9 NFL Draft Predictions With Fantasy Football Implications

After the usual circus that is NFL Draft season, we're finally just days away from the 2025 version. Countless mock drafts and big boards have been written and redone, and we will finally see where these rookies will call home in the NFL. To celebrate draft week, the staff at 4for4 got together in a virtual draft room, to share predictions they believe will have fantasy implications in 2025.

4for4 will be following along live throughout the first two days of the draft with an updated tracker on landing spots and fantasy impacts of each relevant rookie drafted.

More NFL Draft Resources: 2025 NFL Mock Draft: Connor Allen's 3.0 | 2025 NFL Mock Draft: Scott Smith's 3.0 | 10 Dynasty Players to Buy Before the NFL Draft | 10 Dynasty Players to Sell Before the NFL Draft |

2025 NFL Draft Predictions

The Commanders' offense becomes even more explosive by drafting TreVeyon Henderson 28th overall (Connor Allen)

The Commanders featured a two-man backfield of Brian Robinson and Austin Ekeler last season with mixed results. Despite playing alongside Jayden Daniels, Robinson had just 15 total yards over expectation, averaging 4.3 yards per carry (22nd among qualifying RBs). That’s not bad by any stretch, but it certainly leaves plenty to be desired.

In an offseason press conference, HC Dan Quinn specifically didn’t mention any of his running backs by name and then said, “Running backs catching the ball out of the backfield is a big piece for us.” (H/T Coachspeak Index). Robinson caught just 20 balls last year, and Austin Ekeler turns 30 next month with a small amount of money left on his contract. All that to say, the Commanders are very live to pick a running back in the first round.

Enter Ohio State RB TreVeyon Henderson. The former five-star recruit ran a 4.43 40-yard dash at 5’10, 202 pounds. He is an elite pass-blocker and has strong pass-catching chops as well. He racked up 1,013 yards on just 144 carries (7.03) in his final season and 926 on 156 carries as a junior. Daniel Jeremiah recently mentioned he is going to go “way higher than expected” in the draft as well, which puts him squarely in play here.

Henderson would be a solid fantasy RB2 with upside as a rookie in this offense. I would expect Robinson to poach some touchdowns and short-yardage situations early in the season while Ekeler becomes a cut candidate after eating up most of his guaranteed dollars in the first year of his 2-year deal signed in 2024.

The Titans draft Cam Ward (duh), but his rookie-season fantasy prospects will depend on what the Titans do to shore up the receiver room. (John Paulsen)

Last year, I predicted Daniels would "rack up the fantasy points" for the Commanders, so let's take a look at another quarterback.

Since he correctly identified C.J. Stroud and Daniels as the two most accurate quarterbacks in the last two draft classes, I like to check in to see what Derrick Klassen (of The Athletic) thinks of the top quarterback prospects. After charting Ward's final collegiate season, Klassen found that Ward's accuracy translated all over the field. He was above average to excellent through 20-yard throws, and was accurate on deep throws down the middle of the field (albeit below average along the boundaries). Still, this accuracy is a recipe for success in the NFL, and Klassen agrees: "Imperfect as he may be, Ward is the kind of player I’m going to bet on every time. The arm talent, athleticism, poise, and playmaking creativity are all present. Ward also clearly has gotten better the more he has played, turning from a zero-star high school prospect signed by Incarnate Word to leading Miami to one of its best seasons in recent memory. Improvement is a skill, and Ward seems to have it."

If the Titans draft Ward as expected, he should play immediately, but his fantasy expectations should be kept in check thanks to a so-so set of receiving weapons. Calvin Ridley is the headliner, and he’s solid, but when Van Jefferson is your WR2, you’re probably in trouble. The Titans could address the position in the draft, and if they do, Ward’s prospects will rise. (The Titans do not have a third-round pick, but they have two fourth-round picks and two more picks in the fifth.) Ward does have the ability to run, and my rookie quarterback model projects him to rush for 15.0 yards per game. That’s about what Bo Nix (15.4 projected, 25.3 actual) and Bryce Young (14.9 projected, 15.8 actual) were projected for in their rookie seasons. If the Titans add another good weapon and Ward runs a bit more than expected, then he could push for high-end QB2/low-end QB1 numbers as a rookie. He’ll certainly be in the mix as an upside QB2-type in two-QB/superflex formats.

