Each year, we are presented with one or two critical swing picks in fantasy football drafts — moments at which one choice leads to season-long success, and another to despondence and ruin.
Just think of last year’s Breece Hall vs. Bijan Robinson choice, or Garrett Wilson vs. Saquon Barkley. The prior season, it was Tony Pollard vs. CeeDee Lamb.
Advertisement
[Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2025 NFL season]
In recent fantasy history, there is perhaps no greater example of the swing pick phenomenon than Robert Woods vs. Cooper Kupp in 2021. That year, Woods delivered nine good-but-not-spectacular games for the Rams before tearing an ACL during practice, ending his season. Kupp, meanwhile, produced one of the greatest individual seasons in NFL history, winning the receiving triple crown.
(Today, absolutely no one will admit to having favored Woods over Kupp in 2021, even though Bobby Trees was the community’s slight preference in terms of ADP. So it goes. Revisionist history and whatnot.)
Unfortunately, we can’t typically identify the league-tilting swing picks months in advance each season. But attempting to do so is a useful exercise.
Advertisement
Ranking and analysis has only just begun around here, so it’s a bit early to pretend we have a complete understanding of the fantasy landscape in the season ahead. However, if you made me attempt to pinpoint the neighborhood within 2025 fantasy drafts that’s likely to determine league winners, I’d direct your attention just outside the top-50 overall picks.
When the first of the non-Ashton Jeanty rookie running backs is taken, four or five others will fly off the board inside the next dozen-or-so selections. That’s exactly how it went down in our most recent Yahoo staff mock draft. Nailing the best option from that tier of first-year RBs seems like one of the key choices ahead of us in 2025.
And this, at last, brings us to Steelers rookie Kaleb Johnson. He’s my preferred non-Jeanty rookie back, if I can only take one.
You won’t find clear industry consensus on Johnson, because … well, because the incoming class of rookie running backs is pretty awesome. Just in case you somehow hadn’t heard. Also, multiple talented rookies landed in terrific spots in terms of both team context and projected workload.
Advertisement
If you happen to be an R.J. Harvey enthusiast, I get it. Fun player, terrific environment in Denver. You won’t need to scroll far down the list to find Harvey in the early Yahoo RB ranks. Quinshon Judkins, Omarion Hampton and TreVeyon Henderson are close behind, too. It’s tough to believe there isn’t a potential league-winning answer in that group of rookies — possibly more than one.
Again, however, Kaleb Johnson is my priority. This is simply a perfect storm of opportunity, talent and fit.
Let’s begin with the team’s enthusiasm for the player, conveyed here by offensive coordinator Arthur Smith:
For anyone who isn’t familiar with Smith’s general vibe, this is about as outwardly geeked as you’re gonna see him. By his public standards, this is unrestrained hype.
Advertisement
Also, Smith is definitely not wrong about overlap between Iowa’s run concepts and his own. Johnson was an absolute monster as an outside zone runner at the college level and he’s about to receive a steady diet of such carries with the Steelers. Last season, Najee Harris handled 189 zone rush attempts according to PFF, the third highest total in the league. Johnson is stepping into a workload of exactly the right size and shape.
[2025 Fantasy Draft Rankings: QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/ST | Kickers]
Pittsburgh spent a Day 2 pick on Johnson — the team’s second selection in the 2025 draft — so he was clearly a target. He’ll now do his running behind a young and talented offensive line, featuring emerging star Zach Frazier at center. Everything about his situation seems pretty close to ideal. He’ll share backfield touches with Jaylen Warren, but every other rookie back who isn’t Jeanty is likely headed for some sort of committee arrangement (Harvey included, although the zealots won’t acknowledge it).
As for Johnson’s actual talent, please understand that he’s the guy who inflicted this sort of pain on Nebraska:
Absurd.
Advertisement
Johnson rushed for 1,537 yards last season at 6.4 YPC, scoring 23 touchdowns while never fumbling and gaining 4.4 yards after contact per attempt. His film is full of wow plays:
Johnson reached the end zone in every game for Iowa last year, despite the fact that opposing defenses were focused entirely on him. In fact, he saw eight or more defenders in the box on over 50% of his collegiate snaps, a level of attention that was unmatched among top prospects.
If you are the type of ball-knower who thinks an unsatisfactory 10-yard split at the combine invalidates a collegiate career, then you are probably out on Johnson and can’t be convinced to rethink your position. We will simply mention the fact that this 225-pound back has reached 22-plus mph on the field; his tape is full of breakaway runs and humiliated defenders.
Advertisement
So yeah, when the timer is ticking down and I’m staring at the names of six rookie running backs in the draft queue, Kaleb is my guy. He’s about to receive a huge slice of the workload that previously belonged to Harris — 263 carries and 299 touches last season — which gives him a path to 1,400 total yards and double-digit touchdowns.
This news was originally published on this post .
