Fantasy Football Rookie Rankings: Top 5 Wide Receivers

April 24, 2025

John fantasy football rookie wide receiver rankings for the 2025 NFL Draft. Which five rookies are the best receivers in the 2025 NFL Draft class? Read the expert draft analysis.

The 2025 NFL Draft is just around the corner, which means it won't be long before we know which teams the best wide receivers from this class will go to. While these rankings aren't yet aware of which quarterbacks will be throwing to which receivers, they will instead explore the players for what they are right now.

While fantasy production doesn't always perfectly align with player skill, since many receivers take time to break out or are stuck in poor offenses or with mediocre roles that require improvement, they're still useful in setting a baseline for what to expect at the next level.

And in this year's class, there are some pretty intriguing sleepers along with potential busts waving massive red flags. Of course, most of the busts won't be discussed here, because we're looking only at my top 5. So let's break down the top-5 rookie wide receivers for fantasy football in the 2025 NFL Draft.

No. 5: Tez Johnson, Oregon

Johnson was ranked by Pro Football Focus as one of the best wide receivers in all of football in the past two seasons. Where he lands is remarkably important, because if he's given a slot role, he could immediately smash at the next level. Johnson wins in a variety of ways both before and after the catch, and despite his diminutive size (154 pounds), he's an elite separator.

Oregon WR Tez Johnson's Slot Ranks Since 2023:

🦆 89.2 PFF Grade (2nd)
🦆 137 REC (2nd)
🦆 1,803 YDS (2nd)
🦆 19 TDS (1st)@oregonfootball pic.twitter.com/FWOdQnltUp

— PFF College (@PFF_College) January 31, 2025

That's what matters in the NFL, more than anything else. A WR with elite separation abilities will consistently get open and quickly become their quarterback's best friend. QBs would rather throw the ball to open receivers, because there's a greater chance of a completion and less chance of a pass break-up or an interception.

Even for the best contested-catch specialists in the league, contested catch rate simply isn't sticky. This is because each contested catch is different, and the physics involved in player collisions is too hard to predict consistently. It's just better to get open. 

Tez Johnson might have a small frame, but he plays a BIG game 😤 pic.twitter.com/Yzfyc5udHq

— PFF Fantasy & Betting (@PFF_Fantasy) April 2, 2025

Johnson's film is fantastic. The immediate concern will be his health, because he's tiny. But we'll see how that works out.

No. 4: Kyle Williams, Washington State

Williams is a tough player to evaluate because his usage at Washington State was just odd. He ran a very limited route tree, so it's hard to fully ascertain how his route-running is. But he's excellent after the catch, is an impressive athlete for his size, and has legitimate juice after the catch. He also showed enough quickness to succeed in the NFL.

WSU WR Kyle Williams gives CB's hell at the line of scrimmage all game pic.twitter.com/GB9OVU49D9

— Buffed Prime T-Cal (@BuffedInPrime) April 8, 2025

His footwork and release package are intriguing. It would have been nice to see him run a more diverse route tree, but then he might be more expensive in dynasty fantasy football. Nonetheless, he's received considerable hype after the season. Much of his production came after the catch, and he was used heavily on screen passes, which is production that shouldn't be valued as much, because it puts WRs in easy positions to succeed.

Washington State WR Kyle Williams vs man coverage:

🎯 505 receiving yards
🎯 9 touchdowns
🎯 20 receptions
🎯 33 targets
🎯 0 drops
🎯 25.3 yards/rec pic.twitter.com/fcqoASF5OY

— NFL Draft Files (@NFL_DF) February 16, 2025

Still, Williams' explosiveness off the line of scrimmage, combined with the other positive traits listed, should make him an impact player at the next level relatively quickly. His statistical production was impressive, so it's interesting that he isn't getting more hype. He seems to be slept on, at least in home leagues or less-competitive dynasty leagues, so he should be a good value.

No. 3: Jayden Higgins, Iowa State

Higgins is 6-foot-4, 214 pounds, runs a 4.47-second 40-yard dash, is impressive in contested catch situations, and is a silky-smooth route-runner despite his size. He is the player people want Tetairoa McMillan to be. They're both the same height, by the way. 6-foot-5 and 4.48 for McMillan were a lie.

Try 4.6, after adding in hand-timing consistently being a minimum of 0.05 seconds faster than laser-timed combine 40-yard dashes. Higgins is substantially faster and is better in plenty of other areas of his game, too.

Higgins is a highly smooth route-runner for his size, making breaks like you'd expect someone at least three inches shorter and 10 pounds lighter to make. The extra size helps him box out defenders with his body and make catches away from coverage.

In addition to the obvious upside, I think Jayden Higgins has one of the highest-floors in the draft.

When you get someone with…
• Great Size — (6’4/215lbs)
• Athleticism — (9.87 RAS + 4.47 40)
• Real Separation Skills
• Elite Hands — (2.2% Drop-Rate)

It usually works… pic.twitter.com/LbVQzSHQjw

— SCOUTD (@scoutdnfl) March 28, 2025

His release package is quite impressive. There's some concern about a lot of his targets being contested, but that's partly due to the offense he was in, and it wasn't egregious. His quarterback felt comfortable getting the ball to him in tight situations. He's excellent at slant routes, which can be hard to cover against such a big-bodied WR, especially when they move so fluidly.

If you're picking Luther Burden for his after the catch abilities I suggest you instead take Jayden Higgins, who's elite both before and after the catch pic.twitter.com/d2PkIztK8r

— JohnJohn Analysis (@JohnJohnalytics) March 23, 2025

He's also ludicrously underrated after the catch. It doesn't even make sense. Someone of his size shouldn't be moving the way he does with the ball in his hands, but he was adept at making both linebackers and defensive backs miss with his moves.

Jayden Higgins is so damn good. So underrated.
-Backwards, off balance, juke move to shake DB 1
-Resets feet quickly for next move
-Shimmy shake is so quick and efficient
-Strong enough to fight through the contact for lots of extra yards
Probably wins leagues in 2025. pic.twitter.com/Fm7kMksc2S

— JohnJohn Analysis (@JohnJohnalytics) March 19, 2025

Jaylin Noel, Travis Hunter, and Higgins are "my guys" of this draft cycle at wide receiver. Sure, Hunter is a lot of people's "guy," but I was pounding the table for him over a month ago, insisting that he would be playing most of his snaps at wide receiver. The community is coming around to that idea. They should come around to the idea that Higgins is a great pick to make in fantasy drafts, too.

No. 2: Jaylin Noel, Iowa State

This year's Amon-Ra St. Brown clone is former Iowa State WR Jaylin Noel. Noel is a fantastic route-runner and is excellent with the ball in his hands. He's also ridiculously strong for his size, and destroyed the 2025 NFL Combine with a 4.39-second 40-yard dash. He also jumped 41.5 inches in the vertical jump. All of these measurables show up on tape repeatedly.

There are a lot of chronic underthrowing quarterbacks in the NFL. Jaylin Noel's ability to adjust his body and high point these will be crucial. QBs WILL throw deep shots his way because they know they can trust him even when it's underthrown. pic.twitter.com/PvXwg0ybsu

— JohnJohn Analysis (@JohnJohnalytics) March 20, 2025

Were it not for him being on the same team as the next player on this list, Noel would be thought of much more highly. But the sharp film analysts in the fantasy football community have picked up on Noel's upside and have been pounding the table for him, as I have. He has tremendous upside at the next level and could become the cornerstone of a team's passing game in short order.

I like Iowa State WR Jaylin Noel more every time I watch him

pic.twitter.com/zMpqgsSf6i

— Steve Palazzolo (@StevePalazzolo_) March 26, 2025

You shouldn't have to watch Noel more than once to love him. He's very abrupt, sharp, and explosive both in and out of his route breaks and making cuts with the ball in his hands. He can win jump balls if he is in a good position for them, even against taller corners. He's physical at the catch point and has made some obscene contested catches.

One in particular stands out.

Jaylin Noel is so much better at the catch point/at contested catches than I expected him to be pic.twitter.com/FmUwRB1Hkk

— Sam Monson (@SamMonsonNFL) March 18, 2025

The play above is one of my favorite plays I saw a wide receiver make in all of 2024. The acceleration into the trajectory of the ball shows elite athleticism and ball-tracking, and an ability to combine the two effectively, then an incredible amount of awareness and strength as he literally catches the ball on his defender's back, rips it away from him, and keeps the ball secure from the defender behind him.

Jaylin Noel with a slot role is a league-winner in year 1. He's too strong, too quick, too elusive, and too fast for slot corners to cover. Good luck throwing him off his routes. Slot fade monster. pic.twitter.com/ANZjADKbXO

— JohnJohn Analysis (@JohnJohnalytics) March 20, 2025

Noel on vertical routes from the slot will be lethal at the next level. Same with passes that get him in space and allow him to work after the catch. He's great at winning against press coverage, as he has the strength to shove DBs off of him. He is extremely impressive.

No. 1: Travis Hunter, Colorado

Hunter has ludicrous upside as a receiver, and considering how much more critical an elite receiver is for an NFL team than an elite cornerback is, it stands to reason that squads are more interested in developing him into their future WR1.

Travis Hunter did run routes, after all 😳 pic.twitter.com/26Jx9AVULb

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 4, 2025

He has a highly developed, monstrously good skill set after the catch, and while his route-running and a few of the intangibles of his game are underdeveloped, he has elite twitch in his routes that just can't be taught. He's so fluid in his movements and abrupt in his route breaks that it looks impossible at times.

Which 2025 WR prospects were the most efficient on a career-long sample?

This chart uses career YPRR and career passer rating when targeted to determine the most efficient WR prospects.

+ Travis Hunter.. please play WR
+ Tre Harris an efficiency monster
+ Jalen Royals👀 pic.twitter.com/h0bWyS1dIW

— Dataroma (@ffdataroma) March 18, 2025

For starters, he has the highest passer rating by far when targeted in college football in 2024. The two most likely plays to occur whenever quarterback Shedeur Sanders dropped back to pass the ball were a big completion to Hunter or a big sack. Hunter put the offense on his back.

Travis Hunter in 1 clip.
-Improvises
-Elite body adjustment to ball trajectory
-Attacks the ball, big vertical
-Elite awareness
-Sells to the outside after the catch
-Hard jab fake to the outside, cuts back in
-Makes 3 guys miss
WR1 pic.twitter.com/XxlN0fMgR8

— JohnJohn Analysis (@JohnJohnalytics) March 17, 2025

Not only is he a supremely talented athlete for the position, but he also knows how to utilize, to a nearly ridiculous degree, his suite of skills. That's one of the reasons why he's unfair after the catch and even more unfair at the catch point, where he's made some of the most obscene contested catches in recent memory.

Travis Hunter is legitimately UNFAIR at the catch point

➖ 68.8% contested-catch success
➖ Only 4 career drops

He’s so good at separating that we rarely even get to see this skill from him… pic.twitter.com/LxxWJF3fq2

— SCOUTD (@scoutdnfl) December 18, 2024

He is a future superstar at the next level, and could put together a Hall of Fame-worthy career just at receiver if he entirely focused on the position. I imagine he'll play at least a decent amount of snaps at cornerback, but those will probably decline as time goes on and he develops more as a pass-catcher.

That's where he can contribute the most to a team, anyway. Even if he has a somewhat disappointing start to the season, he could come on strong toward the end of the year. In 2026, he should easily finish as a top-10 WR in fantasy football if the offense he's on is remotely competent.

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