I do not like fantasy football rankings.
Rankings are easily the most misapplied resource used by fantasy football managers. Is it helpful to have a list of players organized by an analyst’s order of preference, or even your own list to reference on draft day? Of course! But far too many focus on the insignificant details and miss out on significant player upside.
To elevate your fantasy football skills, you must begin thinking in tiers. Don’t focus on the rigidity of numbered rankings. It’s much more essential to understand the drop-off between Tier 2 and Tier 3 quarterbacks than thinking “I can’t draft the eighth-ranked quarterback over the seventh!
That’s why, for this year’s QB List positional rankings articles, the focus will shift more towards the differences in each tier instead of “Player X is ranked one spot ahead of Player Y”. I’ll still be discussing the majority of players, but talking points will be broken up by tier instead of by player. Think of it more as the “why” than just giving you the “what”.
I’ll be going position by position, and now we’re on to wide receivers. Let’s take a peek at my 2025 Wide Receivers rankings, starting with a tier-by-tier breakdown of my favorite (and least favorite) guys in each grouping. You can find a table of my full rankings at the bottom of this article after the last tier.
Let’s get to it!
Tier 1: The Four Horsemen
The four receivers that can end your opponent’s week.
I came close to placing Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson in their own tier, but Malik Nabers and CeeDee Lamb belong. Nabers can reach stratospheric heights with just average play from Russell Wilson, and Lamb just needs a healthy Dak Prescott to reach his potential. The four favorites to finish the season as the WR1 overall. Cornerstones of any fantasy team and first-round picks in any format.
Tier 2: The Co-Stars Tier
A-List wide receivers who may not be ready for the lead role.
All eight of the receivers in Tier 2 have a legitimate shot at finishing the season as the WR1 overall. But each has a minor blemish in the fantasy profile that prevents them from being considered headliners all their own. Before even talking top tier with Brian Thomas Jr., he needs to prove he can match his breakout rookie season, let alone surpass it. (Spoiler: I think he can.) Can Nico Collins stay on the field, and can the Texans’ offensive line give CJ Stroud enough time for it to matter? The Ohio State reunion has me hopeful for Garrett Wilson‘s fantasy production this season, but can Justin Fields play well enough to get him to a top-12 finish? I’m seriously concerned for Puka Nacuas‘ value sans Matthew Stafford, and Stafford’s back issues terrify me.
Sources: #Rams QB Matthew Stafford is dealing with an aggravated disc and has received an epidural to help him deal with it.
Los Angeles has called him week-to-week, being cautious, but with plans for him to be ready for Week 1. pic.twitter.com/wpj0Uqghax
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 6, 2025
Even if he’s ready for Week 1, an aggravated disc that’s requiring an epidural to control the pain in August isn’t something I want to depend on lasting the whole season.
Player I’m lower on than most:
Amon-Ra St. Brown – The Sun God has been as consistent as they come, but with an expected step forward from Jameson Williams and the loss of offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, I view him more borderline WR1 than locked-in top-10 option. He’s still a fine option as your first receiver, but I’d rather have a WR1 with fewer potential pitfalls.
Tier 3: The Taco Bell Tier
The ultimate risk versus reward.
Taco Bell is both dangerous and delicious. It feels like a great call when you wash down that Beefy Nacho Griller with an ice-cold Baja Blast. But there’s always that lingering possibility of deep, deep regret in the not-too-distant future. That’s this tier in a taco shell nutshell.
This grouping still has that top ten upside, but is much more volatile than Tier 2. Davante Adams had his least productive season since before the pandemic, and still finished as WR9 in points per game. But what are the chances he sees 140 targets for a sixth straight season as the Rams’ second option? Adams’ age (turns 33 in December) and concerns with Stafford’s back place him firmly in Tier 3 for me. I still believe in the elite upside offered by Marvin Harrison Jr. and the potential to become a perennial top-five receiver. But with more games under double-digit fantasy points (nine) than over (eight), he’s lost the benefit of the doubt.
Players I’m lower on than most:
Tyreek Hill – I fully expect to get the most heat for this call. I get it’s hard to let go of a perennial WR1 overall threat, but drafting Hill as anything more than a WR2 is buying all the risk. As you saw me reference age with Adams, Hill is also ancient in terms of receivers. He turned 31 this offseason, a number that’s seen just six receivers play in at least 10 games and average over 12 points per game. His numbers dropped across the board last season, from yards per target, yards per route run, explosive play rate, to nearly every efficiency metric. You can absolutely credit some of that to not having Tua Tagovailoa under center for much of the season. But I have little to no trust in a return to elite stats for a 31-year-old receiver who’s dominated thanks to his game-breaking speed.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba – A shift in offensive style is expected for Seattle as they move on from Ryan Grubb’s pass-heavy attack to a more balanced offense under new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak. JSN should continue to be a target hog in this offense, which will keep his floor relatively high. But having the large slice of a smaller pie is concerning for JSN’s prospects as a WR1. That’s before you take into account the questions surrounding how new Seattle quarterback Sam Darnold will perform facing more pressure with an offensive line nowhere near as talented as he had in Minnesota.
Tier 4: The Meat & Potatoes Tier
Just like Mom used to make.
