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5 days ago
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- Yahoo
The top 15 NFL wide receivers 25-years-old and under
The wide receiver position is absolutely loaded in both fantasy football and reality. It's so hard to put together any sort of position ranking list without feeling like you left someone off or slighted a really good player or two. And yet, I'm going to give it a shot … and I'll absolutely feel the aforementioned regret, shame, etc. After pouring hours into charting a ton of the guys drafted the last few years for Reception Perception, I decided to sit down and rank the top 15 wide receivers who are currently 25 years old or younger heading into training camp (not including rookies). [Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2025 NFL season] Note: These are not simply fantasy rankings. Instead, this is how I view these guys as pure individual NFL players removed from the context of their situations. 1) Ja'Marr Chase In last year's version of this piece, I wrote that 'Ja'Marr Chase hasn't necessarily had that 2022 Jefferson or 2023 Lamb season quite yet' but he had every part of the skill set needed to do it and could indeed 'have that type of campaign as soon as this season.' Sure enough, that's exactly what happened, as Chase essentially ran away with the 2025 Triple Crown, leading the sport in catches, yards and touchdowns. Chase is an undeniably explosive player; he might be the best bet among all NFL wideouts to snag a short reception and take it to the house. However, he's always been well undersold as a route runner, technician and overall craftsman. I've spoken with him over the years about his intention to master all three wide receiver positions and win from every alignment. That was well expressed in 2024, as he took a career-high 32.2% snaps from the slot. 2) Puka Nacua Puka Nacua didn't disappoint one bit in his follow-up to a record-breaking 2024 rookie season. While he missed some time with a knee injury, he was the most efficient wide receiver in the NFL when he played. He led all wide receivers with 200-plus routes in successful targets per route run (23.5% of routes), yards per route run (3.57) and first downs per route run (17.7% of routes). There's a healthy gap between Nacua and the second-place finisher in each category. While we all agree that Nacua benefits from playing with Matthew Stafford in Sean McVay's offense, he is not a creation of his surroundings. His 91st percentile success rate vs. zone coverage and 92nd percentile success rate vs. press in Reception Perception help confirm that. Nacua was already an after-catch demon, playing with rare power at the receiver position, but he made significant strides as both a separator and ball-winner in tight coverage in 2025. Overall, based on his film, I'm comfortable saying that Nacua made the leap into the Tier 1, elite group of NFL wide receivers. 3) Amon-Ra St. Brown It's tough to argue against the production of Amon-Ra St. Brown. Among this cohort of receivers, he ranks first in successful target rate (64%) and second in first downs per route run (13.9%) since 2022. He's been a hyper-efficient player who has carried a large burden of the targets in one of the NFL's best offenses. St. Brown is one of the best power slot receivers in the NFL, if not the best. Knocking him down too far in your rankings because of alignment is outdated thinking. St. Brown also deserves tremendous credit for improving as a separator against man and press coverage on an incremental basis every single season of his career. At worst, he's the first option among the NFL's second tier of receivers. 4) Malik Nabers Malik Nabers was a walking, talking, explosive-play machine back at LSU and he largely brought every bit of that to the NFL field. Frankly, he was even more impressive as a technician than I expected right out of the gate. Some of his outrageous 2024 volume numbers (targeted on 31% of routes) are a reflection of a poor surrounding cast but his talent is commensurate with a player who should get the football as much as possible. It was a close call between Nabers and Ladd McConkey in terms of the best rookie wide receiver at beating man coverage last season. Those are the types of players we want to be super bullish on going forward. His ability to survive a poor rookie-year landing spot is a testament to his separation skills and big-play ability with the ball in his hands. On that note, I spoke with Nabers earlier this year and was quite impressed with his detailed approach to winning after the catch. Someone with his athletic traits paired with such a strong sense of the work and craftsmanship of the position can push to be one of the best wideouts in the NFL in due time. 5) Drake London Drake London exploded for a major breakthrough third season and showed off his multi-layered skill set. After being deployed as a near-exclusive X-receiver in his first two seasons under Arthur Smith, London took career-high snaps in the slot and off the line of scrimmage in his first season with a new Rams-based coaching staff. Zac Robinson and Co. really weaponized London's separation skills by putting him in motion and getting him work from multiple alignments. We got to see his strong ability over the middle on quick-hitters with Kirk Cousins through most of the season and then were reminded of his elite traits as a ball-winner on deeper, out-breaking routes with Michael Penix Jr. at the close. Hopefully, we see the best of both worlds come together in Penix's first full season as the starter in what's a well-constructed passing game. London should be viewed as an already established star player, considering he's right alongside Ja'Marr Chase in this cohort in yards per route run (2.10 to 2.18) and successful targets per route run (both 14.2% of routes). However, there's another level to jump in his game and he's a dark-horse bet to lead the NFL in targets this year. 6) Ladd McConkey While this doesn't mean he will be the top guy over the long term, as you can see based on my ranking here, Ladd McConkey was the best rookie wide receiver on film last season. It wasn't just tape; McConkey was productive as the clear lead dog in the Chargers' passing game. Among this cohort of players, his 3.01 yards per route run vs. man coverage ranks second behind only Nacua since 2022. Even better, his 84.4% success rate vs. press is currently the sixth-best mark in the Reception Perception full history database (2014 to present). Don't you dare call him a slot-only player. He has all the skills needed to be considered a true No. 1 receiver. He is extremely quarterback-friendly as a technician, wins contested catches and is a menace with the ball in his hands. The only question about McConkey's future is whether his body can survive the full-season punishment a featured player on a good offense can expect to go their way. He suffered through several dings as a rookie and had injury issues in college. Otherwise, the sky is the limit. 