Fabs' Fantasy Football Breakdown: Round 1 Of The 2025 NFL Draft

Michael Fabiano | Apr 24, 2025

Cam Ward, QB, from Miami holds a jersey with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell after being selected 1st overall by the Tennessee Titans during the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft at Lambeau Field on April 24, 2025 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. / Mark Hoffman / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The NFL Draft is finally upon us (yes!), and we here at Sports Illustrated have you covered with instant fantasy football analysis of every offensive skill position player picked in Round 1. Find out which rookies could make an instant fantasy impact, and who might need some time to become an asset.

Here's our pre-draft coverage:

Dynasty Mock Draft

Fantasy Rookie Breakdowns

1. Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
2. Omarion Hampton, RB, North Carolina
3. Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona
4. TreVeyon Henderson, RB, Ohio State
5. Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State
6. Travis Hunter, WR, Colorado
7. Matthew Golden, WR, Texas
8. Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State
9. Quinshon Judkins, RB, Ohio State
10. Kaleb Johnson, RB, Iowa
11. Luther Burden III, WR, Missouri
12. Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan
13. Cam Ward, QB, Miami FL
14. Jayden Higgins, WR, Iowa State
15. Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado
16. Tre Harris, WR, Mississippi
17. Cam Skattebo, RB, Arizona State
18. Dylan Sampson, RB, Tennessee
19. Elic Ayomanor, WR, Stanford
20. Jaxson Dart, QB, Mississippi
21. Jalen Milroe, QB, Alabama

We'll update this blog whenever a fantasy-relevant player is picked.

Fantasy Football Live NFL Draft Analysis

1. Tennessee Titans – Cam Ward, QB, Miami: To the shock of no one, Ward was the first pick of the draft. Noted for his skills as a passer, he was one of the nation’s most accurate signal-callers last season. Ward can also make plays when the pocket breaks down, rushing for 204 yards and four touchdowns in 2024. That doesn’t mean he’ll be the next Jayden Daniels, but Ward can certainly use his mobility when needed. That is another skill set that will make him a potential asset in the world of fantasy football. In fact, I see him as a No. 2 fantasy quarterback in most 2025 redrafts, and he could be a first-round pick in dynasty formats as well … especially those with a superflex spot.

Fantasy Grade: B

2. Jacksonville Jaguars – Travis Hunter, CB/WR, Colorado (trade with the Cleveland Browns): The Jaguars made a massive trade to move up to the second overall pick to land Hunter. They dealt the fifth overall pick, a second-round pick (No. 36), a fourth-round pick (No. 126) and their 2026 first-round pick in exchange for the second overall pick, a fourth-round pick (No. 104) and a sixth-round pick (No. 200). The question is, will the Jags use Hunter primarily as a wide receiver or a cornerback (or a bit of both)? We need to find that out before we make any substantive predictions about his potential fantasy value. If Hunter is used primarily as a receiver, he could bring WR3/flex value in redrafts in Year 1.

Fantasy Grade: Incomplete

6. Las Vegas Raiders – Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State: The Raiders made the first huge “fantasy” pick of the draft, taking Jeanty sixth overall. A superstar in college, his rushing totals increased in each of his three years at Boise State. His statistical breakout began in 2023 when he rushed for 1,347 yards and caught 43 passes out of the backfield. He took his statistical success a step further last season, rushing for a ridiculous 2,601 yards and 29 scores. Now in Las Vegas, he’ll be the featured back for new head coach Pete Carroll … think about Marshawn Lynch’s workload under Carroll in Seattle. Jeanty will be the first rookie taken in most re-drafts, likely in the top 30 overall picks, and he’ll be the consensus No. 1 overall selection in dynasty formats. The ceiling for Jeanty is super high.

Fantasy Grade: A

8. Carolina Panthers – Tetairoa McMillian, WR, Arizona: McMillan, the top pure wideout in the class, will be projected as the new alpha receiver in Carolina. He had a strong career at Arizona, starting in 2022 when he set a Wildcats record for the most receiving yards by a true freshman. He went on to produce solid totals as a sophomore, and his first regular-season game of 2024 saw him total 10 catches, 304 yards and four touchdowns. Carolina does have some receiver depth with Xavier Legette, Adam Thielen and Jalen Coker on the roster, but McMillan is the best fantasy option of the bunch. If he can gain a rapport with Bryce Young, who finished strong last season, T-Mac could push for WR3/WR4 value in Year 1.

