Who You Got? The Rookie Faceoffs Shaping 2025 Fantasy Drafts

Every draft season has its obvious stars — but it's the close calls, deep cuts, and Day 3 debates that separate good dynasty managers from great ones. This week, we're diving into four rookie battles that you need to know.

Featured Comparison: RJ Harvey vs. Kaleb Johnson

Position: Running Back

RJ Harvey — Broncos (Round 2, Pick 28)

• Profile: 24 year old Running Back from UCF

• Stats: 1577 rushing yards from 232 carries (6.8 yard avg)

• Fit: Last year, the Broncos had a 74.9% run block win rate, which will pair nicely with Harvey’s explosiveness.

• Pros: Highly productive over the past two seasons. Runs with strong pad level, excellent contact balance, and a compact, powerful frame. Punishes tacklers and wears defenses down over time with physical, gap-to-gap style.

• Concerns: Lacks top-end burst and creativity in space. Tempo can be slow against faster NFL fronts. Instincts and lane feel are average, pass protection needs improvement. Also enters the league at age 24 and measures just 5'8", 205 lbs — an outlier profile for long-term NFL volume.

Kaleb Johnson — Steelers (Round 3, Pick 19)

• Profile: 21 year old Running Back from Iwoa

• Stats: 1,537 rushing yards from 240 carries (6.4 yard avg)

• Fit: Lands in Pittsburgh with traits that align well with Arthur Smith’s downhill running scheme.

• Pros: Good size and athletic frame. Decisive runner with consistent tempo and strong second-level burst. Shows patience, vision, and the ability to shed arm tackles for explosive gains.

• Concerns: Upright running style with limited bend. Lacks sudden burst after slowing down and doesn’t offer much as a receiver or in pass protection. Lateral agility and third-down utility are both question marks.

🏁 Verdict: Harvey vs. Johnson

Both backs bring enticing traits to the table — Harvey with violent efficiency and short-area burst, Johnson with size-speed upside and youth. But this choice ultimately comes down to two factors: NFL investment and early-career opportunity.

RJ Harvey has Round 2 capital, a run-friendly Broncos scheme, and a GM who flat-out called him “the best vision in the draft.” Despite being an older, undersized back, he’s walking into a situation where volume is available immediately — and he fits the system perfectly.

Kaleb Johnson is a traits-based projection. He’s younger, faster, and flashed against Big Ten defenses. But as a Round 3 pick behind Jaylen Warren, he may need time (or injuries) to matter in Year 1.

✅ Harvey is the better bet for immediate production and red-zone usage.

🔄 Johnson is the long-term play — a worthwhile stash in dynasty, but a patience test in 2025.

Tyler Warren vs. Colston Loveland

Position: Tight End

Tyler Warren — Colts (Round 1, Pick 14)

• Profile: 23 year old Tight End from Penn State

• Stats: 1,233 receiving yards from 104 receptions (11.9 yard avg)

• Fit: Joins a tight end-friendly Shane Steichen offense in Indianapolis that heavily uses motion and misdirection, giving Warren upside as a red-zone threat.

• Pros: Big, athletic, and highly competitive with a physical play style. Shows strong, natural hands and toughness in traffic. Smooth in and out of his breaks with enough early quickness to separate underneath.

• Concerns: Can be too easily redirected in routes and lacks vertical separation ability. Tendency to coast on certain reps, leading to inconsistent route effort. Will need to show more urgency and technique to stick as a three-down tight end.

Colston Loveland — Bears (Round 1, Pick 10)

• Profile: 21 year old Tight End from Michigan

• Stats: 582 receiving yards from 56 receptions (10.4 yard avg)

• Fit: Loveland projects as a move tight end in Ben Johnson’s system, where his fluid route running and strong hands make him a natural fit in play-action and boot concepts.

• Pros: Fluid route runner who can win short, intermediate, and deep with a complete route tree. Possesses excellent body control, strong hands, and mismatch potential against linebackers. Offers effort as a blocker and YAC threat in space.

• Concerns: Needs to improve route pacing and footwork. Play strength is a concern, especially against NFL power. Missed time with injury in 2024 and struggles in contested catch and blocking matchups.

🏁 Verdict: Warren vs. Loveland

This matchup is a tale of two promising Round 1 tight ends — one polished and pro-ready, the other younger with sky-high long-term upside.

Tyler Warren enters the league with more experience, a physical edge, and a clearer path to early snaps in Shane Steichen’s TE-friendly scheme. His toughness, versatility, and red-zone chops give him strong Year 1 appeal, especially in TE-premium formats.

Colston Loveland is the more fluid athlete and cleaner route technician. He offers more long-term mismatch potential as a modern flex TE, but his development curve could be steeper — especially given his injury history, lighter frame, and the presence of Cole Kmet.

✅ Warren is the safer early contributor with touchdown equity in Year 1.

🔁 Loveland is the long-view bet — a high-upside stash with the tools to eventually become a featured weapon.

Tre Harris vs. Jayden Higgins

Position: Wide Receiver

Tre Harris — Chargers (Round 2, Pick 23)

• Profile: 23 year old Wide Receiver from Ole Miss

• Stats: 1,030 receiving yards from 60 receptions (17.2 yard avg)

• Fit: Harris gives the Chargers the big-bodied X receiver they lacked — a vertical threat outside the numbers who can win downfield and bring physicality to contested catches.