7) Brian Thomas Jr. Brian Thomas Jr. was the fourth wideout drafted among the 2024 class but he could easily go down as the best among the group. Thomas was outrageously good in a bad situation as a rookie and put in his best work, both in the box score and on film, late in the season. He has a unique skill set among NFL receivers because he has the size and speed — along with the press- and man-coverage-route chops — to win out at X-receiver on a full-time basis. However, he was dynamic on designed touches with the ball in his hands, averaging 10 yards per target on screens last year. In Year 2, Thomas finds himself paired with a play-caller who should be able to weaponize his special traits from multiple alignments. He needs to be a bit more consistent settling down and running routes with timing against zone coverage but that's a normal critique for rookie wideouts. I have full faith that Thomas has all the tools in the kit to be one of the best wide receivers in the NFL for a long time. 8) Garrett Wilson Garrett Wilson was just rewarded by the New York Jets with a massive new contract extension, and he's, without question, worth every penny of that deal. Wilson embodies the rotten situational luck often placed upon receivers drafted in the 2022 class. Each season in the NFL, Wilson has been saddled with bottom-barrel quarterback play and/or some of the worst-designed offenses we've seen in recent memory. Still, he's been incredibly productive and has gotten better each season on an individual basis. The Justin Fields pairing is a question mark for his fantasy outlook, but Wilson's worth among NFL receivers is beyond reproach at this stage. Wilson is an elite separator and can run any route on the tree. Even more notable, he took a big step in the contested-catch game last season, as he routinely had to adjust in-flight to passes behind or above him at the catch point. Those are the qualities that make him a true No. 1 receiver. After he spent most of the last two seasons tethered at X-receiver, only running mostly go, slant and out routes, I'm excited to see him with more dynamic deployment under OC Tanner Engstrand, who was the passing-game coordinator in Detroit. 9) Chris Olave Since he entered the league in 2022, Chris Olave ranks sixth amongst this cohort in yards per route run (2.22) and sixth in first downs per route run (11.1% of routes). Fantasy football players seem to think Olave is more of a theory than an actualized player but that's just simply not true. He's been an extremely productive wideout since he was drafted by New Orleans. Olave is a fantastic route runner and a dangerous separator down the field. While there are some areas where he can improve his game, the issues for Olave have largely been outside of his control: an archaic offense in 2022/2023, his wayward chemistry with Derek Carr and, of course, serious concussions. He played extremely well as the X-receiver in Klint Kubiak's offense last season but I'm excited to see how he's deployed in a more versatile way with Kellen Moore. DeVonta Smith took a career-high 47.5% snaps in the slot last year under Moore and posted his most efficient season to date. I can envision a similar outlook for Olave if concussion issues don't rear their ugly heads again this year. 10) Josh Downs The next three names, all of whom were drafted in the 2023 class, are really tight but give me Josh Downs at the top of the group. The Colts wide receiver trailed only Nacua and Nabers among this cohort in targets per route run (29.4% of routes) and was fifth in successful targets per route (15.1% of routes). Throwing the ball to Downs produced good results and provided some of the few highlights in an otherwise downtrodden Indy passing game last season. Downs is such a positive force in the offense because he's a dynamic separator at all three levels, and against both man and zone coverage. He is truly one of the best route runners at the position. Additionally, he's an excellent ball-winner in tight coverage and has been such dating back to his UNC days with QB Drake Maye. He's more like a Tyler Lockett-type of player than your typical popgun slot merchant. Downs needs a better offensive environment to really put it in the box score but he's a fantastic young wide receiver whom the Colts need to put a premium on featuring in their passing game. 11) Jaxon Smith-Njigba Jaxon Smith-Njigba took a major step forward in Year 2 from a production standpoint. The reality is that he was always a good player; the per-route metrics from his rookie season were a false flag and were impacted because he played behind two great receivers — Lockett and DK Metcalf. JSN has always been a fantastic receiver when working against man coverage and the Seahawks finally weaponized that last season. He led all wide receivers with 4.96 yards per route run against man coverage from Week 10 on. Smith-Njigba's ability to win against man coverage and the condensed nature of Klint Kubiak's offense should ease any concerns about him taking more reps outside in Year 3. I'd like to see him improve as a tackle-breaker with the ball in his hands to put the final touches on his case as a true No. 1 receiver in what should be a breakthrough third season. 12) Rashee Rice Rashee Rice was only in our lives for a brief moment last year but he was excellent in his role with the Chiefs. I said after his rookie season that if he was going to maintain high volume with this play style and pre-snap deployment, he would need to become an elite zone-beater. It wasn't a full season but he turned in a 99th percentile success rate vs. zone coverage mark in Reception Perception. Over the last two seasons, he ranks second among this cohort in yards per route run (2.56) and third in first downs per route run (12.6% of routes). Some of that is inflated because of the small sample (he's 42nd among the group in total routes run), his unique role and playing with Patrick Mahomes, but his unique blend of speed and power also does a ton of heavy lifting. Right now, Rice profiles very similarly to JuJu Smith-Schuster's early career run with the Pittsburgh Steelers. That's not a bad place to be but I'm hoping to see signs of growth against man coverage this season and beyond so that he can walk further down the power-slot receiver archetype, a la St. Brown. Rice's rookie season Reception Perception profile did carry some similarities to St. Brown's Year 1 showing. 