2025 Fantasy Football Breakout Wide Receivers: Marvin Harrison Jr., Rome Odunze On Top

Michael Fabiano | May 14, 2025

Cardinals WR Marvin Harrison Jr. finished his rookie season with 885 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Wide receiver has become the most valuable position in fantasy football. That’s obvious in last season’s average draft position data, which saw wideouts move past running backs in the first and second rounds. As a result, finding a player on the verge of a breakout season can be the difference between a good fantasy squad and a league winner.

So, what defines a breakout player?

Some prognosticators believe it’s simply a player who will outperform his draft position. Others think it’s an already established player who emerges into a regular fantasy starter after never having reached that sort of status previously in his NFL career.

In my opinion, both definitions are true, but with a caveat.

I don’t see a player as a breakout if he’s already likely reached his “statistical ceiling” in his career. For example, Garrett Wilson isn’t a breakout candidate to me. Why? Well, he has already ranked in the top 10 at his position in his career. So, unless you’re predicting that he’ll be in the top three in 2025, I wouldn’t feel comfortable predicting him to “break out.”

A good example of a breakout player from a season ago is Drake London. He recorded a huge statistical campaign, finishing fifth in fantasy points among receivers. Jaxon Smith-Njigba also busted out from a fantasy perspective, ranking ninth in PPR points. As we’ve seen from guys like Randy Moss, Ja’Marr Chase, Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. (to name just a few) in the past, I believe rookies can fit the breakout category, too.

So, without further ado, here’s a list of five wide receivers to target in your upcoming drafts who I believe can make a major impact for your fantasy football teams in 2025.

Top 200 Redraft Rankings | All Breakouts: QBs | RBs | TEs

2025 Fantasy Football Breakout Wide Receivers

Marvin Harrison Jr., Cardinals: I was wrong about Harrison Jr. last season, as I expected him to break out as a rookie. Unfortunately, he was inconsistent in the stat sheets and was just 30th in fantasy points. I’m not jumping ship though, as even his dad, Marvin Sr., wasn’t a star as a rookie. With one season of NFL experience now under his belt and no significant additions to the passing game in the offseason, Harrison Jr. is in a good position to make a leap.

Rashee Rice, Chiefs: Rice was on his way to busting out last season, but he suffered a knee injury that cost him all but three full games. Assuming he has no setbacks in his return to action and his off-field issues are in the past, Rice could re-emerge as the top wideout in the Chiefs' offense. This could easily also be Xavier Worthy if Rice has any sort of complications, but for now, I’ll roll with Rice as the K.C. wide receiver to target.

Rome Odunze, Bears: Odunze showed some flashes of potential last season, scoring 20-plus points in two games despite being third in the wideout pecking order behind DJ Moore and Keenan Allen. With Allen no longer in the mix, however, Odunze should see his target share rise in Year 2. The Bears also added help for Caleb Williams along the offensive line, so he should be better protected and have more time to find his young teammate in 2025.

Tetairoa McMillan, Panthers: McMillan was the first pure wide receiver selected in the NFL Draft, and he landed on a team that lacks a true alpha. The Panthers have a crowded receiver room with Xavier Legette, Adam Thielen and Jalen Coker on the roster, but as I said, none of them are true No. 1s. T-Mac has a shot to be that receiver. As a result, there’s a good chance he’ll be the top option in the pass attack for Bryce Young as a rookie.

Jauan Jennings, 49ers: Jennings has displayed the skills to be an impact maker in fantasy leagues (remember his 46.5-point performance against the Rams in Week 3, 2024), and you can argue he’s the Niners receiver to target in drafts. Brandon Aiyuk is coming off a knee injury, and the team traded Deebo Samuel Sr. to Washington. If Jennings can earn that role, he’ll be in line to post career bests in head coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense.