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Mike Fanelli provides fantasy football outlooks for wide receivers on new teams after 2025 free agency, including Davante Adams, DK Metcalf, Stefon Diggs, and more.
The 2025 NFL offseason has been full of breaking news alerts. Last year, all the action was at the running back position, with Saquon Barkley, Derrick Henry, and Josh Jacobs changing teams. However, all the action has been at the wide receiver position this offseason.
Some big-name wide receivers remained with their current teams. Tee Higgins, Chris Godwin, and Marquise Brown re-signed with their 2024 teams, with Higgins and Godwin agreeing to massive extensions.
However, several other wide receivers have changed teams this offseason, whether through free agency or trades. Let’s look at the fantasy football outlook for eight wide receivers playing on new teams in 2025.
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Davante Adams, Los Angeles Rams
Adams was the WR14 in 2024, averaging 14.2 half-point PPR fantasy points despite missing three games with a hamstring injury and splitting time between the Las Vegas Raiders and New York Jets. He had his fifth consecutive season with over 1,000 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. Adams signed a two-year deal worth $46 million with the Rams in free agency.
Rams signing WR Davante Adams to 2-year, $46M deal with $26M guaranteed. (via @rapsheet) pic.twitter.com/PhoZxNCLnU
— NFL (@NFL) March 9, 2025
While the veteran won’t play with Aaron Rodgers next year, Adams will catch passes from a future Hall of Fame quarterback. Matthew Stafford has supported multiple elite fantasy wide receivers in the same season. Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp were must-start wide receivers during the 2023 season. Expect a top-15 finish from Adams and Nacua in 2025.
Deebo Samuel Sr., Washington Commanders
Unfortunately, Samuel struggled last year despite the 49ers dealing with multiple injuries at the wide receiver position. He finished as the WR44, averaging 8.5 half-point PPR fantasy points per game, the lowest average of his career. However, the veteran wide receiver averaged 14.2 or more fantasy points per game in two of the previous three seasons.
More importantly, Samuel will be motivated after getting traded to the Commanders in the final year of his contract. Meanwhile, he is an excellent fit in Kliff Kingsbury’s offense. Washington had one of the highest screen-play call rates in the NFL last season. Expect a bounce-back year from Samuel.
Stefon Diggs, New England Patriots
The Patriots made several splashy moves in free agency, especially on defense. However, they waited a few weeks before improving Drake Maye’s wide receiver corps with the addition of Diggs. The veteran wide receiver is coming off a torn ACL. Yet, New England handed him a three-year deal worth $69 million despite the injury.
BREAKING: Patriots to sign WR Stefon Diggs to a 3-year, $69M deal. (via @RapSheet) pic.twitter.com/gbjmxkv1Mf
— NFL (@NFL) March 25, 2025
Last year, Diggs was the WR10 over his eight healthy contests, averaging eight targets and 12.3 half-point PPR fantasy points per game despite splitting targets with Nico Collins and Tank Dell. Therefore, fantasy players should have high hopes for the veteran in 2025 as Maye’s clear-cut No. 1 wide receiver.
Cooper Kupp, Seattle Seahawks
Many have called Kupp washed or over the hill the past few months. While he is no longer a superstar wide receiver, the veteran has plenty of gas left in the tank. Kupp was the WR40 in 2024, averaging 11.8 half-point PPR fantasy points per game and missing five contests, including four with a high ankle sprain.
However, the veteran was the WR20 on a points-per-game basis among wide receivers, with at least nine games played last season. Furthermore, Kupp averaged only 0.1 fewer fantasy points per game than his new teammate, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who finished as the WR10 last year. Despite not having Sean McVay and Matthew Stafford, expect solid production from Kupp in 2025 as Seattle’s No. 2 option.
DK Metcalf, Pittsburgh Steelers
I’ve never been a big fan of DK Metcalf in fantasy football leagues. However, I am completely out on the former Ole Miss star after getting traded to the Steelers this offseason. Pittsburgh’s current 2025 Week 1 starting quarterback is Mason Rudolph. The team could add Aaron Rodgers or a rookie quarterback during the NFL Draft.
Yet Metcalf won’t have an elite quarterback throwing him the ball this upcoming season. More importantly, the veteran is coming off the worst fantasy performance of his career since his rookie year. Last season, he finished as the WR32, averaging 10.5 half-point PPR fantasy points per game. While the Steelers gave up a second-round pick for him, I refuse to draft Metcalf this upcoming season.
We have acquired WR DK Metcalf & a 2025 sixth-round pick (185th overall) from Seattle for a 2025 second-round pick (52nd overall) & 2025 seventh-round pick (223rd overall).
Metcalf has signed a new five-year contract.@BordasLaw | 📝: https://t.co/nOVPrsbHfx pic.twitter.com/k8cj0KXa9u
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) March 13, 2025
Christian Kirk, Houston Texans
Kirk got traded to the Texans earlier this offseason after spending the past three years with the Jacksonville Jaguars. The veteran wide receiver had a disappointing 2024 season, ending the year as the WR95 and averaging 7.2 half-point PPR fantasy points per game. Unfortunately, he missed the final nine games with a broken collarbone.
However, Kirk was a solid fantasy wide receiver before last season. He averaged 11.1 fantasy points per game over his first two years with the Jaguars, finishing as the WR11 in 2022. More importantly, the veteran should be Houston’s clear-cut No. 2 wide receiver after Stefon Diggs left in free agency. Meanwhile, Tank Dell will likely miss the 2025 season with a significant knee injury.
DeAndre Hopkins, Baltimore Ravens
Unfortunately, Hopkins’ days as an elite fantasy wide receiver are over. Last year, he was the WR48, averaging 7.4 half-point PPR fantasy points per game, splitting time between the Tennessee Titans and Kansas City Chiefs. Yet, the veteran posted the lowest fantasy points per game average of his career since his rookie season in 2013 (7.3).
While Hopkins’ days as a must-start fantasy wide receiver are over, the former superstar has some gas left in the tank. He signed a one-year deal worth $6 million with the Ravens in free agency. Unfortunately, the veteran will need an injury to Zay Flowers or Rashod Bateman to have consistent fantasy value this upcoming season.
Ravens expected to sign WR DeAndre Hopkins to one-year, $6M deal. (via @RapSheet) pic.twitter.com/POF3s4hV98
— NFL (@NFL) March 11, 2025
Mike Williams, Los Angeles Chargers
Fantasy players should forget about Williams' 2024 season after the veteran wide receiver split time between the New York Jets and Pittsburgh Steelers. Unfortunately, he never got on the same page with Aaron Rodgers or Russell Wilson, averaging only a career-low 2.6 half-point PPR fantasy points per game.
Furthermore, Williams was coming off a torn ACL he suffered during the 2023 season. Yet, fantasy players should consider using a late-round pick on the veteran. He rejoined the Chargers in free agency after the team lost Joshua Palmer. The last time Williams caught passes from Justin Herbert, he averaged 13.6 fantasy points per contest.
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