Below is a pick-by-pick breakdown of this year’s draft class. While there are some interesting players in this year’s rookie crop, it is not a deep class. Very few players who were drafted outside of the lottery this year come with interesting fantasy profiles. Most of this year’s non-lottery picks are long shots to be big-minute players in the league, and many of the better prospects produce lines that are poor fits for category leagues. If you do not have an early pick in your rookie draft, consider moving your pick(s) for future draft capital. The 2026 draft is going to be loaded with top talent, with Darryn Peterson, A.J. Dybantsa, and Cameron Boozer all expected to enter the draft after their freshman years.
I have also included a list of rookies who should be drafted in re-draft settings and dynasty tiers for this year’s first-round picks and some of the more interesting second-round picks.
1) Cooper Flagg (Mavericks) – Flagg is almost certainly going to live up to the hype. The list of players who have had freshman seasons in the same stratosphere as Flagg consists almost entirely of Hall of Famers and future Hall of Famers. The lone exceptions being Zion Williamson (who could still reach that level) and Michael Beasley. In other words, if a player who produced like Flagg did at Duke has a decent work ethic, they are a lock to be very, very good. The newest Maverick’s potential in fantasy is as high as his potential on the court. The top-overall pick enters the league with a game that is a dream fit for category leagues. In his prime, he should produce Scottie Barnes-like numbers in rebounds, assists, and the defensive categories while being much more productive than the Raptor in points, threes, and the percentages. There were some concerns about his jumper in the lead-up to his freshman year, but after a somewhat slow start from the field, Flagg quickly put those concerns to bed. His shooting, both from deep and at the line, trended up as the season went along. Flagg shot in the mid-40s from deep over his final 24 games at Durham and finished the year shooting 84.0 percent from the line. In a few years, Flagg could be a plus-contributor for his position in every category except for turnovers. His short-term outlook is strong, but due to the Mavericks’ unique roster construction, he will likely be slightly less valuable in Dallas than he would be on a non-playoff team. The Mavericks’ double-big lineup will force Flagg to spend more time on the perimeter on both ends, which should keep his FG%, rebounds, and blocks in check. He should still be fairly productive on the boards and in blocks, but he likely won’t be a difference-maker in either category until he starts spending most of his time at the four. As a rookie who will be capable of producing helpful numbers in almost every category, the forward should be a mid-round player as a rookie. He’s fine to take around the top 50 in re-draft leagues. He may not produce numbers worthy of a pick that high early in the season, but like most rookies, he should trend up as the year goes along. It would not be surprising at all to see Flagg posting borderline top-30 numbers down the stretch of his rookie campaign. He is the only option at one in rookie drafts and should be viewed as a borderline top-five asset in dynasty leagues.
2025 Rookie Class Analysis and Dynasty Tiers
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