2025 Fantasy Football Rookie Rankings: RJ Harvey Or Kaleb Johnson

Who wins the ADP battle between Denver Broncos RJ Harvey and Pittsburgh Steelers Kaleb Johnson?

ADP Battle: RJ Harvey Vs. Kaleb Johnson | RJ Harvey Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn ImagesKaleb Johnson Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

In the Rookie Draft ADP battle between Denver Broncos RJ Harvey and Pittsburgh Steelers Kaleb Johnson, who will prevail? Let's take a look at some comparitive data to find the answers. I looked at data from FantasyPros, Fantasy Points, and Fantasy Football Calculator and gathered it all up for you.

Denver Broncos: RJ Harvey

Of our three sources, the consensus is RJ Harvey sits at ADP 5.8, making him the 4th-ranked rookie running back. Fantasy Football Calculator says in 12‑team rookie drafts, Harvey typically goes in the mid-1st round (picks 5-7). He surged from an earlier projected rookie pick in the mid-3rd round to late 1st round after landing with Denver, per FantasyPoints analysis.

Broncos Head Coach Sean Payton is known for creative running back usage and rotating backs. In looking at Denver's 2025 depth chart so far, Harvey appears to be neck and neck with veteran JK Dobbins, followed by Audric Estime, and Jaleel McLaughlin. He's for sure an upside stash with flex potential early, considering he gets the start and the targets.

Pittsburgh Steelers: Kaleb Johnson

The consensus ADP among the three cited sources for the Steelers Kaleb Johnson is 7.6, making him the 5th-ranked rookie running back. According to Fantasy Calculator, in typical rookie drafts, Johnson is going in the late-1st round (picks 7-9). Some analysts consider him potentially overvalued, noting he’s frequently drafted at the top of his tier.

Mike Tomlin has a long history of favoring lead backs, but recent years suggest a shift toward committee usage. The depth chart has Johnson as the RB2 behind Jaylen Warren. I'm not sure if he has it in the bag, though, with Kenneth Gainwell and Trey Sermon right behind him. It's most likely that Johnson is a good handcuff with upside in redraft and a strong long-term stash in dynasty.

Final Notes

Redraft Leagues: Harvey has a better path to volume earlier on than Johnson.

Dynasty: Both are solid late-1st to early-2nd round rookie picks, but Harvey has the higher ceiling.

Best Ball: Johnson might sneak in an occasional touchdown during the season, but again, Harvey offers better floor + ceiling.