Ashton Jeanty and Fantasy Football 2025 Top Rookies to Target in Mock Drafts

Ashton Jeanty is the rookie to target at the front end of fantasy football drafts.

The Las Vegas Raiders running back might even be a late first-round pick in some fantasy drafts because of his projected role.

Jeanty is expected to be the most productive first-year player, but he will not be the only one that has the attention of fantasy players.

Travis Hunter should play a large role in Jacksonville's offense and there's a few other pass-catchers that can break out in Year 1.

No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward might not be on the top 10 list of fantasy rookies right now. The Titans situation isn't great and that may relegate Ward to a low positional fantasy ranking.

Ashton Jeanty

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Ashton Jeanty is RB1 on the Raiders depth chart.

That's a promising sign for fantasy value right away, and it gets even better when you look at the rest of the Raiders' offensive depth.

Brock Bowers is the primary pass-catcher and Jakobi Meyers is the WR1 for new starting quarterback Geno Smith.

There isn't much depth behind Meyers at wide receiver, so it opens up a massive opportunity for Jeanty to be one of the top playmakers.

ESPN's Field Yates listed Jeanty as his No. 10 overall player and No. 5 running back in his preseason fantasy rankings, so there is high expectation not just in Vegas, but within the fantasy community for the running back's rookie campaign.

Jeanty will be the first rookie off the board in fantasy drafts, and in some cases, he could be one of the top eight selections.

At minimum, he's a late first-round pick in leagues with 12 or more teams.

Travis Hunter

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Travis Hunter presents a fascinating case for fantasy football players.

The No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft is listed as Jacksonville's No. 2 wide receiver behind Brian Thomas Jr.

Thomas was a breakout star in 2024 and is expected to have one of the most productive pass-catching seasons in 2025.

Thomas' presence and Hunter playing on both sides of the ball will make some fantasy players think about what Hunter's true fantasy value is.

Yates ranked Hunter as his No. 54 overall fantasy player. FantasyPros listed Hunter at No. 68 in their overall PPR rankings.

Hunter works as a mid-round pick and a WR2 or WR3 to start the fantasy season.

Of course, there's room for improvement because of his immense talent, but fantasy players shouldn't stretch in the first few rounds to land the dual-threat star out of Colorado.

Cam Ward

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The No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft enters a tough situation.

The Titans' top two wide outs, Calvin Ridley and Tyler Lockett, aren't getting any younger. They are good veterans to have around Ward, but their effectiveness will come into question.

Ridley just got over the 1,000-yard mark for the second year in a row in 2024 and Lockett's production significantly dropped off in the last two seasons in Seattle.

The Titans have a solid pass-catching running back in Tyjae Spears and a mid-tier tight end in Chig Okonkwo as well.

It's not the worst situation to fall into, but there's potential for Tennessee's offensive production to be in the bottom third of the NFL.

Ward is a late-round fantasy quarterback at the moment. His stock has the potential to rise with a strong September.

Tetairoa McMillan

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Tetairoa McMillan's fantasy stock is attached to the Carolina Panthers' quarterback situation.

Bryce Young needs to take a few steps forward in 2025, and if he does, he and McMillan can create a dynamic partnership.

McMillan is in line to be Carolina's WR1 ahead of Adam Thielen and Xavier Legette, which is a promising start for his fantasy prospects.

The No. 8 overall pick is ahead of Hunter by 14 spots in the FantasyPros overall rankings, but his down at No. 82 in Yates' rankings.

The differing opinions on McMillan show just how unreliable Carolina's quarterback situation is at the moment.

McMillan can still have a productive rookie campaign, but he could be at Rookie of the Year level if Young cuts down on the mistakes and looks like a No. 1 overall pick.