2025 Dynasty Rookie Post-Draft Update: Ashton Jeanty

The NFL Draft is behind us, rookie drafts are taking place, and as dynasty managers we are looking ahead to the upcoming season. In our Dynasty Rookie Post-Draft Update series, we break down all the incoming fantasy-relevant rookies, looking at their profiles and where they fit. The basis of the rookie profile involves the usage of STORM analysis, focusing on five key components: Situation, Talent, Opportunity, Risk, and Market.

Situation

Name: Ashton Jeanty

Position: Running back

Pro Team: Las Vegas Raiders

College Team: Boise State

Draft Status: Round 1, Pick 6

Jeanty was a late-rising recruit who stuck with his pledge to Boise State despite late interest from several Power 4 (Power 5 at the time) programs. The decision proved prescient, as Jeanty starred for the Broncos from day one and quickly developed into a day one talent. He joins Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs as the best running back prospects we have seen in recent memory.

Jeanty’s story is fairly well-known by now. He globetrotted for a spell as a child within a military family prior to settling in Frisco, Texas. His high school team had two established stars at running back, pushing Jeanty to play a lot of receiver. The exposure as a slot wideout may have helped him long-term, as the skills he developed there are evident when he operates in the passing game. His less-than-conventional path will be nothing more than a footnote moving forward, as he looks as though he was born to tote the rock.

He joins a Raiders organization that has undergone massive changes this off-season. At the end of the season, Las Vegas were looking at Antonio Pierce as their head coach with Aidan O’Connell as their starting quarterback. They are now their version of Seattle South, with Pete Carroll and Geno Smith taking the jobs of Pierce and O’Connell, respectively. It is hard to imagine a bigger vibes swing.

Already one of the top-paid players at his position and a pivotal piece as the Raiders attempt to return to relevance in the loaded AFC West, Jeanty will be fed early and often. It would be no surprise if he pushed 300 touches in year one, and the Raiders have enough on offense to make this an average or better unit while not having any players outside of Brock Bowers who will prevent Jeanty from getting his touches. This is a strong landing spot for him in both redraft and dynasty terms, and he should hit the ground running a la the aforementioned Robinson and Gibbs.

Talent

Jeanty bypassed most on-field drills at both the NFL Combine and at his Pro Day, opting instead to rest on the tape. The decision proved wise as his tape offers all you need to see. A 40-yard dash was not going to sway evaluators one way or the other.

Jeanty’s calling card is his contact balance. It is special, and his powerful frame allows him to eschew arm tackles with ease. He can race to the edge and has enough juice to hit on big plays, yet it is his burst that may be his best trait. He hits the accelerator and flies past defenders who appear to be stuck in mud.

Everything about Jeanty screams three-down difference-maker. If you want to pick nits, he is not yet a top-tier pass protector, yet the effort is there and it is easy to see him making strides in this area. Jeanty is the rare prospect who combines a high floor with a high ceiling.

Opportunity

Courtesy of 4-for-4 Football.

Prior to the draft, the Raiders may have had the worst running back depth chart in football. Enter Jeanty. He is leagues above anyone else the Raiders had last year or entering camp.

The organization did not invest the sixth pick in Jeanty to have him battle for touches with Raheem Mostert, Sincere McCormick, and Dylan Laube. He will be a focal point of the offense early, with 20 touches right out of the gate more likely than not.

Risk

Running back is one of the easier projections when it comes to translating from college to the NFL. The league has nailed its evaluations of Jahmyr Gibbs, Saquon Barkley, and Bijan Robinson, drafting all of them in the first half of the first round. While Leonard Fournette was overdrafted, he had several strong fantasy seasons to keep the trend afloat.

If you want to pinpoint one area of concern, it was Ashton Jeanty’s workload, specifically in 2024. His 397 touches last year brought his career total to 830, a massive number when condensed to 40 games. Fortunately, Jeanty is carved from granite, and he did not add a fourth year of college touches to his body. It is not an issue I am losing sleep over, but we cannot pretend as though even the best prospects do not have a few warts which can derail their fantasy career.

Market

Courtesy of DLF’s May 2025 Superflex Rookie Rankings.

Jeanty is a slam dunk 1.01, even in Superflex leagues. You seldom have the opportunity to add one of the game’s premier running back prospects, and you can dream on lining up Jeanty as your RB1 for the next half decade.

Courtesy of DLF’s May 2025 Superflex Dynasty ADP.

Jeanty has already launched himself into the top two rounds of startups, and I expect him to continue to rise as training camp hits and we catch a glimpse of what he is doing in pads. RB3 is a strong ADP but I feel he belongs in a tier with Robinson and Gibbs.

Courtesy of DLF’s Dynasty Trade Analyzer.

If you want to acquire Jeanty, you’d better be willing to part with some high-end talent. He steps in as one of dynasty’s top assets and it will take a premier player to land him. It will be fascinating to see some Jeanty trades once we have more data available. As is, I would imagine dynasty managers are holding tight as they eye his upside over the next few seasons, especially within an organization that looks in much better shape than it did mere months ago.