We’ll have you covered as you prepare for your 2025 dynasty rookie drafts. In order to dominate your dynasty rookie draft, check out our expert consensus dynasty rookie draft rankings. And sync your dynasty league to practice with fast and free dynasty rookie mock drafts. Below, we dive into dynasty rookie busts our analysts are lower on compared to our expert consensus rankings.
- Dynasty Fantasy Football Draft Kit
- Dynasty Rookie Draft Simulator
- DBro’s Dynasty Rookie Draft Primers
Dynasty Rookie Draft Advice: Busts to Avoid
The Browns selected Judkins in the second round of the NFL Draft to be their new early down volume thumper. With Judkins and Dylan Sampson added to this depth chart, I expect Jerome Ford to become a sparsely utilized change-of-pace option. I wasn’t high on Judkins as a prospect, as he ranked outside the top 65 backs in each of the last two seasons in yards after contact per attempt and elusive rating (per PFF). The draft capital and immediate high-volume role have helped to quell some of my pessimism, but Judkins could be held back by the overall ecosystem of the Browns’ offense and his lack of pass game upside. Cleveland’s starting quarterback situation is murky at best. Judkins finished college with 0.76 yards per route run, which isn’t an awe-inspiring number. He’s an RB2/3 for 2025.
– Derek Brown
The depth of this running back struck another of my predraft love list players as Devin Neal fell to the sixth round of the NFL Draft. The New Orleans Saints stopped his tumble. Neal will compete with the oft-injured Kendre Miller and Clyde Edwards-Helaire for the RB2 job behind Alvin Kamara. Kamara’s contract will keep him in the starter’s chair in the Big Easy for at least the next two seasons. Miller also isn’t an unrestricted free agent until 2027. We’ll see if New Orleans moves back to more of a committee approach with the backfield in 2025, but that hasn’t been the case in recent seasons, with Kamara soaking up nearly all of the work. This also might not have been the case had Miller stayed healthy for any period, but that’s just guessing. I loved Neal predraft as a running back who has displayed the ability to soak up volume, flash a three-down skillset, and rank in the top 20 in breakaway percentage in two of his final three collegiate seasons (per PFF). With the disappointing draft capital and muddied landing spot, Neal is only a fourth-round rookie pick and taxi squad stash.
– Derek Brown
The 49ers selected James in the fifth round of the NFL Draft. He’ll likely begin the year as the team’s RB3 with the opportunity to push Isaac Guerendo for the backup job behind Christian McCaffrey. Jordan Mason and Guerendo proved last year that being a solid backup for the 49ers can be fruitful if injuries strike, so for this reason, he’s worth a stash on taxi squads. I’m not exceptionally high on him as a prospect, though. Last year, James ranked outside the top 65 FBS running backs in yards after contact per attempt (107th), breakaway percentage (151st), and elusive rating (68th, per PFF).
– Derek Brown
The big, bruising back out of Oklahoma State was selected by the Dolphins in the sixth round of the NFL Draft. He’s currently the RB4 on the depth chart behind Jaylen Wright and Alexander Mattison. He could hop both of them by the end of the season if he can regain his 2023 form. Gordon had a disappointing 2024 season, but the year prior, he ranked 39th in yards after contact per attempt and seventh in breakaway percentage (per PFF). I’m not immensely high on Gordon. He’s at the bottom of a long tier of taxi squad stash backs. If I can add him to a dynasty roster for cheap, that would be fine, but I’m not bidding aggressively with FAAB to do so.
– Derek Brown
Here are our latest Dynasty Rookie Draft Rankings from our consensus of fantasy football experts. You can find the latest Dynasty Rookie Draft Rankings and sync your fantasy football league for specific advice.
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | SoundCloud | iHeartRadio
