Fantasy

The 4 RBs Who Will Make Or Break You In Fantasy Football 2025

by Peter Overzet

2 days ago

In today's Fantasy Life Newsletter, presented by Bud Light:

I finally capitulated and participated in my first 2025 fantasy draft yesterday.

I always forget how disorienting it is to do your first draft of the season. Nothing is familiar, every pick feels like a landmine—which is probably why someone gave it a D- grade.

In sixth months, I’ll know the board inside and out and have opinions on quite literally every pick.

But for now? I’m just getting my feet wet and trying to survive.

Anyways, here are three things that stood out to me …

Early Fantasy Football Lessons Learned

The rookie RBs will make a break you. Last year we had a handful of high-upside rookie WRs going in the 6th and 7th rounds, but this year the strength of the class is at RB. Ashton Jeanty is, of course, the crown jewel—more on him below from Thor—but four intriguing rookies go in that same 6th and 7th round pocket of the draft: Omarion Hampton, Kaleb Johnson, TreVeyon Henderson, and Quinshon Judkins.

Draft capital and landing spot will go a long way in determining their fate, but I have a feeling at least one or two of them will be big parts of our draft plans.

Late-Round QB is tricky. With a relatively weak rookie class and so much uncertainty with free agency, there are very few “safe” QB bets late in drafts. After Tua Tagovailoa is off the board in the 12th round, all bets are off with hardly any remaining QBs guaranteed to start 17 games.

WR is still king. Despite the veteran RBs proving to be the skeleton key in 2024, drafters are still prioritizing WRs at the top of the draft. Eight of the first 11 picks are WRs. There were 27 WRs that went in the first 50 picks compared to just 16 RBs. In one of my two drafts, I ended up with Jerry Jeudy as my WR3 and wanted to throw up.

I’ll be back later this week for more early draft strategy if you want to take the plunge with me …

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RB Profile: Ashton Jeanty A Slam Dunk Pick Straight From … Italy?

From the middle school hardwoods in Europe, to being lightly recruited out of a Texas high school, to the blue field at Boise State, to rushing for more yards in a season than anyone aside from an all-time great, the journey that Ashton Jeanty has traveled to become likely the first running back selected in the 2025 NFL Draft borders on unbelievable. Thor Nystrom details all the stops, presents a thorough scouting report, and offers a comp to another all-time great that paints the picture for what a special talent Jeanty is.

WHY ASHTON JEANTY WILL BE THE TOP RB DRAFTED IN APRIL

Denver Broncos Team Needs: WR, RB, TE

The Broncos are coming off a surprising 10-7 season and a Wild Card spot where HC Sean Payton made one of the biggest gambles of the 2024 season. Releasing Russell Wilson early in the offseason and drafting Bo Nix with the No. 12 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft was a risk, but the rookie rewarded his coach with a solid rookie season: 3,775 passing yards, 29 TDs, and 12 interceptions. He was a find in fantasy, rushing for 430 yards and scoring 4 times. But what does he need to go to the next level? Ian Hartitz offers up the team needs for the Denver Broncos.

WILL NIX TAKE THE NEXT STEP WITH MORE OFFENSIVE WEAPONS?