About the author
NBA playoffs takeaways: Pacers defeat Cavaliers 114-105, win series 4-1 to eliminate Cleveland
In a back-and-forth potential close-out game, the Indiana Pacers beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 114-105 on Tuesday, eliminating the East’s top-seeded team on their home floor by winning the series 4-1.The Pacers, who trailed by 19 points in the first half, went on a 16-4 second-quarter run, thanks to a handful of 3-pointers by Tyrese Haliburton, to cut the Cavaliers’ lead down to six points en route to silencing Rocket Mortgage Center. Indiana continued its onslaught in the third quarter with a 17-2 run in just under five minutes to grab a six-point advantage.AdvertisementHaliburton led Indiana with 31 points, six rebounds and eight assists, Pascal Siakam tallied 21 points, eight rebounds and five assists and Andrew Nembhard scored 18. Aaron Nesmith added a 13-point, 13-rebound double-double.Cleveland returned the favor by making its own run in the fourth quarter but couldn’t push […]
Here are 16 baseball figures besides Pete Rose reinstated from MLB’s ineligible list
A new policy has opened the door to Cooperstown for 17 people MLB had previously banned for misconduct.In a sweeping decision, commissioner Rob Manfred said Tuesday that MLB had reinstated deceased people the league had deemed “permanently ineligible” under Rule 21 of its code of conduct. Going forward, ineligibility will end once a person dies.AdvertisementManfred’s announcement came in response to a petition from the attorney for former player and manager Pete Rose, MLB’s all-time leader in hits and games played, a 17-time All-Star and three-time World Series champion.Rose, who died in September at 83 years old, has famously been absent from the National Baseball Hall of Fame. MLB banned him in 1989 following allegations that he bet on major league games while playing for and managing the Cincinnati Reds, which he admitted to 25 years later. In 1991, the Hall […]
2025 NBA playoff bracket, schedule, scores, results: Pacers knock out Cavaliers, advance to East finals again
Keytron Jordan, CBS Sports The Indiana Pacers are back in the Eastern Conference finals. The Pacers eliminated the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday in Game 5 of their second-round matchup to send Indy back to the ECF. The Cavs won 64 games in the regular season, but lost three home games in the second round to see their season end earlier than expected.The Pacers, the No. 4 seed this year, made the conference finals as the No. 6 seed last year, where they were swept by the eventual-champion Celtics.Two other teams have 3-1 series leads after Monday's action. The Knicks and Timberwolves could join the Pacers in the next round with one more win. The Celtics and Warriors , meanwhile, all find themselves on the brink of elimination. Monday's loss was particularly tough for Boston, which also saw Jayson Tatum […]
Clayton Kershaw will make season debut at critical time for injured Dodgers
<!--> Clayton Kershaw will make his season debut for the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday against the Los Angeles Angels. The 37-year-old left-hander began his 18th season with the team on the injured list while recovering from toe and knee surgeries. His return comes at a critical time for the Dodgers, with starters Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow on the injured list. Another starter, Roki Sasaki, reported arm soreness after his most recent start and is now on the IL with right shoulder impingement. "It's a big shot in the arm," manager Dave Roberts said Tuesday about Kershaw's return. "Clayton has worked really hard to get healthy and the bar is high for him. He doesn't want to just come back to be active. He wants to be come back and help us win baseball games and be good. I know he's […]
Clayton Kershaw will make season debut at critical time for injured Dodgers
<!--> Clayton Kershaw will make his season debut for the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday against the Los Angeles Angels. The 37-year-old left-hander began his 18th season with the team on the injured list while recovering from toe and knee surgeries. His return comes at a critical time for the Dodgers, with starters Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow on the injured list. Another starter, Roki Sasaki, reported arm soreness after his most recent start and is now on the IL with right shoulder impingement. "It's a big shot in the arm," manager Dave Roberts said Tuesday about Kershaw's return. "Clayton has worked really hard to get healthy and the bar is high for him. He doesn't want to just come back to be active. He wants to be come back and help us win baseball games and be good. I know he's […]
Pete Rose reinstated by MLB, eligible for the Hall of Fame: How we got here and what it means
Integrity, MLB announced Tuesday, is as fluid as the passing of time.In a landmark judgment, commissioner Rob Manfred removed MLB’s all-time hits leader, Pete Rose, deadball icon “Shoeless” Joe Jackson and 15 other deceased transgressors from the league’s permanently ineligible list. The verdict means Rose, banned for life in 1989 for betting on major-league games, is now eligible for enshrinement in the Baseball Hall of Fame for the first time.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement“In my view, once an individual has passed away, the purposes of Rule 21 have been served,” Manfred said in a statement announcing the decision. “Obviously, a person no longer with us cannot represent a threat to the integrity of the game. Moreover, it is hard to conceive of a penalty that has more deterrent effect than one that lasts a lifetime with no reprieve.”Technically, the verdict from Manfred that “permanent […]
Related
