With the 2025 NFL Draft in the rearview mirror, it’s time to take one last look at the 2025 WR class. A lot has changed since the last iteration of my rankings. The NFL Combine gave us some standardized metrics to compare players. The draft gave us the landing spots as well as the draft capital for each prospect. This article will focus on the wide receiver position and the notable changes from version 3.0 until now. Notably, the surprise risers (Jack Bech, Jayden Higgins, Kyle Williams) and fallers (Isaiah Bond, Xavier Restrepo, Tez Johnson), and where they all shake out. So, let’s get the 2025 rookie WR rankings.
2025 Post-NFL Draft Rookie WR Rankings
TIER 1 | Rookie WR Rankings
After the Draft, I only have one Tier 1 wide receiver. That doesn’t mean I wouldn’t take other WRs in the 1st round of rookie drafts, but I don’t see a scenario where I’d take any WR over Hunter, so he deserves to be in a tier of his own.
WR1 | Travis Hunter | Jaguars
Drafted R1 – 2nd Overall | 6’1’’ | 185 lbs
Previously Ranked 1
The NFL Draft played out exactly like I expected for Travis Hunter. He was drafted very early and his team (Jags) have said that he will primarily play wide receiver to start his career. Hunter has been my WR1 all season and nothing has changed that. Considering the other teams near the top of draft, having Trevor Lawrence as his QB is about as good of an outcome as one could hope for. The ceiling for Travis Hunter is a Justin Jefferson-level player and the WR1 overall. He has a ways to go to reach that peak, but it’s in the realm of possibility.
TIER 2 | Rookie WR Rankings
The second tier of wide receivers has grown slightly from the 3.0 version of my rookie rankings. In reality, McMillan could be in a mini tier of his own between Tier 1 and 2, but he fits closer to Tier 2 for me, so I included him here. I like every one of these players and would be happy to draft them in the late-1st round or early-2nd round of SuperFlex rookie drafts.
WR2 | Tetairoa McMillan | Panthers
Drafted R1 – 8th Overall | 6’5’’ | 212 lbs
Previously Ranked 2
For Tetairoa McMillan, his draft capital and landing spot solidified the WR2 position in my rankings. McMillan has the opportunity to develop with Bryce Young in Carolina and become a reliable fantasy option for years to come. The only question that I have is if the Panthers will be able to sustain success offensively, as they massively struggled at times in 2024. If so, McMillan will be a value pick in most rookie drafts.
WR4 | Emeka Egbuka | Buccaneers
Drafted R1 – 19th Overall | 6’1’’ | 205 lbs
Previously Ranked 4
After spending most of his collegiate career being overshadowed by other receivers, Emeka Egbuka now gets to develop under the wing of Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. While there are some people that are not fond of this leading spot, I think Egbuka will easily supplant Jalen McMillan in the starting lineup and become an integral part of the passing offense for the future. I see a high-end WR2 as the most-likely career path for Egbuka, with the potential to finish inside the top-12 WRs on occasion.
WR3 | Luther Burden III | Bears
Drafted R2 – 39th Overall | 5’11’’ | 208 lbs
Previously Ranked 3
Despite falling out of the 1st Round of the 2025 NFL Draft, Luther Burden III’s draft capital is more than fine. However, his landing spot has me concerned for his production in both the short-term and long-term. The Bears have invested heavily in the WR position of late, signing DJ Moore to a long term deal as well as spending 1st Round capital on Rome Odunze last year. If you’re a bettor, there could be money to be made on Burden cracking the starting lineup and filling the Amon-Ra St. Brown role in Ben Johnson’s passing attack.
WR5 | Matthew Golden | Packers
Drafted R1 – 23rd Overall | 6’0’’ | 195 lbs
Previously Ranked 5
The landing spot for Matthew Golden is neither a positive nor a negative in my estimation. The Green Bay Packers have been searching for quality WR play since the departure of Davante Adams, and I’m not sure if they’ve found it in Golden or not. He is the kind of prospect whose tape and athletic testing metrics do not match. Green Bay must believe that they can turn his world-class speed (4.29s 40-yard dash) into consistent on-field production. With Jayden Reed as his main competition for the WR1 role, the sky’s the limit for Golden and his 1st Round draft pedigree is very promising.
TIER 3 | Rookie WR Rankings
Tier 3 of my 2025 Wide Receiver Rankings is a cluster of prospects who all have exciting traits as well as notable, but minor concerns. They all have strong draft capital and are talented enough to make an immediate fantasy impact. However, due to some landing spots and team fits, there may be a delay on your ROI (return on investment) if you take these players in rookie drafts.
