Last Updated on April 22, 2025 12:16 pm by Jon Marsales | Published: April 21, 2025

One of the best ways to get an edge over the competition in fantasy football is by taking the time to dig into the rookie class that will be pouring into player pools in between seasons. It can be extremely beneficial to know the molds of each important player and how quickly and effectively their game may or may not translate to the NFL. Some players may thrive better in certain systems or wind up in landing spots that don’t have as clear a path to fantasy success as others. Being in the know on which players have the ability to be a significant contributor on day one is a golden ticket to winning your leagues on draft day. Here, I’m going through the top wide receivers in this year’s draft class and seeing who may be the best for fantasy football out the gate. While it may not be as deep at the top as last year’s draft class, there are ton of exciting pass-catching prospects coming out of the 2025 NFL Draft, many of which will be significant fantasy football contributors as soon as Week 1.

#1 Travis Hunter – Colorado

Player Comp: Justin Jefferson | Landing Spot: New York Giants

Boy, do I hope we get to see Travis Hunter unleashed as an Avengers-level threat on the offensive side of the ball. Even if he was drafted solely as a receiver, without the two-way upside, he would most likely still be the first WR taken in the draft. Hunter was an absolute shredder out wide, averaging 97 yards per game and scoring a whopping 15 touchdowns this season. He has ridiculous footwork to go with the ball-hawking skills at the catch point that has the potential to rival the greats in the NFL. He often feels like he’s playing a foot taller than his six-foot frame, and he is like water as a route-runner. It’s mouth-watering to consider what he would be able to accomplish as a full-time wide receiver in the NFL. Hunter will have top-10 fantasy WR upside in 2025 if he ends up taken by somebody hoping to play him on offense full-time.

#2 Tetairoa McMillan – Arizona

Player Comp: Drake London | Landing Spot: Las Vegas Raiders

Depending on where Hunter goes and how much he actually plays wideout in his future NFL home, Tetairoa McMillan would be a worthy WR1 for this rookie class. In what has been described by some as a lacking WR draft class, T-Mac stands head and shoulders above the other full-time pass-catchers on this list. He just turned 22 years old and has a monstrous frame at 6’5” that gives him a ridiculous catch radius. He is absolutely a go-to target who should be locked and loaded as a team’s WR1 on day one of the 2025 NFL season. McMillan’s got long strides and ran a respectable 4.54 40-time, and has enough speed to pull away from defenders down the field. He is great at playing mind games with defenders while route running by manipulating the timing of his routes to get separation. Many draft analysts have him as a top-10 player in the draft, and any player getting that capital should be a Day-1 contributor.

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