Rookie Rankings

Size-adjusted athleticism is generally an important variable when evaluating NFL running back prospects, so despite excellent production in college it was a major strike to Irving's draft stock when he logged poor workout numbers at just 192 pounds (4.55-second 40, 29.5-inch vertical, 115-inch broad jump). Exceptions occur to every rule, though, and while other running backs might have failed with Irving's athletic profile, there's something unique about Irving that allows him to transcend the otherwise concerning indicators in his testing. Irving's strong skill set was always clear at the collegiate level, where he stood out for both Minnesota and Oregon, and if his athletic limitations don't negate that skill set then it follows that Irving's abilities should manifest in the form of standout NFL production, both as a runner and pass catcher. The one potential limitation with Irving pertains to his usage upside. Playing at 192 pounds hasn't deprived Irving of the power necessary to thrive between the tackles, but it remains to be seen whether he can physically hold up as a workhorse. Irving went over 20 carries in a game just twice in college, so it might be asking a lot for him to maintain the rushing workload he carried in his six final healthy games of 2024 (18.8 carries per game).

Selected 23rd overall last year, Thomas came out of the gate strong and only got better, erasing any concerns about the modest target shares he had at LSU while sharing the field with Malik Nabers. Thomas had 397 yards and three TDs in five games before celebrating his 22nd birthday in October, and while he then went through a mini-slump in the middle of the season, his final six games were one of the most productive stretches ever by a rookie wide receiver. Undeterred by the presence of backup QB Mac Jones, the 6-foot-3 rookie with 4.33 speed ripped off six straight games with at least 10 targets and 76 yards -- all while accounting for five of Jacksonville's eight receiving TDs after a Week 12 bye. His average of 8.5 yards per target during that stretch was incredibly impressive, considering defenses had little else to worry about and otherwise had no trouble shutting down Jones. The Jaguars saw enough to move on from both WR Christian Kirk and TE Evan Engram this offseason, leaving Thomas as the far-and-away top option for QB Trevor Lawrence in an offense where the ancillary pass catchers -- WRs Gabe Davis and Dyami Brown, TE Brenton Strange -- are unlikely to command large target shares. Thomas will have to deal with double-teams and zone coverages shadowed in his direction, but he'll also have better QB play if Lawrence stays healthy and should have an improved offensive scheme under new coach Liam Coen.

Bowers is the consensus No. 1 fantasy tight end heading into 2025 on the heels of a record-setting rookie season in which the 2024 first-round pick had the most receptions by a rookie at any position in NFL history (112) and set a rookie tight end record with 1,194 receiving yards. Both of those totals led all NFL tight ends in 2025, as did Bowers’ 153 targets. That production came despite the 4-13 Raiders having some of the worst QB play in the NFL from a combination of Gardner Minshew, Aidan O’Connell and Desmond Ridder. Vegas is expected to get better QB play after trading for Geno Smith, which could lead to more scoring opportunities for the 6-foot-4 Bowers, who merely tied for ninth among TEs with five TDs and tied for eighth at the position with 16 red-zone targets despite being the clear No. 1 option in the team’s passing game overall. The upgrade under center could help Bowers become the exception to the trend of sophomore slumps among exceptionally performing rookies at his position – the previous six TEs to post at least 800 yards as rookies all saw their yardage total decline by at least 158 the following season, and Kyle Pitts (one TD in 2021 to two in 2022) was the only member of that group to increase his touchdown total.

Nabers arguably surpassed expectations for even a sixth overall pick last year, catching 109 passes in 15 games despite being one of the youngest players in his draft class. If not for a concussion costing him Weeks 5 and 6, he would've led the NFL in targets and set a rookie record for receptions. As is, Nabers finished second among WRs in targets rate (32.4 percent of routes) and third in receptions, although the yardage numbers were less impressive (11.0 per catch, 7.1 per target) for reasons that mostly seem to be no fault of his own. The concern for fantasy, so much as there is one, is that Nabers may be in a similarly bad situation for 2025, catching passes from either free-agent signing Jameis Winston or a rookie draft pick. Looking on the bright side, Winston has a strong record of supporting receiver production, and it'd be hard for the Giants to repeat last year's miserable injury luck on the offensive line. There don't seem to be many concerns about Nabers himself, with the strong rookie year supporting pre-draft expectations that his 4.35 speed would play equally well as a downfield threat and as a YAC weapon. The combination of elite speed and agility in a thick frame (6-0, 200) is reminiscent of Cincinnati's Ja'Marr Chase, who offers a fair comparison for Nabers' ceiling if ever paired with a top passer. For now, we'll have to settle for massive volume in a subpar offense, hoping Nabers' freakish talent shines through often enough to pay off a hefty draft price.