• Nico Collins fights for the highest spot: Collins has the very best receiving grade during the last two seasons, and a wholesome season may vault him to the highest general spot.
• Tetairoa McMillan lands within the high 20: The highest general receiver from the 2025 draft class ought to be closely concerned in his rookie season, however his touchdown spot may restrict his early manufacturing.
• 2025 NFL Draft season is right here: Strive PFF’s best-in-class Mock Draft Simulator and study 2025’s high prospects whereas buying and selling and drafting to your favourite NFL crew.
Estimated studying time: 13 minutes
With the conclusion of the 2024 NFL season, these way-too-early 2025 fantasy soccer rankings are an preliminary have a look at how gamers might be ranked this summer season.
Participant motion in free company could have a major issue on the rankings. For now, gamers anticipated to be unrestricted free brokers are marked as free brokers within the crew column.
These rankings are for redraft PPR leagues.
Final Up to date: 7:00 a.m Monday, February 3
Tier 1: The secure elite choices
There are many thrilling younger huge receivers within the league, however Chase and Jefferson stay in a category of their very own. The 2 completed first and second in fantasy factors and fantasy factors per recreation final season.
Chase has solely graded as a top-10 receiver over the previous two years, however his quantity makes up for any floor he’s given up in high quality of play. His 709 routes run have been the second-most for all huge receivers, simply behind Jerry Jeudy, and 40 greater than the third-best receiver. The Bengals allowed the seventh-most factors final season, and so long as they don’t have a terrific protection, they might want to go the ball loads. He’s additionally enjoying with one of the best passer within the league and stability in his teaching employees. The one concern with him that isn’t true for different elite receivers is the opportunity of a holdout, however his holdout this previous season didn’t impression his play.
Jefferson was the second-best receiver in fantasy manufacturing regardless of having the worst season of his profession by PFF grade. He’s averaged at the least 18 PPR factors per recreation every of the final 4 seasons, whereas no different huge receiver has achieved that in additional than two of the earlier 4 seasons. Jefferson’s 2.50 yards per route run was one of the best among the many 56 huge receivers with at the least 400 routes. He has related stability in his teaching employees, and he ought to have an equal or higher quarterback play subsequent season with both J.J. McCarthy or Sam Darnold.
Tier 2: A case for the general WR1
If every part goes effectively, the 4 huge receivers on this tier all have a respectable case to be the highest general fantasy huge receiver. Lamb has probably the most fantasy factors during the last two seasons mixed, whereas St. Brown has the third-most, behind Tyreek Hill. Each gamers stay across the age the place huge receivers peak, so each ought to proceed to play at an elite degree.
Whereas Lamb and St. Brown are comparatively secure, Collins and Nacua match extra of a high-risk, high-reward class. They rank first and second in PFF receiving grade during the last two seasons. They each common greater than 2.9 yards per route run over that point, whereas no different receiver is above 2.7. The primary drawback is that each gamers missed important quantities of time during the last two seasons. Nacua missed six video games and performed a part-time function in one other three video games this previous yr, whereas Collins missed a number of video games every of the final two seasons.
For Collins, it’s at present unclear who will likely be his offensive coordinator and the way a lot competitors he could have for targets with Stefon Diggs as a free agent and Tank Dell injured. For Nacua, there’s a concern that Matthew Stafford may additional regress or retire. It’s at present extra probably that Nacua could have worse quarterback play in 2025 in comparison with 2024 and 2023 quite than higher. With each huge receivers, their rankings may fluctuate relying on what occurs over the following few months.
Tier 3: Probably the most thrilling younger receivers
This tier contains the highest two rookie receivers from 2024, one of the best receivers coming into their third season outdoors of Nacua, and A.J. Brown, who’s a transparent top-10 choice however lacks the identical upside because the tier-two gamers given the Eagles run-first offense.
Nabers and Thomas have been the 2 rookies to attain a goal per route above 24% of their rookie season, they usually had the very best receiving grades of the category. Nabers will ideally have a greater quarterback this season, whereas Thomas ought to profit from having Liam Coen as offensive coordinator. We must always anticipate extra adjustments to each offenses this offseason, which may transfer these huge receivers up a tier or down one.
Smith-Njigba was the seventh-best fantasy huge receiver during the last 10 weeks of the season after a slot first season and a half of his profession. The Seahawks modified offensive coordinators, however that ideally gained’t considerably impression Smith-Njigba’s manufacturing. The Denver Broncos and San Francisco 49ers ranked greater in receiving yards from huge receivers within the slot within the yr they’d Kubiak on employees in comparison with the yr earlier than and after Kubiak.
Rice rounds out the tier. The Chiefs huge receiver has averaged 18.1 PPR factors per recreation over his final 13 full video games, together with the playoffs since he repeatedly performed at the least 60% of offensive snaps. His receiving grade is Twelfth-best over the earlier two seasons, and his quarterback scenario is much superior to the opposite younger receivers on this tier. There’s nonetheless a danger he will likely be suspended, however ideally, it might be to start the 2025 season, not impacting fantasy groups through the playoffs. He’s probably the most high-risk, high-reward participant within the tier.
Tier 4: The clear WR1s
The huge receivers on this tier can all be high huge receivers on their crew. Everybody on this tier completed among the many high 21 in fantasy factors per recreation final season besides McMillan and Hill, who was proper round that vary at any time when Tua Tagovailoa was wholesome. Hill’s glorious 2023 offers extra hope for him than different huge receivers who had a down season.
