A quartet of rookie running backs battles for fantasy relevance in 2025, and the path to weekly touches looks distinctly clear for Ashton Jeanty, Omarion Hampton, RJ Harvey, and Kaleb Johnson. Jeanty lands with Las Vegas, stepping into a Raiders backfield that could lean heavily on a dynamic rookie if training-camp chatter proves true. Hampton lands in Los Angeles with the Chargers, where a multi-faceted backfield could still offer a high-end RB2 ceiling. Harvey lands in Denver with the Broncos, where he’ll compete for touches in a familiar land of high-volume rushing when the offense clicks. Johnson lands in Pittsburgh, where the Steelers’ run game could lean on a bruiser who can punch in goal-line opportunities. Even with floor-raising competition, each rookie carries a plausible route to meaningful fantasy production in 2025.

Across the board, the rookies are positioned to maximize upside in flexible formats, with Jeanty highlighted as a potential year-one feature back in a run-focused Raiders attack; Hampton as a high-upside RB2 in a Chargers system that blends explosiveness and receiving aptitude; Harvey as a credible RB2 with receiving upside in a Broncos scheme that has shown patience with backs who can catch; and Johnson as a 850+ yard, eight-TD type talent who could push for lead-back duties in Pittsburgh’s short-yardage role. Draft whispers and camp chatter align with a broader fantasy trend: rookies who land in flexible, high-volume offenses can become league-winners even if early-season workload is capped.

Rookies aren’t a guaranteed path to RB1 glory, but the 2024 season’s breakout classmates—Thomas Jr., Bowers, and Daniels—set a blueprint: frequent touches, a role that expands as the year progresses, and a receiving game component that can anchor a fantasy manager’s floor. Jeanty, Hampton, Harvey, and Johnson each offer distinct avenues to top-5 or top-12 fantasy output in 2025, making late-round targets with real upside appealing for managers aiming to unlock a surprise breakout during the season.