Tetairoa McMillan Leads 2025 Rookie Wide Receivers For Fantasy Football Fans To Watch

Michael Fabiano | Feb 28, 2025

Tetairoa McMillan is considered one of the top wide receiver prospects of the 2025 NFL Draft class. / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Rookie wide receivers have emerged as some of the most desirable players in the world of fantasy football. That wasn’t always the case, of course, as it used to take a year or two for a receiver to make the transition from college to the pros. But with more pro-style offenses in the college ranks and the NFL’s transition into more of a passing league, rookie receivers are making a more immediate impact both on the field and in fantasy land.

Case in point, we’ve seen 15 rookie wideouts score more than 200 fantasy points in the last five years. That includes nine who have scored 220-plus points and four who posted more than 274 points. That quartet of instant impact makers at wideout includes Ja’Marr Chase (2021), Puka Nacua (2023), Brian Thomas Jr. (2024) and Justin Jefferson (2020).  

So, with the Super Bowl in the rearview mirror and a very exciting offseason right ahead of us, let’s take a look at some of the best wideout prospects for the 2025 NFL Draft season.

All Positions: Quarterbacks | Running Backs | Wide Receivers | Tight Ends

Top Fantasy Football Rookie WRs to Watch at Combine

Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona: McMillan is a big, strong wideout at 6-foot-5 and 212 pounds with good hands and a versatile skill set. His size makes him a great contested catch wide receiver, and his stats in his last two seasons at Arizona show a high level of production. McMillan was used mostly as a perimeter receiver in the Wildcats offense, but he also can be used inside as a strong slot man. He’s drawn comparisons to Atlanta’s Drake London.

Luther Burden III, Missouri: Burden III’s final season stats don’t pop off the page, but that shouldn’t keep fantasy managers from being excited about his fantasy potential. He’s super explosive with the ability to produce plenty of yards after the catch (YAC), and Burden III is a threat to score any time he touches the football. While he did run 289 snaps outside in 2022, he was used mostly as a slot man in the last two years with a combined 577 inside routes.

Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State: Egbuka had a bounce-back season in the stat sheets in 2024, posting 81 catches for 1,011 yards and 10 touchdowns. That was a major improvement, as his stats were far less impressive in the previous year. An inside receiver, NFL Media’s Daniel Jeremiah compares Egbuka to another former Buckeye, Jaxon Smith-Njigba. He also has very good hands, and Egbuka projects to be a first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Travis Hunter, Colorado: Hunter is the best athlete in this draft class, as he was a star on both sides of the football for the Buffaloes in 2024. The reigning Heisman Trophy winner was not only a standout wide receiver, but he was also a terrific cornerback. Therein lies the question in fantasy football terms … will the NFL team that drafts him use him as a defender and occasional receiver (like his former head coach Deion Sanders was used by the Dallas Cowboys), or will be he a full-time wideout?  If he plays predominately at the wide receiver position, he’s the best prospect in the class. But if he plays more on the defensive side and isn’t used as a full-time wideout, that hurts his appeal.  

Matthew Golden, Texas: Golden is a potential deep threat at the next level who reminds many of Brandin Cooks in terms of his overall skill set. A strong route runner, he can play both on the outside and inside and will use that versatility to his advantage with his new NFL squad. While his 2024 stats aren’t nearly as eye-popping as some of the other wide receiver prospects in the class, Golden has the tools to become a future fantasy asset.