WR6 | Jayden Higgins | Texans
Drafted R2 – 34th Overall | 6’4’’ | 217 lbs
Previously Ranked 17
As I previously noted “If he runs well in the 40-yard dash, he will move up my 2025 Wide Receiver Rankings,” and that’s exactly what happened. Jayden Higgins posted a 4.47s 40-yard dash and nearly rocketed himself into the 1st Round of the 2025 NFL Draft. After Nico Collins, the Houston WR room is in flux with the departure of Stefon Diggs, addition of Christian Kirk, and uncertainty related to the injury to Tank Dell. Thus, there is an opportunity for Higgins to immediately come in and make an impact. Plus, I like having a WR tied to C.J. Stroud for the foreseeable future.
WR7 | Kyle Williams | Patriots
Drafted R3 – 69th Overall | 5’10’’ | 182 lbs
Previously Ranked 21
Another big riser in my Rookie WR Rankings, Kyle Williams may have the most enticing landing spot for a rookie WR. While they did add the aforementioned Stefon Diggs, the New England Patriots were devoid of talented pass catchers in 2024. As I noted in my 3.0 write-up, “if he ends up on a team that peppers their slot WR, I’ll be drafting Kyle Williams as often as I can.” We aren’t totally sure what the Patriots will look like on offense in 2025, but I can see Williams developing into a PPR monster.
WR8 | Jack Bech | Raiders
Drafted R2 – 58th Overall | 6’2’’ | 214 lbs
Previously Ranked 16
Jack Bech is another player to take a massive leap in my Rookie WR Rankings. My hesitation was related to his speed and burst metrics, but he answered all those questions at the NFL Combine. Bech posted a 4.55s 40-yard dash, 4.21s 20-yard shuttle, and 6.84s 3-cone drill, all very good numbers. As such, the Raiders selected Bech near the end of the 2nd Round to compete with Jakobi Meyers for the WR1 spot on the roster. However, his fantasy upside may be slightly limited as Brock Bowers figures to be the top receiving weapon in this offense and Ashton Jeanty will demand a significant share of the offensive workload.
WR9 | Pat Bryant | Broncos
Drafted R3 – 74th Overall | 6’2’’ | 208 lbs
Previously Ranked 18
Despite running one of the slower 40-yard dash times at the NFL Combine (4.61s), Pat Bryant went off the board in the early-3rd Round to the Denver Broncos. My pre-combine evaluation was “[Bryant] does well at contested-catch situations but I have some reservations about his ability to create separation at the NFL level.” Fortunately, his new coach has had success with WRs that fit this mold (Michael Thomas, Marques Colston). Bryant will have to fight Courtland Sutton, Marvin Mims, and Troy Franklin for targets, but there’s a path to high-level fantasy production for him.
WR10 | Tre Harris | Chargers
Drafted R2 – 55th Overall | 6’3’’* | 210 lbs
Previously Ranked 5
The reason for Tre Harris slightly dropping in my Rookie WR Rankings is entirely due to his landing spot. While I do believe in the Chargers ability to produce offensively, the selection of Omarion Hampton solidifies their run-first mentality. We know that Ladd McConkey was the WR1 in this offense last year, and I don’t expect that to change. Harris could develop into a nice red zone threat, but I have some reservations about his consistency as a fantasy producer.
TIER 4 | WR Rankings
The players in Tier 4 all offer something slightly different than one another. They come with some notable red flags as far as prospect profiles, but could become valuable fantasy assets if they can overcome their situations.
WR11 | Jaylin Noel | Texans
Drafted R3 – 79th Overall | 5096 | 196 lbs
Previously Ranked 19
Somewhat surprisingly, the Houston Texans doubled down on Iowa State receivers with the selection of Jaylin Noel in the 3rd Round of the 2025 NFL Draft. As noted above, the Texans have a WR room with a lot up in the air, so while I like Noel as a player, I have some concerns about his ability to produce for my dynasty team.
WR12 | Savion Williams | Packers
Drafted R3 – 87th Overall | 6’5’’ | 225 lbs
Previously Ranked 13
It bares repeating, the Green Bay WR group is unproven. After taking Matthew Golden in the 1st Round, they dipped back into the WR class and selected Savion Williams in the late portion of the 3rd Round. His profile is quite different from the other receivers they have, so I have some optimism for Williams. If Green Bay utilizes him like TCU did this past year as a wildcat QB and in special packages, I like the upside.