Indy takes Colston Loveland at No. 14, and he's a fantasy TE1/TE2 (Jennifer Eakins)

The Colts have been TE collectors for years now, but they haven't had a really productive one for fantasy purposes since Eric Ebron's TE4 campaign in 2018. Last year, their TE room, which consisted of Mo Alie-Cox, Kylen Granson, Andrew Ogletree, and Will Mallory, averaged .9 half-PPR points per contest. That is not a typo.

We know that Indy was interested in drafting former UGA TE Brock Bowers last year, and rumors have been swirling indicating that Tyler Warren will be off the board by this pick, which leads to Colston Loveland. While the coach speak right now is that there will be a competition between Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones for the starting job at QB, let's just assume Richardson is the one they need to surround with playmakers if he has a shot at a successful rebound in 2025. Loveland is a strong route runner and can move like a WR, and if he can transition quickly to the NFL, could slide in as a low-end TE1 in 2025.

The Denver Broncos draft Omarion Hampton (Matt Okada)

We all know Ashton Jeanty will be drafted in the first round and make a significant fantasy impact in year one, but there's another running back to watch for on Thursday night as well: Omarion Hampton out of North Carolina. He's a size-speed dream — 6-foot, 221 pounds, 4.46 in the 40 — with a violent north-south running style, superb contact balance, and excellent production. I've comped him to Ezekiel Elliott and Rashaad Penny, and believe he'll be closer to the former than the latter with regard to his dynasty fantasy value. However, because he's far more of a hit-the-hole-hard freight train than a create-and-evade wizard, Hampton needs a strong offensive line to reach his full potential at the NFL level. If only there were a team with perhaps the league's best O-line, a glaring need at running back, and a pick in the back half of the first round ...

Oh, wait, there is. The Denver Broncos are returning their full starting five up front after grading as the best unit behind the Eagles last season. Their RB room consists of undersized undrafted free agent Jaleel McLaughlin, fifth-round pick Audric Estime, and nothing else. And they're sitting at 20th overall. While they need reinforcements at WR as well, I think they'll go with Hampton here and make him the day one starter. With that combo of talent, capital, and opportunity, he will finish the 2025 season as an RB1, likely just a few spots behind Jeanty (and likely at a lower price on draft day).

The Rams trade up inside the top ten to draft Tyler Warren. (Neil Dutton)

The Rams got nothing out of their tight ends in 2024. Well, not literally nothing, but they were 30th in TE receptions and dead last in terms of yardage amassed. As such, the position was never a factor in fantasy terms. Despite landing Davante Adams to pair across from Puka Nacua, I get the feeling Sean McVay would really, REALLY, like to upgrade at the TE spot. As we know about the Rams and the draft, they like to be bold, and in order to land Warren, they’ll have to move ahead of other admirers. The Panthers will answer the call, and McVay will get his man…and fantasy managers (and lovers of productive TEs) will wait with bated breath to see how McVay deploys his newest toy.

LB Jihaad Campbell goes to the Cardinals (Ryan Noonan)

Alabama's Jihaad Campbell is the clear LB1 in this year's draft class. Other players with a linebacker designation, like Georgia's Jalon Walker, are more likely to be used in an EDGE rusher role, not in the traditional off-ball linebacker role that we'll see from Campbell. There are two perfect fits for Campbell in the middle of the first round, Arizona at pick 16 and Tampa Bay at 19, but I think Arizona would be foolish to pass on him.

The beauty of Campbell's game is that he's a converted EDGE, and with Arizona's lack of pass rush and depth at linebacker, Campbell checks multiple boxes with one pick. The Cardinals signed former Bengals linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither in free agency, but last year's every-down starter, Kyzir White, was not retained. Davis-Gaither's been the LB3 in Cincinnati for the past few seasons, and he played well after Logan Wilson went down late in the season. He'd be better suited to be the team's LB2, though, with Mack Wilson Sr. penciled in as the current placeholder for that spot. Selecting Campbell puts everyone in an ideal spot in the Cardinals' depth chart.

At 6’3”, 240 pounds, Campbell’s 4.52 speed is elite when adjusted for his size. That closing speed pops on his tape at Alabama. Campbell's 5.5% missed tackle rate (elite for his position) pairs with rare coverage instincts for a converted edge rusher. Campbell racked up 117 tackles (5th in the SEC), 11.5 TFLs, and 5 sacks last season, which speaks to his well-rounded game. Campbell has a three-down skill set, which is something we need to prioritize when looking at first-year IDP prospects.

