Dynasty Fantasy Football: Pre-Combine Rookie Wide Receiver Rankings for 2025

For most leagues, fantasy football season ended a little over a month ago.

For some, the fun is largely just beginning. "Dynasty" or "keeper" fantasy football leagues are becoming more popular as NFL fans shift to a year-long, macro outlook of the league by retaining their favorites stars and players every year.

The most important aspect of these leagues is the yearly rookie draft. You'll cut a few underperformers from the roster to make room for incoming rookies as the potential stars of tomorrow. Just last season, teams could have gone from the bottom of the league to the top with selections of Jayden Daniels, Bucky Irving, or Ladd McConkey.

Last year's class featured two generational prospects at wide receiver -- and two others who produced like them. 2025's class is definitely a downgrade. While a common name rises to the top, there is a lot of uncertainty behind him. How should we rank the incoming wideouts before seeing them run in Indianapolis?

Dynasty 2025 Rookie Wide Receiver Rankings

1. Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona

If there's a "safe bet" a team might make in Round 1 of this so-so wide receiver class, it's Tetairoa McMillan of the Arizona Wildcats.

I've been somewhat slanderous of McMillan since my first mock draft in January, but I don't want to critique anyone that puts him at the top of this class. It's just not strong enough to make any sort of definitive claim.

The 6'5", lanky wideout has unusual fluidity for his size -- and the catch radius and ability to win jump balls that you'd expect from it. He's also not been injured at UA. Recent success of Mike Evans and Drake London lead a path for him, but I don't see that level of athleticism or fluidity.

Moreover, Tet failed to eclipse 80 receiving yards against any of the Big 12's top-four passing offenses. Travis Hunter locked him down to 5 catches for 33 yards. It's a concern from a weaker conference.

Though he'll surely be a solid red zone target anywhere, pending early draft capital is why I've got McMillan as the WR1 here. He'll almost certainly step into a top role for whoever takes the plunge.

2. Tre Harris, Ole Miss

Spicy generally isn't good in scouting spheres. Scouts are good at what they do. I'm very spicy with my ranking of Tre Harris.

There might be medical concerns with Harris, but I'm not sure how his name isn't in the mix for the top wideout in this pedestrian class. In 2024, he became the first Power 4 player ever to post over 5.00 yards per route run (YPRR) with a minimum of 200 routes.

The big-bodied wideout isn't down on speed or downfield playmaking at the cost of size, which brings him into the Courtland Sutton or Tee Higgins mold as an NFL player.

I've got Harris at #23 overall on my 2025 NFL Draft big board, which is five spots ahead of McMillan (28th). I see a special talent if four (or really five given an early exit) missed games in 2024 aren't a sign of things to come from a durability perspective.

He might not be drafted with McMillan's immediate targets in mind, which is why he's just my WR2 in dynasty settings.

3. Luther Burden III, Missouri

In early 2025 lookaheads, I ranked Luther Burden III above McMillan, but there's no doubt that 2024's drop in production was worrisome.

Burden III caught 86 passes for 1,221 yards in 2023, but those numbers declined to 66 balls for just 676 yards this past year. The Missouri Tigers' passing offense declined as a whole with Brady Cook's ankle injury, but downfield threat Theo Wease Jr. (who is also in the draft) saw a 202-yard increase in his receiving totals.

That's particularly concerning given LB3's archetype at the next level.

In theory, the 5'11" speedster should be somewhat quarterback-proof with easy, short-range targets. There's no denying his speed or playmaking in tight spaces, right? It's just odd how his season played out.

I had a high enough prior evaluation on Burden III to not destroy him for 2024 when rumors of a shoulder injury exist. He's my WR3 at 30th overall.

4. Matthew Golden, Texas

I'll admit that prospects like Matthew Golden are terrifying.

Golden isn't a true "process-only" riser when his ascent began in college football's postseason, but ranking a guy as a WR4 in this class after just 58 catches is a bit unnerving.

However, as the opposite of McMillan, Golden showed up when it mattered. He averaged 97.6 receiving yards per game between the Texas Longhorns' three CFP contests and two matchups with a stout Georgia Bulldogs team loaded with NFL talent. The last contest even came on a pitch count due to a foot issue.

Competition was a real issue in a run-first Texas offense when NFL Draft entrants Isaiah Bond and Gunnar Helm soaked up targets, but Golden's great hands, route running, deceptive speed, and general glide are reminiscent of Chris Olave.

Similar to Olave, Golden's 13 "deep" catches were 15th in FBS this year, according to Pro Football Focus (PFF). He's an outstanding WR2 prospect that'll likely end up with a team that was in playoff contention.

5. Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State

Olave's name -- or Garrett Wilson, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Marvin Harrison Jr., and others -- is a reason why many wideout-needy teams could look Emeka Egbuka's way.

There's no doubt that Ryan Day and the Ohio State Buckeyes can pick them, but Egbuka is an interesting case. He never really popped like those four, staying through his senior campaign and failing to eclipse 1,200 receiving yards in any individual season. He's 22 years old entering the draft.

Around them, Egbuka has primarily operated out of the slot. He ran 81.1% of his routes from that area of the field this season. It's apples and oranges when the first four guys mentioned typically win outside.

His ideal landing spot is probably a team with a defined "X" receiver that wins outside. The Pittsburgh Steelers with George Pickens come to mind. There's no doubt that he can contribute in that role -- especially in dynasty PPR formats -- right away.

6. Elic Ayomanor, Stanford

One game can change a prospect's trajectory. Some scouts -- and wannabes like me -- are holding an October 2023 performance by Elic Ayomanor in such high regard that he'll likely be a Day 2 pick.

Ayomanor torched projected top-five pick Travis Hunter and the Colorado Buffaloes, in one-on-one man coverage, for 13 catches, 294 yards, and 3 touchdowns. That showed his ceiling in the right matchup getting the ball consistently.

That was just the problem with the Stanford Cardinal, though. Putting his education before transfer dollars, he put up with Ashton Daniels' 49.9 QBR in 2024 but still managed to record 63 catches, 831 yards, and 6 touchdowns. His target share (32.1%; 15th in FBS) shows it wasn't a total product of force-feeding, either.

The 6'2" Canadian could leap into the end of the first round with an impressive combine as we see him next to these big-school receivers.

7. Jayden Higgins, Iowa State

The Iowa State Cyclones were runner-ups in the Big 12 out of nowhere thanks to their prolific wideout duo. Both will be drafted fairly early in May.

I've got Jayden Higgins the higher ranked of the two. Higgins' 6'4" frame is awesome, and he took a leap to lead the 'Clones in target share (33.3%) and targets per game (11.5) this season. From a production standpoint, his 1,183 receiving yards and 9 touchdowns also led the club, and he was 10th among qualifiers across FBS in YPRR (2.66).

Now, Higgins isn't quite the burner of his teammate to come, and he doesn't create much after the catch. This is also a great reminder that he, McMillan, and several names to come faced significantly worse defensive backs in the Big 12, too.

Higgins is a good prospect, ranking 70th percentile or better in all of PlayerProfiler's major categories. I'd just like to see "elite" in something from Indianapolis.

8. Jack Bech, TCU

North Dakota State guard Grey Zabel is the only one that has an argument over Jack Bech in terms of big Senior Bowl winners.

Just a month or so after his brother was tragically involved in the New Orleans terrorist attack in January, Bech absolutely balled at the exhibition in Mobile that many dub "the start of draft season". He caught a walkoff touchdown at the buzzer to cap a great week.

Now, Bech is no charity case. He can play, posting 2.44 YPRR for a challenged Texas Christian Horned Frogs passing offense with a minimal 1.6% drop rate. His blocking skills are lauded as some of the best in the draft as the NFL pass rate declines annually.

Puka Nacua's breakout won't let do-it-all, gritty wideouts go under the radar anymore. Expect Bech to have won over a general manager come Day 2 of the draft.

9. Jaylin Noel, Iowa State

Here's our other ISU wide receiver, Jaylin Noel.

Noel was no slouch himself, earning 8.7 targets per game (27.9%). While that was a step behind Higgins, his yards per reception (14.9) were greater, and he was virtually identical in YPRR (2.62).

Intriguingly, Noel (92 targets) was well ahead of Higgins (80) in 2023, which could be as simple as Rocco Becht's improved comfort throwing outside the numbers. Noel ran at least a 66.6% of his routes from the slot in the last two seasons -- which you'd expect from the 5'11" guy.

Whichever of these two wideouts goes first might just depend on teams' needs. In general, Higgins' outside role is harder to find, so I've got him ranked first. If Noel ends up the more productive wideout, it wouldn't be a huge surprise.

10. Jalen Royals, Utah State

Scouting has come a long way when Group of 5 products are now afforded "down" years.

Jalen Royals came onto many radars after 1,080 receiving yards and 15 scores for the Utah State Aggies in 2023. It's unknown why he didn't transfer, but the real issue was a season-ending foot injury that limited him to just seven games.

This season, he was on pace to shatter his 2023 numbers and ranked 10th among FBS qualifiers in YPRR (2.95). This is no small-school overachiever, either. At 6'0", 205 pounds, he's got quality size for the next level -- and a ridiculous highlight package.

