With the 2025 NFL Draft right around the corner, it’s time to lock in and ensure we have a game plan for our upcoming Dynasty Rookie drafts. Below, I’ll cover the five rookie prospects I’m highest on relative to expert consensus ranking (ECR). All five players are ranked within my Top 36 for Superflex Rookie formats, meaning I see these guys as more than just dart throws in Dynasty. Adjustments will need to be made once we find out draft capital and landing spot for these rookies, but for now, here are the players I’m most bullish on pre-draft.
Dynasty Rookie Targets
Harold Fannin Jr. (TE – Bowling Green) | My Rank: TE3, 17th Overall | ECR: TE4, 32nd Overall
Let me start by saying I’m not blind to the red flags that appear on tape with Fannin. He’s duck-footed, lacks explosion in and out of his breaks, has stiff hips, and is undersized. I’m not ignoring these faults entirely, but I’m still willing to bet on the young man, given his elite analytical profile. In the words of Jonah Hill from Moneyball, “He gets on base”.
In 2024, Fannin set the all-time FBS record for tight ends in receptions (117), receiving yards (1,555), and receptions per game (9). He led all tight ends this year in yards per route run (YPRR) with 3.77 (min. 25 targets). He also finished with an absurd 36.3% target rate and nearly a 50% dominator rating. You could argue this was a product of playing in the G5, but Fannin had two of his best games against Penn State and Texas A&M this year. Fannin is safely my rookie TE3 and someone I’ll be targeting in the mid-second round of Superflex rookie drafts, assuming Day 2 draft capital.
DJ Giddens (RB- Kansas State) | My Rank: RB8, 23rd Overall | ECR: RB12, 33rd Overall
DJ Giddens checks many boxes for me from an analytical and film perspective. Out of 163 FBS running backs with 100+ rush attempts in 2024, Giddens finished in the Top 20 in rush yards, yards per attempt (YPA), yards after contact per attempt (YCO/A), and breakaway rate.
On tape, Giddens has very few holes in his game. He displays elite burst and acceleration through the hole and understands what angles to take to beat the defender. In open space, this guy is an absolute playmaker. His stop-start ability and lateral agility make him tough to bring down. He’s shown enough in the receiving game at Kansas State to confirm he has three-down potential at the next level. I believe Giddens is a Day 2 pick and should go in the late second round of Superflex rookie drafts.
Kyle Williams (WR – Washington State) | My Rank: WR10, 25th Overall | ECR: WR18, 45th Overall
The Kyle Williams hype in Dynasty is beginning to pick up steam as we learn just how high these NFL scouts are on him. Williams is a twitchy athlete who can win at all three levels. He’s a smoother route runner with juice off the line and is extremely dangerous after the catch. My ceiling comp for Williams is T.Y. Hilton. Like Hilton, Williams can take the top off of the defense, providing splash-play ability. In his final college season, Williams finished with nearly 1,200 yards and 14 touchdowns on 2.71 yards per route run. He was John Mateer’s go-to target and led this Washington State receiving room by over 500 yards.
A spicy WR draft day prediction that requires a trip deep down the rabbit hole…
…could Kyle Williams be drafted ahead of some higher-consensus-ranked WRs? pic.twitter.com/stAVJewNvi
— Matt Harmon (@MattHarmon_BYB) April 15, 2025
The biggest concerns here are Kyle’s frame (5’10”, 190 lbs.) and the fact that he was a fifth-year senior. But Williams has begun to get Day 2 and even Round 2 hype from many draft analysts, and if this comes to fruition, he should be valued as a Top 10 WR in this rookie class, without question.
Raheim Sanders (RB – South Carolina) | My Rank: RB13, 35th Overall | ECR: RB17, 55th Overall
Raheim “Rocket” Sanders was once a top prospect in Devy formats following his breakout true sophomore campaign in 2022. Injuries plagued his junior season and sank his stock, but he rebounded nicely as a senior in 2024. Sanders transferred to South Carolina and finished with nearly 1,200 scrimmage yards and 13 touchdowns. He impressed at the NFL Combine as well, posting a 9.82 Relative Athletic Score (RAS) and a 4.47 40-yard dash.
Sanders doesn’t necessarily pop from an efficiency standpoint, but his size and skill set will give him an opportunity at the next level. He’s a reliable pass catcher and cut some weight in 2024, which helped him regain some of his 2022 explosion. I’d be willing to grab Sanders in the late third round of Superflex rookie drafts as a guy with real fantasy upside.
Trevor Etienne (RB – Georgia) | My Rank: RB14, 36th Overall | ECR: RB15, 48th Overall
Honestly, I was surprised I was this far ahead of ECR’s Etienne ranking. He’s only one spot higher in my positional ranks but a full round higher in my overall rookie ranks. I guess this speaks more to how high I am on this running back class relative to the other positions.
Etienne never posted a 1,000-yard rushing season in college. He was in a committee-backfield in all three seasons. So, what’s to like? First, Etienne was a legitimate producer as a true freshman in the SEC. He posted over 700 rushing yards and six touchdowns alongside Montrell Johnson, another RB who should have the opportunity to suit up on Sundays. Second, this guy is an excellent receiving option out of the backfield, posting 33 targets and 32 receptions in 2024. Lastly, Etienne is still only 20 years old. I’m fine rolling the dice on the early-breakout who has NFL bloodlines.
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