13) Marvin Harrison Jr. Marvin Harrison Jr.'s rookie season was a disappointment relative to lofty expectations based on his pre-draft hype and his fantasy football ADP. However, when viewed in isolation, he was a good starting-level NFL X-receiver as a rookie. That's not nothing; it's a difficult gig, especially in this offense. I expect offensive coordinator Drew Petzing to make a more concerted effort to increase MHJ's reps in the slot and off the line of scrimmage in 2025. Harrison is a much better separator than credited, especially when breaking off man coverage routes over the middle of the field. His quarterback needs to find him more effectively in those moments in Year 2. For Harrison's part, he needs to work on coming back to the ball, in addition to playing with more physicality and cleaner attack techniques at the catch point. Overall, I'm still optimistic about Harrison's chances to develop into a star-caliber player on his own, even if there are big outstanding questions about his deployment in Arizona and match with Kyler Murray. 14) Zay Flowers Zay Flowers held down this exact same spot in last year's version of this piece. He enjoyed a strong second season, during which he improved in several key areas. Flowers gets his share of schemed touches but showed growth against press coverage and remains one of the better zone-beaters. He and Lamar Jackson were much more in sync for downfield shots, and Flowers made defenses pay. Flowers is still a bit mistake-prone at the catch point and can get a little loose on the details of his routes against man coverage. Those are some of the areas he needs to take another step to launch further up this list and be considered a true No. 1 wide receiver. He is, however, a really good player who has made the Ravens' pass offense better because of the layups his quick separation ability brings for Jackson. 15) George Pickens Just like Flowers, George Pickens is also ranked in the same position as he was last season. I will note that it was a close call between him and the first three names in the 'just missed the list' section below and I wouldn't argue if you prefer any of them to the former Steelers wideout. Even if he wasn't a consistent player all through the course of last season, 2025 was still the best season of Pickens' career when viewed in isolation. He improved dramatically as a separator against man coverage, especially on quick stop routes and slants. He's the perfect fit for what was a vacant X-receiver gig in Dallas prior to his arrival. As long as Pickens is locked in, he could have a 2024 Tee Higgins-like season; one of the most productive No. 2 receivers in the league across from a versatile alpha wideout. Just missed the list, in order Jayden Reed didn't take a step forward as an individual player in Year 2, but he didn't regress, either. His frustrating production was mostly due to the offense's run-heavy nature after Jordan Love's injury and some confusing deployment. I still have plenty of hope for a true breakthrough season for Reed because he's an excellent separator and has improved in the contested catch game. He needs to address the drop issues from last season. Jameson Williams took a big step forward in his third NFL season. He's not a perfect player but was dangerous as a run-after-catch weapon on digs, slants and crossers. His speed shows up more in his ability to run away from people than it does on go routes on the outside. Jordan Addison is an excellent option as the No. 2 receiver across from Justin Jefferson. He took a step forward as a ball-winner in tight coverage. His production might take a hit if this offense is a little bit less dangerous through the air with J.J. McCarthy set to start in the NFL for the first time. Rome Odunze is someone I'm willing to bet on as a big riser up this list in future seasons, if not as soon as this year. He was in the same tier of prospects as guys like Nabers and Harrison but was stuck in a uniquely miserable situation as a rookie. His play as a rookie was more than acceptable, much better than the per-route zealots will let you believe — they made the same mistake with JSN. He should be the X-receiver of Ben Johnson's offense and could lead this team in receiving. Rashod Bateman is a long-time personal favorite of mine. I still hold out hope that he can offer a real boom season at some point in his career. Even after multiple challenging injuries, his individual talent level is not far off from some guys ranked above him on this list. Khalil Shakir emerged as a great answer in the slot for the Bills. He's a tough and rugged runner after the catch with good hands and instincts for zone coverage. Xavier Worthy looks like a useful player for the Chiefs' passing game but it'll be interesting to see where his role settles with Rice coming back. Hopefully, some of those missed deep shots from early last season connect in 2025 because that's where he's at his best as a separator. Ricky Pearsall doesn't have a case for this list based on a nearly lost rookie season after an August shooting. However, he was so fantastic as a man-coverage-beating receiver down the stretch of last season that I want to include him in the hopes he takes a big jump in Year 2. He's someone I'm betting on.
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
2025 Fantasy Football: The top 15 WRs 25-years-old and under
The wide receiver position is absolutely loaded in both fantasy and reality. It's so hard to put together any sort of position ranking list without feeling like you left someone off or slighted a really good player or two. And yet, I'm going to give it a shot … and I'll absolutely feel the aforementioned regret, shame, etc. After pouring hours into charting a ton of the guys drafted the last few years for Reception Perception, I decided to sit down and rank the top 15 wide receivers who are currently 25 years old or younger heading into training camp (not including rookies). Advertisement [Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2025 NFL season] Note: These are not simply fantasy rankings. Instead, this is how I view these guys as pure individual NFL players removed from the context of their situations. 1) Ja'Marr Chase In last year's version of this piece, I wrote that 'Ja'Marr Chase hasn't necessarily had that 2022 Jefferson or 2023 Lamb season quite yet' but he had every part of the skill set needed to do it and could indeed 'have that type of campaign as soon as this season.' Sure enough, that's exactly what happened, as Chase essentially ran away with the 2025 Triple Crown, leading the sport in catches, yards and touchdowns. Advertisement Chase is an undeniably explosive player; he might be the best bet among all NFL wideouts to snag a short reception and take it to the house. However, he's always been well undersold as a route runner, technician and overall craftsman. I've spoken with him over the years about his intention to master all three wide receiver positions and win from every alignment. That was well expressed in 2024, as he took a career-high 32.2% snaps from the slot. 2) Puka Nacua Puka Nacua didn't disappoint one bit in his follow-up to a record-breaking 2024 rookie season. While he missed some time with a knee injury, he was the most efficient wide receiver in the NFL when he played. He led all wide receivers with 200-plus routes in successful targets per route run (23.5% of routes), yards per route run (3.57) and first downs per route run (17.7% of routes). There's a healthy gap between Nacua and the second-place finisher in each category. Advertisement While we all agree that Nacua benefits from playing with Matthew Stafford in Sean McVay's offense, he is not a creation of his surroundings. His 91st percentile success rate vs. zone coverage and 92nd percentile success rate vs. press in Reception Perception help confirm that. Nacua was already an after-catch demon, playing with rare power at the receiver position, but he made significant strides as both a separator and ball-winner in tight coverage in 2025. Overall, based on his film, I'm comfortable saying that Nacua made the leap into the Tier 1, elite group of NFL wide receivers. 