This past fantasy football season was one for the record books in terms of rookie wide receivers. In PPR formats, five first-year receivers found their way inside the top 35 at the position in total points. Brian Thomas Jr. of the Jacksonville Jaguars was the WR4 overall, with Malik Nabers (WR6), Ladd McConkey (WR12), Marvin Harrison Jr. (WR30) and Xavier Worthy (WR33) not far behind.
Can the 2025 rookie wide receiver class top that level of production? The odds are against it, but there are still many intriguing prospects from the incoming class to consider for both dynasty and redraft leagues. The hype of a rookie class has become an annual tradition in fantasy football circles, but when you see what a talented crop of receivers can do as was the case in 2024, it’s clear the learning curve has gotten shorter for these first-year players.
A lot of variables will factor into the situation rookie wide receivers will face. Team context, offensive environment, depth charts, and injuries will all play a role. They must adjust to new teams, rule changes, and a faster-paced game speed. But 2024 showed that rookie wide receivers can succeed instantly for our fantasy teams.
Here are wide receiver prospects that could make an immediate impact on the 2025 fantasy football season.
- 2025 NFL Draft Guide
- Dynasty Trade Value Chart
- Fantasy Football Trade Tools
- Fantasy Football Dynasty Rankings
Dynasty Rookie Wide Receivers
Tre Harris (WR – Ole Miss)
If I tell you Ole Miss wide receiver Tre Harris finished the season with 60 catches, 1,030 yards, and seven touchdowns, you would probably think that is some wonderful production in his final year before coming out in the NFL draft. But what if I told you he did all of that in just eight games, and in one of those games he had just one catch for 43 yards? Harris missed multiple games with hip and groin injuries, but in his first seven games of the season, he had at least seven receptions and 94 yards in six of them. At 6’3″ and 210 pounds, he is going to be a problem at the next level with his ball-hawk skills and amazing body control.
Evan Stewart and Tez Johnson (WRs – Oregon)
As the top two receivers on one of the consistently most dynamic offenses in the country, both Evan Stewart and Tez Johnson are climbing up draft boards and the pre-draft process takes shape. Tez Johnson left quite an interesting taste in NFL scouts’ mouths over his last two games. In a showdown with #3 Penn State on December 7th, Johnson busted them up for 11 catches, 181 yards, and a touchdown. But he followed that up with just five catches for 32 scoreless yards against Ohio State. Still, he has back-to-back seasons with at least 83 receptions and 10 touchdowns, so his NFL and fantasy profile is looking up. Evan Stewart played second fiddle to Johnson most of the year, but he was able to parlay a strong two years at Texas A&M into 48 catches for 613 yards and five touchdowns in 2024. At just 175 pounds, he might need to bulk up, but he looks like the frame of someone like Xavier Worthy and has the speed to back it up.
Oregon has a lot of talent at WR, headlined by Evan Stewart
Oregon’s WRs
-Evan Stewart (Speed, but also can go get 50/50 balls)
-Tez Johnson (Speedster)
–Traeshon Holden (Big body) pic.twitter.com/yZaAjo73Rq– LandonTengwall (@landon_tengwall) December 5, 2024
10) Jalen Royals (WR – Utah State)
Never heard of Jalen Royals before? We won’t blame you. He played outside the Power 5 conferences at Utah State and played just seven games (going 1-6) in 2024 before his season ended with a foot injury. However, in those seven games, Royals posted 55 receptions, 834 yards, and six touchdowns. This was after a 2023 season where he had 1,080 yards and 15 touchdowns, earning All-Mountain West Honors that season. An All-State high jumper in high school, Royals has the athletic ability to gain separation and high-point the ball to win even when there is contact. Some NFL team who takes a chance on Royals on day three of the 2025 draft may come away with a steal of a player.
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