RJ Harvey And 2 More Rookie Busts To Avoid In 2025 Fantasy Football Drafts

Discover which 2025 NFL rookies are overhyped in fantasy football due to injury risks, limited roles, or skill concerns, helping you avoid costly draft mistakes.

Denver Broncos running back RJ Harvey (37) during rookie minicamp at Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Investing in rookie players in fantasy football can lead to difference-maker outcomes, while offering favorable price points in drafts. There will also be times when their NFL draft round influences that fantasy price point, which may not line up properly with the expected opportunity in their rookie season. At the same time, a drafter must understand a player's injury profile, which can help avoid overpaying for an unknown outcome and injury risk.

Let's take a look at three rookies who will fail to live up to their expectations and draft price in 2025 fantasy football leagues.

RJ Harvey, Denver Broncos

At the NFL Combine, Harvey ran a 4.4 40-yard dash, showcasing his explosiveness. His career with Denver starts at age 24, which is a red flag to me in the Broncos’ team build at running back. He missed 2021 with a torn ACL in his left knee. Despite being undersized (5’8” and 205 lbs.), Harvey relies more on power than elusiveness to earn his early yards. 

He trails in pass protection skills with a questionable ceiling catching the ball. His movements with the ball have a tempo feel as Harvey looks for a seam to take advantage of his acceleration and speed. He brings patience with value on stretch plays, where daylight can lead to some long runs.

Harvey went from an unknown fantasy asset after the NFL draft to a sexy RB1 option for Denver in early fantasy leagues. Unfortunately, the signing of J.K. Dobbins and his questionable pass-protecting skills paints a split role situation. He ranks 21st at running back in early August, 14 slots higher than Dobbins. 

Denver drafted him in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft.  Sean Payton has a history of featuring his backs in the passing game, but his new rookie running back is nowhere near the realm of Alvin Kamara, Payton's last big draft win at running back.

Harvey brings speed to the Broncos’ offense, but he is 24 with an ACL injury on his college resume. He fits the part of an upside running back by being the new sheriff in town, but Harvey is far from a lock to be an edge to fantasy rosters when adding his limited ceiling in catches and rushing touchdowns.

Every RJ Harvey snap from his 2025 NFL preseason debut. pic.twitter.com/QRJuq09rQU

— Nick Penticoff (@NickPenticoff) August 10, 2025

Matthew Golden, Green Bay Packers

The foundation of Golden’s route running has flaws at each level. He needs to improve his salesmanship skills and demonstrate more fight and desire at the top of his pass routes. His lack of timing can lead to poor hand positioning when the ball arrives more quickly than expected. He ran a 4.29 40-yard dash at the NFL combine, showcasing his deep speed.

Last year, Texas frequently threw the ball to Golden well beyond the line of scrimmage, but Quinn Ewers rarely hit him in stride, forcing him to make challenging catches coming back to the ball. With the ball in his hands, Golden lacks the vision to be a top run-after-the-catch player despite showing success returning kicks.

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Matthew Golden (22) catches a pass during the first day of training camp on Wednesday, July 23, 2025, at Ray Nitschke Field. | Tork Mason / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Over the summer, reports from Packers’ training camp have been positive, which has led to Golden rising up draft boards (WR44). Green Bay also has other wide receivers on the injury report in August, pushing more eyeballs toward their new rookie wideout. 

For years, the Packers refused to give Aaron Rodgers a first-round upgrade at wide receiver. Unfortunately, chasing an undersized, speed-favoring wideout early in the NFL Draft often leads to a slow-developing player or a bust outcome.

Colston Loveland, Chicago Bears

I’m not dismissing Loveland's talent or future ceiling, but I do expect his target opportunity to be messy in his rookie season. Chicago has strength in receiving options at wide receiver, and Cole Kmet will get tight end snaps this year. The Bears showed their excitement in his outlook by drafting Loveland as the top tight end this year. 

First-rounder Colston Loveland hauls in his first NFL catch 👏 He is 1 of only 3 FBS TEs to have 100+ receptions and 1,200+ rec yards over the
last 2 seasons#MIAvsCHI on @NFLN
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— NFL+ (@NFLPlus) August 10, 2025

By putting him in the fade category, I’m not fighting for him in drafts and overpaying for him. I will keep an open mind if his ADP slides later this summer based on his projected role and usage in the Bears’ offense. As a borderline top 12 tight end in fantasy leagues, I don’t feel comfortable starting him early in the year. The coach-speak in Chicago could also influence his movement in either direction in drafts over the next month.