3) Amon-Ra St. Brown It's tough to argue against the production of Amon-Ra St. Brown. Among this cohort of receivers, he ranks first in successful target rate (64%) and second in first downs per route run (13.9%) since 2022. He's been a hyper-efficient player who has carried a large burden of the targets in one of the NFL's best offenses. St. Brown is one of the best power slot receivers in the NFL, if not the best. Knocking him down too far in your rankings because of alignment is outdated thinking. St. Brown also deserves tremendous credit for improving as a separator against man and press coverage on an incremental basis every single season of his career. At worst, he's the first option among the NFL's second tier of receivers. Advertisement 4) Malik Nabers Malik Nabers was a walking, talking, explosive-play machine back at LSU and he largely brought every bit of that to the NFL field. Frankly, he was even more impressive as a technician than I expected right out of the gate. Some of his outrageous 2024 volume numbers (targeted on 31% of routes) are a reflection of a poor surrounding cast but his talent is commensurate with a player who should get the football as much as possible. It was a close call between Nabers and Ladd McConkey in terms of the best rookie wide receiver at beating man coverage last season. Those are the types of players we want to be super bullish on going forward. His ability to survive a poor rookie-year landing spot is a testament to his separation skills and big-play ability with the ball in his hands. On that note, I spoke with Nabers earlier this year and was quite impressed with his detailed approach to winning after the catch. Someone with his athletic traits paired with such a strong sense of the work and craftsmanship of the position can push to be one of the best wideouts in the NFL in due time. Advertisement 5) Drake London Drake London exploded for a major breakthrough third season and showed off his multi-layered skill set. After being deployed as a near-exclusive X-receiver in his first two seasons under Arthur Smith, London took career-high snaps in the slot and off the line of scrimmage in his first season with a new Rams-based coaching staff. Zac Robinson and co. really weaponized London's separation skills by putting him in motion and getting him work from multiple alignments. We got to see his strong ability over the middle on quick-hitters with Kirk Cousins through most of the season and then were reminded of his elite traits as a ball-winner on deeper, out-breaking routes with Michael Penix Jr. at the close. Hopefully, we see the best of both worlds come together in Penix's first full season as the starter in what's a well-constructed passing game. London should be viewed as an already established star player, considering he's right alongside Ja'Marr Chase in this cohort in yards per route run (2.10 to 2.18) and successful targets per route run (both 14.2% of routes). However, there's another level to jump in his game and he's a dark-horse bet to lead the NFL in targets this year. 6) Ladd McConkey While this doesn't mean he will be the top guy over the long term, as you can see based on my ranking here, Ladd McConkey was the best rookie wide receiver on film last season. It wasn't just tape; McConkey was productive as the clear-lead dog in the Chargers' passing game. Among this cohort of players, his 3.01 yards per route run vs. man coverage ranks second behind only Puka Nacua since 2022. Even better, his 84.4% success rate vs. press is currently the sixth-best mark in the Reception Perception full history database (2014 to present). Advertisement Don't you dare call him a slot-only player. He has all the skills needed to be considered a true No. 1 receiver. He is extremely quarterback-friendly as a technician, wins contested catches and is a menace with the ball in his hands. The only question about McConkey's future is whether his body can survive the full-season punishment a featured player on a good offense can expect to go their way. He suffered through several dings as a rookie and had injury issues in college. Otherwise, the sky is the limit. 7) Brian Thomas Jr. Brian Thomas Jr. was the fourth wideout drafted among the 2024 class but he could easily go down as the best among the group. Thomas was outrageously good in a bad situation as a rookie and put in his best work, both in the box score and on film, late in the season. He has a unique skill set among NFL receivers because he has the size and speed — along with the press- and man-coverage-route chops — to win out at X-receiver on a full-time basis. However, he was dynamic on designed touches with the ball in his hands, averaging 10 yards per target on screens last year. Advertisement In Year 2, Thomas finds himself paired with a play-caller who should be able to weaponize his special traits from multiple alignments. He needs to be a bit more consistent settling down and running routes with timing against zone coverage but that's a normal critique for rookie wideouts. I have full faith that Thomas has all the tools in the kit to be one of the best wide receivers in the NFL for a long time. 8) Garrett Wilson Garrett Wilson was just rewarded by the New York Jets with a massive new contract extension, and he's, without question, worth every penny of that deal. Wilson embodies the rotten situational luck often placed upon receivers drafted in the 2022 class. Each season in the NFL, Wilson has been saddled with bottom-barrel quarterback play and/or some of the worst-designed offenses we've seen in recent memory. Still, he's been incredibly productive and has gotten better each season on an individual basis. The Justin Fields pairing is a question mark for his fantasy outlook, but Wilson's worth among NFL receivers is beyond reproach at this stage. Wilson is an elite separator and can run any route on the tree. Even more notable, he took a big step in the contested-catch game last season, as he routinely had to adjust in-flight to passes behind or above him at the catch point. Those are the qualities that make him a true No. 1 receiver. After he spent most of the last two seasons tethered at X-receiver, only running mostly go, slant and out routes, I'm