We are entering the heart of fantasy football draft season, which means we have to start thinking about certain scenarios that might pop up in drafts. The first few rounds are always the most exciting, but it's the middle-to-late rounds where fantasy managers can potentially find some league winners.
In this article, we will determine whether to draft Stefon Diggs, Ricky Pearsall, or Matthew Golden in 2025 fantasy football drafts. All three of these wide receivers are going right around each other in drafts. However, fantasy managers will likely only have the opportunity to take one of these playmakers.
So, should you draft Diggs, Pearsall, or Golden in fantasy drafts? Let's dive in and find out.
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There were a lot of question marks surrounding Diggs this offseason following a season-ending knee injury in 2024. The 31-year-old looked solid in his first eight games with the Houston Texans last year before suffering a non-contact ACL tear in a Week 8 game against the Indianapolis Colts. That injury effectively ended his season.
Diggs was a reliable WR2 fantasy option before his injury. He caught 47 passes for 496 yards and three touchdowns across his first eight games while averaging a solid 15.2 PPR fantasy points per game. During those eight games, the veteran finished as a top-15 fantasy wide receiver in half of those contests.
However, Diggs is now one year older (31) and coming off a major knee injury. Therefore, the Pro Bowl wide receiver might not be as strong a fantasy option as in recent seasons. His age is usually the time when wide receivers start to decline, and his recent ACL tear likely means he won't have the same burst on the field. With that in mind, it's not a surprise to see him go in the eighth/ninth round of drafts.
Nevertheless, Diggs could turn out to be a fantastic value pick in the later rounds. He did not begin training camp on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list and has been impressive in training camp so far. Patriots reporter Evan Lazar said earlier in August that the veteran is "a cut above at the receiver position due to his separation quickness, efficient movements, and ability to win at the catch point with magnet hands."
Given that the Patriots lack a true WR1 in this offense, there's a strong chance Diggs will emerge as the top pass catcher in New England. That could help the 31-year-old be a strong WR3 fantasy option throughout the year, and even creep into WR2 status if Drake Maye breaks out in his second season. The veteran should be a safe fantasy selection on an ascending Patriots offense.
What Pearsall was able to do in his rookie campaign was quite impressive, considering he was shot in the chest in an attempted robbery before the 2024 season. While the former Florida star did miss the first six games while recovering from that gunshot wound, we all saw later in the season why the 49ers selected him in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
In Week 17, Pearsall caught eight passes for 141 yards and one touchdown en route to a WR7 PPR fantasy finish. Then, the 24-year-old totaled six catches for 69 yards and one touchdown while finishing as the WR14 in PPR formats in Week 18. After ending the season on a strong note, the 49ers wideout could fully break out in 2025.
Deebo Samuel Sr. was traded to the Washington Commanders, and Brandon Aiyuk is still recovering from a torn ACL. As a result, Pearsall should have an expanded role in this offense this season. He also continues to stand out in training camp, emerging as a top option for quarterback Brock Purdy in the passing game.
That makes Pearsall almost a must-target at his ninth-round ADP. He has every opportunity to see consistent targets, especially with Aiyuk likely to miss the first few weeks of the season. The 24-year-old should be featured early and often in this San Francisco offense and has the potential to take off this year.
It's not often that we get to talk about a first-round rookie wide receiver from the Green Bay Packers. Before drafting Golden with the 23rd overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, the last time the Packers selected a wide receiver in the first round was back in 2002. That player was Javon Walker, who went on to have a disappointing career.
However, the Packers are hoping that Golden is a much different story. The speedy wideout comes to Green Bay following a breakout campaign at Texas in which he totaled 57 catches for 987 yards and nine touchdowns. His best performance of the season came in the College Football Playoffs when he caught seven passes for 149 yards and one touchdown against Arizona State in the quarterfinals.
While the Packers are getting a talented wide receiver, this wasn't exactly the best fantasy landing spot for the rookie. The Packers already have a plethora of wide receivers, and Golden will certainly be competing for targets with the likes of Jayden Reed, Romeo Doubs, Dontayvion Wicks, and Christian Watson (when healthy).
It is encouraging, though, that Golden has been getting some first-team reps in camp. He has made some highlight reel catches so far, and bringing his 4.29 speed to this Green Bay offense just gives Jordan Love another big-time weapon in the receiving game. So, it's fair to assume that he will be involved in some capacity in Year 1.
But if you are expecting elite fantasy numbers from Golden in his first season, think again. He isn't going to be the wide receiver who catches five to six passes consistently each game. Instead, we should expect lower reception numbers with a high possibility of catching a long pass.
Therefore, Golden might be an inconsistent fantasy option throughout his rookie season. Love has been known to spread the ball around on offense, and his opportunities might be limited. Honestly, we could see him have a similar fantasy season as Xavier Worthy did in his rookie campaign. These two wide receivers have the speed, but the volume was a huge question mark entering their first year.
This exact decision might play out in your fantasy drafts, as all three wide receivers are going within a few picks of one another. Diggs likely has the safest floor, Pearsall has the highest ceiling, and Golden is somewhere in the middle. With the uncertainty surrounding Golden in that Green Bay offense, he should be your last selection of these three wide receivers.
Then, it comes down to Diggs versus Pearsall. Do you want the player coming off a torn ACL who is entering his age-31 season? Or do you want a young and exciting second-year wideout who could break out on an elite San Francisco offense? Fantasy managers should be shooting for upside at this point in drafts and select the 49ers playmaker.
There is a real possibility that Pearsall emerges as the top pass catcher in that 49ers offense this year. He continues to build a strong connection with Purdy, and we don't know how Aiyuk will look once he's on the field. So, take the upside pick here because the sky is the limit for the former 2024 first-round pick.
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