This article is part of our NFL Draft series.
21 skill players were drafted during Day 2 of the 2025 NFL Draft. A divisive group of quarterbacks (or lack thereof) will draw all the headlines, but it's the group of well-positioned newly minted rookie running backs that should deserve all the fantasy attention. Mix in a couple of intriguing landing spots at wide receiver and tight end, and you have the makings of a fascinating tier of fantasy difference makers.
Quarterback
Tyler Shough 40th overall, New Orleans Saints 
It was surprising for many to see Shough become the first quarterback off the board on Day 2, but it really shouldn't be given new head coach Kellen Moore's preferred quarterback mold. He's worked with the likes of Justin Herbert, Dak Prescott and Jalen Hurts over the past handful of seasons, and if you squint hard enough it's not a ridiculous statement to say Shough could be a blend of all those archetypes. It's just that despite playing seven collegiate seasons, we never really got to see the soon-to-be 26-year-old actually blossom into that level of quarterback thanks to a myriad of season-ending injuries that forced him to bounce around from campus to campus. Shough arguably has the most electric arm of any quarterback in this class, and his 4.63 40-yard dash represents the type of athleticism that's readily apparent on tape, but that he's affectionately still considered raw as a prospect is an uncomfortable statement given his age entering the NFL.
Jalen Milroe 92nd overall, Seattle Seahawks 
Milroe is an exceptional athlete, that much is clear. And this particular landing spot is incredibly cushy given Sam Darnold signed a three-year, $100,500,000 contract with the Seahawks this offseason, thus affording the Alabama product seemingly infinite time to hone his craft. However, it's fair to question if significant development is even possible given Milroe struggled mightily as a passer in his second season starting in Tuscaloosa, dipping in completion percentage and TD:INT ratio while struggling against some of the more difficult opponents to end the campaign. The traits are tantalizing, no doubt, but don't get mesmerized by the intangibles when the proof was already in the Crimson Tide pudding.
Dillon Gabriel 94th overall, Cleveland Browns 
The Browns always seemed destined to draft a quarterback either Thursday or Friday. Kevin Stefanski has thrived with accurate, quick-read signal callers, and despite the overall rise and emphasis in athletic quarterbacks across the NFL, Stefanski's schemes have largely bucked that trend in favor of pure pocket passers. I just assumed Shedeur Sanders would (and I believe still does) fit that mold, but so to does Gabriel, and he comes with significant less baggage to boot. Gabriel is a seasoned quarterback having tallied 63 collegiate starts for major programs like Oklahoma and, most recently, Oregon, during his career and he certainly possesses the sort of anticipation and readiness Stefanski seems to desire in his QBs. That Gabriel is conventionally undersized (5-foot-11, 205) for the position isn't necessarily a knock, but coupled with his less-than-elite level of athleticism, there's plenty of reasons to poke holes in his prospect profile. Kenny Pickett and Joe Flacco hardly seem like significant obstacles to climb in terms of earning playing time Year 1, so it's possible Gabriel could be thrown into the starting quarterback mix much sooner in his NFL career than if he had landed with another organization early in Day 3.
Running Back
Quinshon Judkins 36th overall, Cleveland Browns
With Nick Chubb seemingly destined to not re-sign with the Browns, Judkins immediately falls into a perfect situation for this offense. Judkins doesn't possess the same grittiness as a ballcarrier like Chubb, but the Ohio State product is equally explosive in open space and at 6-foot, 221 pounds, he's able to put plenty of power behind his pads at the point of contact. There's legitimate concerns about Judkins' ability in pass protection, and while he's a capable enough pass catcher, his teammate Jerome Ford is a perfect complement in both of those facets to the point that I'd be surprised if Judkins tallies anything more than 30 receptions early in his career. That shouldn't bother fantasy managers too much given Judkins has a clear runway to be the lead back in a schematically sound offense, and he's talented enough to capitalize in explosive fashion with a significant workload.
TreVeyon Henderson 38th overall, New England Patriots 
Judkins' teammate this past season, Henderson was arguably suppressed at Ohio State in 2024 considering he tallied 1,567 as a true freshman and then 1,155 total yards on just 175 total touches his junior year. Splitting the backfield with a talent like Judkins didn't allow for Henderson to truly break out his senior year, but an eye-popping 7.1 yards-per-carry on 144 totes puts him in rarified air in terms of explosiveness. I try to resist the comparison game as much as possible, but Henderson looks so much like Jahmyr Gibbs in terms of how the field tilts vertically when he touches the ball. People might try to typecast Henderson as a receiving-back specialist just because he's an excellent pass blocker and receiver out of the backfield, but that label doesn't acknowledge how potent he can be as a ballcarrier. There's a significant roadblock short term in the form of Rhamondre Stevenson, who still has a significant cap hit for each of the next two seasons, but Henderson, much like Gibbs with Lions, might prove to be too good to take off the field.