excited to see him with more dynamic deployment under OC Tanner Engstrand, who was the passing-game coordinator in Detroit. Advertisement 9) Chris Olave Since he entered the league in 2022, Chris Olave ranks sixth amongst this cohort in yards per route run (2.22) and sixth in first downs per route run (11.1% of routes). Fantasy football players seem to think Olave is more of a theory than an actualized player but that's just simply not true. He's been an extremely productive wideout since he was drafted by New Orleans. Olave is a fantastic route runner and a dangerous separator down the field. While there are some areas where he can improve his game, the issues for Olave have largely been outside of his control: an archaic offense in 2022/2023, his wayward chemistry with Derek Carr and, of course, serious concussions. He played extremely well as the X-receiver in Klint Kubiak's offense last season but I'm excited to see how he's deployed in a more versatile way with Kellen Moore. DeVonta Smith took a career-high 47.5% snaps in the slot last year under Moore and posted his most efficient season to date. I can envision a similar outlook for Olave if concussion issues don't rear their ugly heads again this year. Advertisement 10) Josh Downs The next three names, all of whom were drafted in the 2023 class, are really tight but give me Josh Downs at the top of the group. The Colts wide receiver trailed only Nacua and Nabers among this cohort in targets per route run (29.4% of routes) and was fifth in successful targets per route (15.1% of routes). Throwing the ball to Josh Downs produced good results and provided some of the few highlights in an otherwise downtrodden Indy passing game last season. Downs is such a positive force in the offense because he's a dynamic separator at all three levels, and against both man and zone coverage. He is truly one of the best route runners at the position. Additionally, he's an excellent ball-winner in tight coverage and has been such dating back to his UNC days with Drake Maye. He's more like a Tyler Lockett-type of player than your typical popgun slot merchant. Downs needs a better offensive environment to really put it in the box score but he's a fantastic young wide receiver whom the Colts need to put a premium on featuring in their passing game. Advertisement 11) Jaxon Smith-Njigba Jaxon Smith-Njigba took a major step forward in Year 2 from a production standpoint. The reality is that he was always a good player; the per-route metrics from his rookie season were a false flag and were impacted because he played behind two great receivers. JSN has always been a fantastic receiver when working against man coverage and the Seahawks finally weaponized that last season. He led all wide receivers with 4.96 yards per route run against man coverage from Week 10 on. Smith-Njigba's ability to win against man coverage and the condensed nature of Klint Kubiak's offense should ease any concerns about him taking more reps outside in Year 3. I'd like to see him improve as a tackle-breaker with the ball in his hands to put the final touches on his case as a true No. 1 receiver in what should be a breakthrough third season. 12) Rashee Rice Rashee Rice was only in our lives for a brief moment last year but he was excellent in his role with the Chiefs. I said after his rookie season that if he was going to maintain high volume with this play style and presnap deployment, he would need to become an elite zone-beater. It wasn't a full season but he turned in a 99th percentile success rate vs. zone coverage mark in Reception Perception. Over the last two seasons, he ranks second among this cohort in yards per route run (2.56) and third in first downs per route run (12.6% of routes). Some of that is inflated because of the small sample (he's 42nd among the group in total routes run), his unique role and his playing with Patrick Mahomes, but his unique blend of speed and power also does a ton of heavy lifting. Advertisement Right now, Rice profiles very similarly to JuJu Smith-Schuster's early career run with the Pittsburgh Steelers. That's not a bad place to be but I'm hoping to see signs of growth against man coverage this season and beyond so that he can walk further down the power-slot receiver archetype, a la Amon-Ra St. Brown. Rice's rookie season Reception Perception profile did carry some similarities to St. Brown's Year 1 showing. 13) Marvin Harrison Jr. Marvin Harrison Jr.'s rookie season was a disappointment relative to overly lofty expectations based on his predraft hype and his fantasy football ADP. However, when viewed in isolation, he was a good starting-level NFL X-receiver as a rookie. That's not nothing; it's a difficult gig, especially in this offense. I expect offensive coordinator Drew Petzing to make a more concerted effort to increase MHJ's reps in the slot and off the line of scrimmage in 2025. Advertisement Harrison is a much better separator than credited, especially when breaking off man coverage routes over the middle of the field. His quarterback needs to find him more effectively in those moments in Year 2. For Harrison's part, he needs to work on coming back to the ball, in addition to playing with more physicality and cleaner attack techniques at the catch point. Overall, I'm still optimistic about Harrison's chances to develop into a star-caliber player on his own, even if there are big outstanding questions about his deployment in Arizona and match with Kyler Murray. 14) Zay Flowers Zay Flowers held down this exact same spot in last year's version of this piece. He enjoyed a strong second season, during which he improved in several key areas. Flowers gets his share of schemed touches but showed growth against press coverage and remains one of the better zone-beaters. He and Lamar Jackson were much more in sync for downfield shots, and Flowers made defenses pay. Advertisement Flowers is still a bit mistake-prone at the catch point and can get a little loose on the details of his routes against man coverage. Those are some of the areas he needs to take another step to launch further up this list and be considered a true No. 1 wide receiver. He is, however, a really good player who has made the Ravens' pass offense better because of the layups his quick separation ability brings for Jackson. 