Ideal Fantasy Football Landing Spots for Ashton Jeanty, NFL Draft's Top Skill Players
The 2025 NFL draft is almost here. The rumors and speculation will soon give way to actual picks, and we'll know where this year’s rookie class will begin their professional careers.
As soon as the festivities in Green Bay wrap up, another series of fantasy football drafts will begin, as managers in dynasty leagues will hold their annual rookie drafts. Some redraft and best-ball managers will be chomping at the bit to get after it, too.
After four months or so of fantasy darkness, folks get twitchy. This writer should know—I’ve had a spasm in my eyelid for about a month now.
Where the fantasy value of a rookie class is concerned, talent is incredibly important. But like opening a successful restaurant, a big part of early success from rookies is due to location, location, location. Get buried on a depth chart, and it could be years before a player gets his chance. Land on a team with a clear path to early playing time, and the sky can be the limit.
Since we’re all about the brighter side here, let’s take a look at this year’s top fantasy rookies and an ideal (and realistic) landing spot for each.
NOTE: Since Colorado unicorn Travis Hunter is listed as a cornerback on Bleacher Report's Big Board, he was not included here. Hunter's fantasy value will depend largely on the plans of the team who drafts the CB/WR, and we may not know those until after the draft.
Quarterbacks
Ideal Landing Spot: Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans may not be the ideal landing spot for Ward, but it’s where Ward appears to be headed, so fantasy managers might as well just learn to live with it.
The Titans aren’t exactly loaded with passing-game talent, and Tennessee has a below-average offensive line. But the Titans added a pair of new starters to that line in free agency, and it’s a safe bet that Tennessee will add a wide receiver to pair with Calvin Ridley on Day 2 of this year's draft.
Ideal Landing Spot: New Orleans Saints
Again, this has as much to do with the likelihood that the Saints take Sanders at No. 9 overall as his fit in the Big Easy. Like the Titans, the Saints aren’t an especially good team, and their offensive line is more weakness than strength.
But in wide receiver Chris Olave and running back Alvin Kamara, the Saints aren’t totally without passing-game weapons. And with Derek Carr’s status for the 2025 season now in danger due to a shoulder injury, Sanders could have the opportunity to play right away.
Ideal Landing Spot: Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers are still waiting for Aaron Rodgers to return from his sabbatical on Planet Klaatu and make up his mind about playing in 2025, but what once looked inevitable is now in question.
The strong-armed 6’2”, 223-pound Dart would have a genuine shot at beating out Mason Rudolph for the starting job in Pittsburgh if Rodgers doesn't head there. The Steelers have a decent duo of starting receivers in George Pickens and DK Metcalf, and they're the most competitive organization that's likely to take a quarterback in Round 1.
Ideal Landing Spot: Cleveland Browns
The Browns have added a pair of quarterbacks this year, trading for Kenny Pickett and signing Joe Flacco. But those quarterbacks are short-term fixes at best, so Cleveland could easily address the position relatively early in this year’s draft.
A prospect who B/R’s Dame Parson called, “Jalen Hurts with a jet pack & stronger arm,” Milroe could take some time to adjust to the NFL. But given his ability to pick up yardage with his legs, it’s entirely possible that Milroe will be the most valuable fantasy quarterback from the 2025 draft class three years from now.
Ideal Landing Spot: Los Angeles Rams
Howard doesn’t have the strongest of arms, but the Buckeyes star completed over 70 percent of his passes, threw 35 touchdown passes and ran for seven more scores this past season in Ohio State’s march to a national championship.
Concerns over Howard’s arm strength have led many to posit that he could fall into Round 3 or even later. Should that be the case, landing in Los Angeles as the backup to and potential successor for Matthew Stafford would be the best-case scenario from a fantasy football perspective.
Running Backs
Ideal Landing Spot: Chicago Bears
Jeanty is an immensely talented young running back who should thrive regardless of where he lands. He’s the unquestioned first overall pick in dynasty rookie drafts. Jeanty has been widely mocked to the Las Vegas Raiders, but the Bears possess better offensive personnel, a superior offensive line and a new head coach in Ben Johnson who made excellent use of David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs in Detroit.
Omarion Hampton, North Carolina
Ideal Landing Spot: Denver Broncos
In many draft classes, the 221-pound Hampton would be the No. 1 prospect at his position. The hard-charging bruiser is a legitimate Round 1 talent. The Broncos' current No. 1 running back is Jaleel McLaughlin, and Denver head coach Sean Payton has made more than one running back fantasy-relevant in the past. In Denver, Hampton could be a three-down starter off the jump.
