“Take A Look At The 2025 Fantasy Football Rookie Running Back Pre-Draft Rankings With Sr. NFL Analyst Justin Mark!”
Ranking rookies is difficult without knowing what team they land on. This is especially true at running back where a timeshare of two backs is becoming more and more common. However, some drafts have started already and you need to know where these guys rank! Let’s take a look at the 2025 Fantasy Football rookie running back pre-draft rankings!
1. Ashton Jeanty (Boise St)
The top spot on the 2025 fantasy football running back pre-draft rankings belongs to Ashton Jeanty. In leagues that aren’t Superflex, he’s the top fantasy football prospect in all positions. Jeanty’s yards per carry flirted with double digits until opposing teams stacked the boxes.
Against seven and eight-man boxes, he dropped down to around “only” five yards per carry. Jeanty has awesome balance, footwork, vision, and explosiveness. Think Alvin Kamara but with the possibility of being even better.
He finished last year with 2,595 yards and a 6.9-yard per-carry average. He also scored 29 rushing touchdowns and caught 23 of 33 passes. PFF gave him a rushing grade of 96.6 and his elusive rating that’s off the charts.
Questions swirl on where he’ll end up and if he can compete at the upper level the same he did against Boise’s competition. I don’t think it matters, though. Whether in Las Vegas, Chicago or somewhere else, Jeanty will be a stud in the NFL and for your fantasy football units.
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2. Kaleb Johnson (Iowa)
Call it a homer pick, but the next guy on my 2025 fantasy football rookie running back rankings is Kaleb Johnson. Hey may lack what people think of as NFL speed, but this guy is one of the most physically gifted backs in the draft.
He has great vision and a nice burst and power. Johnon also scored a 97.9 PFF game athleticism score in 2024 and he’s used to being in an offense like Iowa’s that leans on him. He needs to polish his pass-blocking. However, I’m not sure I see him as a third-down back. He’s more of an early-down thumper.
He also has one of the highest yards after contact per attempt in the draft. We already talked about how impressive Ashton Jeanty’s average yards per attempt was. Johnson exceeded that, with 6.4 yards per attempt. He ended up rushing for 1,535 yards and 21 touchdowns.
Despite not being known for his hands, he also caught 22 of 25 passes for 190 receiving yards. Johnson is a guy that a team like the Bears could take in a later round and flourish in the offense as the “David Montgomery” role. I expect big things for him in the NFL and fantasy football.
3. Omarion Hampton (North Carolina)
The back that seemed to help themselves the most in the combine is Omarion Hampton out of North Carolina. He’s third on my 2025 fantasy football running back pre-draft rankings after an impressive 40, vertical, and broad jump.
Hampton’s numbers may not look as gaudy as some of the other guys because of how North Carolina’s offense ran. However, he still managed to have 1,660 yards and 15 rushing touchdowns. He also caught 38 of 43 passes for 373 yards.
Hampton should be able to fit into a three-down back role with his rushing and receiving abilities. He’s another guy that can gain yardage after the tackle like Kaleb Johnson.
Hampton’s biggest setback is his vision. If he’s not behind a rock-solid offensive line, he’s not going to succeed the same as the first two on this list.
4. TreVeyon Henderson (Ohio State)
I’ve seen several 2025 fantasy football running back pre-draft rankings list TreVeyon Henderson behind his counterpart Quinshon Judkins. They’re both talented, and they both made my top-10 list. However, I think Henderson is going to provide better long-term fantasy football value.
In a split backfield, Henderson had 1,010 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns. He also caught 26 of 30 passes for 281 yards. Despite likely fitting into a role as the speed-back in a split committee, Henderson averaged 4.43 yards after contact.
He’s not the fastest, the flashiest, or the strongest. However, I think he has a unique skill set that’s going to slot him in to a really nice NFL role. His pro comp is Aaron Jones, who has remained fantasy relevant throughout his career as well.
5. Cam Skattebo (Arizona State)
The fifth player on my 2025 fantasy football rookie running back pre-draft rankings is one of my favorite backs to watch, Cam Skattebo. This guy plays with the mentality to prove any doubters wrong. He’s a hard-nosed-back who loves being physical.
Last year at Arizona State he ran for 1,712 yards, 21 touchdowns, and caught 44 of 52 passes for 543 yards. He’s a true do-it-all guy. I only have one concern that has pushed him down to the fifth spot instead of the third or fourth.