WR13 | Jalen Royals | Chiefs
Drafted R4 – 133rd Overall | 5’11’’ | 210 lbs
Previously Ranked 7
The situation for Jalen Royals is similarly somewhat murky. The Chiefs have Travis Kelce, Xavier Worthy, and Rashee Rice as the top-3 pass catching options for their offense. While Kelce’s playing days are numbered, relying on the 3rd option in an offense as a fantasy asset is a large risk. As such, Royals becomes more of a late-round flyer in rookie drafts for me.
WR14 | Tai Felton | Vikings
Drafted R3 – 102nd Overall | 6005 | 186 lbs
Previously Ranked 8
As one of my favorite WR prospects in my Rookie WR Rankings, Tai Felton’s landing spot was a major disappointment. We know he won’t be usurping Justin Jefferson so the hopes are that he can contend with Jordan Addison for the WR2 role in this offense. Until that happens, Felton will struggle to have consistent production.
WR15 | Elic Ayomanor | Titans
Drafted R4 – 136th Overall | 6’2’’ | 210 lbs
Previously Ranked 9
Despite being the second WR drafted by Tennessee in 2025, Elic Ayomanor finds himself in an interesting situation. I had him ranked highly going into the NFL Combine and his 4.44s 40-yard dash was exactly what I was hoping to see. My biggest hesitation with Ayomanor is that I don’t expect much out of the Titans on offense, so you’re likely going to wait for a while before you can reliably put him in your lineup.
WR16 | Dont’e Thornton Jr. | Raiders
Drafted R4 – 108th Overall | 6’5’’ | 214 lbs
Previously Ranked 26
Dont’e Thornton Jr. offers the Raiders a size/speed combination that they do not otherwise have. His 4th Round draft capital is enticing, but his best hope is to be the 3rd option for the offense (after Jeanty and Bowers). Additionally, the selection of Jack Bech limits his chances of high-end fantasy relevance. Thornton, at best, will become a big-play, inconsistent fantasy option—hard to trust.
WR17 | Jaylin Lane | Commanders
Drafted R4 – 128th Overall | 5’9’’ | 191 lbs
Previously Ranked 30
Washington has seemingly been on the hunt for a WR2 to play alongside Terry McLaurin for several years. With the offseason trade to acquire Deebo Samuel Sr. from the 49ers, they seem to have solved that problem, at least for the time being. Their 4th Round selection of Jaylin Lane brings electricity to the WR position, but his fantasy upside will be limited early on in his career.
TIER 5 | Rookie WR Rankings
The WRs in this tier are all late-round flyer picks for me. The likelihood of fantasy success isn’t particularly high, but brief fantasy relevance is certainly within the range of possibilities.
WR18 | Chimere Dike | Titans
Drafted R4 – 103rd Overall | 6’0’’ | 195 lbs
Previously Not Ranked
It might be a little bit surprising to see Chimere Dike below Ayomanor in my rankings, but I think Dike helps the Tennessee Titans more than he’ll help your dynasty rosters. As the first selection on Day 3, the draft capital is noteworthy, but I’m only considering him late in rookie drafts.
WR19 | Xavier Restrepo | Titans
Undrafted | 5093 | 200 lbs
Previously Ranked 10
I was a bit surprised to see Xavier Restrepo go undrafted but his poor performance during Miami’s pro day was likely the cause. Reportedly, he was dealing with hamstring tightness, but either way, top-end speed was never his strong suit. I like that he’s back with Cam Ward and on a Titans team that needs playmakers at WR.
WR20 | Isaac TeSlaa | Lions
Drafted R3 – 70th Overall | 6’4’’ | 217 lbs
Previously Not Ranked
As an early-3rd Round pick, this ranking might surprise you. However, during his time at Arkansas, Isaac TeSlaa was a complementary player, at best. With Amon-Ra St. Brown, Sam LaPorta, Jahmyr Gibbs, and Jameson Williams (and David Montgomery) ahead of him, I struggle to see a situation where he is any higher than the 5th offensive option for the Lions.
WR21 | Arian Smith | Jets
Drafted R4 – 110th Overall | 5’11’’ | 175 lbs
Previously Not Ranked
The selection of Arian Smith by the Jets in the 4th Round of the 2025 NFL Draft was one of the biggest surprises. His athletic profile is fantastic, but he struggles to do the most-important part of a wide receiver’s job—catch the football. If Smith makes major strides in that area, he could be a steal late in drafts.
