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Who should I draft for fantasy football in 2025? Fantasy football outlooks for Marvin Harrison Jr., Jaylen Waddle, DeVonta Smith and our expert draft advice.
There are some tough decisions to be made in the middle rounds of fantasy football drafts this season. If we have to choose between Marvin Harrison Jr., Jaylen Waddle, and DeVonta Smith, which player offers the most upside at their ADP?
Can Harrison Jr. bounce back after a somewhat disappointing rookie season compared to expectations? Can Waddle return to his former glory with a healthy starting quarterback? Can Smith continue his steady production for 17 games this season?
So, which of these wide receivers should you draft in 2025? There's an argument to be made for each, but I'll offer my final thoughts on my favorite target as well. Let's get right into the analysis!
Marvin Harrison Jr. Fantasy Football Outlook
- NFFC ADP: 37
- Baller Move: 35
Normally, if a rookie wideout finished with 885 yards receiving and eight touchdowns, that would be viewed as a hugely successful debut. However, Harrison Jr. was a first-round pick who was viewed as "the most NFL-ready" prospect in the last decade, so expectations were sky-high as he entered the season as the Cardinals' WR1, both in real life and for fantasy managers.
Harrison Jr.'s production was anything but steady. He had only two games where he went over 100 yards receiving and was held to just 40 yards or fewer in seven contests. His role in the offense never felt secure, as Kyler Murray often honed in on tight end Trey McBride as his first read, and the Cardinals also focused on running the ball with the ever-dependable James Conner.
Marvin Harrison Jr. was supposed to be a league-winner last year.
This year, he might actually be.
Only 69 of his 116 targets were catchable.....and he still flashed elite talent.
WR18 ADP? That’s a gift. pic.twitter.com/ndE4cKOOVi
— Moody (@EricNMoody) July 29, 2025
How much was Harrison Jr. to blame for his inconsistency, and how much of it was a product of some very uneven play from his quarterback? That's the question that is weighing on any fantasy manager who is considering drafting MHJ in the third round.
He has the talent to be a very productive NFL receiver, and we saw flashes of his upside last year. But can we count on the Cardinals to prioritize him in the offense this year, as most expect Arizona to take another step forward towards being a playoff contender?
Jaylen Waddle Fantasy Football Outlook
- NFFC ADP: 61
- Baller Move: 49
Waddle has failed to meet expectations in each of the last two seasons. He's battled injuries and inconsistent quarterback play, but this is still a guy who is only two years removed from a 1356-yard, eight-touchdown season in 2022.
It's hard to glean much from last season, as the Dolphins had to roll out Skylar Thompson, Tim Boyle, and Tyler Huntley at quarterback for six games while Tua Tagovailoa was hurt. Waddle had his worst season, catching just 58 passes for 744 yards and scored only two touchdowns. The entire season was a disappointment for Miami, and the only fantasy players who retained value all season were tight end Jonnu Smith and running back Devon Achane.
Jaylen Waddle
(per @FantasyPtsData)In games in which he played at least 70% of the snaps & Tua Tagovailoa played...
Waddle posted:
2.14 YPRR
64.6 rec yds/game
0.114 FD/RRAmong all WRs with at least 200 routes run last year those numbers would have ranked
27th
23rd
13th… pic.twitter.com/gh2xgsCTgj— Derek Brown (@DBro_FFB) June 17, 2025
But hope springs eternal in 2025. Jonnu Smith was traded to Pittsburgh, and no one knows if Tyreek Hill has lost a step or even wants to be in Miami. Waddle has had nothing but positive reports coming out of training camp and could be poised for a big comeback. The risk in drafting Waddle is associated with Tua's health, as we saw how much Waddle and others' production suffered with inferior QB play.
But if Tua can stay healthy and keep this Dolphins offense firing on all cylinders, then Waddle could effectively be a major bargain at his ADP.
DeVonta Smith Fantasy Football Outlook
- NFFC ADP: 51
- Baller Move: 45
Devonta Smith is about as safe a pick as you can make in the fourth or fifth rounds of drafts. He's been rock solid for four straight seasons, and even as the WR2 in Philly, he's very much involved every week. This year, I want as much exposure as I can get to the Philadelphia passing game, as I think the Eagles may have to lean harder on Jalen Hurts and his pass-catchers as defenses attempt to stop Saquon Barkley and the running game.
Tight coverage from Cooper DeJean on DeVonta Smith, but just an absurd throw from Jalen Hurts. pic.twitter.com/3104kVD0pE
— Kendall Beck (@KBeckEagles) August 10, 2025
I think it's fairly obvious that Smith would be a WR1 on lesser teams and that he has the talent to post big numbers when the Eagles need him to make plays. He falls into the category of WR2s who have excellent stand-alone value but who also function as elite handcuffs if their team's WR1 were to go down. Last year, A.J. Brown only missed three games, but in the games that he missed and Smith played, DeVonta averaged 7 catches for 77 yards on 10 targets per game.
Smith had a career-best eight touchdown receptions last year despite missing four games. He can win against man coverage or zone coverage and be used all over the field. This Eagles offense should be very good again this year as they attempt to repeat as Super Bowl champs, and Smith offers some affordable access to this elite unit as his current ADP.
Who Should I Draft in Fantasy Football?
In theory, you could take Marvin Harrison Jr. in the late third round and still be able to grab DeVonta Smith or Jaylen Waddle in the fourth round. So it's not a situation where you have to choose only one player here, however, I have to say that my favorite pick is DeVonta Smith at cost.
Smith offers a fantastic floor while also bringing a ceiling that is comparable to both Harrison Jr. and Waddle. While those two have questions surrounding their quarterbacks and their offenses, Smith has the benefit of playing with a top-5 QB in Jalen Hurts and on one of the best offenses in football. I view Smith as having the narrowest range of outcomes and the least likely to bust this season.
All three players could be great picks at their ADP if things go right this season, but I'll rank them Smith, Waddle, and then Harrison Jr. based on how much interest I have in drafting them at their current cost.
Who Should I Draft Tool
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Who Should I Draft? Some common 2025 fantasy football draft decisions are regarding players like Marvin Harrison Jr., Jaylen Waddle, and DeVonta Smith. But not to worry, we are here to help make these decisions and build winning teams in 2025. Draft your optimal fantasy football teams for 2025. Our free Who Should I Draft? tool will help make your fantasy football draft decisions. Compare up to four NFL players, and we tell you who to draft... all free! Make the right decisions.
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2025 Player Decisions. Today's focus in on specific players - Marvin Harrison Jr., Jaylen Waddle, and DeVonta Smith. These are some common searches for 2025 fantasy football drafts.
Using The Tool. This is a simple tool but very powerful. The first step is to enter the player names that you want to compare. In the first box, search for the first player name. In the second box, search for the second player name. Compare up to four NFL players at once, and then click the Who To Draft? button to see who the recommended draft picks are based on fantasy football rankings, projections and more.
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Scoring Formats. Fantasy football managers play in various types of leagues, and this tool allows you to choose whether it's PPR scoring, Half-PPR scoring, or Standard (Non-PPR) scoring. The second thing you want to do, is to select the scoring format. There are three small radio buttons (small circle), so click on the scoring format you prefer. The results may vary based on the scoring format you select.
Popular Draft Searches. Curious to see some tough draft decisions for 2025? Below you will find a list of some popular Who Should I Draft? searches that RotoBaller readers are looking at this. Click any of the links to see the result and recommendation.
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Below are some popular searches and comparisons from our Who To Draft tool for 2025 drafts for Marvin Harrison Jr., Jaylen Waddle, DeVonta Smith:
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