Dynasty Fantasy Football Rookie Update: Jermar Jefferson, RB DET
The NFL Draft is behind us, rookie drafts are taking place, and as dynasty owners, we are looking ahead to the upcoming season. In the Dynasty Fantasy Football Rookie Update series, we break down all the incoming fantasy-relevant rookies, looking at their profile and where they fit.
Name: Jermar Jefferson
Position: Running Back
Pro Team: Detroit Lions
College Team: Oregon State
Draft Status: Round seven, 257th overall
VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeQtZSx9f2Q
On tape, Jefferson showed limited athleticism but showed talent at diagnosing the play for cut-back options and slipping through holes. Playing in Oregon State meant that many have likely not seen much of him.
COMBINE REVIEW
- Height: 5’10 1/8”
- Weight: 206 lbs
- Hands: 9 5/8″
- 40-yard dash: 4.6 seconds
- Bench press: 13 reps
- Vertical jump: 31″
- Broad jump: 115″
- Three-cone: 7.39s
- 20-yard shuttle: 4.39s
STRENGTHS
- Hard finishing RB
- Does well setting up defenders
- Smooth change of direction
- Solid in pass protection
- Agility to make would-be tacklers miss
WEAKNESSES
- Limited athletic ability
- Average speed
- Gets frustrated with quick penetration through the offensive line
- Bad Oregon State teams set back his development, and he learned bad habits
OPPORTUNITIES
Detroit drafted D’Andre Swift early in the second round in 2020 and spent money in free agency for Jamaal Williams. The team also brought Todd Gurley in for a visit recently. They continued to bolster the depth on the roster by signing Michael Warren who has bounced from the Eagles, Panthers, and Washington in his short pro career.
The team has addressed the position and Jefferson likely is only a depth option for now.
THREATS
Swift and Williams are likely going to be the main options in the backfield. Look for Swift to be the main option in the backfield considering his high draft capital.
It isn’t easy for a seventh-round pick to make an impact and the ones who do have better profiles than Jefferson.
SHORT-TERM EXPECTATIONS
Jefferson will likely be a change-of-pace back with a chance to be a player who spells Williams and Swift at times. While showing limited athleticism in his pro day, he did have runs of 65, 75, and 82 yards in back-to-back games in 2020.
Following the NFL Draft, the team released Kerryon Johnson – this shows the team is happy with their current situation or may have room for a new option like Jefferson.
LONG-TERM EXPECTATIONS
The best long-term situation for Jefferson is for him to unseat Williams and be the second option behind Swift. Jefferson showed immense potential as a freshman but that talent didn’t show in his second or third collegiate seasons.
He looked like a full-time back in that freshmen season. As the talent at Oregon State declined, he tried to do too much at times.
NFL PLAYER COMPARISON
Pro Football Focus gives us a glimpse of some of Jefferson’s comps.
While I think he falls somewhere closer to Myles Gaskin and Josh Adams than he does Aaron Jones, there is some hope. I had also seen a few comps to Jordan Howard. He is not a player who wowed with his speed but was also much heavier than what Jefferson measured in at.
PROJECTED ROOKIE DRAFT RANGE
According to DLF’s Rookie ADP, Jefferson currently holds a 40.20 average draft position, making him the 4.01 pick on average. He is typically the 11th running back off the board and a solid late-round dart throw for deeper leagues.
All it takes is an opportunity for a late-round pick to produce, as Gaskin and James Robinson showed in 2020. If injuries plague Swift, there might be a window for Jefferson to produce. Deal quickly if that happens.
Pete is a Western Washington University (Go Vikings! Undefeated at Football since 2009!) History grad with a doctorate in dynasty football, from a certificate he bought online. He prefers stats and analytics but realizes film grinding is an important part of the process. Dabbles in "Mild Takes" and believes in the process.