NBA playoffs takeaways: Pacers defeat Cavaliers 114-105, win series 4-1 to eliminate Cleveland
In a back-and-forth potential close-out game, the Indiana Pacers beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 114-105 on Tuesday, eliminating the East’s top-seeded team on their home floor by winning the series 4-1.The Pacers, who trailed by 19 points in the first half, went on a 16-4 second-quarter run, thanks to a handful of 3-pointers by Tyrese Haliburton, to cut the Cavaliers’ lead down to six points en route to silencing Rocket Mortgage Center. Indiana continued its onslaught in the third quarter with a 17-2 run in just under five minutes to grab a six-point advantage.AdvertisementHaliburton led Indiana with 31 points, six rebounds and eight assists, Pascal Siakam tallied 21 points, eight rebounds and five assists and Andrew Nembhard scored 18. Aaron Nesmith added a 13-point, 13-rebound double-double.Cleveland returned the favor by making its own run in the fourth quarter but couldn’t push […]
Here are 16 baseball figures besides Pete Rose reinstated from MLB’s ineligible list
A new policy has opened the door to Cooperstown for 17 people MLB had previously banned for misconduct.In a sweeping decision, commissioner Rob Manfred said Tuesday that MLB had reinstated deceased people the league had deemed “permanently ineligible” under Rule 21 of its code of conduct. Going forward, ineligibility will end once a person dies.AdvertisementManfred’s announcement came in response to a petition from the attorney for former player and manager Pete Rose, MLB’s all-time leader in hits and games played, a 17-time All-Star and three-time World Series champion.Rose, who died in September at 83 years old, has famously been absent from the National Baseball Hall of Fame. MLB banned him in 1989 following allegations that he bet on major league games while playing for and managing the Cincinnati Reds, which he admitted to 25 years later. In 1991, the Hall […]
2025 NBA playoff bracket, schedule, scores, results: Pacers knock out Cavaliers, advance to East finals again
Keytron Jordan, CBS Sports The Indiana Pacers are back in the Eastern Conference finals. The Pacers eliminated the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday in Game 5 of their second-round matchup to send Indy back to the ECF. The Cavs won 64 games in the regular season, but lost three home games in the second round to see their season end earlier than expected.The Pacers, the No. 4 seed this year, made the conference finals as the No. 6 seed last year, where they were swept by the eventual-champion Celtics.Two other teams have 3-1 series leads after Monday's action. The Knicks and Timberwolves could join the Pacers in the next round with one more win. The Celtics and Warriors , meanwhile, all find themselves on the brink of elimination. Monday's loss was particularly tough for Boston, which also saw Jayson Tatum […]
Clayton Kershaw will make season debut at critical time for injured Dodgers
<!--> Clayton Kershaw will make his season debut for the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday against the Los Angeles Angels. The 37-year-old left-hander began his 18th season with the team on the injured list while recovering from toe and knee surgeries. His return comes at a critical time for the Dodgers, with starters Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow on the injured list. Another starter, Roki Sasaki, reported arm soreness after his most recent start and is now on the IL with right shoulder impingement. "It's a big shot in the arm," manager Dave Roberts said Tuesday about Kershaw's return. "Clayton has worked really hard to get healthy and the bar is high for him. He doesn't want to just come back to be active. He wants to be come back and help us win baseball games and be good. I know he's […]
Clayton Kershaw will make season debut at critical time for injured Dodgers
<!--> Clayton Kershaw will make his season debut for the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday against the Los Angeles Angels. The 37-year-old left-hander began his 18th season with the team on the injured list while recovering from toe and knee surgeries. His return comes at a critical time for the Dodgers, with starters Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow on the injured list. Another starter, Roki Sasaki, reported arm soreness after his most recent start and is now on the IL with right shoulder impingement. "It's a big shot in the arm," manager Dave Roberts said Tuesday about Kershaw's return. "Clayton has worked really hard to get healthy and the bar is high for him. He doesn't want to just come back to be active. He wants to be come back and help us win baseball games and be good. I know he's […]
Pete Rose reinstated by MLB commissioner Rob Manfred: How we got here and what it means
Integrity, MLB announced Tuesday, is as fluid as the passing of time.In a landmark judgment, commissioner Rob Manfred removed MLB’s all-time hits leader, Pete Rose, deadball icon “Shoeless” Joe Jackson and 15 other deceased transgressors from the league’s permanently ineligible list. The verdict means Rose, banned in 1989 for betting on major-league games, is now eligible for enshrinement in the Baseball Hall of Fame for the first time.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement“In my view, once an individual has passed away, the purposes of Rule 21 have been served,” Manfred said in a statement announcing the decision. “Obviously, a person no longer with us cannot represent a threat to the integrity of the game. Moreover, it is hard to conceive of a penalty that has more deterrent effect than one that lasts a lifetime with no reprieve.”Technically, the verdict from Manfred that “permanent ineligibility ends […]
Be the first to leave a comment