by Nate Polvogt
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The dust hasn’t even settled from Round 1 of the NFL Draft yet, but fear not! We’ve got you covered with winners and losers from Day 1. So, who do we like a bit more, who do we like a bit less, and who are some veterans who came out ahead? Lemme tell you ’bout it!
Check out Richard Sickels’ Complete Guide to Fantasy Football Terms
Round 1 Rookie Winners:
Ashton Jeanty (RB — LV)
You’ve heard it all already, but let’s lay it out again in case you missed it. There’s no competition for touches in the Raiders’ backfield. We know HC Pete Carroll and OC Chip Kelly love the running game and running a lot. The Raiders’ OL was underrated in 2024. The Raiders’ QB room went from Aidan O’Connell and company to Geno Smith. It’s irresponsible to predict a rookie RB will finish in the top five at the position, but this is shaping up to be a situation where we could see just that.
Colston Loveland (TE — CHI)
This was a perplexing pick since Cole Kmet is still in the building. However, Loveland comes in and does everything Kmet does; he just does it better. I wouldn’t expect a ton out of Loveland in year one, thanks to the transition to the NFL being a rough one for TEs. But we’ve already seen Ben Johnson work magic with a rookie TE in Sam LaPorta. It wouldn’t be shocking to see Loveland end up as a TE1 when looking back on the 2025 season, thanks to a rejuvenated Chicago offense.
Omarion Hampton (RB — LAC)
Hampton has “young man speed,” and nobody will ever accuse incumbent Najee Harris of being explosive. But boy, oh boy, Jim Harbaugh has two sledgehammers as RBs, and he knows how to use them. Harris’ presence means this likely won’t be Hampton’s backfield until 2026, but as a dynasty pick, you can see a clear path for him to take off.
Round 1 Veteran Winners:
Caleb Williams (QB — CHI)
Colston Loveland is another weapon for the passing game, in addition to more protection when the situation calls for him to block. Ben Johnson’s goal of keeping Williams clean is clear after Williams took 68 sacks in 2024.
QBs Anthony Richardson & Daniel Jones (IND)
It’s impossible to overstate just how bad the Colts’ TE room was in 2024. I know you’re imagining how bad it was, and you need to turn that dial one more click in the “bad” direction. Tyler Warren immediately gives them a legitimate pass-catching weapon. He’s not on the level of Brock Bowers, so perish that thought, but Warren should still prove to be the struggling QB’s best friend.
QBs Jayden Daniels (WAS) & Patrick Mahomes (KC)
I put them together because they won for the same reason – their respective teams invested in protecting them after having protection issues in 2024. Look for the offenses to keep pace or even take a step forward this year as a result.
Baker Mayfield (QB — TB)
Emeka Egbuka may not pay off in 2025, but he and Jalen McMillan give Tampa Bay a succession plan at WR for when their current WRs decide to hang up their cleats. Not only that, but it’s not like Mike Evans and Chris Godwin were the picture of health recently, either. All in all, Egbuka is a heckuva insurance policy.
Trevor Lawrence (QB — JAC)
It’s time for Lawrence to put up or shut up for sure now! Initial reports indicate that Travis Hunter will start on offense and work his way into the defensive side of the ball. With Brian Thomas Jr already in the fold, the Jaguars could find themselves with the strongest top two WRs in the entire NFL in short order. The time is now or never for Lawrence, for sure, but there’s little reason to think he shouldn’t put up career-best numbers in 2025.
Round 1 Rookie Losers:
Tetairoa McMillan (WR — CAR)
Experts like Todd McShay have questions about Tetairoa McMillan’s effort. McMillan also doesn’t have the strength, suddenness, or subtlety to thrive against CB1s. Both make this a rough landing spot. The Panthers need a WR1 badly, and hopefully, McMillan is precisely that. It will be a trial by fire for the big rookie, though.
Emeka Egbuka (WR — TB)
Talk about buried! Long-term, it’s not the worst thing in the world, as Mike Evans and Chris Godwin can’t play forever. If you’re a dynasty “investor,” Emeka Egbuka makes for a superb buy-low. But if you’re looking for value in 2025, you’re going to want to look elsewhere from the Tampa Bay rookie.
Matthew Golden (WR — GB)
On one hand, no situation that Golden went into as a rookie would be great for him, thanks to how his game plays out. He was always going to be a down-the-field, low-percentage wide receiver early on in his career. The problem with Green Bay is that the offense might relegate him to that role for a long time, and in a very flat passing offense, meaning the ball goes to a lot of pass-catchers in a way where none are head and shoulders above the others.
Shedeur Sanders (QB — FA)
For someone expecting to be a top 3 pick at the start of the draft process, still being on the board at the beginning of Round 2 has to be heartbreaking for the young man. The danger now is all those bad teams who passed on him at the start of the draft? Well, now it’s their turn to pick again, and all those same worries about Sanders landing in a bad situation are back again. Shedeur Sanders resides in the “Losers” section for now, and while that could change, he definitely won’t be in the “Winners” section, either.