Ideal Landing Spot: Cleveland Browns
Judkins may not be the best back in his class in any one area, but he’s a ball-carrier who does everything fairly well, and his 4.48-second 40-yard dash at the combine alleviated some concerns about his long speed. The Browns are another team with a glaring hole atop the depth chart at running back. With Nick Chubb still unsigned, Cleveland’s No. 1 running back is currently Jerome Ford.
TreVeyon Henderson, Ohio State
Ideal Landing Spot: Dallas Cowboys
Strictly from a talent perspective, Henderson is as explosive as any back in this class. The 5’10”, 202-pounder is a threat to score every time he touches the ball. The Cowboys brought in Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders in free agency, but if he can just stay healthy, Handerson is a vastly superior talent who could thrive in the Cowboys’ offense. A few years from now, many dynasty managers are going to regret passing on Henderson in drafts.
Ideal Landing Spot: Pittsburgh Steelers
At 6’1” and 224 pounds, Johnson is a punishing back who's more likely to barrel through opposing tacklers than run around them. The Steelers still have Jaylen Warren on their roster, but Warren is more of a pass-catcher than a lead back. In Pittsburgh, Johnson could slot into the early-down role vacated by the departed Najee Harris, one again affording the Steelers a potent “thunder and lightning” duo.
Ideal Landing Spot: Washington Commanders
At just 5’8” and 200 pounds, Sampson may be too small to hold up to a featured back’s role at the NFL level, and the Commanders have a No. 1 back in Brian Robinson Jr. But third-down back Austin Ekeler turns 30 in May, so Sampson could be brought in as the eventual successor to Ekeler in D.C. That would require some patience from fantasy managers, though. They'd have to pick Sampson more with the 2026 campaign in mind.
Ideal Landing Spot: New Orleans Saints
At 217 pounds and lacking the high-end speed present in the more highly ranked backs in this class, Martinez’s best role in the pros may be as the front end of a “thunder and lightning” backfield duo. In New Orleans, Alvin Kamara isn’t getting any younger, and some of the best years of Kamara’s career came when he was involved in a two-headed rushing attack with Mark Ingram.
Ideal Landing Spot: San Francisco 49ers
Skattebo isn’t the fastest back in this class, or the most explosive. But he’s one of the most hard-charging backs in the class and can do just about everything well. The San Francisco 49ers already have a star back in Christian McCaffrey, but he will be 29 in June, is coming off an injury-ravaged 2024 campaign, and the questions start piling up quickly on the San Francisco depth chart behind him.
Wide Receiver
Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona
Ideal Landing Spot: Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys have a legitimate superstar at wide receiver in CeeDee Lamb, but there isn’t a lot on the depth chart behind him. At 6’4” and 219 pounds, McMillan is a prototypical boundary receiver who would benefit in both the short- and long-term from all the defensive attention Lamb commands from opposing defenses on a weekly basis.
Matthew Golden, Texas
Ideal Landing Spot: Arizona Cardinals
There isn’t much that Golden doesn’t do well. The 5'11”, 191-pounder has decent size, can high-point the football well and peeled off a 4.29 40-yard dash at the combine. Pairing Golden with second-year pro Marvin Harrison Jr. would give Kyler Murray a pair of impressive physical wideouts.
Tre Harris, Ole Miss
Ideal Landing Spot: Carolina Panthers
At 6’2” and 205 pounds, Harris is another wide receiver who's tailor-made for playing the boundary in the NFL. He's a sure-handed pass-catcher capable of racking up yards over the catch, although injuries were an issue for him in college. But if healthy, Harris could emerge as the No. 1 wide receiver for the Panthers in relatively short order.
Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State
Ideal Landing Spot: Green Bay Packers
Egbuka may not be the biggest or fastest wide receiver in his draft class, but he may well be the most NFL-ready pass-catcher of the lot. While the Green Bay Packers have no shortage of young talent at wide receiver, Jordan Love doesn’t have a true go-to wideout. Egbuka could be that player.
Luther Burden III, Missouri
Ideal Landing Spot: Houston Texans
A wildly athletic 6’0”, 206-pounder, Burden is as dangerous in space as any wide receiver in the 2025 class. The Texans added Christian Kirk to offset the departure of Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell’s injury, but Burden could challenge Kirk for WR2 duties in Houston and should at least see the field in three-wide sets.