15) George Pickens Just like Flowers, George Pickens is also ranked in the same position as he was last season. I will note that it was a close call between him and the first three names in the 'just missed the list' section below and I wouldn't argue if you prefer any of them to the former Steelers wideout. Advertisement Even if he wasn't a consistent player all through the course of last season, 2025 was still the best season of Pickens' career when viewed in isolation. He improved dramatically as a separator against man coverage, especially on quick stop routes and slants. He's the perfect fit for what was a vacant X-receiver gig in Dallas prior to his arrival. As long as Pickens is locked in, he could have a 2024 Tee Higgins-like season; one of the most productive No. 2 receivers in the league across from a versatile alpha wideout. Just missed the list, in order Jayden Reed didn't take a step forward as an individual player in Year 2, but he didn't regress, either. His frustrating production was mostly due to the offense's run-heavy nature after Jordan Love's injury and some confusing deployment. I still have plenty of hope for a true breakthrough season for Reed because he's an excellent separator and has improved in the contested catch game. He needs to address the drop issues from last season. Jameson Williams took a big step forward in his third NFL season. He's not a perfect player but was dangerous as a run-after-catch weapon on digs, slants and crossers. His speed shows up more in his ability to run away from people than it does on go routes on the outside. Advertisement Jordan Addison is an excellent option as the No. 2 receiver across from Justin Jefferson. He took a step forward as a ball-winner in tight coverage. His production might take a hit if this offense is a little bit less dangerous through the air with J.J. McCarthy set to start in the NFL for the first time. Rome Odunze is someone I'm willing to bet on as a big riser up this list in future seasons, if not as soon as this year. He was in the same tier of prospects as guys like Nabers and Harrison but was stuck in a uniquely miserable situation as a rookie. His play as a rookie was more than acceptable, much better than the per-route zealots will let you believe — they made the same mistake with JSN. He should be the X-receiver of Ben Johnson's offense and could lead this team in receiving. Rashod Bateman is a long-time personal favorite of mine. I still hold out hope that he can offer a real boom season at some point in his career. Even after multiple challenging injuries, his individual talent level is not far off from some guys ranked above him on this list. Advertisement Khalil Shakir emerged as a great answer in the slot for the Bills. He's a tough and rugged runner after the catch with good hands and instincts for zone coverage. Xavier Worthy looks like a useful player for the Chiefs' passing game but it'll be interesting to see where his role settles with Rashee Rice coming back. Hopefully, some of those missed deep shots from early last season connect in 2025 because that's where he's at his best as a separator. Ricky Pearsall doesn't have a case for this list based on a nearly lost rookie season after an August shooting. However, he was so fantastic as a man-coverage-beating receiver down the stretch of last season that I want to include him in the hopes he takes a big jump in Year 2. He's someone I'm betting on.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Fantasy Football Draft Advice: Early sleeper candidates, rookie expectations, strategy tips and more
Matt Harmon joined Yahoo Fantasy Plus subscribers on Thursday for AMA on our brand-new, invite-only Discord server. This is the latest exclusive benefit for Yahoo Fantasy Plus subscribers. Wondering what you missed? Don't worry, we have highlights from the session below. Make sure you don't miss out on the next expert AMA. Get $10 off your subscription for a limited time and unlock the invite-only Discord, premium draft tools, player projections and more with Yahoo Fantasy Plus. Editor's note: In some instances, questions and answers have been edited slightly for readability. Question: Which rookies are going to be fantasy relevant this year? Matt's answer: Tons of RBs! Ashton Jeanty will be a Round 1 pick, tons of volume available with the Raiders and a proven run-first coach. Kaleb Johnson should start right away and fits the Steelers zone-heavy system. Quinshon Judkins will also likely start for the Browns but ... how many TDs are they gonna score? Lastly, RJ Harvey is already your favorite fantasy analyst's top rookie "sleeper" RB. Question: Any tips for someone who's doing fantasy football for the first time? Matt's answer: Don't be too overly bought into consensus opinion. Outliers win you championships, so don't be afraid to lean into volatile players with unknowns. Also, have fun and don't let it stress you out. Question: What receivers and running backs not in the first or second round do you feel good about? Matt's answer: If Rashee Rice avoids suspension and is healthy entering the season, he is going to catch 100+ passes. Ricky Pearsall is a much deeper sleeper this year. Much deeper down the list — and may not get drafted — is Jack Bech, rookie from the Raiders. Big slot who fits with what Chip Kelly wants to do and was one of my favorite prospects. [Get $10 off Yahoo Fantasy Plus & unlock premium tools, our invite-only Discord & more] RB-wise, Kaleb Johnson is among rookies [that] I've taken shots on. Both Tank Bigsby and Bhayshul Tuten in Jacksonville with Liam Coen bringing a revived run game in. I generally think Travis Etienne Jr. is on the downhill. Also, if Aaron Jones gets banged up, Jordan Mason was 2nd in the NFL in rushing yards last year in Weeks 1-7. We know he can play and the Vikings just beefed up their interior OL. Question: What's your routine like to prepare to make all this fantasy content? Matt's answer: High protein breakfast right after waking, walk 40+ mins right after and stretch for 10+ mins after. On a serious note, my main thing right now is charting as many WRs as possible for Reception Perception, keeping up with the news and working on full projections for every player by July. Question: Who are you lower on this coming year vs consensus rankings? Matt's answer: I am not trying to draft into many Dolphins this year and therefore lower on Tyreek Hill. Trying to be a year early on the decline than late. Also not convinced DJ Moore should be the consensus 39th overall ranked player and none of the other Chicago pass catchers are inside the top 80. Question: Will either Puka Nacua or Davante Adams reach 1,000 yards if they both (and Matthew Stafford) stay healthy? Who is a better pick at their current ADP? Matt's answer: I am drafting both at ADP, I think Puka should rank higher because he's in his prime and has played in the offense before. Both can reach 1K yards in this offense but more importantly, more than enough scoring opportunities to go around. Question: Who is your hardest player to rank or project this far out from the season? Matt's answer: Always volatile projections are players coming off injury. Brandon Aiyuk is a good example. Top 10 WR in the NFL when playing at full health but when is that gonna be? Question: I'm the only person in my league who hasn't won a fantasy football championship — any advice? Matt's answer: Draft into more upside and take more risks this year. Question: Who is your favorite sleeper WR for this upcoming season? Matt's answer: Ricky Pearsall is a great bet this season as is Kyle Williams — the rookie WR for the