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Adam's fantasy football wide receiver league-winners and must-haves. His top fantasy football draft picks and undervalued players for 2025, including Rashee Rice, Jameson Williams, and more.
Elite wide receivers provide a major edge in fantasy football. That's especially true in PPR formats and leagues where you can start four or more guys at the position.
So, what better way to start your fantasy football draft prep this summer than by reading about five must-have wide receivers this upcoming season.
Highlighting Ja'Marr Chase, CeeDee Lamb, and Puka Nacua would be the easy way out. Instead, here are five wideouts with average draft positions (ADP) ranging from 18.0 (WR10) to 79.0 (WR40) that you must have in 2025. It's reasonable to think you could roster three or four of these guys this season.
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A.J. Brown, Philadelphia Eagles
NFFC ADP - 18 (WR10)
From a talent perspective, Brown falls squarely inside the top-5 wide receivers in the NFL. Last season, only Nacua and Nico Collins received higher PFF receiving grades than Brown.
Per Fantasy Points Data, Brown paced all wideouts in air yards share (50%). He also ranked second in target share (31.1%), second in first-read target share (42.1%), third in yards per route run (3.22), and third in first downs per route run (0.152).
This man is elite, and he makes it look so easy:
Jalen Hurts TO A.J. BROWN OMG
WHO HAS THE STACK?! pic.twitter.com/YuPjfHN88o
— NFL Fantasy Football (@NFLFantasy) September 7, 2024
In 2024, Brown's opportunity and hyper-efficiency led to 16.7 PPR fantasy points per game (FPPG), which was good for WR12. So why is he a "must-have" guy in 2025 with an ADP of WR10?
Last season, the Eagles outscored their opponents by 160 points, leading them to pass on a league-low 43.7% of their offensive plays. In 2023, no team had a pass rate less than 50%, including the Eagles, who threw 55% of the time. That year, Brown finished as the WR6, averaging 18.1 FPPG.
Things should be different for Philadelphia this season. Per DraftKings Sportsbook, the Eagles have an implied point differential of just +70 points in 2025. That should lead to more passing, which in theory is great news for one of the most efficient wideouts in the league.
While they're still likely to throw less than a team with a bad defense (like the Cincinnati Bengals), they're likely to throw more than they did last season, when they attempted just 25.3 passes per game. For comparison, they attempted 33.2 passes per game in 2023.
Had Brown posted a 31.1% target share (like he did last season) in 2023, he would have had 174 targets across 17 games. Imagine 174 targets with his hyper-efficiency!
Despite the Eagles ranking dead last in pass rate over expectation in 2024, Brown still managed to post back-end WR1 numbers. Bet on the talent, bet on the Eagles passing more in 2025, and bet on another top-6 finish for AJB.
Rashee Rice, Kansas City Chiefs
NFFC ADP - 41 (WR19)
"Rice Rice Baby." Yeah, it's corny, but that's the first thing that came to mind when writing this article, so let's roll with it. That's also what you'll be saying when the Chiefs' top wideout gives you 20 FPPG consistently.
Much like Brown, Rice has been an incredibly efficient NFL receiver. After bursting onto the scene in the second half of his rookie season, Rice was on track for a monster sophomore campaign before tearing his LCL in Week 4.
In Weeks 1-3 last season, Rice paced the Chiefs with a 41.2% first-read target share, a 36% target rate, and an astounding 3.6 yards per route run.
It's hard to project a three-game sample size across a full season, but Rice was entering into elite territory at the ripe age of 25. Watch him cook.
Rashee Rice pic.twitter.com/ptj7Ml5BhX
— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) May 22, 2025
Below are Kansas City's pass attempts and passing yards per game each season since Patrick Mahomes took over as the starting quarterback in 2018:
- 2018 - 34.2 pass attempts, 303.2 passing yards
- 2019 - 36.2 pass attempts, 282.8 passing yards
- 2020 - 39.7 pass attempts, 301.9 passing yards
- 2021 - 39.9 pass attempts, 288.5 passing yards
- 2022 - 37.9 pass attempts, 288.9 passing yards
- 2023 - 37.3 pass attempts, 248.6 passing yards
- 2024 - 34.2 pass attempts, 220.8 passing yards
As you can see, the Chiefs want to throw the football. 2024 looks very much like the anomaly here with Rice out for most of the season and Travis Kelce showing his age for the first time in his illustrious career.
That leads us back to Rice, who appears fully healthy this offseason. Last season, he essentially rendered Kelce irrelevant while on the field together. In those three games, Rice averaged 21.6 FPPG on just a 79% snap share last season. Imagine what he could do with a 90% snap share. Sure, Xavier Worthy will gobble up some targets, but Rice is the alpha in the room. He's the Chiefs' new "Travis Kelce."
His opportunity share, projected volume, and crazy efficiency should lead to a very fruitful third NFL season in Kansas City.
Update - Rashee Rice has accepted a plea deal following his high-speed car accident in Dallas in March 2024. He was sentenced to 30 days of jail time and five years of probation. As a result, Rice will likely be forced to serve a suspension during the 2025 NFL regular season. At this time, the league has not made an official ruling, but the looming suspension could cause his ADP to drop, making him an even greater value.
Jameson Williams, Detroit Lions
NFFC ADP - 54 (WR28)
Williams improved in a BIG way from 2023 to last season.
