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2025 fantasy football rookie wide receiver rankings with August updates. RotoBaller's top rookie WRs and draft targets, including Tetairoa McMillan, Travis Hunter, and more.
Real NFL action is almost here, and fantasy football drafts of all shapes and sizes are heating up. We're here to help with our 2025 fantasy football rookie wide receiver rankings. Below, check out where key first-year WRs like Tetairoa McMillan, Travis Hunter, Emeka Egbuka, Jayden Higgins, Luther Burden, and Jack Bech stand.
These rookie rankings will be continually updated all offseason long as depth chart developments, injuries, and more take place, so be sure to check back regularly for updates through the start of the regular season. In addition to this article, you should also be sure to check out our other dynasty rookie rankings and analysis articles, including in-depth coverage of various NFL rookie profiles. Identifying sleepers and busts among first-year players is key for dynasty and redraft leagues, so we have you covered.
Four of our lead fantasy football analysts -- Phil Clark, Jackson Sparks, Andrew Lalama, and Matt Donnelly -- have put together these fantasy football rookie rankings. In addition to these rookie rankings, in our 2025 fantasy football rankings dashboard, you will also find our team's Dynasty League rankings. Bookmark that page, and use it to prepare for all of your 2025 fantasy football dynasty league drafts.
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NFL Rookie Wide Receiver Rankings for Fantasy Football (August Updates)
Check out our PPR fantasy football rankings and standard (non-PPR) fantasy football rankings as well:
Recent Fantasy Football Rookie Wide Receiver News
Tetairoa McMillan, Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers rookie first-round wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan is the team's standout performer at training camp so far, in the opinion of ESPN's David Newton. He goes on to write that McMillan has had up-and-down moments, but he's also "shown flashes of greatness" that wasn't available to young quarterback Bryce Young in 2024.
Newton believes that the wideout from Arizona will make a big and immediate impact in the offense in his first year in the NFL, which is why Carolina took him eighth overall in April.
When Young and the offense were struggling in a joint practice on Wednesday, Young seemed to find McMillan for a big completion. "I love the chemistry that they're developing," head coach Dave Canales said. "Especially down the field. Bryce has been giving T-Mac a lot of opportunities." McMillan is a pure WR2/3 upside target in fantasy.
Travis Hunter, Jacksonville Jaguars
On the Jacksonville Jaguars' unofficial depth chart released on Monday, rookie first-rounder and two-way player Travis Hunter was listed as a starting wide receiver and as a backup defensive back. Unofficial depth charts should be taken with a grain of salt, but all signs this offseason have pointed to Hunter having a bigger role on offense than defense after the Jags traded up to second overall to take the Heisman Trophy winner out of Colorado.
The Jaguars have every intention of having the 22-year-old play on both sides of the ball, and the uncertainty around how many snaps he'll have as an offensive playmaker plays into the volatility around him as a fantasy asset in his first NFL season.
Even if he plays more on offense in 2025, Hunter could be limited to certain packages, making him a boom/bust WR3/flex option for fantasy managers.
Emeka Egbuka, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie wide receiver Emeka Egbuka has been a standout performer in training camp practices, according to ESPN's Jenna Laine. Laine writes that Egbuka has "stepped into Chris Godwin's role as (Tampa Bay's) big slot receiver."
With Godwin (ankle) potentially sidelined to start the regular season while he recovers from ankle surgery, Egbuka could be in line for significant playing time immediately. In his final collegiate season at Ohio State in 2024, Egbuka caught 81 passes for 1,011 yards and 10 touchdowns in 16 games. The 22-year-old profiles as a fringe WR3/flex option with significant upside, particularly if Godwin struggles to return to full health in 2025.
Matthew Golden, Green Bay Packers
When asked who the Green Bay Packers' most impressive newcomer has been this summer at training camp, quarterback Jordan Love said rookie first-round wide receiver Matthew Golden without hesitation. "He's gonna be a stud," Love said. "Very aggressive hands, smooth route-runner, he's got speed."
There will once again be plenty of competition for targets in Green Bay's receivers room in 2025, but the 22-year-old Golden has looked the part in camp and has been working with the first-team offense. Christian Watson (knee) could miss around half the 2025 season while recovering from an ACL tear, and it wouldn't be a surprise if Golden is running in starting three-wide sets with Jayden Reed and Romeo Doubs/Dontayvion Wicks.
At the very least, the speedy Golden could be Love's go-to deep threat in his first NFL season, making him worth a look as a WR4/5 in redraft fantasy leagues.
Jayden Higgins, Houston Texans
The Houston Texans released their first unofficial depth chart of the preseason on Tuesday, and rookie wide receiver Jayden Higgins was listed as a starter next to Nico Collins and Christian Kirk. As we always say, take unofficial depth charts with a grain of salt in the preseason.
It's a good sign for the 22-year-old second-rounder, but it hardly guarantees him a big role right away in his first NFL season in Houston. The Iowa State product was productive in college and showed plenty of athleticism at the scouting combine in February.
The problem is that Collins should continue to be a target hog through the air in an offense with a shaky offensive line. It's possible that Higgins could continue ascending and leapfrog Kirk for WR2 duties, but that will likely take time. Consider Higgins a decent late-round dart throw for receiver depth in fantasy drafts.
Luther Burden III, Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears rookie wide receiver Luther Burden III "looks outstanding," according to Adam Hoge of CHGO. Burden III was kicked out of practice by Bears head coach Ben Johnson on Tuesday after making a pre-snap alignment mistake, but it appears as though he's rebounded nicely from the mental error.
Drafted in the second round out of Missouri, Burden III recorded 61 catches for 676 yards and six touchdowns in 12 games for the Tigers last season. He's expected to take over for the departed Keenan Allen as the Bears' primary slot receiver this season, so he must get up to speed quickly in training camp.
Burden III will have plenty of competition for targets in Chicago. Wide receivers DJ Moore and Rome Odunze figure to be ahead of him in the pecking order, and tight ends Cole Kmet and Colston Loveland might be as well.
More Rookies Fantasy Football Analysis
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Check out all of RotoBaller's fantasy football rankings. Staff rankings are updated regularly for all positions and include standard formats, PPR scoring, tiered rankings and dynasty leagues.