New England Patriots with Drake Maye ready to rock in Year 2. Question: So, it sounds like an easy Pearsall > Jauan Jennings in SF for you? Matt's answer: Not necessarily but Pearsall goes last among 49ers WRs in drafts, so he's the bet I like to make right now. Big fan of his ability to separate and play multiple roles in SF. Question: Which round of drafts do you see the talent dropoff at wide receiver this year? Matt's answer: WR29 looks like a cliff to me right now where we start to get into some really shaky profiles. There will be hits from this range but the certainty decreases. Question: Is Roman Wilson a lock to be the WR2 in Pittsburgh? Matt's answer: Nah I don't think so. I was lower on him as a prospect and he did nothing as a rookie. They like Calvin Austin III a good bit. Not sure a WR2 even matters in Pittsburgh for fantasy. Question: Do you have any must-draft players yet? Matt's answer: A little too early for me to have "must-draft" players, but I am really into Rome Odunze outside of the top 35 WRs. Much better player than the rookie stats show. Question: What are your thoughts on Jaxon Smith-Njigba? Matt's answer: Finishing top 5 in the NFL in receiving yards is within his range of outcomes. Better man-coverage player than people think and can play outside. New offense in Seattle is definitely a variable to consider but generally want to bet on young ascending WRs, especially guys who are clearly the WR1 on their team. Question: Do you think Bech will get meaningful targets this year? Matt's answer: I do. Wide-open WR room with Jakobi Meyers the only proven guy and he lined up inside on only 33% of snaps last year. Plenty of room for Bech to be the big slot and win on horizontal routes. Question: Where do you see Travis Hunter going in drafts? Matt's answer: I have him ranked around WR30ish in drafts and I think that's where he will go. He is such a fantastic WR prospect and I love Liam Coen's offense based on what we saw last year. Question: Are you waiting on QB or paying up for a top-tier name? Matt's answer: If I can't get Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, Jayden Daniels — all of whom I think are elite Round 3 picks — I will wait. Question: How big do you think the Ben Johnson/Liam Cohen exits will affect the Lions and Bucs for fantasy? Matt's answer: Big losses but I trust Dan Campbell, who is a bigger part of the offense than people credit, to keep it a strong unit. We do have a podcast episode coming on this topic in the next month or so, keep an eye out for that. Think we see a small downgrade in Tampa but still a lot of talent. Remember, spots in the Discord channel are limited to Yahoo Fantasy Plus subscribers. And this is just the latest in an exciting series of Yahoo Fantasy Plus upgrades to help you crush the competition. Now's your chance to gain an edge — get $10 off your Yahoo Fantasy Plus subscription for a limited time. Need help? Visit our FAQs to learn more.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Fantasy Football Draft Advice: Early sleeper candidates, rookie expectations, strategy tips and more
Matt Harmon joined Yahoo Fantasy Plus subscribers on Thursday for AMA on our brand-new, invite-only Discord server. This is the latest exclusive benefit for Yahoo Fantasy Plus subscribers. Wondering what you missed? Don't worry, we have highlights from the session below. Make sure you don't miss out on the next expert AMA. Get $10 off your subscription for a limited time and unlock the invite-only Discord, premium draft tools, player projections and more with Yahoo Fantasy Plus. Advertisement Editor's note: In some instances, questions and answers have been edited slightly for readability. Question: Which rookies are going to be fantasy relevant this year? Matt's answer: Tons of RBs! Ashton Jeanty will be a Round 1 pick, tons of volume available with the Raiders and a proven run-first coach. Kaleb Johnson should start right away and fits the Steelers zone-heavy system. Quinshon Judkins will also likely start for the Browns but ... how many TDs are they gonna score? Lastly, RJ Harvey is already your favorite fantasy analyst's top rookie "sleeper" RB. Question: Any tips for someone who's doing fantasy football for the first time? Matt's answer: Don't be too overly bought into consensus opinion. Outliers win you championships, so don;t be afraid to lean into volatile players with unknowns. Also, have fun and don't let it stress you out. Question: What receivers and running backs not in the first or second round do you feel good about? Matt's answer: If Rashee Rice avoids suspension and is healthy entering the season, he is going to catch 100+ passes. Ricky Pearsall is a much deeper sleeper this year. Much deeper down the list — and may not get drafted — is Jack Bech, rookie from the Raiders. Big slot who fits with what Chip Kelly wants to do and was one of my favorite prospects. Advertisement [Get $10 off Yahoo Fantasy Plus & unlock premium tools, our invite-only Discord & more] RB wise, Kaleb Johnson is among rookies and I've taken shots on. Both Tank Bigsby and Bhayshul Tuten in Jacksonville with Liam Coen bringing a revived run game in. I generally think Travis Etienne Jr. is on the downhill. Also, if Aaron Jones gets banged up, Jordan Mason was 2nd in the NFL in rushing yards last year in Weeks 1-7. We know he can play and the Vikings just beefed up their interior OL. Question: What's your routine like to prepare to make all this fantasy content? Matt's answer: High protein breakfast right after waking, walk 40+ mins right after and stretch for 10+ mins after. Advertisement On a serious note, my main thing right now is charting as many WRs as possible for Reception Perception, keeping up with the news and working on full projections for every player by July. Question: Who are you lower on this coming year vs consensus rankings? Matt's answer: I am not trying to draft into many Dolphins this year and therefore lower on Tyreek Hill. Trying to be a year early on the decline than late. Also not convinced DJ Moore should be the consensus 39th overall ranked player and none of the other Chicago pass catchers are inside the top 80. Question: Will either Puka Nacua or Davante Adams reach 1,000 yards if they both (and Matthew Stafford) stay healthy? Who is a better pick at their current ADP? Advertisement Matt's answer: I am drafting both at ADP, I think Puka should rank higher because he's in his prime and has played in the offense before. Both can reach 1K yards in this offense but more importantly, more than enough scoring opportunities to go around. Question: Who is your hardest player to rank or project this far out from the season? Matt's answer: Always volatile projections are players coming off injury. Brandon Aiyuk is a good example. Top 10 WR in the NFL when playing at full health but when is that gonna be? Question: I'm the only person in my league who hasn't won a fantasy football championship — any advice? Advertisement