WR22 | KeAndre Lambert-Smith | Chargers
Drafted R5 – 158th Overall | 6’1’’ | 182 lbs
Previously Not Ranked
Having already drafted Tre Harris, the selection of KeAndre Lambert-Smith was somewhat surprising. As a player that played 5 years in college, it’s a bit concerning that Lambert-Smith never eclipsed the 1,000-yard receiving mark and his high-water mark in receptions was 53. I’m going to let other people take him in rookie drafts.
WR23 | Isaiah Bond | unsigned
Undrafted | 5’11’’ | 180 lbs
Previously Ranked 12
The reason for Isaiah Bond’s fall from potential 1st Round selection to unsigned (at the time of this posting) UDFA is due to his complicated off-field legal situation. As such, NFL teams passed on Bond. If cleared of any wrongdoing, he deserves to be much higher than this. But, if found guilty, he will serve jail time.
WR24 | Tory Horton | Seahawks
Drafted R5 – 166th Overall | 6’3’’ | 185 lbs
Previously Ranked 21
It was promising to see Tory Horton get drafted during the early part of Day 3 after a season-ending knee injury. For a Seahawks team that has a lot of turnover at the WR position, Horton could climb into the WR2 role behind Jaxson Smith-Njigba.
WR25 | Ricky White III | Seahawks
Drafted R7 – 238th Overall | 6’1’’ | 190 lbs
Previously Ranked 14
I had Ricky White III much higher in my 3.0 Rookie WR Rankings, but his fall to the middle of the 7th Round knocked his ranking down to the late-round flyer category. As noted above, Seattle could use WR help, so he’s still on my board, but only barely.
WR26 | Tez Johnson | Buccaneers
Drafted R7 – 235th Overall | 5’9’’ | 156 lbs
Previously Ranked 11
Without a doubt, the biggest drop of any player in my Rookie WR Rankings was by Tez Johnson. He snuck into the late-7th Round but goes to a situation that puts him on a roster bubble (at best).
TIER 6 | Rookie WR Rankings
The players in Tier 6 are taxi squad-only players, meaning that I’m not particularly eager to draft any of them. However, if I have room on a taxi squad, I’d take them with my last pick.
WR27 | Jimmy Horn Jr. | Panthers
Drafted R6 – 208th Overall | 5’8’’ | 174 lbs
Previously Not Ranked
WR28 | LaJohntay Wester | Ravens
Drafted R6 – 203rd Overall | 5’10’’ | 163 lbs
Previously Not Ranked
WR29 | Jordan Watkins | 49ers
Drafted R4 – 138th Overall | 5’11’’ | 200 lbs
Previously Not Ranked
WR30 | Dominic Lovett | Lions
Drafted R7 – 244th Overall | 5’10’’ | 187 lbs
Previously Not Ranked
WR31 | Will Sheppard | Buccaneers
Undrafted | 6’3’’ | 205 lbs
Previously Ranked 24
WR32 | Antwane Wells Jr. | Giants
Undrafted | 6’0’’ | 205 lbs
Previously Ranked 20
WR33 | Ja’Corey Brooks | Commanders
Undrafted | 6’3’’ | 195 lbs
Previously Ranked 23
WR34 | Kobe Hudson | Panthers
Undrafted | 6’1’’ | 200 lbs
Previously Not Ranked
WR35 | Nick Nash | Falcons
Undrafted | 6’3’’ | 195 lbs
Previously Not Ranked
WR36 | Kaden Prather | Bills
Drafted R7 – 240th Overall | 6’3’’ | 210 lbs
Previously Not Ranked
WR37 | Konata Mumpfield | Rams
Drafted R7 – 242nd Overall | 6’1’’ | 185 lbs
Previously Not Ranked
WR38 | Tommy Mellott | Raiders
Drafted R6 – 213th Overall | 6’0’’ | 208 lbs
Previously Not Ranked
WR39 | Junior Bergen | 49ers
Drafted R7 – 252nd Overall | 5’11’’ | 184 lbs
Previously Not Ranked
WR40 | Theo Wease Jr. | Dolphins
Undrafted | 6’2’’ | 192 lbs
Previously Ranked 35
More Rankings Coming Soon!
The tight end rankings are coming out this weekend, so stay tuned! In case you missed the them, here are the 2025 Rookie RB Rankings:
