It’s never too early for dynasty managers to lift their eyes from the current season and onto the horizon. In this case, looking at what the early indications are for the NFL draft class for 2025.
Regardless of your team’s level of competition in 2024, there’s something to be gained in assessing next year’s draft class. If you’re a shoo-in for a deep playoff run, then why not consider moving a late-first round rookie pick in return for current production to provide more playoff flexibility. If the playoffs are an even-odds bet, then you may be in the market for production to boost those odds, leveraging your middle-first round draft capital. Or, if rebuilding, you should have a keen eye on the strengths and weaknesses of the 2025 class to assess where you need to be to acquire impact assets.
Every draft class possesses its own nuance. The 2024 class was as deep as I’ve ever seen in 25 years of fantasy, and there’s little hope of experiencing it again in short order, let alone 2025. But that is not to say there isn’t talent to be leveraged. Thankfully, it’s already becoming clearer just where the wheelhouse of 2025 is, and how deep it may be.
2025 Draft Class Depth
Before going down the rabbit hole, realize that it is still very early to be doing an exercise of this nature. Injury, production and late-season risers and fallers will shape this class throughout the next few months — exercises like this rarely look the same in December as they did in September. Regardless, there is enough fire beneath the smoke as I write this to have a reasonable degree of confidence.
There will be a bifurcation between NFL pundits and fantasy experts when ranking the 2025 draft class. Without question, the receivers and quarterbacks will factor more highly in the NFL due to the continuing trend of lesser priority provided to running backs. In fantasy, however, I fully believe 2025 will see a reversal of the recent trend with more focus placed on the running backs.
The 2025 running back class has some of the best size in recent years. However, top back Ashton Jeanty (5-foot-9/215 pounds) continues to produce at a ridiculous pace though he’s the smallest of the headliners. I expect Jeanty to be the top selected dynasty asset in 2025, much as Bijan Robinson was in 2023. My top five backs early into the collegiate season are:
- Ashton Jeanty, Boise State
- Quinshon Judkins, Ohio State
- Omarion Hampton, North Carolina
- RJ Harvey, UCF
- Ollie Gordon, Oklahoma State
Without question, this list will change in the months to come. Penn State’s Nicholas Singleton is threatening the list, as is Iowa’s Kaleb Johnson, while Ollie Gordon has struggled early. My belief is that we’ll have three running backs selected early in the first round of dynasty rookie drafts. How early depends on format, specifically with respect to SuperFlex.
The 2025 receiver class does not inspire as much confidence as previous years, but it does have potential star power at the top.
Arizona’s Tetairoa McMillan (6-foot-5/212 pounds) will conjure Mike Evans comparisons and he’s lighting it up again in 2024. I expect he’ll compete to be the top receiver off the board when dynasty rookie drafts take place. Closely following McMillan are both Ole Miss receiver Tre Harris and Missouri’s Luther Burden (5-foot-11/208 pounds). There will be variability here and I’m tracking multiple names. Thus far, my top five receivers are:
- Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona
- Tre Harris, Ole Miss
- Luther Burden, Missouri
- Travis Hunter, Colorado
- Kyren Lacy, LSU
I do have some concerns with McMillan related to his size. My hope is that he measures in closer to 6-foot-3 as opposed to his listed 6-foot-5 height. Like undersized quarterbacks, oversized (over 6-foot-4) receivers do not have a notable hit-rate. Travis Hunter’s (6-foot-1/185 pounds) dual-role status could also be problematic in that there could be positional risk if he does not perform as a receiver or is selected as a cornerback.
The quarterback position doesn’t carry the same intrigue as 2024, but still presents upside. With a significant deficit at the position within the NFL, quarterbacks will be in demand once again, elevating them perhaps higher than would otherwise be. Georgia’s Carson Beck should have little trouble leading the group as the top-selected prospect, but still early in the collegiate season, it remains a wide-open competition. My top five quarterbacks are:
- Carson Beck, Georgia
- Shedeur Sanders, Colorado
- Quinn Ewers, Texas
- Jalen Milroe, Alabama
- Cam Ward, Miami (Fla.)
The key interest point for SuperFlex managers will be the quality of the quarterbacks when overlaid with strong 2025 running back class, and the top echelon of receivers. There will be movement in this group and I’m watching Alabama’s Jalen Milroe closely as one who could threaten both Beck and Sanders at the top, though it would be premature to predict that at this juncture.
At tight end, I see nothing to get excited about. I have one name who may make the first round of 1QB fantasy drafts, but that will be dependent on drafted situation (scheme). In SuperFlex drafts, there is not a Brock Bowers talent to threaten the first round.
- Colston Loveland, Michigan
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SuperFlex Draft Ranking
- Ashton Jeanty, RB Boise State
- Carson Beck, QB Georgia
- Shedeur Sanders, QB Colorado
- Tetairoa McMillan, WR Arizona
- Quinn Ewers, QB Texas
- Quinshon Judkins, RB Ohio State
- Omarion Hampton, RB North Carolina
- Tre Harris, WR Ole Miss
- Luther Burden, WR Missouri
- Jalen Milroe, QB Alabama
- RJ Harvey, RB UCF
- Ollie Gordon, Oklahoma State
There’s enough parity at the top of a SuperFlex draft to provide for a lot of variability in this draft class. Quarterback need will play a primary role, as always. The sheer intrigue of Ashton Jeanty will provide a Bijan Robinson-like dynamic, while Tetairoa’s placement will largely be determined by how he finishes the 2024 season in combination with his NFL combine performance.
We’ll know much more about these rankings as we enter December.
1QB Ranking
- Ashton Jeanty, RB Boise State
- Tetairoa McMillan, WR Arizona
- Quinshon Judkins, RB Ohio State
- Omarion Hampton, RB North Carolina
- Tre Harris, WR Ole Miss
- Luther Burden, WR Missouri
- Travis Hunter, WR Colorado
- RJ Harvey, RB UCF
- Ollie Gordon, RB Oklahoma State
- Shedeur Sanders, QB Colorado
- Kyren Lacy, WR LSU
- Carson Beck, QB Georgia
You may note the appearance of Shedeur Sanders over Carson Beck. I believe this will occur based on Sanders’ mobility and upside as a dual-threat quarterback. Fantasy managers love a mobile QB, and I don’t disagree. I see little chance of tight end Colston Loveland making the first round. Both Harris and Burden could easily make the leap above both running backs, Hampton and Judkins, based on production and drafted situation.
Summary
I urge patience and grace at this juncture in 2024. A lot is left to be determined and I’m tracking multiple names who did not make my initial rankings.
Generally, while I would not consider the upcoming draft class to be underwhelming with respect to depth and talent, when comparing it to recent years, the case could be made. That said, the running back position has significant talent that we haven’t seen in recent drafts. The issue with the position remains its usage within the NFL and the continued decline of carry-the-load backs. NFL teams continue to use two- and three-back rotations based on skillset. Undoubtedly, this will continue to shape the production and value of top backs, including rookie valuations.
If I’m rebuilding a dynasty squad, I want to prioritize being within the top nine selections for the SuperFlex format, and the top six in 1QB. Because of the wild card that is the running back position with respect to drafted situation, realistically, that could reduce each of those priorities by two. I will revisit this in December.
I hope you enjoyed this first look at the 2025 draft class. If you have any questions or comments, please consider leaving a comment below. I always look forward to interacting with my readers. Please give me a follow on Twitter and Threads: @DLF_Jeff
As always, be happy, be well and, please, be good to each other!
(Top photo of Ashton Jeanty: Tom Hauck/Getty Images)
