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4 Best Late-Round Wide Receiver Picks for 2025 Fantasy Football Drafts

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4 Best Late-Round Wide Receiver Picks for 2025 Fantasy Football Drafts

Particularly with most leagues moving away from "standard" scoring in favor of half-PPR and PPR formats, wide receiver remains the deepest position in fantasy football with plenty of intriguing options available even as we get to the later rounds.

Let's look at four late-round wide receivers who could outperform their average draft position (ADP), per FantasyPros' consensus ADP data.

Best Late-Round Wide Receiver Picks in Fantasy Football

Ricky Pearsall, 49ers

ADP: 106.3 (WR45)

The stars are aligning for Ricky Pearsall, who could open the season as the San Francisco 49ers' top wideout practically by default.

Brandon Aiyuk still has no timetable for his return, Deebo Samuel is no longer on the team, and Jauan Jennings just got sidelined by a calf injury this week.

Of course, Pearsall needs to stay healthy himself after just recovering from a hamstring issue, but if he does, there's little to block his way to amassing a big role in an offense that's typically flourished.

While Pearsall had an unremarkable rookie campaign, he finished on a high note, scoring 24.7 and 15.9 half-PPR points in his Weeks 17-18. During this stretch, he posted a 23.1% target share, 31.7% air yards share, 78.7% route rate, and 83.5% snap rate, per NFL Next Gen Stats. This bump coincided with Aiyuk being on injured reserve and Samuel seeing one target in Week 17 and sitting out Week 18, so this ought to be the kind of usage Pearsall sees to begin the year.

As the 31st pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Pearsall also has the draft pedigree to support taking a step forward in Year 2, particularly considering his rookie development was stunted by a gunshot wound that held him out until Week 7. If Jennings' injury continues to keep him sidelined, Pearsall could start to creep up draft boards, but he's an easy click at this ADP.

Josh Downs, Colts

ADP: 118.3 (WR48)

Like all Indianapolis Colts pass-catchers, Josh Downs' 2025 campaign hinges on how the Colts' QB competition shakes out, whether it's Daniel Jones providing a bounce-back campaign, Anthony Richardson taking a step forward -- or neither one panning out.

Further, Downs faces additional hurdles when it comes to snaps and targets. His nearly full-time role out of slot tends to keep him off the field in 12 personnel behind Michael Pittman Jr. and Alec Pierce, and rookie tight end Tyler Warren will add another mouth to feed in the passing attack.

Still, all this is already factored into his modest ADP, and if we see improved quarterback play and meatier usage, Downs' production could soar above this WR48 draft cost.

From an efficiency standpoint, it's easy to like what Downs did in 2024. Despite logging a 65.5% snap rate and 70.5% route rate that trailed Pittman and Pierce, Downs managed a 25.6% target share and averaged 7.6 targets per game. Among players with at least 50 targets, Downs ranked 17th in yards per route run (2.20) and 11th in receiving grade (85.1), per PFF.

Downs was more productive with Joe Flacco under center compared to Richardson, though. In seven games with Flacco playing the majority of snaps, Downs averaged 11.9 half-PPR points, 9.4 targets, 7.1 receptions, and 66.4 receiving yards per game. On the other hand, in games with Richardson, he averaged 10.3 points, 6.3 targets, 3.5 receptions, and 55.8 yards per game.

While we shouldn't expect Jones to sling it all over the place quite like Flacco, he seems like the more likely candidate to elevate Downs' outlook, making him the preferred winner in training camp.

However, even if it ends up being Richardson starting Week 1, this ADP is a low bar for Downs to jump over after already putting up WR3 numbers in 2024. HIs 6.4 aDOT makes him more valuable in PPR leagues, but last year's promising metrics should still have him on the radar in other formats.

Rashid Shaheed, Saints

ADP: 160.0 (WR59)

Like others on this list, Rashid Shaheed's outlook suffers from an uncertain New Orleans Saints quarterback situation and low overall expectations. Still, garbage-time points still count just the same in fantasy football.

Shaheed's 2024 campaign was shortened due to a knee injury, but his 2.04 yards per route run placed him inside the top 30 among receivers with at least 40 targets. Over his six games, he displayed an encouraging role through a 24.4% target share, 48.3% air yards share, and 83.5% route rate.

His 17.2 aDOT was both a blessing and a curse, as he scored 14.8, 18.9, 0.0, 13.7, 16.6, and 1.8 half-PPR points. While the booms were great as a deep threat, any added variety to his role under new coach Kellen Moore could lift his floor. Shaheed also had six rushes last season, and keeping that in the playbook would further help his fantasy profile.

As is, he was producing as a WR3 and borderline WR2 last year -- albeit over a small sample -- yet here he is barely cracking the top-60 wideouts. While it remains to be seen whether any of New Orlean's QBs will be keep this offense afloat, anything close to what Shaheed achieved in 2024 would be a smashing success at this cost.

Cedric Tillman, Browns

ADP: 170.5 (WR66)

After Amari Cooper was traded away by the Cleveland Browns, Cedric Tillman stepped into a starting role and flourished over four games before a Week 12 concussion ended his campaign.

During this stretch, Tillman averaged 15.1 half-PPR points, 10.0 targets, 6.0 receptions, 75.5 receiving yards, and 0.8 touchdowns per game with a 22.2% target share, 31.4% air yards share, 91.3% snap rate, and 89.8% route rate. He also earned a 75.2 PFF receiving grade in that sample, which would've placed him just outside the top 30 wideouts (minimum 50 targets) over a full season.

While we have to acknowledge that three of those games came with Jameis Winston chucking it 40+ times, Tillman's usage was excellent. Further, the offseason chatter has been positive, as he's reportedly a "locked-in starter" for 2025, and the Browns have "big plans" for him.

Tillman will more or less have the same competition for targets with Jerry Jeudy and tight end David Njoku both back and Elijah Moore effectively being swapped for Diontae Johnson. Johnson has some name value, but after burning bridges with three different teams in 2024 and signing a contract with zero guaranteed money, he's unlikely to be a serious threat to Tillman's outlook.

Of course, Cleveland is expected to be one of the NFL's worst teams in 2025, and their crowded quarterback room is a total wild card. Outside of Joe Flacco, who we can feel fairly confident in for fantasy after solid fill-in stints the past two seasons, it's hard to say what we would get out of Kenny Pickett, Shedeur Sanders, or Dillon Gabriel. Add in what's likely to be a lackluster offensive line, and this offense might sputter regardless of who's at the helm.

Even so, the cost is basically nothing for a player who should be a full-time starter and showed promising usage last season.


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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.

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