RJ Harvey 60th overall, Denver Broncos 
Harvey is arguably the biggest winner of Day 2. The UCF product tallied 38 rushing touchdowns over the past two seasons and still maintained an excellent 6.5 yards-per-carry average for the Knights, compiling almost 3,000 rushing yards in the process. Still, he wasn't considered a major player in a loaded rookie RB class until he dazzled at the NFL Combine, posting elite metrics at the 40-yard dash (4.40), vertical jump (38 inches) and broad jump (127). At 5-foot-8, 202 pounds, Harvey doesn't have the frame to be a conventional three-down workhorse, and UCF didn't use him enough as a pass catcher to know for certain if he'd excel in that role regardless, but head coach Sean Payton typically has a good eye for this position. It's entirely possible Denver could draft additional depth on Day 3, or sign a veteran bruiser to add another body to the depth chart, but make no mistake this will be Harvey's backfield to lose sooner rather than later.
Kaleb Johnson 83rd overall, Pittsburgh Steelers 
There's going to be a lot of assumptions that Johnson is just a facsimile to Najee Harris, who departed in free agency, and while that's understandable I'm not sure that gives enough credit to the Iowa product. At 6-foot-1, 224 pounds, Johnson doesn't quite have the hulking measurables as Harris, but Johnson was a certifiable weapon his junior year accumulating 1,725 all-purpose yards and 21 touchdowns for a collegiate offense that otherwise was incapable of moving the ball. Johnson was widely considered a top-60 pick in this class before the NFL Combine, but a 4.57 40-yard dash saw his stock crash somewhat. I think Johnson's tape reflects a noticeably faster runner than what the 40 time indicates, and he certainly has more breakaway speed than anything Harris gave to the Steelers the past few seasons. Jaylen Warren will still complicate things from a fantasy perspective, but Johnson will be a trendy rookie to watch entering training camp given his guaranteed offensive role.
Wide Receiver
Jayden Higgins 34th overall, Houston Texans 
Higgins was one of the draft's few big-bodied boundary pass catchers, so it wasn't a surprise to see the Iowa State product go quickly in Day 2. The combination of Higgins and Nico Collins is incredibly enticing, not just because both have excellent vertical speed for their size (both wideouts are 6-foot-4), but because they can be interchangeable within the offensive scheme as a whole. Higgins was one of the big Combine winners back in March, but he's not just a workout warrior either. You can nitpick about his route running, which probably isn't as polished as a Ladd McConkey, who went in this same spot last year, but Higgins accumulated plenty of volume his senior year (87-1,183-9 on 138 targets) despite playing with an equally prolific teammate in Jaylin Noel. Houston's offense got infinitely more explosive overnight, but it's all reliant on C.J. Stroud staying upright.
Luther Burden 39th overall, Chicago Bears 
Head coach Ben Johnson certainly has a type. Whether that was evident in first-round pick Colston Loveland, or their second-round pick, Burden, who I think has shades of Amon-Ra St. Brown, it's clear Detroit 2.0 is being built slightly southwest in the Windy City. Burden's best and most notable trait is his capabilities after the catch, but unlike St. Brown, he's much more raw as a route runner. Whether that's due to Missouri's questionable offensive scheme or an indictment on Burden's prospect profile is the key question, and one that might not even be solved Year 1 given the presumed target funnels of DJ Moore and Rome Odunze, who are set to absorb much of the passing workload.
Tre Harris 55th overall, Los Angeles Chargers 
It's a bit comical that by the sixth wide receiver drafted in this class, there's some significant question marks for effectively every remaining wideout. Harris compiled some gaudy numbers over the past two seasons at Ole Miss in just 15 games (114 -2,015-15 touchdowns on 172 targets), but the unique offensive scheme effectively created layups for Harris to capitalize on, and a 4.54 40-yard dash was notably slower than you'd assume for a wide receiver that often raced away from defenders on designed screens. Harris can make contested catches well enough and probably profiles as a souped-up version of Joshua Palmer, who joined the Bills in free agency this season, but there's a clear cap on his potential to emerge as a significant target at the NFL level.
Jack Bech 58th overall, Las Vegas Raiders 
Notably the "other" outside wide receiver in this draft class alongside Jayden Higgins and Tre Harris, Bech is a divisive prospect. A converted tight end, Bech is a violent runner after the catch and seemingly is undisturbed in any contested catch scenario. That also makes him a bit cagey of a route runner, and it's questionable if he has the top-end speed to truly threaten a secondary at the NFL level. That he also had three significant lower-body injuries over the past three years doesn't help given his play style. There's obvious room within the Las Vegas offense for a third pass catcher to emerge alongside Brock Bowers and Jakobi Meyers, but Bech may struggle to get rolling right away.
Kyle Williams 69th overall, New England Patriots
Williams nearly led the FBS in receiving touchdowns (14) in his redshirt senior season and seven of those touchdowns came from 25-plus yards out. That underscores his explosiveness, but there's legitimate questions both about the quality of competition he faced and his ability to do that at the NFL level given his small stature (5-foot-11, 190 pounds). New England quite desperately needs some sort of speed threat in their offense, but there's no guarantee Williams can actually carve out that role despite middling competition on the roster currently.
