11 Zero WR Draft Targets (2025 Fantasy Football)

Everyone has heard of the Zero-RB draft strategy. However, the Zero-WR strategy rarely gets mentioned. Yet, it’s one of my favorite draft strategies because of the depth at the wide receiver position.

How does the Zero-WR draft strategy work? Like a Zero-RB strategy, you don’t avoid that position the entire draft. Instead, you focus on other positions early in the draft before targeting wide receivers starting in the fifth or sixth round.

Ideally, you load up at the running back position in the early rounds, grabbing two star-caliber guys. Fantasy players also want to draft an elite quarterback and/or tight end before picking their first wide receiver with this draft strategy. The point of this strategy is to sacrifice at the wide receiver position to have a star-studded lineup everywhere else.

Below are 11 wide receivers I am targeting this year when using a Zero-WR draft strategy. Ideally, I want to leave my draft with at least four of these wide receivers on my team.

• Fantasy Football Draft Kit
• 2025 Fantasy Football Expert Rankings
• Fantasy Football ADP
• Fantasy Football Trade Tools

Zero-WR Fantasy Football Draft Targets

ADP via FantasyPros

Round 5 Targets

DK Metcalf (PIT): ADP 49.6 | WR22

Last year, Metcalf took a backseat to Jaxon Smith-Njigba. The former Ole Miss star was the WR32, averaging 12.7 PPR fantasy points per game, the lowest average of Metcalf’s career since his rookie season in 2019. Yet, he is primed for a bounce-back year after getting traded to the Steelers this offseason. Metcalf is the team’s only meaningful weapon in the passing game. More importantly, Aaron Rodgers loves targeting his No. 1 wide receiver. Last season, his top wide receiver averaged 10.7 targets and 17.4 fantasy points per game.

Xavier Worthy (KC): ADP 57.2 | WR25

Worthy was the WR10 during last year’s fantasy playoffs, averaging 21 PPR fantasy points per game, totaling 19.6 or more in every outing. According to Fantasy Points Data, his 0.61 fantasy points per route run ranked 15th out of 88 wide receivers with at least 50 routes during the fantasy playoffs, posting a higher average than Ja’Marr Chase (0.47). Unfortunately, Rashee Rice is facing a potentially heavy suspension to start the 2025 season, giving Worthy a chance to build off his rookie year and become Patrick Mahomes’ top wide receiver.

Round 6 Targets

Tetairoa McMillan (CAR): ADP 67.2 | WR30

While Carolina won’t have an elite passing offense, expect Bryce Young to make McMillan a weekly starting fantasy receiver. The rookie has shined during training camp. Meanwhile, he was one of the top pass catchers in college football last year, ranking sixth in yards per route run (2.87), second in missed tackles forced (29), and fourth in contested catches (18) among 42 wide receivers with at least 100 targets (per PFF). More importantly, no one on the team will keep McMillan from seeing at least 125 targets as a rookie.

Calvin Ridley (TEN): ADP 68.8 | WR31

Some believe Ridley will be this year’s Terry McLaurin – a veteran having a career season thanks to a massive upgrade at quarterback. Last season, Ridley was significantly better with Mason Rudolph starting than with Will Levis. He averaged more PPR fantasy points per game (14.8 vs. 10.5), a higher yards per route run (2.46 vs. 1.81), and nearly twice as many receiving yards per contest (84 vs. 49.8) with the veteran quarterback. Imagine how well Ridley will play with Cam Ward under center and no meaningful target competition.

Round 7 & 8 Targets

Jordan Addison (MIN): ADP 83.4 | WR36

After a successful rookie year, Addison was outstanding with Sam Darnold. He was the WR21, averaging 14.2 PPR fantasy points per game, posting a higher average than Tyreek Hill (12.8). Furthermore, Addison is one of the NFL’s top touchdown scorers. He had 10 touchdowns on 108 targets in 17 games as a rookie. Last season, the star receiver had nine receiving touchdowns on 99 targets in 15 games. After ranking top 10 in receiving scores in back-to-back years, I’m all in on Addison in 2025 despite the likely three-game suspension.

Stefon Diggs (NE): ADP 89.2 | WR40

Unfortunately, Diggs suffered a torn ACL last season. However, the veteran was playing well before getting hurt, ranking as the WR6 over the first seven weeks, averaging 7.9 targets and 15.6 PPR fantasy points per game despite splitting targets with Nico Collins and Tank Dell. More importantly, he is the unquestioned No. 1 wide receiver in what will be a significantly improved Patriots’ passing attack. Diggs should end the year no lower than a high-end WR3 after avoiding the Physically Unable to Perform list to start training camp.

Round 9 & 10 Targets

Matthew Golden (GB): ADP 101.2 | WR44

The Packers ended a 23-year drought by selecting Golden with their first-round NFL Draft pick. That should stress how much the team likes the former Texas star and feels they need a difference maker on the outside. Unfortunately, Jayden Reed is primarily a slot receiver and severely struggled in the second half of last year. Meanwhile, Golden has been Green Bay’s top wide receiver in training camp. Don’t be surprised if the Packers trade Romeo Doubs or Dontayvion Wicks during roster cutdown, creating even more snaps and targets for Golden.

Ricky Pearsall (SF): ADP 106.2 | WR45

San Francisco traded away Deebo Samuel earlier this offseason. Meanwhile, Brandon Aiyuk likely won’t be ready for Week 1 coming off a torn ACL. Furthermore, Jauan Jennings is battling a calf injury for the second time this offseason. Unfortunately, Pearsall missed the first six weeks of last year recovering from a gunshot during an attempted robbery. Yet, the former Florida star averaged 21.6 PPR fantasy points per game in the three contests with six or more targets, scoring three receiving touchdowns. Pearsall is one of my favorite draft targets.

Late-Round Targets

Darnell Mooney (ATL): ADP 129.8 | WR52

Fantasy players should have high hopes for Drake London in 2025. However, don’t forget about Mooney. Unfortunately, he suffered a shoulder injury early in training camp but should be ready for Week 1. The veteran is underrated, ranking outside the top-48 wide receivers in ADP after finishing last year as the WR31, averaging 12.1 PPR fantasy points per game, totaling a career-high five receiving touchdowns. According to Fantasy Points Data, Mooney ranked inside the top 36 wide receivers in air-yard share (33%), first-read target share (26.2%), and deep targets (17).

Marvin Mims Jr. (DEN): ADP 156.2 | WR56

Mims was the WR22 from Week 13 through Week 18, averaging 17.5 PPR fantasy points per game, a higher average than A.J. Brown (16.2), Tyreek Hill (14.9), and his teammate Courtland Sutton (15.1). More importantly, his efficiency was on par with or better than several superstars, including Justin Jefferson, Puka Nacua, Nico Collins, and Brian Thomas Jr.. Those four superstars each had at least a 71.8% route participation rate. By comparison, Mims had a 28.1% route participation rate last season. He is primed for a third-year breakout with enough volume.

* via Fantasy Points Data

Cedric Tillman (CLE): ADP 206.6 | WR67

While Jerry Jeudy was the WR12 last season, averaging 14.2 PPR fantasy points per game, Tillman was the Browns’ top wide receiver following the Amari Cooper trade before suffering a season-ending concussion. According to Fantasy Points Data, Tillman had a better target per route run rate (22% vs. 18%), yards per route run average (1.69 vs. 1.67), first-round target share (25.7% vs. 23.5%), and fantasy points per route run (0.41 vs. 0.30) than Jeudy during the five weeks where both were healthy following the Cooper trade.

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Mike Fanelli is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Mike, check out his archive and follow him @Mike_NFL2.