Tier 4 is where we start to see the shift from realistic top 10 upside to more of foundational pieces that will have a few spike weeks. It’s not that the wide receivers in this range have no shot at a WR1 finish; they either have guys in front of them on the depth chart (Jameson Williams, DeVonta Smith), are likely to miss games (Rashee Rice, Chris Godwin), or are on suspect offenses (Chris Olave). I expect Tetairoa McMillian to be the focal point of the Panthers’ offense and a target hog, but we still don’t know who the real Bryce Young is. DK Metcalf is one of the most difficult players to rank this season. With a new team, a run-first offense, and a soon-to-be 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers, the range of outcomes for him is immense. But he’s talented enough to produce in nearly any situation. If Olave can get somewhat decent quarterback play, he’s going to make a lot of us look silly for doubting him.
Player I’m higher on than most:
Zay Flowers – After his first 1,000-yard season and second consecutive with over 70 catches and 100 targets, Flowers isn’t getting the respect he deserves. I understand he’s on a run-first offense, but he also has Lamar Jackson as his quarterback. You know, the two-time MVP coming off a 4,172-yard, 41 passing touchdown season? I’m not concerned about DeAndre Hopkins eating into Flowers’ share at this point in his career. Flowers is being drafted at his floor, and won’t have to improve on much to jump into the teens. Plus, he has fantastic touchdown celebrations.
Tier 5: The Leftover Meat & Potatoes Tier
This tier is microwave-safe.
Try to look past the negative connotation of leftovers. Sometimes, leftovers are better than the original meal: Pizza, Chinese Food, and so many others. But there’s a much wider range of outcomes. Similar to the M&P tier before this group, a few themes run throughout. Teammates ahead on the target pecking order (Travis Hunter, Rome Odunze), likely missed games (Brandon Aiyuk), and suspect offenses (Calvin Ridley, Jerry Jeudy). But there’s potential for a few of these receivers to jump a tier or two, and all should have several spike weeks to make them worthy of borderline WR2 status. I wouldn’t be shocked if Matthew Golden finishes the season ranked inside the top 25, but the crowded Packers receivers room is always a concern. I love the upside of Xavier Worthy, but so much of his ceiling depends on how many games Rashee Rice winds up missing with a suspension looming.
Players I’m higher on than most:
Calvin Ridley – One of my post-hype sleepers, Calvin Ridley, goes against the grain of my typical wide receiver targets. Yes, he’s over the age of 30, but he has a little less wear and tear on his body after missing nearly two full seasons for reasons other than injury. Ridley posted over 1,000 receiving yards and 64 catches with the human meme machine Will Levis under center. First overall pick Cam Ward has a rocket arm, and the duo has the potential to form one of the most explosive QB/WR combos in the league. The best part is that there’s little to no risk baked into their draft positions.
Tier 6: The Penny Stocks Tier
Low-risk, high-reward assets.
This tier is one of my favorites. The risk is next to nothing based on where you have to draft them, the range of outcomes is incredibly volatile, and honestly, most will fail. But if you hit, the return can instantly make you a championship contender. Jayden Reed is getting underdrafted and could wind up one of the best values of the season if he ends up being the most targeted Packers receiver. Jauan Jennings has an opportunity with Brandon Aiyuk, whose status is uncertain, but he has an injury of his own (and a contract dispute). I LOVE Emeka Egbuka…next year. The Bucs’ WR corps is crowded in the same vein as the Packers. Jayden Higgins, Jack Beck, and Luther Burden III are all rookies with the talent to become consistent fantasy contributors, but it’s more likely they are boom/bust options this season.
Joshua Palmer – Palmer has a chance to become the deep threat for Josh Allen, a role that has elevated the likes of Gabe Davis and Mack Hollins to fantasy viable assets. Hollins is gone, and so is Amari Cooper, two of the three deep threats on the Bills last season. We’ve seen flashes from Palmer; if he can put it together in Buffalo, a top 20 season isn’t out of the question.
Tier 7: The Glass Half Full Tier
Receivers for true optimists.
Most of the guys in this tier have reached their ceiling, and it’s not that high. They’ll be productive more often than not. Some will provide FLEX value based on volume alone (Christian Kirk, Wan’Dale Robinson) and a few offer a flicker of real upside (Adonai Mitchell, Kyle Williams, Jalen Royals). But the floor for these guys is literally zero.
Tier 8: The Beige Wallpaper Tier
As exciting as a slice of bread.
These receivers are OK. Serviceable from a fantasy perspective. They’ll likely provide FLEX value from time to time, but you won’t be happy about plugging them into your lineup. You’re better served filling your bench with guys from the Penny Stock tier that have that .01% chance of hitting instead of the .001% chance in this tier.
Tier 9: The Toby Returns Tier
Nobody wants that.
Don’t bother. This group likely winds up drafted in some leagues, but they’re a dime a dozen. You can find similar, if not better, options on the waiver wire. Now and then, a player emerges from these depths, but the hit rate is so low that it’s not worth drafting them outside the deepest of leagues.
And finally, here is the full list of my Top 100 Wide Receivers for 2025:
Photos by Ian Johnson, Randy Litzinger | Adapted by Parker McDonald (@TheCarbonFox on Twitter/X)