Matt's answer: Draft into more upside and take more risks this year. Question: Who is your favorite sleeper WR for this upcoming season? Matt's answer: Ricky Pearsall is a great bet this season as is Kyle Williams — the rookie WR for the New England Patriots with Drake Maye ready to rock in Year 2. Question: So, it sounds like an easy Pearsall > Jauan Jennings in SF for you? Matt's answer: Not necessarily but Pearsall goes last among 49ers WRs in drafts, so he's the bet I like to make right now. Big fan of his ability to separate and play multiple roles in SF. Question: which round of drafts do you see the talent dropoff at wide receiver this year? Advertisement Matt's answer: WR29 looks like a cliff to me right now where we start to get into some really shaky profiles. There will be hits from this range but the certainty decreases. Question: Is Roman Wilson a lock to be the WR2 in Pittsburgh? Matt's answer: Nah I don't think so. I was lower on him as a prospect and he did nothing as a rookie. They like Calvin Austin a good bit. Not sure a WR2 even matters in Pittsburgh for fantasy. Question: Do you have any must-draft players yet? Matt's answer: A little too early for me to have "must-draft" players, but I am really into Rome Odunze outside of the top 35 WRs. Much better player than the rookie stats show. Question: What A your thoughts on Jaxon Smith-Njigba? Advertisement Matt's answer: Finishing top 5 in the NFL in receiving yards is within his range of outcomes. Better man-coverage player than people think and can play outside. New offense in Seattle is definitely a variable to consider but generally want to bet on young ascending WRs, especially guys who are clearly the WR1 on their team. Question: Do you think Bech will get meaningful targets this year? Matt's answer: I do. Wide open WR room with Jakobi Meyers the only proven guy and he lined up inside on only 33% of snaps last year. Plenty of room for Bech to be the big slot and win on horizontal routes. Question: Where do you see Travis Hunter going in drafts? Advertisement Matt's answer: I have him ranked around WR30ish in drafts and I think that's where he will go. He is such an fantastic WR prospect and I love Liam Coen's offense based on what we saw last year. Question: Are you waiting on QB or paying up for a top-tier name? Matt's answer: If I can't get Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, Jayden Daniels — all of whom I think are elite Round 3 picks — I will wait. Question: How big do you think the Ben Johnson/Liam Cohen exits will effect the Lions and Bucs for fantasy? Matt's answer: Big losses but I trust Dan Campbell, who is a bigger part of the offense than people credit, to keep it a strong unit. We do have a podcast episode coming on this topic in the next month or so, keep an eye out for that. Think we see a small downgrade in Tampa but still a lot of talent. 🎯 Ready to unlock your full fantasy potential? Remember, spots in the Discord channel are limited to Yahoo Fantasy Plus subscribers. And this is just the latest in an exciting series of Yahoo Fantasy Plus upgrades to help you crush the competition. Advertisement Now's your chance to gain an edge — get $10 off your Yahoo Fantasy Plus subscription for a limited time. Need help? Visit our FAQs to learn more.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Travis Hunter drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars with the No. 2 pick: Fantasy football fallout
Fantasy football managers released a collective sigh of relief when the Cleveland Browns pulled off a shocking trade, moving down from the No. 2 overall pick. They collected a king's ransom from Jacksonville, who selected the player considered the very best in the draft. Colorado's do-it-all superstar, Travis Hunter, is a member of the Jaguars. Now, as much as we might be excited at the prospect of Travis Hunter being paired with Brian Thomas Jr., we do have to wonder if Jacksonville wants to use Hunter at corner for a substantial amount of snaps. If they do, that will undoubtedly cut into his fantasy football value, no matter how excited we are about him as a wideout. Here's what new Jags head coach Liam Cohen had to say about Hunter's future: 'We'll have a plan right now of [him] primarily on offense with learning the defensive system and practicing on the defensive side of the ball as well throughout this offseason program,' Coen said. 'As we continue to grow, we have to be fluid throughout this whole process.' Nonetheless, Yahoo Fantasy analyst Andy Behrens is excited about Hunter landing with the Jaguars — giving the pick an A for fantasy fit with this rationale: Jacksonville entered the night with clear needs in the secondary and the receiving room, and they managed to address both in a single pick, via a mega-blockbuster trade. Phew. It's hard to not admire the move. Hunter is a massively talented receiving prospect, a tremendous fit for Liam Coen's offense. Hunter is one of the most unique prospects the NFL has ever seen, the buzz around the Heisman winner never falling. He's even been compared to Shohei Ohtani in MLB as a two-way cheat code (which is probably unfair to both players). [Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2025 NFL season] Now, all of our collective attention will turn to how Hunter is deployed — whether as a full-time receiver, a wideout who receives a package of cornerback snaps, or if he'll really try to play both ways week in and week out. Nonetheless, let's remember just how different Hunter truly is, as told by Yahoo Fantasy analyst and Reception Perception creator, Matt Harmon: Travis Hunter is in a tier of his own Obviously, Travis Hunter is more than just a wide receiver. He's one of the best pure football players that's ever taken the college field. This should not be a hot take! He won the Heisman because he was the best cornerback in the nation and the best wideout in the nation. Hunter is also the top prospect at both positions in this class. As just a wide receiver, Hunter is an absolutely ludicrous player with limitless potential, especially since he was rarely in offensive meetings at Colorado. He separates with ease despite not being fully evolved as a route runner, has a great and varied set of release moves, wins contested catches, possesses A+ ball-tracking skills and rarely goes down on first contact with the ball in his hands. Hunter is difficult to rank for fantasy football, dynasty or anything of the sort. We simply don't know what his allocation of snaps will be at the NFL level. Anyone putting their chest out with confidence on this is just exercising some performative bluster. What I know for sure is that he's one of my favorite wideouts I've ever evaluated and we should all know by now not to put limits on special football players. If you don't think Hunter has already shown himself to be a special football player, I'm sorry, but you're just a hater for contrarian's sake — simple as that. — Matt Harmon