If Ashton Jeanty is going to be this class' top running back by a mile from the Mountain West, Royals should be getting more love than he is. He checks every box except level of competition.

11. Tai Felton, Maryland

Tai Felton of the Maryland Terrapins had himself a year.

In a surprise to many, Maryland's pass-heavy offense (58.8% rate) was fine. Billy Edwards Jr. (58.3 QBR; 68th in FBS) was able to provide average quarterback play to allow Felton a senior-year breakout. He leapt from 48 catches to 96 and topped the 1,000-yard mark (1,124) after just 726 receiving yards in 2023.

Notably, Felton could be a Day 2 pick over some of the names we mentioned so far because he, like Higgins, has that boundary-receiver profile. He's 6'2" and played 71.2% of his snaps out wide, which is why I'm willing to forgive a lower YPRR (2.35) considering Edwards' limitations making those tougher throws. The Big Ten also has better NFL secondary talent.

The combine will be crucial to his potential rise up the board. He's only 21 despite four years in college, so high-end measurables could go a long way to helping him separate in this gaggle behind Egbuka.

12. Xavier Restrepo, Miami (FL)

If Noel and Egbuka are too rich for a contender with other needs, Xavier Restrepo is a high-floor contributor from the slot that'll almost certainly deliver.

Restrepo's 22.3% target share isn't as high as some of these other prospects, but that's because projected top pick Cam Ward would regularly create big plays down the field. A 90.1% slot rate for Restrepo this season tells you what you're getting.

Personally, he's got the best hands in the class, per a 2.8% drop rate against better competition than Big 12 corners. That was two total drops all year. He was third in FBS with 1,038 yards from the slot this past season.

There's a ceiling with Restrepo, but this isn't a class with a lot of premium talent. He's the perfect garnish to an existing foundation at receiver.

13. Tez Johnson, Oregon

One of the marquee stories of the Senior Bowl was Tez Johnson from the Oregon Ducks getting open. Like all the time.

Johnson's inspiring story is worth a click, but that buries the headline of an awesome player. He stunted high-profile transfer Evan Stewart to lead the Ducks in target share (22.9%) and YPRR (2.60).

At 5'10" and a mere 165 pounds, Johnson is a burner with excellent lateral quickness that does a phenomenal job getting open downfield. He was tied for 13th in screen catches (30), too.

The height is less of a concern than the frame; he's listed 40ish pounds lighter than Luther Burden III's similar size and archetype.

At the exact measurements of Tank Dell, some will say the Houston Texans' wideout makes for a case to draft the playmaker, but Dell has also battled severe injuries in each of his first two seasons. A team will roll the dice on Day 3 -- and could be rewarded with a fun time in the short term.

14. Ricky White III, UNLV

I'd have loved to see Ricky White III in a real offense.

White has extreme production deficiencies because the UNLV Rebels' pass rate (35.3%) was sixth-lowest in the country. He still had a lion's share of UNLV's rare work through the air. How about a 44.0% target share and 10.2 looks per game?

That still merited 2.93 YPRR, which is on par with our other guys. He has extensive experience blocking experience from his offense, too; it's just not always great results with a 190-pound frame.

At 6'1", White is an outside receiver. He played 65.5% of his snaps out wide, winning frequently to earn an uncatchable ball or the signal-caller to not even look his way. He also had seven drops in 2024, which I attribute to a lack of rhythm.

In terms of small-school guys on Day 3, White III is my favorite. The Michigan State Spartans transfer has been making huge plays with very little help for a while now.

15. Nick Nash, San Jose State

I'm sorry, I know the Mountain West isn't anyone's best NFL proving ground, but the slander Nick Nash gets in draft circles is ludicrous in this class begging for a hidden gem.

In 2024, Nash won college football's "triple crown" for the San Jose State Spartans by leading all wide receivers in receptions (104), receiving yards (1,382), and touchdowns (16).

However, his 37.3% target share was third in the nation, and San Jose State's pass rate (64.2%) did lead FBS. There was a volume component to his raw numbers.

But, it's not like efficiency was bad. Nash still posted an 82.5 PFF grade and was 17th in YPRR (2.70) across the country.

He is a slot receiver, logging 91.5% of his snaps this year from that area of the field. However, he's 6'3" and 195 pounds with a unique frame for somewhere that excelled there. That's more like what we see from Chris Godwin in the NFL.

"Babytron" isn't Godwin, but I'm always going to bank on extreme college production as the game becomes more and more similar at the next level.

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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.