Ashton Jeanty lands in Vegas (Pranav Rajaram)

Ashton Jeanty is one of the most interesting players in the draft this year. Regardless of what side of the age-old running back value debate you are on, it looks like Jeanty will certainly be a first-round pick next week. I think one of the best landing spots for Jeanty is at No. 6 overall to the Las Vegas Raiders. Spearheaded by new head coach Pete Carroll, the Raiders pulled off an impressive retool this offseason, namely trading for quarterback Geno Smith. Their aggressiveness indicates that they plan on competing this season, and Jeanty could provide enough firepower to make the Raiders a legitimately elite offense.

The Raiders severely struggled to replace Josh Jacobs last season. They didn’t have any running backs with more than 420 rushing yards, and ranked dead last in EPA per rush attempt as a team. Jeanty, who is coming off arguably the greatest college running back season of all time, possesses a unique combination of speed and strength that could single-handedly turn the Raiders running game around. As the clear top running back in a fun offense with Smith, Brock Bowers, and Jakobi Meyers, Jeanty would be an immediate top-10 running back fantasy option if he lands in Vegas.

The Texans Draft Emeka Egbuka, C.J. Stroud Returns to Low-End QB1 Territory (Justin Edwards)

The Texans’ plan to surround C.J. Stroud with high-end weapons in 2024 didn’t quite hold. Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell combined to miss 17 games, and neither will be on the field in 2025. That leaves Nico Collins as the lone holdover, and Houston scrambling to find a reliable complement.

One solid option to help get Stroud back to the fantasy heights we saw during his rookie season is former Ohio State teammate Emeka Egbuka, who is routinely being mocked near the end of the first round (the Texans hold No. 25). While he may seem like a redundant asset to the recently-acquired Christian Kirk, Egbuka offers plenty of juice to help the team lock in on him, giving Stroud a prototypical “power slot” (h/t Reception Perception) option who can work dependably to find openings in zone coverage and attack soft spots over the middle of the field, something that was clearly lacking when John Metchie, Xavier Hutchinson and others were tasked with filling the void.

Last season, Stroud averaged 14.8 fantasy points per game with Stefon Diggs in the lineup — that dropped to 11.3 FPPG once the veteran was sidelined. Egbuka brings some of that zone-beating utility back to the offense, as well as ultra-reliable hands, as evidenced by his minuscule 5.5% drop rate on 244 college targets.

The League is Overthinking Tetairoa McMillan (For Now) - Brendan Darr

A quick aside before I get into the meat of this take – it would make way more sense for the teams, rookies, and league for the draft to be before free agency. Look at the NBA, the combine happens during the playoffs, and about a week to ten days after the season is over, the Draft happens. Then comes free agency. It just makes so much more sense. In my opinion, the biggest reason it makes sense is that everyone overthinks the draft. The time between a player's final game, all-star games, the combine, pro day, and finally draft day is too long. Everyone overthinks everything.

This brings us to McMillan. While he is an older prospect, given that he’s a junior and will be 22 years and 19 days old on draft night, he was highly productive with an early breakout age in college. He had 39 catches for 702 yards and 8 touchdowns as a freshman and 90 catches for 1,402 yards and 10 touchdowns as a sophomore. And while his numbers did tick down as a junior, he still put up 84 catches for 1,319 yards and 8 touchdowns. Per Mockdraftable, McMillan has a 94th percentile height and an 87th percentile height, and his reported 4.55 40-yard dash time at his pro day places him in an 80th percentile speed score (per PlayerProfiler).

The combination of an elite athlete with an early breakout and multiple years of high-level production indicates this should be a premium prospect. Instead, because he’s not on the level of Ja'Marr Chase, Marvin Harrison, or Malik Nabers, it feels like the draft industry, and to a larger extent, teams, based on insider reporting, are overlooking that he is a premium prospect. His profile screams early first-round talent, and landing on a few top 10 teams could put him in a great spot fantasy-wise. Opposite Brian Thomas Jr. in Jacksonville could be very interesting. Being the No. 1 option in Carolina with an emergent Bryce Young could also have a big impact on fantasy. Finally, giving Dak Prescott a real second option alongside CeeDee Lamb could be a fantasy bonanza as the running game looks like it could take a backseat again. Any of these landing spots could see his ADP jump quite a bit from the mid-60s where it currently is. That said, let's say he drops to a Green Bay or even Washington, while things would be crowded early on, he’d be on solid fantasy offenses and given the ability to eventually become the No. 1 WR.