Dynasty Fantasy Football 2025 Rookie Rankings: Pre-Combine top 12 features a talented crop of running backs

At first, it might seem like an exercise in futility to rank rookies before the NFL Combine, or even the NFL Draft. Then again, it is worth remembering that most Draft analysts liked Bucky Irving a lot more before his disappointing performance at the combine. It may be even more important to remember that most of us liked Jonathan Taylor a lot more than Clyde Edwards-Helaire before the latter was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs at the end of Round 1. In other words, I do think it is a worthwhile exercise to put out there how you feel about the players before these events.

The biggest difference between the 2025 NFL Draft class and last year's class is at the running back position. Last year, many rankings didn't have one running back in Round 1 of rookie drafts. This year, running backs may occupy half of the top 12 spots in one-QB drafts. At the top of that class is Ashton Jeanty. If there's one guy I feel pretty confident in, it's Jeanty, the clearcut 1.01.

It's rare these days for a running back to be the top pick in a one-QB draft. It's almost unthinkable in a Superflex draft. But it's also rare to have a 21-year-old back coming off of a 2.600-yard, 29-touchdown season. Jeanty is widely believed to be the best running back prospect since Saquon Barkley, and even if he's not, he's undoubtedly in the conversation. The Combine won't change the perception of Jeanty because he isn't supposed to do much. I don't believe the draft will change things either, as I expect Jeanty to be drafted with a top-20 pick as the first running back off the board. I fully expect to rank him as RB3 in Dynasty, behind only Bijan Robinson and Jahmy Gibbs.

If Jeanty is the sure thing in this rookie class, Travis Hunter is the wild card. Hunter may very well be the best wide receiver in the class, but as you probably know, he may also be the best cornerback in the class. If a team drafts him and plays him primarily on offense, we'll view Hunter as a surefire top-six pick. But if he's primarily a cornerback and a package player on offense, he may not even be a first-round pick in Dynasty. The exception would be IDP leagues if you have the ability to count Hunter's offensive and defensive production. He might challenge Jeanty for No. 1 overall in that case.

For now, I am trying to factor that uncertainty into Hunter's ranking. Like most of the players below, expect Hunter's ranking to change in the next two months. Just don't expect the 1.01 to change. Here are my top 12 rookies for Superflex rookie drafts as of February 26.

1.01 Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State1.02 Cam Ward, QB, Miami1.03 Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona1.04 Treveyon Henderson, RB, Ohio State1.05 Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado1.06 Luther Burden, WR, Missouri1.07 Travis Hunter, WR, Colorado1.08 Omarion Hampton, RB, North Carolina1.09 Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State1.10 Kaleb Johnson, RB, Iowa1.11 Quinshon Judkins, RB, Ohio State1.12 Harold Fannin, TE, Bowling Green

Next Best by Position

QB Jaxon Dart, Ole MissRB Devin Neal, KansasWR Matthew Golden, TexasTE Tyler Warren, Penn State1.11 Harold Fannin, TE, Bowling Green