Fantasy Grade: B

10. Chicago Bears – Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan: This is a bit of a surprising pick, as the Bears could have gone with Penn State’s Tyler Warren. Loveland played 14 games as a freshman for Michigan in 2022 and was an asset for the offense in his final two seasons. In that time, he posted a combined 101 catches, 1,231 yards and nine touchdowns. That includes 649 yards during the Wolverines’ National Championship campaign of 2023 while catching passes from J.J. McCarthy. Now in Chicago, he figures to share some of the tight end workload with Cole Kmet, though the rookie will be more attractive in fantasy drafts. Still, I don’t “love” this pick from a fantasy standpoint, at least in his first NFL season. I’d consider Loveland as a low-end No. 2 fantasy tight end at some point in the late rounds of re-drafts.

Fantasy Grade: C

14. Indianapolis Colts – Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State: The Colts must be thrilled to get Warren, who is the second tight end picked in the draft behind Loveland. He was a beast last season, posting 104 catches, 1,233 yards and eight touchdowns. Warren also made an impact as a runner, posting 218 yards and four touchdowns on the ground as a featured offensive weapon for the Nittany Lions. In all, Warren made up 31% of the team’s total targets in 2024. When you consider what Sam LaPorta and Brock Bowers have done in fantasy terms over the last two seasons, it won’t be a shock to see Warren listed among fantasy’s breakout players. He’ll be a borderline TE1 in fantasy redrafts next season.

Fantasy Grade: A

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State: This is the first serious head scratcher of the draft. The Buccaneers have Mike Evans, re-signed Chris Godwin and also field Jalen McMillan. Why would they take another receiver in Egbuka? He’s a talented player without question, posting 81 catches, 1,011 yards, and eight touchdowns in his final season with the Buckeyes. However, unless there’s a scenario where Godwin is not ready for the start of 2025 due to a gruesome ankle injury suffered last year, I can’t see Egbuka making much of a Year 1 impact. In fact, it’s hard to see him as more than a WR5 in the majority of re-draft leagues.

Fantasy Grade: D

22. Los Angeles Chargers – Omarion Hampton, RB, North Carolina: I love Hampton’s talent, but I hate this landing spot … at least for 2025. That’s because the Chargers signed Najee Harris this offseason, which means a backfield committee is imminent. Hampton is the better bet from a fantasy perspective, however. He spent his three college seasons with the Tar Heels, during which time his rushing totals increased every year. He started his statistical breakout in 2023, rushing for 1,504 yards and catching 29 passes out of the backfield. He took his statistical success a step further last season, rushing for 1,660 yards and 15 scores. That rushing yardage was good for second among FBS running backs, behind only Ashton Jeanty. The problem in 2025, of course, is his ceiling. With a very durable Harris also in the offense, it’s hard to see Hampton being better than a Year 1 flex option.

Fantasy Grade: D

23. Green Bay Packers – Matthew Golden, WR, Texas: Another draft pick, another fantasy stinker. Golden is a speedster who made a name for himself at the NFL Scouting Combine with a 4.29 40-yard dash. He posted career highs across the board last season, recording 58 catches for 987 yards and nine touchdown receptions. The problem is that the Packers are already flush with receivers, including Jayden Reed, Romeo Doubs, Christian Watson and Dontayvion Wicks, so I’m not sure I see a path to Year 1 fantasy success. Golden will be worth a late-round pick in redrafts, but I wouldn’t expect him to post great totals.

Fantasy Grade: D

25. New York Giants (trade with the Houston Texans) – Jaxson Dart, QB, Mississippi: The G-Men traded a second-round pick (No. 34), a third-round pick and a 2026 third-round pick to the Texans for the 25th overall pick and ultimately, Dart. He started a combined 39 games for the Rebels, culminating in a season that saw him finish fourth in passing yards in FBS with a 68.4 completion percentage. He also rushed for nearly 1,500 yards and 12 scores in three years at Ole Miss. While he’s clearly the Giants' quarterback of the future, he has very little chance to make a rookie impact with Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston also on the roster. As a result, Dart is more of a dynasty league option with little re-draft value.

Fantasy Grade: D-