Looking for the best NFL rookies props? You’re in the right place. Certain offseason and training camp situations have helped paint a clearer picture of which first-year players will be heavily involved in a week-to-week game plan immediately.
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Best NFL Rookies Props: Expert Picks and Predictions
Unofficial depth charts are beginning to surface around the league, but that doesn’t mean we’ll have thorough clarity of every situation until Week 1. We can use some of that ambiguity to our advantage while these season-long numbers are too low.
Omarion Hapton Higher Than 849.5 Rushing Yards
Here’s the thing about betting on rookie running backs: you’re usually fighting an uphill battle against established veterans and committee approaches. But sometimes the stars align in a way that makes you sit up and take notice.
Najee Harris is Hampton’s primary competition for touches, and he is reportedly making only “limited progress” from his eye injury sustained in a July 4th fireworks mishap. That’s creating exactly the kind of opportunity that makes Hampton’s rushing yards prop at 849.5 look awfully attractive.
Harris was spotted on the practice field Saturday in just a helmet and weighted vest. That doesn’t sound like he’s close to getting up to game speed. Coach Jim Harbaugh acknowledged there’s still “no timetable for the return of Harris to practice,” while noting that Hampton is “in line to see added first-team reps.”
That’s not just coach speak – that’s a clear path to volume materializing in real time.
At 6’0″, 221 pounds with a 4.46 40-time, Hampton posted a 93rd-percentile speed score (via PlayerProfiler) and profiles as someone who can handle a workhorse role from day one. The kid averaged exactly 5.9 yards per carry and scored 15 rushing touchdowns in both his last two college seasons, leading the ACC in rushing yards for two straight seasons with totals of 1,504 and 1,660.
The Chargers desperately need what Hampton offers. Their 2024 rushing attack was, let’s be honest, pretty rough. They ranked 17th out of 32 teams with just 4.06 yards per carry and a brutal 49.8% stuff rate (via FantasyPoints). When nearly half your rushing attempts are getting stopped at or behind the line of scrimmage, you’ve got serious problems.
Hampton logged 20+ carries 12 times during his college career, plus he’s shown he can contribute as a receiver with nearly 600 yards on 67 receptions over his final two years. That three-down skill set is exactly what Jim Harbaugh’s offense needs.
The math here is pretty straightforward. At 849.5 yards, Hampton needs to average just 50 rushing yards per game over a 17-game season. For a player with his college production and the clearest path to early playing time among rookie running backs, that feels conservative.
This isn’t about Hampton becoming the next Adrian Peterson – it’s about a talented rookie with an 849.5-yard bar to clear getting the opportunity he needs thanks to an injury situation that’s working in his favor. Hampton is one of the best NFL rookies props this season.
Tetairoa McMillan Higher Than 824.5 Receiving Yards
This kid put up absolutely monster numbers at Arizona despite having Noah Fifita throwing him passes. Fifita’s completion percentage dropped from 72.4% to 60.5% in 2024, ranking him 72nd among qualified candidates. Tet was dominant in college, and that makes him one of the best NFL rookies props to back.
Looking at McMillan’s college numbers, we’re talking about a player who averaged 16.1 yards per reception over his career with 26 touchdowns in just 37 games. In his 2024 junior season alone, he hauled in 84 catches for 1,319 yards despite Arizona’s offensive struggles. That’s not just volume – that’s efficiency paired with reliability, the exact combination you want to see translating to the NFL.
Turning the page to the NFL, Bryce Young’s final 10 games of 2024 were great, as he completed 61.8% of his passes for 2,104 yards with 15 touchdowns and just six interceptions.
But here’s the context that matters: the Panthers were the only team in the NFL not to have a player catch at least 50 passes in 2024. Looking at the team’s target distribution, Adam Thielen’s 18% target share was the highest on the team, and let’s be honest – the torch is being passed from the aging veteran.
The Panthers’ 2024 receiving corps was a collection of role players without a true number one option, and McMillan is a true “target earner.” Xavier Legette, despite being a first-round pick, dealt with injuries and never established himself as a primary target. When you’re looking at a team that ranked third-worst in the league with just 187 passing yards per game, you’re seeing a unit desperate for a legitimate playmaker.
Dave Canales has a track record of opening up offenses and maximizing receiving talent. The divisional context matters here too. The NFC South isn’t exactly loaded with elite defenses, which should provide favorable matchups throughout the season. When you’re playing Tampa Bay, Atlanta, and New Orleans twice each, you’re looking at plenty of opportunities for volume in competitive games.
McMillan is already turning heads in camp. In theory, he needs just a tick over 48.5 receiving yards per game to eclipse this season-long projection. That makes me pretty confident in labeling him one of the best NFL rookies props for 2025. For a player with McMillan’s college production stepping into a clear WR1 role with an improving quarterback, that feels conservative.
