With the Philadelphia Eagles basking in the glow of their utter evisceration of the Kansas City Chiefs, it’s time for attention to shift to the tantalizing 2025 Dynasty Rookie RB Rankings ahead of the NFL Combine.
2025 redraft rankings are a rollercoaster—free agency shakeups, training camp hype, and preseason breakouts send them soaring or crashing. But in dynasty? Rookie drafts kick off right after the NFL Draft, and that’s when the real long-term chess game begins.
READ: 2025 DYNASTY ROOKIE RANKINGS & BIG BOARD
Believe it or not, the NFL Draft is just over two months away. Got takes? Hot or cold, we want ‘em. Hit me up at @iDuck14 on X or chirp The Wolf at @RotoStreetWolf. Who are we irrationally hyped on? Who’s criminally underrated? And which prospect’s stock is about to go full moonshot? Let’s talk dynasty!
1. ASHTON JEANTY, BOISE STATE
Let the collective duh’s echo across the fantasy landscape.
Jeanty would arguably be the 1.01 in most rookie drafts across the last decade.
For example, as a prospect pre-combine, Jeanty falls just under Bijan Robinson, who I viewed as the best running back to come out of the draft since Adrian Peterson.
This may seem like heresy with the likes of Ezekiel Elliott, Saquon Barkley, and Jonathan Taylor, to name a few.
So, why Jeanty?
Well, he went from 1,900 total yards as a sophomore to having the best RB season since Barry Sanders (2,739 YFS).
Jeanty possesses the best contact balance I’ve ever seen from an RB in my lifetime. With dancer’s hips allowing him to make opposing tacklers look foolish, Jeanty finished the year with nearly 2,000 yards after contact in 2024, top among incoming rookie RBs.
He led all eligible RBs in missed tackles forced (151) and had 36 carries that went for 15+ yards.
With buttery soft hands and fluid route running, Jeanty is as close to a can’t-miss prospect as there can be. His high-end receiving upside makes him a lock for the RB1 this season.
Player comparison: Ezekiel Elliott
2. OMARION HAMPTON, NORTH CAROLINA
In most other classes, Hampton would have a legitimate claim as the RB1. He has elite contact balance and is a shifty, loose-hipped runner who can rip off a home-run ball at any time.
Coming off back-to-back seasons with at least 1,500 rush yards and 15 TDs, Hampton was the drink that stirred the Tar Heels offense, even with Drake Maye at quarterback.
With his blend of strength, vision, and burst, Hampton is ideally suited to terrorize defenses in a zone-blocking scheme.
He routinely made great reads out of the backfield and could go from zero to top speed in two steps or less. However, what will likely hinder Hampton most is his lack of elite top-end speed. If that’s the chisel we are using to carve away prospect points, then sign me up!
He’s got more than enough juice in the tank to run around a 4.5 40, which is impressive for a 6’0″ 220 lb. behemoth.
Hampton is an adequate pass-catcher and would do well in an offense that allowed him to see 30-50 targets per year. More importantly, Hampton will be hard to take off the field, given that he’s likely the best pass-protecting RB in the class (zero pressures allowed in 2024).
Player comparison: Leonard Fournette
3. QUINSHON JUDKINS, OHIO STATE
Where there’s lightning, there’s thunder! TreVeyeon Henderson brought the lightning for the champion Ohio State Buckeyes last season. Judkins kept the chains moving, ripped off chunk plays, and hit the truck stick when needed.
Throughout his career, starting with his impressive freshman season at Ole Miss, Judkins has routinely displayed exceptional burst and acceleration, allowing him to punish defenses by exploding through creases for big plays.
Despite being another impressive 6’0″ 220 lb. specimen, Judkins’ compact, stocky frame allows him to run with power while maintaining his speed.
More importantly, he’s shown tremendous patience and vision out of the backfield and is a natural fit for any team that utilizes a gap or zone-blocking scheme.
Judkins’ impressive yards after the catch ability and workhorse skillset make him more landing spot-proof than his teammate Henderson, earning him the three spot ahead of…
Player comparison: Kareem Hunt
4. TREVEYON HENDERSON, OHIO STATE
There is no hate in this ranking. None at all.
This early in the draft process, I don’t just rank purely on talent, or Henderson would easily be second on the list. He’s got the second-highest ceiling in the class.
My concerns lie with his durability and projected volume at the next level. Routinely at Ohio State, Henderson found himself breaking down when he was shouldering too heavy a load. This played a significant role in why the Buckeyes brought in Judkins to help manage the load while keeping the firepower.
The most explosive running back in the draft, Henderson possesses the agility of a jackrabbit with the ability to glide down the field like a gazelle. He also possesses the best lateral cutting in this class and is arguably the best pass catcher as well.
With his unique blend of speed, pass-catching, and good pass protection, Henderson just needs to be paired with someone to serve as the thunder to his lightning, ala Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery.
Given the more landing spot-dependent nature of his game, he’s ranked four right now. Expect to see him rise steadily as we approach the fantasy draft season.
Player comparison: LeSean McCoy
5. KALEB JOHNSON, IOWA
There appears to be a trend developing in this draft class. The top two talents (Jeanty and Henderson) are a little on the smaller side. In the heart of the class are some real “slap ’em on the hind end” RBs who can punish defenses with their power and speed.
Johnson, another 6 foot, 225 lb. bruiser, has the potential to be another workhorse at the next level, joining the likes of Jeanty, Hampton, and Judkins.
A tackle-breaking marvel, Johnson hits the holes with decisive power and possesses excellent vision. A true bowling ball style of running back, once he gets a head of steam, he’s hard to bring down.
Johnson would do well in a power or gap-based blocking scheme, and he can hit the home run ball thanks, in part, to his ability to hit top speed quickly.
He doesn’t land higher on this list because he only possesses solid pass-catching chops. He would be lethal with a well-timed screen but is otherwise best served as a power back that falls forward for chunk plays and has a nose for the endzone.
Player comp: Chris Ivory
REST OF THE TOP 10:
6. Dylan Sampson, Tennessee
7. Devin Neal, Kansas
8. Bhayshul Tuten, Virginia Tech
9. Ollie Gordon, Wisconsin
10. LeQuint Allen, Syracuse
Stick with the Roto Street Journal for the latest RB and WR rankings after the NFL combine as we prepare for the NFL Draft!