Lou Brunson is a Senior Analyst and THE social media brains for Optimus Fantasy. Find his dynasty stylings on right here and at draftbuddy.com.
by Nate Polvogt
Share
The dust hasn’t even settled from Round 1 of the NFL Draft yet, but fear not! We’ve got you covered with winners and losers from Day 1. So, who do we like a bit more, who do we like a bit less, and who are some veterans who came out ahead? Lemme tell you ’bout it!
Check out Richard Sickels’ Complete Guide to Fantasy Football Terms
Round 1 Rookie Winners:
Ashton Jeanty (RB — LV)
You’ve heard it all already, but let’s lay it out again in case you missed it. There’s no competition for touches in the Raiders’ backfield. We know HC Pete Carroll and OC Chip Kelly love the running game and running a lot. The Raiders’ OL was underrated in 2024. The Raiders’ QB room went from Aidan O’Connell and company to Geno Smith. It’s irresponsible to predict a rookie RB will finish in the top five at the position, but this is shaping up to be a situation where we could see just that.
Colston Loveland (TE — CHI)
This was a perplexing pick since Cole Kmet is still in the building. However, Loveland comes in and does everything Kmet does; he just does it better. I wouldn’t expect a ton out of Loveland in year one, thanks to the transition to the NFL being a rough one for TEs. But we’ve already seen Ben Johnson work magic with a rookie TE in Sam LaPorta. It wouldn’t be shocking to see Loveland end up as a TE1 when looking back on the 2025 season, thanks to a rejuvenated Chicago offense.
Omarion Hampton (RB — LAC)
Hampton has “young man speed,” and nobody will ever accuse incumbent Najee Harris of being explosive. But boy, oh boy, Jim Harbaugh has two sledgehammers as RBs, and he knows how to use them. Harris’ presence means this likely won’t be Hampton’s backfield until 2026, but as a dynasty pick, you can see a clear path for him to take off.
Round 1 Veteran Winners:
Caleb Williams (QB — CHI)
Colston Loveland is another weapon for the passing game, in addition to more protection when the situation calls for him to block. Ben Johnson’s goal of keeping Williams clean is clear after Williams took 68 sacks in 2024.
QBs Anthony Richardson & Daniel Jones (IND)
It’s impossible to overstate just how bad the Colts’ TE room was in 2024. I know you’re imagining how bad it was, and you need to turn that dial one more click in the “bad” direction. Tyler Warren immediately gives them a legitimate pass-catching weapon. He’s not on the level of Brock Bowers, so perish that thought, but Warren should still prove to be the struggling QB’s best friend.
QBs Jayden Daniels (WAS) & Patrick Mahomes (KC)
I put them together because they won for the same reason – their respective teams invested in protecting them after having protection issues in 2024. Look for the offenses to keep pace or even take a step forward this year as a result.
Baker Mayfield (QB — TB)
Emeka Egbuka may not pay off in 2025, but he and Jalen McMillan give Tampa Bay a succession plan at WR for when their current WRs decide to hang up their cleats. Not only that, but it’s not like Mike Evans and Chris Godwin were the picture of health recently, either. All in all, Egbuka is a heckuva insurance policy.
Trevor Lawrence (QB — JAC)
It’s time for Lawrence to put up or shut up for sure now! Initial reports indicate that Travis Hunter will start on offense and work his way into the defensive side of the ball. With Brian Thomas Jr already in the fold, the Jaguars could find themselves with the strongest top two WRs in the entire NFL in short order. The time is now or never for Lawrence, for sure, but there’s little reason to think he shouldn’t put up career-best numbers in 2025.
Round 1 Rookie Losers:
Tetairoa McMillan (WR — CAR)
Experts like Todd McShay have questions about Tetairoa McMillan’s effort. McMillan also doesn’t have the strength, suddenness, or subtlety to thrive against CB1s. Both make this a rough landing spot. The Panthers need a WR1 badly, and hopefully, McMillan is precisely that. It will be a trial by fire for the big rookie, though.
Emeka Egbuka (WR — TB)
Talk about buried! Long-term, it’s not the worst thing in the world, as Mike Evans and Chris Godwin can’t play forever. If you’re a dynasty “investor,” Emeka Egbuka makes for a superb buy-low. But if you’re looking for value in 2025, you’re going to want to look elsewhere from the Tampa Bay rookie.
Matthew Golden (WR — GB)
On one hand, no situation that Golden went into as a rookie would be great for him, thanks to how his game plays out. He was always going to be a down-the-field, low-percentage wide receiver early on in his career. The problem with Green Bay is that the offense might relegate him to that role for a long time, and in a very flat passing offense, meaning the ball goes to a lot of pass-catchers in a way where none are head and shoulders above the others.
Shedeur Sanders (QB — FA)
For someone expecting to be a top 3 pick at the start of the draft process, still being on the board at the beginning of Round 2 has to be heartbreaking for the young man. The danger now is all those bad teams who passed on him at the start of the draft? Well, now it’s their turn to pick again, and all those same worries about Sanders landing in a bad situation are back again. Shedeur Sanders resides in the “Losers” section for now, and while that could change, he definitely won’t be in the “Winners” section, either.
Lou Brunson is a Senior Analyst and THE social media brains for Optimus Fantasy. Find his dynasty stylings on right here and at draftbuddy.com.
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