped to the fourth round of the NFL Draft and landed with the New York Giants.

Skattebo was a dominant force in his final season with the Sun Devils, amassing over 2,300 scrimmage yards (second only to Ashton Jeanty) and 24 total touchdowns in 13 games. He was also a top receiver in college, leading all running backs in receiving yards in 2024 with 605 yards through the air. Giants head coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen have praised Skattebo’s receiving skills.

The rookie is expected to be the RB2 behind 2024 fifth-round pick Tyrone Tracy Jr., who had a solid rookie season with the Giants. However, the Giants still ranked 23rd in team rushing and dead last in red-zone scoring percentage (43.18%), while Tracy had the third-most fumbles (five) in the NFL last season.

With New York’s struggles in the red zone, expect Skattebo to serve as the short-yardage back for the Giants this season. However, Skattebo is also a skilled receiver and showed he can play all three downs in college, giving him a high ceiling in fantasy this season.

#ArizonaState RB Cam Skattebo

Forced 110 missed tackles in ‘24.

High-end contact balance + low pad level/foot quickness. pic.twitter.com/z1Fs4QNkwH

— Matt Bowen (@MattBowen41) February 23, 2025

Skattebo is currently dealing with a minor hamstring injury and has missed valuable time in training camp and the preseason. He may not shine early in the season, but when the Giants play in colder weather and need a bruiser in the backfield, Skattebo will pull through for fantasy managers.

He is going outside the top 100 in most fantasy formats and outside the top 40 running backs. Despite an uncertain situation and questions surrounding his current hamstring injury, Skattebo is a specimen, and fantasy managers should take advantage of this incredible value.

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