- 2025 Dynasty Rookie Post-Draft Update: Tetairoa McMillan - June 9, 2025
- 2025 Dynasty Rookie Post-Draft Update: Cam Ward - May 27, 2025
- 2025 Dynasty Rookie Post-Draft Update: Omarion Hampton - May 20, 2025
The NFL Draft is behind us, rookie drafts are taking place, and as dynasty owners, we are looking ahead to the upcoming season. In the Dynasty Fantasy Football Rookie Update series, we break down all the incoming fantasy-relevant rookies, looking at their profile and where they fit.
Name: Jermar Jefferson
Position: Running Back
Pro Team: Detroit Lions
College Team: Oregon State
Draft Status: Round seven, 257th overall
VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeQtZSx9f2Q
On tape, Jefferson showed limited athleticism but showed talent at diagnosing the play for cut-back options and slipping through holes. Playing in Oregon State meant that many have likely not seen much of him.
COMBINE REVIEW
- Height: 5’10 1/8”
- Weight: 206 lbs
- Hands: 9 5/8″
- 40-yard dash: 4.6 seconds
- Bench press: 13 reps
- Vertical jump: 31″
- Broad jump: 115″
- Three-cone: 7.39s
- 20-yard shuttle: 4.39s
STRENGTHS
- Hard finishing RB
- Does well setting up defenders
- Smooth change of direction
- Solid in pass protection
- Agility to make would-be tacklers miss
WEAKNESSES
- Limited athletic ability
- Average speed
- Gets frustrated with quick penetration through the offensive line
- Bad Oregon State teams set back his development, and he learned bad habits
OPPORTUNITIES
Detroit drafted D’Andre Swift early in the second round in 2020 and spent money in free agency for Jamaal Williams. The team also brought Todd Gurley in for a visit recently. They continued to bolster the depth on the roster by signing Michael Warren who has bounced from the Eagles, Panthers, and Washington in his short pro career.
The team has addressed the position and Jefferson likely is only a depth option for now.
THREATS
Swift and Williams are likely going to be the main options in the backfield. Look for Swift to be the main option in the backfield considering his high draft capital.
It isn’t easy for a seventh-round pick to make an impact and the ones who do have better profiles than Jefferson.
SHORT-TERM EXPECTATIONS
Jefferson will likely be a change-of-pace back with a chance to be a player who spells Williams and Swift at times. While showing limited athleticism in his pro day, he did have runs of 65, 75, and 82 yards in back-to-back games in 2020.
Following the NFL Draft, the team released Kerryon Johnson – this shows the team is happy with their current situation or may have room for a new option like Jefferson.
LONG-TERM EXPECTATIONS
The best long-term situation for Jefferson is for him to unseat Williams and be the second option behind Swift. Jefferson showed immense potential as a freshman but that talent didn’t show in his second or third collegiate seasons.
He looked like a full-time back in that freshmen season. As the talent at Oregon State declined, he tried to do too much at times.
NFL PLAYER COMPARISON
Pro Football Focus gives us a glimpse of some of Jefferson’s comps.
While I think he falls somewhere closer to Myles Gaskin and Josh Adams than he does Aaron Jones, there is some hope. I had also seen a few comps to Jordan Howard. He is not a player who wowed with his speed but was also much heavier than what Jefferson measured in at.
PROJECTED ROOKIE DRAFT RANGE
According to DLF’s Rookie ADP, Jefferson currently holds a 40.20 average draft position, making him the 4.01 pick on average. He is typically the 11th running back off the board and a solid late-round dart throw for deeper leagues.
All it takes is an opportunity for a late-round pick to produce, as Gaskin and James Robinson showed in 2020. If injuries plague Swift, there might be a window for Jefferson to produce. Deal quickly if that happens.
Pete is a Western Washington University (Go Vikings! Undefeated at Football since 2009!) History grad with a doctorate in dynasty football, from a certificate he bought online. He prefers stats and analytics but realizes film grinding is an important part of the process. Dabbles in "Mild Takes" and believes in the process.
- 2025 Dynasty Rookie Post-Draft Update: Tetairoa McMillan - June 9, 2025
- 2025 Dynasty Rookie Post-Draft Update: Cam Ward - May 27, 2025
- 2025 Dynasty Rookie Post-Draft Update: Omarion Hampton - May 20, 2025
