How Should We Handle Struggling Rookies in Dynasty Fantasy Football?

It's unfortunate I have to make this article.

2025's rookie class has not gotten off to a hot start. Of the top 30 rookies in FantasyPros' expert consensus rankings this year, 13 of them are outright struggling. That's not even including guys like Jaxson Dart, Quinshon Judkins, and Jalen Milroe who would receive an "incomplete" grade for their circumstances.

So, how do we handle these rookies? If we can re-roll the draft pick, should we? Is it just a matter of time or better luck? I dove in 12 situations to try and find the answer.

Note: Rankings come from KeepTradeCut's superflex rankings, and the basis for this piece is 10-team leagues using half-PPR scoring.

Struggling Rookies in Dynasty Fantasy Football

Panic levels are my own entirely anecdotal scale from 1-10 of how these rookies are performing.

Omarion Hampton

Panic Level: 1.0

You'll see that, even if Ashton Jeanty and Cameron Ward aren't performing well in the box score, neither registered on the panic meter yet due to poor circumstances. I've got a tiny blip on the radar for Omarion Hampton, though.

Hampton failed to make the most of the opportunity granted from Najee Harris' eye injury causing a slow start. In fact, Harris' -0.36 rushing yards over expectation per carry (RYOE/c) is significantly better in limited work than Omarion's -1.30, per NFL's Next Gen Stats.

A Greg Roman offense was always cause for concern that, with both at full health, this was a timeshare. In Week 2, Hampton and Harris saw exactly 12.0 adjusted opportunities (carries plus 2x targets) each, and Najee closed the game after a fumble.

The Los Angeles Chargers seem like one of the best offenses in the league, and Hampton will have better days from that. There's just a tiny bit of concern he doesn't fully pay off the selection over Tetairoa McMillan at this stage.

Colston Loveland

Panic Level: 3.0

The Chicago Bears are clearly heading toward major organizational change, and Colston Loveland is barely 21 years old. Those two facts in dynasty formats can only have the panic meter so high for the tight end.

Still, failing to separate from Cole Kmet as a receiving option at tight end is not an ideal beginning from a top-10 pick -- especially as Tyler Warren is on a special trajectory and went five picks later in the actual NFL Draft. Caleb Williams attempted 33 passes in a totally negative script on Sunday, and Loveland saw 1 head his way. He's run just 41.9% of Chicago's routes so far to Kmet's 55.8%

Loveland isn't even the only Bears pass-catcher on this list, so there's probably a lot that you can't place on his shoulders. Still, it's not the start you were hoping for from the very first draft selection of head coach Ben Johnson.

My skepticism of Loveland's ceiling seems slightly validated so far, but it's early.

Matthew Golden

Panic Level: 1.5

Really, the only place Matthew Golden is struggling is the box score. There are very few concerns here.

Golden actually had the highest separation score of any wideout this past week but had zero catches. He was inches from 30-plus fantasy points, though, on a pair of misplaced Jordan Love passes. However, with Love fifth among starters in expected points added per drop back (0.31 EPA/db) and Jayden Reed (collarbone) out for an extended period, more opportunities will be present.

It certainly hasn't helped that the Green Bay Packers have had a +23 point differential -- and those leads be an issue all season. In better game environments, though, Golden is still second on the team in route rate (56.5%) and should have his chances.

TreVeyon Henderson

Panic Level: 5.5

I gave a TreVeyon Henderson warning in post-draft rookie rankings and redraft previews. Henderson's draft profile was never a guy who was going to command 80.0% of the snaps.

Henderson battled injuries for three years with the Ohio State Buckeyes and missed eight total games from 2021 to 2023. Last year was his best (and healthiest) campaign when the Buckeyes brought in Judkins. For that reason, if you drafted him expecting different, there should be panic.

Rhamondre Stevenson is just 27, and he's playing well. He's not just going away and has logged 56.3% of the New England Patriots' red zone snaps. That's a problem for Hendo.

While still expecting him to take over more work in the future, this was always a part-time gamble on efficiency. That's similar to what Jahmyr Gibbs was in his rookie year, and Gibbs started slow with just 8.1 fantasy points per game (FPPG) in the first two weeks of his first season.

After an electric preseason, I'm surprised Henderson hasn't been more of a factor, but it sounds like most of the problem here was expectations.

Jayden Higgins

Panic Level: 2.0

Do not assume NFL coaching staffs know exactly what they're doing. I'm guessing that's the case with Jayden Higgins.

Higgins has been awesome when he's seen the field, posting 2.86 yards per route run (YPRR). That's especially impressive for a one-dimensional Houston Texans team that's otherwise in total disarray. However, there's a slight pulse on the scale when he is indeed running fewer routes (32.8% rate) than Xavier Hutchinson and Justin Watson.

This appears to be a classic case of a rookie not being "handed" a role. If he keeps making plays, he'll be on the field, and teammate Jaylin Noel might not be far behind due to Christian Kirk's hamstring issue.

Luther Burden III

Panic Level: 6.5

I'm definitely worried about Luther Burden III.

Perhaps the panic subsides in time because Burden just got a slow start in camp due to injury, but losing out to Olamide Zaccheaus for playing time is never a good sign. LB3 has run just 15.5% of the Bears' routes and drawn 3 total targets. That's the exact same number of looks as Loveland, though.

The mutual concern for both is that Ben Johnson authored a WR21 finish in total points for Amon-Ra St. Brown in his rookie year, and Sam LaPorta was the TE1 overall in his debut campaign. Is that a statement on these pass-catchers' talents? Or the quarterback throwing them the ball? Neither answer is ideal.