• Pros: NFL-level size and speed with the ability to stretch the field and run away from coverage. Shows improved physicality and route pacing, with strong elevation and YAC ability after the catch.

• Concerns: Injury-prone and reliant on hitches/screens for production. Route sharpness and ball tracking need refinement, and his contested catch rate has been underwhelming given his frame.

Jayden Higgins — Texans (Round 2, Pick 2)

• Profile: 22 year old Wide Receiver from Iowa State

• Stats: 1,183 receiving yards from 87 receptions (13.6 yard avg)

• Fit: With new offensive coordinator Nick Caley bringing concepts from both the Rams and Patriots, Higgins could thrive as a big slot receiver in Houston’s scheme

• Pros: Big-bodied target with a 6'7" wingspan and strong tracking skills on deep balls and fades. Uses his size effectively to create separation at the break point and win contested catches with natural, reliable hands.

• Concerns: Lacks flexibility to sink and cut sharply, limiting his route tree. Doesn’t have second gear or YAC upside, and often relies on contested catches due to lack of suddenness or separation.

🏁 Verdict: Harris vs. Higgins

Both wideouts fill a similar archetype — big-bodied perimeter targets drafted in Round 2 — but offer different paths to fantasy relevance in Year 1.

Tre Harris lands in a wide-open Chargers receiver room with a clear path to vertical shots outside the numbers. His deep speed and explosive playmaking give him more splash-play upside, though he’ll need to stay healthy and sharpen his technique to capitalize.

Jayden Higgins enters a more crowded offense in Houston, but his fit as a big slot in Nick Caley’s scheme could make him a valuable mismatch piece. His route limitations and lack of burst are concerns, but his frame and tracking ability could turn him into a dependable red-zone and possession option.

✅ Harris offers more early upside and big-play potential in a thinner WR room.
🔁 Higgins is a scheme-based bet — less flashy, but could stick as a reliable, versatile target.

Jaydon Blue vs. Cam Skattebo vs. Bhayshul Tuten

Position: Running Back

Jaydon Blue — Cowboys (Round 5, Pick 12)

• Pros: Shifty, agile back with excellent top-end speed and sharp change-of-direction ability. Dangerous mismatch in the passing game with the ability to run wheel and angle routes for chunk plays.

• Concerns: Struggles with tempo and vision inside, often plays smaller than his frame. Ball security and pass protection are issues, and he’s prone to drops on off-target throws.

• Depth Chart Situation: Behind Javonte Williams, so he won’t start right away, but has a chance if injuries or poor performance from Williams occur.

Cam Skattebo — Giants (Round 4, Pick 3)

• Pros: Violent, physical runner with excellent contact balance and a nose for the end zone. Offers surprising burst in short areas and can contribute as a pass-catcher and kick returner. Known for effort and toughness.

• Concerns: Lacks breakaway speed and long-range athleticism. Not a natural separator in the passing game and may struggle to carve out a defined role beyond early-down work or special teams.

• Depth Chart Situation: Behind Tyrone Tracy, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he sees snaps early as a bruising 3 down back to wear down the defense.

Bhayshul Tuten — Jaguars (Round 4, Pick 2)

• Pros: Explosive speed and lateral agility make him a home-run threat on any touch. Tough, physical runner with strong hips, solid contact balance, and special teams value as a returner. Flashes upside as a pass protector and open-field creator.

• Concerns: Ball security has been a persistent issue. Needs to improve vision, decisiveness, and lane processing. Too often bounces runs unnecessarily and struggles with catch radius on off-target throws.

• Depth Chart Situation: Behind both Travis Etienne Jr. and Tank Bigsby, so seeing many snaps in year one is unlikely, but injuries may happen, allowing Tuten to see snaps.

🏁 Verdict: Blue vs. Skattebo vs. Tuten

Each of these Day 3 backs brings something unique to the table — from Blue's agility, to Skattebo's brute force, to Tuten's burst — but all three face uphill paths in 2025 due to crowded depth charts.

Jaydon Blue is the most dynamic in space and offers mismatch potential as a pass-catcher. He’s a ceiling play in deeper PPR leagues but will need an injury or strong camp to leap Javonte Williams.

Cam Skattebo is the most likely to carve out early-down work, especially in a wide-open Giants backfield. He lacks big-play juice, but his toughness and reliability could earn him valuable snaps early.

Bhayshul Tuten has the best home-run speed but the worst depth chart. Unless Etienne or Bigsby go down, he’s more of a stash-and-wait play — though his return ability could keep him roster-relevant.

✅ Skattebo is the best bet for early usage.
🚀 Blue has the most upside in space and in the passing game.
🔒 Tuten is a long-shot stash who needs breaks to go his way.

 💭Final Fumble

Rookie picks aren't just about talent — they're about fit, opportunity, and knowing when to take your swing. Whether you're chasing early snaps, or betting on long-term upside, trust the context, not just the name. And don’t worry… we’ll keep breaking it down for you all offseason long. Now go win your league one rookie dart at a time.