Isaac TeSlaa 70th overall, Detroit Lions 
This was one of the first true head scratchers of Day 2. It's not just that TeSlaa was selected in the third round, comfortably ahead of most conventional NFL Draft big boards, it's that the Lions gave up two third-round picks in 2026 to climb up from No. 102 to select the Arkansas product. TeSlaa has tantalizing physical traits, but he struggled mightily to make any sort of impact over two years against SEC competition. The Lions have long valued a taller wide receiver who can stretch a defense, so from an archetype stand point this pick makes sense. It'd be surprising if TeSlaa can push beyond the Tim Patrick/Josh Reynolds/DJ Chark ilk of Detroit pass catchers, which hasn't been very friendly from a fantasy perspective.
Pat Bryant 74th overall, Denver Broncos
The Broncos quietly have a pretty desperate need for a second consistent target opposite Courtland Sutton. Perhaps Evan Engram or the aforementioned RJ Harvey can emerge as that secondary dimension, but until that occurs I'll continue to remain intrigued by any Denver dart throws at wide receiver. Unlike speed threats Marvin Mims and Troy Franklin drafted in recent years, Bryant is a more conventional possession wide receiver who can make a bit of hay after the catch. At 6-foot-2, 204 pounds Bryant realistically is injury insurance for Sutton and direct competition to Devaughn Vele, but neither of those roles elicits a lot of fantasy excitement.
Jaylin Noel 79th overall, Houston Texans
Noel joins his Iowa State teammate Jayden Higgins in a completely transformed, and dynamic, Houston receiving corps. With Higgins, Nico Collins and the recently acquired slot extraordinaire target Christian Kirk all in tow, Noel might end up effectively redshirting his rookie campaign. And it's possible the eventual return of Tank Dell (knee) complicates factors too. But just on the surface, Noel is one of the easiest projectable slot targets in this draft, someone who can create significant space at the top of his route and can also threaten a defense vertically with his 4.39 speed. It might be difficult for dynasty managers to patiently sit on a player the NFL clearly viewed as a third-round slot-only prospect, especially given the potential return of Dell could supersede any positive developments, but this is easily one of the more intriguing landing spots for any of the Day 2 wideouts.
Savion Williams 87th overall, Green Bay Packers 
Williams is a listed wide receiver by default, but the do-it-all athlete is better visualized as a sub package "joker". At 6-foot-4, 222 pounds, Williams is arguably best suited to be a running back, but his versatility and strength as an open-field playmaker allow him to break the binds of a conventional positional tag. That being said, the old adage "jack of all trades, master of none" applies here. Though Williams hasn't returned kicks since 2020, he'll likely be in the running for the top return role this year while earning some gimmicked play calls occasionally throughout the season.
Tai Felton 102nd overall, Minnesota Vikings 
Felton is a rare outside deep threat in this class, although like many of his rookie positional mates, he lacks the prototypical size to project into a larger role. Minnesota has coveted a speedy third wide receiver in recent years and the expectation is Felton will compete with Rondale Moore and Jalen Nailor for that role, which also doubles as injury insurance to Jordan Addison.
Tight End
Mason Taylor 42nd overall, New York Jets 
Taylor was a late riser in the draft process and by the start of Day 1 was nearly an odds-on favorite to be selected in the first round. A reliable and consummate professional, Taylor emerged as a comfortable target (three seasons with at least 35 receptions) during his time at LSU and he has all the traits (4.68 40-yard dash at Pro Day) to be an instant fantasy asset for a team desperately in need of consequential play from the tight end position. Justin Fields might not be the most capable quarterback, but Taylor will have an immediate impact on the offense from the get go regardless.
Terrance Ferguson 46th overall, Los Angeles Rams 
Ferguson is a willing blocker and played a significant amount of snaps in the slot at Oregon, so in some ways he was predestined to be a Los Angeles Ram. The four-year starter at Eugene ran a respectable 4.63 40-yard dash and demonstrated soft hands as an often-used target, but there's not a lot of explosiveness on tape after the catch. Ferguson feels somewhat redundant in skill set to Tyler Higbee and Colby Parkinson, but the former is on the final year of his deal and the latter is an expensive career backup, so there's really nothing blocking Ferguson from being a starter by Year 2.
Elijah Arroyo 50th overall, Seattle Seahawks
Arroyo needs to be better polished as a blocker and also as a route runner, but his drive and motor seem undeniable when he has the ball in his hands. Arroyo was hampered by knee injuries both his sophomore and junior year, but the Miami tight end emerged as a key weapon, especially after the catch, in Cam Ward's breakout campaign. Noah Fant has one year remaining on his contract, opening the door for Arroyo to emerge as Seattle's starting TE in 2026.
Harold Fannin 67th overall, Cleveland Browns
Fannin was widely considered the end of the top tier of tight ends in this class, but it's a puzzling landing spot with David Njoku in tow. It's probably best to envision the Bowling Green product as an oversized (6-foot-3, 231) slot receiver at least to start his career, and he put up undeniably gaudy numbers (117-1,550-10) in a system specifically designed to maximize his positional versality last year. Fannin is not a great run blocker and can get moved off his route pretty easily for a player of his stature, but there's intriguing value as a flexible chess piece within the offense.