Burden III had an interesting draft profile after a down year before entering the 2025 class. If D.J. Moore gets traded, it's possible the opportunity opens up and we laugh off this slow start, but some positive momentum from the wideout would be nice.

Tre' Harris

Panic Level: 0.5

I nearly left Tre' Harris off this list as an "incomplete." The Chargers' three starting wideouts are all crushing it, so there's not really any room at the inn for him.

The mild panic comes from the circumstances that has Harris on the bench. The team signed Keenan Allen in August after Harris had some drop issues in camp. However, when he's turned limited opportunities into 4.09 YPRR once the games have begun to count, it's hard to panic that much.

An unfortunate development seems to be that Quentin Johnston's breakout will leave him on the bench -- short of a key injury -- for most of 2025, but Allen is a free agent at the end of the year. If he keeps crushing limited opportunities, Harris might be a sneaky redraft sleeper in 2026.

Jack Bech

Panic Level: 8.5

The summer smoke signals manifested for Jack Bech. He's not even the top rookie wide receiver on the Las Vegas Raiders to begin the year.

That's Dont'e Thornton Jr., who hasn't made much noise despite running 56.4% of Vegas' routes thus far, but the speedster figures to catch a long touchdown or two in weeks where the Raiders crest 20 points.

Bech is a very different receiver, though. That's why it hasn't been extremely concerning in the long run that he's stuck behind Jakobi Meyers in that "Z" role of the offense. The panic level has increased because of Meyers' September developments, though. Las Vegas declined the wideout's trade request, and he's led the team in target share (30.3%) in the first two weeks.

At this stage, Meyers is playing at a level where the Raiders won't let him go. If he's re-signed, the path for Bech to play that intermediate role for the team is extremely bleak when Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer are also involved at tight end.

RJ Harvey

Panic Level: 3.5

This was always in the range of outcomes for RJ Harvey, no?

J.K. Dobbins has dominated the Denver Broncos' backfield through two games at 19.0 adjusted opportunities per game. The upside of Harvey's selection was that Dobbins has consistently shown he's unable to play 17 effective games in a season, but the unexpected development was that Tyler Badie (8.5 adjusted opportunities per game) has seen exactly as many chances as Harvey (8.5).

I was on board with Harvey as a Day 3 dart where he could get early down work -- like in Chicago or Pittsburgh. Then, Sean Payton drafted him in Round 2, and he's in this "no man's land" of losing early-down work to Dobbins and not really ever being an elite receiver with the Central Florida Knights (9.9% target share in 2024). He is playing well, though, posting 2.89 RYOE/c.

An injury to the veteran probably cures all here, but who knows what Payton's next trick is?

Kyle Williams

Panic Level: 7.0

I somewhat hit the panic button with Kyle Williams the minute that the New England Patriots turned the card in. I've seen enough N'Keal Harry and Ja'Lynn Polk to be concerned from the start.

However, in one of the worst wideout rooms in the NFL, Williams is a total non-factor so far. He's run just 8.3% of the routes and drawn a single target as New England leans on Stefon Diggs, Kayshon Boutte, and Demario Douglas.

At 1.71 YPRR, there's hope that this is a situation more like Higgins'. No one has better than an 18.0% target share in this offense so far, either. Is it unthinkable that an injury creates more opportunity for Williams, and he delivers? Definitely not.

Considering his competition, you'd have really hoped his trajectory was more similar to Tory Horton, a fifth-rounder for the Seattle Seahawks that has snatched a full-time role out of necessity. It's not over, though.

Kaleb Johnson

Panic Level: 10.0

There's one skill player drafted on the first two days that should give us extreme panic. Kaleb Johnson's rookie year has been a disaster thus far.

Myself included, most of the fantasy community expected Johnson to assume Najee Harris' 299 vacated touches as a similar back. That hasn't been close to the case. Johnson has played four total offensive snaps resulting in -1 scrimmage yards as Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell have handled the work for Pittsburgh.

Some of this might be Aaron Rodgers just wanting nothing to do with a rookie in protection or checkdown situations, but it ain't great. Plus, Johnson's kickoff gaffe was one of the most embarrassing moments of Week 2. It is totally fair to watch that and wonder if he's good at football.

Johnson's preseason was actually fine. He led the exhibition slate in broken tackles by an RB (7). However, from a standpoint of delivering what was expected from his draft capital -- in real life and dynasty formats -- it's been pretty tumultuous in the regular season.

Jaydon Blue

Panic Level: 9.0

It's a good thing the Dallas Cowboys seemed to have found a reinvigorated Javonte Williams. They're telling us they totally whiffed on their fifth-round contingency plan for him.

Jaydon Blue has been inactive for each of the Cowboys' first two games. In addition to preseason rumors about his work ethic, alarm bells are absolutely going off.

I always found this selection bizarre. Blue was unranked on my big board as a 5'9" back with fumbling and injury concerns in college. A turned ankle in the preseason didn't exactly alleviate the latter.

Blue went above Ollie Gordon II, LeQuint Allen Jr., Jacory Croskey-Merritt, and others. If Williams wasn't running this well, there's a chance Dallas completely botched this pick, and seventh-rounder Phil Mafah is on the practice squad, too. Oof.

Maybe the tailback gets a chance down the road and shows his speed is an electric change of pace, but it's seeming more unlikely by the week.

YourWay puts the power of the sportsbook in your hands. Now you can adjust lines, customize player props, and get instant odds when you create bets you can't find anywhere else! Learn about today’s other offers at FanDuel Sportsbook Promos.

Which NFL bets stand out to you? Check out FanDuel Sportsbook's latest NFL betting odds to see the full menu of options.

Sign up for FanDuel Sportsbook and FanDuel Daily Fantasy today!

The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.