Jalen Royals, Utah State
Ideal Landing Spot: Buffalo Bills
Royals wasn’t ridiculously productive at Utah State last year, largely because he missed time due to a foot injury. But in 2023, Royals caught 71 passes and flirted with 1,100 receiving yards. Royals is capable of playing both on the boundary and in the slot, which should appeal greatly to a Bills team that needs to add passing-game weaponry in this year's draft.
Jaylin Noel, Iowa State
Ideal Landing Spot: Cleveland Browns
Noel was productive with the Cyclones last year, catching 80 passes, eclipsing 1,200 total yards and averaging almost 15 yards per catch. He isn’t the biggest receiver, and drops were a concern in college. But Noel’s explosiveness and after-the-catch ability should appeal to a Browns team that needs an upgrade at slot receiver in 2025.
Elic Ayomanor, Stanford
Ideal Landing Spot: New England Patriots
At 6’2”, Ayomanor has solid size. He also compensates for a lack of straight-line speed by gaining separation from defenders with savvy route-running. Ayomanor isn’t going to single-handedly rebuild a Patriots wideout corps that needs talent outside Stefon Diggs, but he would be a solid addition on the boundary who could see significant playing time right out of the gate.
Jack Bech, TCU
Ideal Landing Spot: New York Giants
Bech came into his own last year at TCU, topping 1,000 receiving yards, averaging almost 17 yards per reception and scoring nine touchdowns. Bech isn’t a burner by any stretch, but he’s a sure-handed, versatile pass-catcher who could thrive as New York’s No. 2 wideout opposite young star Malik Nabers.
Jayden Higgins, Iowa State
Ideal Landing Spot: Los Angeles Chargers
At 6’4”, Higgins has the size to play on the boundary, but he also has considerable experience playing in the slot. The former Cyclones standout doesn’t have great speed and can struggle against press coverage, but Higgins could make a rapid impact for a Chargers team that needs to add talent around Ladd McConkey at wide receiver.
Tight Ends
Tyler Warren, Penn State
Ideal Landing Spot: New York Jets
This is another spot that may well be less “ideal” than happening. Per ESPN’s Rich Cimini, the New York Jets have done “extensive homework” regarding selecting Penn State tight end Tyler Warren seventh overall.
That would make sense for a Jets team that lost both wide receiver Davante Adams and tight end Tyler Conklin in free agency. It’d also be beneficial for fantasy managers, as Warren would likely see a hefty target share from Day 1 in the Big Apple.
Colston Loveland, Michigan
Ideal Landing Spot: Seattle Seahawks
Loveland didn’t post huge numbers in college, but that had more to do with the team around him and the scheme he was in than any potential weaknesses in the 6’6”, 248-pounder’s well-rounded game.
The Seattle Seahawks have undergone a number of offensive changes in the offseason, but the tight end position has been a weakness for several years in the Emerald City. Loveland would fortify that weakness immediately.
Elijah Arroyo, Miami
Ideal Landing Spot: Jacksonville Jaguars
A wildly athletic 6’5”, 250-pounder, Arroyo had his coming-out party with the Hurricanes this past season, approaching 600 receiving yards and scoring seven touchdowns. He has everything NFL teams covet in a field-stretching tight end.
The Jacksonville Jaguars lost Evan Engram in free agency, and while they're high on youngster Brenton Strange, they need more passing-game weapons. It would hardly be an upset if Arroyo beat out Strange to become Jacksonville’s top tight end in training camp.
Mason Taylor, LSU
Ideal Landing Spot: Philadelphia Eagles
The son of Hall of Fame defensive end Jason Taylor, Taylor wins more with smarts and route-running than pure athleticism. But he won a lot last year, as nearly 70 percent of his receptions last year went for first downs.
Philadelphia Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert has been the subject of rampant trade speculation for weeks. Were the Eagles to move on from Goedert, Taylor would be a similarly skilled tight end starting for one of the league’s most potent offenses.
Harold Fannin Jr., Bowling Green
Ideal Landing Spot: Carolina Panthers
Fannin had a forgettable showing at the combine, but one bad workout doesn’t erase the 117 catches, 1,555 yards and 10 scores that the 20-year-old posted this past season at Bowling Green. Level of competition is a question, but Fannin’s fantasy ceiling appears to be sky-high.
A number of NFL teams need quantity in the passing-game nearly as much as quantity, including the Panthers. As things stand now, Tommy Tremble is Carolina’s No. 1 tight end. Fannin beating him out to start in 2025 wouldn't exactly be a stretch, and the Panthers could be regularly playing from behind in 2025.
Gary Davenport is a two-time Fantasy Sports Writers Association Football Writer of the Year. Follow him on X at @IDPSharks.