Updated Fantasy Football Rookie Rankings (Pre-NFL Draft) - April Updates Include Cam Ward, Tre Harris, Travis Hunter, Cam Skattebo, Shedeur Sanders, more

April 19, 2025

RotoBaller's top 100 fantasy football rookie rankings, before the 2025 NFL Draft, updated for April. Use these NFL rookie rankings for fantasy dynasty drafts.

It's an exciting time for football, with the 2025 NFL Draft right around the corner. At RotoBaller HQ, we have been constantly updating our NFL rookie rankings list heading into the draft. Below you will find the updated 2025 fantasy football rookie rankings before the NFL Draft, updated as of April 2025, and ranks the top 100 NFL rookies. Where do players like Cameron Ward, Travis Hunter, Cam Skattebo, Tyler Warren, and Tre Harris rank? Let's take a look below at the full rankings, followed by fantasy football analysis for these rookies by Matt Donnelly.

Since our team's fantasy football rookie rankings are being released ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft, things will likely change based on the actual draft results. We'll be updating these rookie rankings after the draft, so stay tuned for that. In addition to this article, you should also 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 these pages and use them to prepare for all of your 2025 fantasy football dynasty league drafts.

Fantasy Football Rookie Rankings (Pre-Draft) - April Updates

Rookie rankings are updated as of April 2025, and before the NFL Draft

Fantasy Football Rookie Rankings: First Round

For those selecting early in their fantasy football drafts, the top of fantasy football rookie drafts is chalk. Ashton Jeanty and Omarion Hampton are three-down backs with production track records for fantasy production.

Hampton is coming off a season in which he ran for more than 1,600 yards and 15 touchdowns, adding 373 receiving yards to top 2,000 yards from scrimmage. Meanwhile, Jeanty topped 2,600 yards in 2024 with 374 carries. The 569 receiving yards on 43 receptions during the 2023 campaign put Jeanty into his own category.

ASHTON JEANTY AGAIN. 75 YARDS TO THE CRIB 😱

He's got 146 rushing yards and 2 TDs in 6 CARRIES 🤯

(via @CFBONFOX) pic.twitter.com/vmv1X8DRG8

— FanDuel Sportsbook (@FDSportsbook) October 6, 2024

After the two workhorse backs, you have Tetairoa McMillan and a trio of Buckeyes to consider, as TreVeyon Henderson, Emeka Egbuka, and Quinshon Judkins round out the top six. If you need a back, this is the draft to land one, as the position is as deep as any, not only in the first but also in the later rounds.

As for receivers, McMillan tops this group, drawing comparisons to some of the top fantasy options at the receiver position in Mike Evans and Drake London, thanks to both his size and speed. Unlike the running back position, the wide receiver position isn't nearly as strong and has become more of a flavor of the week with plenty of movement among the ranks. Regardless of how much movement we have seen, McMillan has remained the top prospect, having averaged more than 100 yards per game in each of the past two seasons.

Just throw it up and Tetairoa McMillan will find it down there somewhere 🫡 @TMAC96795

📺: 2025 #NFLDraft – April 24-26 on NFLN/ESPN/ABC
📱: Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/AynbVPFLEY

— NFL (@NFL) April 16, 2025

In the seven through 12 range, Tyler Warren and Matthew Golden offer some great value. They believe they are the elite of their position. We also see Kaleb Johnson, who led the Big Ten in rushing, Luther Burden III, Travis Hunter, and Colston Loveland rounding out the round.

Burden's draft prospect and fantasy value would have been much higher had he been an option last season after finishing his sophomore season with 1,212 yards receiving and nine touchdowns. Another receiver who has the potential to be the top fantasy player from this class is Colorado's Hunter, should he focus solely on offense. Hunter, despite playing both ways, finished fifth (1,258) in the nation in receiving yards, while McMillan (1,319) was third, and Warren finished seventh (1,233). You'd think Warren, with all those receiving yards on 104 receptions, would make him the clear-cut TE1, but not so fast; many believe Loveland may be better when all is said and done.

Fantasy Football Rookie Rankings: Second Round

While the drop in elite fantasy talent is evident in the second round, there is still plenty of depth to help strengthen rosters. First, we have Cam Ward checking in as a dual threat under center. Anytime you can add the all-time touchdown passing leader in the second round, you have to take advantage. Those looking for a quarterback may need to select Ward earlier than anticipated, as the position has a clear tier break.

After Ward, you can expect a few minor runs at the wide receiver and running back positions, starting with those pass catchers. Iowa State teammates Jaylin Noel and Jayden Higgins lead the charge in our consensus rankings, gaining the edge on both Tre Harris and Elic Ayomanor.