That chip on his shoulder he plays with doesn’t always translate to the NFL. Everybody loves a guy with something to prove and that plays hard. However, it doesn’t always mean they’ll find success at the next level.
His elusive rating is off the charts and his yards after contact average was 4.09. He had 21 carries of 15+ yards or more, 103 missed tackles forced, and 1,202 yards after first contact. Yet, he struggled against some teams like Texas State and Cincinnati. His pro-comp is Jaylen Warren, which is also concerning.
6. Trevor Etienne (Georgia)
The next player on the 2025 fantasy football rookie running back rankings may not have had the biggest collegiate stats. However, Trevor Etienne has NFL pedigree in his blood. Sure, fantasy football managers may have a current bad taste in their mouths from his brother, Travis.
However, don’t let that push you away from the fact that in the right system, his brother Etienne could shine. He battled some injuries last year but finished with 603 yards and nine touchdowns. He also caught 32 of 33 passes for 194 yards.
He’s not going to bring the best elusiveness or the best power. He does have the knowledge of how to be an NFL-caliber player. He also comes from the University of Georgia which prepares their players very well for the pros. I think he’ll be used as a scat-back, but that doesn’t make him irrelevant to the fantasy football scene, even as early as this coming season.
7. Quinshon Judkins (Ohio State)
Ohio State standout Quinshon Judkins is next on the 2025 fantasy football rookie running back pre-draft rankings. Some may argue he deserves to be higher. However, his fantasy football value all depends on his landing spot for me.
If Judkins lands at a spot with a good line where he can split time and not be the every-down guy, he could be all right. If he lands on a spot with a questionable offensive line, he could struggle. He benefited by splitting time with TreVeyon Henderson.
While Judkins is a strong runner he doesn’t necessarily make tacklers miss. He broke plenty of tackles in college, but he doesn’t elude tacklers. That’s something that may hinder him in the NFL. He’s drawing a pro-comparison to Joe Mixon, which I feel is overly generous.
8. Dylan Sampson (Tennessee)
Number eight on my 2025 fantasy football rookie running back pre-draft rankings list is Dylan Sampson. I think Sampson has a chance at becoming an NFL starter. However, I think he has to cut down on fumbles and put in some work and development first
Sampson had a good final year at Tennessee, finishing with 1,488 yards and 22 rushing touchdowns. He’s a quick back with good patience and vision. Although, I do think his size of 5-11 and only 201 could hold him back slightly in the NFL. He’s not an ideal pass-blocker, which means coming off the field more.
9. Bhayshul Tuten (Virginia Tech)
The next back on the 2025 fantasy football rookie running back pre-draft rankings also really helped his case with the combine. He posted the best 40, speed score, and vertical. That would be Bhayshul Tuten out of Virginia Tech. He’s fast, he’s tough, and he could be a sneaky good NFL back.
Like Sampson, Tuten has some ball security issues. However, that didn’t stop him from getting used a lot last year, running for 1,150 yards and 15 rushing touchdowns. He also caught 23 of 27 passes. It was his slowest year in the passing game. His best year was in 2022 where he had 1,370 rushing yards, 13 rushing touchdowns, and caught 30 of 40 passes for 333 yards.
Tuten may take a little bit of development time. With the right landing spot though, he could become a nice NFL back and a nice fantasy football asset.
10. Devin Neal (Kansas)
Number 10 on the 2025 fantasy football running back pre-draft rankings is Devin Neal out of Kansas. Neal finished 2024 with 1,262 yards, 16 rushing touchdowns, and caught 26 of 31 passes for 266 yards.
Neal isn’t the fastest or the strongest back in the draft. However, he could make a really good option as a third-down back in the NFL. He was also utilized as a Wildcat quarterback often because of his versatility and vision.
It may take a little bit of time but Neal could develop into a fun fantasy football player for your team.
The Rest:
11. Damien Martinez (Miami)
12. DJ Giddens (Kansas State)
13. Ollie Gordon II (Oklahoma State)
14. LeQuint Allen (Syracuse)
15. Jarquez Hunter (Auburn)
16. Jaydon Blue (Texas)
17. Barshard Smith (SMU)
18. RJ Harvey (UCF)
19. Jordan James (Oregon)
20. Kyle Monangai (Rutgers)
Don’t forget to check out our other great Fantasy Football and NFL Betting content before you go! Thanks for reading my 2025 Fantasy Football Rookie Quarterback Rankings article!