- Target share (2023 - 9.8%, 2024 - 18.9%)
- Yards per route run (2023 - 1.5, 2024 - 2.18)
- Route win rate (2023 - 39.6%, 2024 - 48.9%)
- First-read target share (2023 - 11.3%, 2024 - 23%)
He became a much bigger part of the Lions' game plan, and it sounds like that will only continue in 2025. "We expect him to have a huge season," said Detroit head coach Dan Campbell. Have a listen:
"We expect him to have a huge season." - Coach Campbell on Jameson Williams pic.twitter.com/tElG111ya1
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) May 30, 2025
Williams's ascension in 2024 also impacted Amon-Ra St. Brown and Sam LaPorta.
| Amon-Ra St. Brown | Sam LaPorta | |||
| 2023 | 2024 | 2023 | 2024 | |
| Target Share | 27.9% | 25.4% | 19.5% | 15.3% |
| First-Read Target Share | 34.9% | 31.6% | 19.9% | 15.7% |
| Yards per Route Run | 2.81 | 2.53 | 1.95 | 1.8 |
| Expected Fantasy Points per Game | 17.1 | 14.5 | 11.7 | 9.4 |
Williams produced 14.1 PPR FPPG last season. That was good for WR24 on a per-game basis. Yet, this offseason, he's the 28th wide receiver off the board despite the constant positive drumbeat from the Detroit coaching staff.
The gap between St. Brown (ADP - WR6) and Williams (ADP - WR28) is too wide considering Jamo's upside. The guy had eight touchdowns last season despite just 13 deep targets and 11 red zone targets.
The offensive environment in Detroit is elite, and the player might just be as well. That makes Williams one of my must-have wide receivers in 2025.
Jauan Jennings, San Francisco 49ers
NFFC ADP - 77 (WR38)
No, Jennings is NOT the next Travis Fulgham (a one-hit wonder for a few games back in 2020).
Many wide receivers get thrust into larger roles every season, and many fail to live up to expectations. Not Jennings. He did the exact opposite. He thrived with his opportunity last season with Brandon Aiyuk and Christian McCaffrey out for most of the season.
In 15 games, Jennings posted a higher yards per route run (2.47) than Chase, Lamb, and Malik Nabers. His elite efficiency led to 14 FPPG, just 0.1 FPPG less than Jameson Williams.
Per Fantasy Points Data, his 29.2% first-read target share sat between Brian Thomas Jr. and Ladd McConkey, two guys with massive expectations in 2025.
Similarly to Nico Collins, it took Jennings a few years to burst onto the scene and truly "break out." Now is not the time to turn your back on this guy, not after seeing what his opportunity looked like alongside George Kittle and Ricky Pearsall last season.
In 6 games with Ricky Pearsall, Jauan Jennings, George Kittle, and Brock Purdy on the field together:
Pearsall: 9.6 FPG / 17.6% first-read target share
Kittle: 14.2 FPG / 19.8% first-read target share
Jennings: 13.5 FPG / 31.3% first-read target share
Seems pretty simple!
— Ryan Heath (@RyanJ_Heath) March 26, 2025
Looks like Jennings is the guy without Aiyuk in the mix. There's also no guarantee Aiyuk is even ready for the start of the 2025 season after tearing his ACL and MCL in Week 7 last season.
Even when he does return, data suggests Aiyuk will need approximately six live games to ramp up to his pre-injury target share.
With Deebo Samuel gone, Ricky Pearsall dealing with a lingering hamstring issue, and Aiyuk recovering from a torn ACL and MCL, Jennings is the clear-cut WR1 in San Francisco to start the 2025 season.
He's a must-have wide receiver for the 2025 fantasy football season.
Jauan Jennings pic.twitter.com/LU129wb1qr
— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) April 15, 2025
Jakobi Meyers, Las Vegas Raiders
NFFC ADP - 79 (WR40)
Meyers might have had the quietest 1,000-yard season of all time in 2024. Despite playing in just 15 games, he notched career highs in receptions (87), yards (1,027), and targets (129).
From Weeks 1 to 3 last season, playing alongside Davante Adams, Meyers produced 12.5 fppg with 1.45 yards per route run and an 18.2% first-read target share.
From Week 4 on, after Adams was dealt to the Jets, Meyers put up 15 fppg with 1.96 yards per route run and a 32.7% first-read target share. Per Fantasy Points Data, that first-read target share ranked eighth among all wide receivers and was higher than teammate Brock Bowers (29.7%).
Jakobi Meyers needs to be the next Raider who gets extended
He’s the most underrated WR in the NFL
0.0% drop rate, 1000 yard, amazing blocker ☠️🏴☠️ pic.twitter.com/90r6LNk4f0
— ShifftttyyyQB1🏴☠️ (@raiders1022) May 26, 2025
This season, Meyers and the rest of the pass-catchers get some serious upgrades. Geno Smith takes over for the combination of Gardner Minshew II and Aidan O'Connell, Pete Carroll takes over for Antonio Pierce as head coach, and Chip Kelly takes over Luke Getsy as offensive coordinator.
Kelly turned now Steelers' QB Will Howard into a stud last season at Ohio State. He threw for 4,010 yards and 35 touchdowns while completing 73% of his passes.
Last season, Meyers had a catchable target rate of 75.2%. Meanwhile, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and DK Metcalf had catchable target rates of 83.5% and 79.6%, respectively, catching passes from Smith.
The Raiders added Jack Bech and Dont'e Thornton Jr. in the 2025 NFL Draft, but they didn't make a splash at the position in free agency. That's a major vote of confidence in Meyers, who should be a target hog in the offense alongside Bowers.
He's the cheapest guy you must-have on your fantasy football teams in 2025.
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