Depending on your scoring format, this order could be adjusted, as Higgins and Ayomanor project to be greater end-zone threats than Noel and Harris, who may have more value than their peers in PPR formats. After the receivers come off the board, RJ Harvey, Dylan Sampson, Cam Skattebo, Bhayshul Tuten, and Damien Martinez will garner the most attention.

While Tre Harris ran a limited route tree at Ole Miss (almost exclusively slants, go's and curls), his release package, footwork, and stem burst show immense NFL upside.

Full film breakdown below 👇 pic.twitter.com/xk8LBCtXqE

— Dynasty Zoltan (@DynastyZoltanFF) April 7, 2025

Tuten holds value only in PPR formats and projects as a viable fantasy third-down back. Harvey has the pass-catching and explosive playmaking while offering a little more on early downs than Tuten.

Based on landing spots, Skattebo, Martinez, and Sampson can see their value skyrocket. All three backs will succeed in short-yardage situations, especially down near the goal line. If afforded the opportunity, this group could be well-positioned to carry heavy workloads.

Elijah Arroyo and Jack Bech round out the second-round value plays. Bech broke out alongside Brian Thomas Jr. and Malik Nabers while at LSU and then continued to produce, making a name for himself at TCU. Many consider Bech a top-10 receiver in this draft and a real value in PPR formats.

As for Arroyo, with Warren and Loveland getting all the headlines, he has flown a little under the radar in fantasy circles. Teams looking for a field stretcher need not look further, as the former Hurricane hit 21.8 mph last season, which was the highest-in-game speed across college football and the NFL last season.

Fantasy Football Rookie Rankings: Third Round Or Later

You don't win drafts in the first two rounds, but you can lose them if you miss on those early picks; that makes finding a fantasy-relevant producer in the third round or later. The names aren't all that exciting this year, but if the right situation presents itself, fantasy managers could have a Puka Nacua-type value in their hands.

At the start of the third, you have some quarterback options in Shedeur Sanders and Jaxson Dart. If afforded a clean pocket, Sanders offers accuracy and could pick NFL defenses apart. On the other hand, Dart offers more of a Konami Code, blending arm talent with excellent mobility, allowing him to add fantasy production while Sanders doesn't.

Shedeur Sanders is pro-ready 🏈 pic.twitter.com/vau8fpesdD

— PFF (@PFF) April 17, 2025

At pick 31, Ollie Gordon II has lost some of the shine that had the fantasy world talking after his sophomore season. In 2023, Gordon ran for 1,732 yards, 21 rushing touchdowns, and topped 2,000 scrimmage yards. However, Gordon could not build on that momentum in 2024, rushing for just 880 yards, but still managed 13 touchdowns and 1,000 scrimmage yards.

Gordon could be a steal if he can regain some of that form. One player who has been slowly climbing the ranks in recent weeks is Washington State's Kyle Williams, whose resume includes making Hunter look silly on several occasions.

In the consensus rankings, the former Cougar, coming off a 1,198-yard receiving season, sits in the 36th spot. Many have Williams in this class's top 24 overall and the top 10 wide receivers.

Need some deeper values? How about Tahj Brooks (42), Terrance Ferguson (46), Tez Johnson (45), and Tyler Shough (53), all of whom offer upside in the right situation? Look, Johnson was undefendable at the Senior Bowl and was the only receiver anyone wanted to talk about for an entire month; he's still the same player. Shough has the NFL prototypical build and can make every throw asked of him.

Got the people talking 🗣️

One of the best QBs in the #NFLDraft, Tyler Shough. pic.twitter.com/VF2FM2aKjy

— ACC Football (@ACCFootball) April 16, 2025

It's a deep, tight-end draft, so you find Ferguson this low. The depth of the position will push the value down the board. As for Brooks, it's not often that a back with the ideal NFL build and college production doesn't generate much noise leading up to the draft.

Brooks posted back-to-back 1,500-yard rushing seasons and carried the load for Texas Tech, averaging 288 carries over his final two seasons. Over the last two seasons, Brooks has topped 100 yards rushing in 19 of 24 contests, and in 2023, Brooks forced 96 missed tackles.

For those looking for a lottery ticket, an undrafted free agent may we direct your attention to Elijhah Badger, who has shown versatility in lining up out wide and in the slot. Last season, the former Florida Gator had an average depth of target of 17.3 yards.

In 2023, while working out of the slot, Badger averaged 3.36 yards per route run, which was tied with Burden, trailing only McMillan (3.72) and Nabers (4.35) among Power Conference receivers. In 2022 and 2023, Badger forced 25 and 26 missed tackles, respectively, despite limited snaps.

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