McMillan would be the most intriguing participant of the tier because the clear high huge receiver within the draft class. Most mock drafts have him chosen within the high 10 picks, mostly to the New England Patriots at 4, Las Vegas Raiders at six or New York Jets at seven. Eight huge receivers have been chosen within the high 10 during the last seven drafts. Three have completed among the many high 15 fantasy huge receivers of their rookie season, whereas the opposite 5 have ranked outdoors of the highest 30. The issue is any crew with a top-10 decide sometimes doesn’t have a terrific offense, and a first-round receiver isn’t sometimes sufficient to show issues round in a single season. McMillan might be the clear-cut high receiver for the Patriots with Drake Maye at quarterback, however he is also combating for targets with Brock Bowers or Garrett Wilson with a below-average quarterback.
McConkey is the second-most fascinating huge receiver within the tier. After a sluggish begin to the season, he averaged 17.8 fantasy factors per recreation from Weeks 8-18. He adopted that up with 9 receptions, 197 yards and one landing efficiency within the playoffs. The priority is that McConkey didn’t have a lot competitors for touches, which ought to change this offseason. The Chargers have the sixth-most cap area, which may result in upgrades at working again, huge receiver and tight finish. Los Angeles ideally gained’t want McConkey to obtain as a lot quantity.
Tier 5: Modifications are coming
There are various the reason why huge receivers may be discovered on this tier. The vary of outcomes for gamers on this tier contains top-10 finishes or ending outdoors the highest 40, however the almost definitely case is that these gamers will likely be dependable weekly starters.
The one younger huge receivers within the tier are Harrison, Burden and Egbuka. Each are anticipated to be mid-to-late first-round picks. Their odds of touchdown in a terrific offense are higher than McMillian’s, however they’re additionally extra probably to not be the highest choice of their respective offense. Even when they change into No. 2 choices their rookie season, there are many examples of groups having two elite fantasy choices at huge receiver, most lately with the Cincinnati Bengals.
Aiyuk, Olave and Godwin ended the 2024 season on injured reserve however ranked within the high 20 in PFF receiving grade during the last two seasons. Olave, Adams, Metcalf and Pickens are all topics of commerce rumors. Even when a few of these receivers stay on their present crew, a number of huge receivers on this tier could have a brand new head coach or new offensive coordinator. This offseason’s potential adjustments will result in a really completely different order of those 12 gamers in a number of months.
Tier 6: One of the best second choices
Many of the huge receivers on this tier are anticipated to be the second-best choice on their crew.
Kupp and Samuel are the 2 oldest within the group at 31 and 29 years previous, respectively. Each had down seasons however have been top-24 fantasy choices in 2023 and top-three in 2021. It’s cheap to anticipate their decline to proceed, however there may be at the least an opportunity they will flip their profession again round for another season.
For many of the huge receivers on this tier, their ceiling is capped as a result of there are too many different good choices on their crew. Each huge receiver on this tier apart from Kupp and Golden performs for groups with top-10 fantasy tight finish choices heading into 2025. Gamers like Addison and Williams appear to be rising in expertise, however constant goal quantity will make each gamers dangerous.
The one huge receivers on this listing who’re penciled in to be the highest huge receivers on their crew are Flowers and Jeudy. Flowers is a dangerous WR3 due to what number of video games he merely disappeared within the offense. There have been six video games the place he was held to 6 targets or much less for beneath 35 receiving yards and no touchdowns in Ravens victories. Whereas he was extra concerned within the Ravens’ losses and the opposite half of their wins, there isn’t a lot room for him to be a much bigger a part of the offense. If something, the Ravens may usher in one other huge receiver worthy of extra targets than this previous yr. As for Jeudy, he was glorious down the stretch this previous yr, however his ascension largely coincided with Jameis Winston turning into the quarterback, the Amari Cooper commerce, and Cedric Tillman being injured. Any enhancements the Browns make on offense may result in fewer routes run wanted by Jeudy and a decrease goal share.
Tier 7: The lottery tickets
Many of the huge receivers on this tier match into one in every of three teams.
The primary group is comprised of veteran huge receivers who’re both on the lookout for a brand new crew or are on a crew that may look very completely different in 2025 than it did in 2024. Diggs, Allen and Cooper are all slated to hit free company, and it wouldn’t be stunning if any of them change groups. Godwin was within the high 10 in fantasy factors per recreation this season earlier than his damage, Allen was high three in 2023, and Cooper was high 20 in 2023. All three will likely be 29 years previous or older by subsequent season and are both coming off a down season or injured season, however there may be at the least an opportunity they will bounce again. Ridley, Meyers and Mooney are probably staying with their present groups however could have completely different quarterbacks for 2025 than they’d for many of 2024.
A number of slot receivers are on this tier, together with Reed, Shakir, Downs, Allen and Pearsall. Whereas this listing contains among the high slot receivers from latest seasons, none have been main gamers in two huge receiver units this previous season. Whereas a number of huge receivers who primarily play within the slot completed within the high 30 in fantasy factors per recreation final season, all of them additionally performed on the skin in two huge receiver units. These gamers could be a third choice in leagues that begin three huge receivers, however their roles restrict their upside.
The opposite huge receivers are both rookies or huge receivers coming into their second season. 4 rookies made this tier, whereas Odunze, Coleman, McMillan and Pearsall are coming into their second season. The second-year gamers are all in conditions with important competitors for touches, however there’s a probability anybody may change into the highest choice on their crew by the top of the season. On the whole, it’s good to have at the least a number of huge receivers that you realize you can begin every week, however drafting at the least a number of of those younger huge receivers late is superb in case they get away.
