Updated Fantasy Football Wide Receiver Tiers Including Michael Wilson and CeeDee Lamb

When you're staring at a draft board in August, rankings are helpful, but tiers are where the real strategy kicks in. Tiers help you spot value, time your picks, and avoid panic when your top-ranked guy gets sniped. Below are my 2025 fantasy wide receiver tiers, broken down into five groups with three players each. Let’s find the stars, the steals, and the sneaky league-winners.

Tier 1: Set It and Forget It Alpha WRs

These are your first-round staples. These are the players you build your fantasy roster around. They’re reliable, explosive, and capable of winning you a week all on their own.

Ja'Marr Chase (Bengals): Chase remains one of the most dynamic talents in the NFL. Despite injuries to Joe Burrow last season, Chase still delivered top-tier numbers for the Cincinnati Bengals and reminded everyone he can thrive in almost any situation. With a healthy Burrow back and the offense retooled, expect double-digit touchdowns and consistent WR1 production.

Justin Jefferson (Vikings): Jefferson is a route-running technician who racks up receptions like clockwork. Even with the Minnesota Vikings' uncertainty at quarterback, his target share remains elite. He offers one of the safest floors in fantasy football and has a weekly ceiling that’s sky-high.

Puka Nacua (Rams): After a historic rookie season, Nacua followed it up with another monster campaign in 2024 for the Los Angeles Rams. His chemistry with Matthew Stafford is undeniable, and with Cooper Kupp being traded to Seattle, Nacua is the clear WR1 in L.A. Draft him as a WR2, get WR1 production.

Tier 2: Next-Level Producers With WR1 Upside

These receivers may not go in the first round, but they have the skills, roles, and situations to finish the season as top-five guys.

CeeDee Lamb (Cowboys): Lamb officially made the leap in 2024, finishing with career highs across the board. He’s Dak Prescott’s go-to guy and is used creatively all over the field. In PPR formats, Lamb is gold. It's possible he manages 100+ catches, 1,400+ yards, and double-digit scores for the Dallas Cowboys.

Brian Thomas Jr. (Jaguars): Thomas closed his rookie season with the Jacksonville Jaguars on a high note, proving he’s not just a deep threat, he’s a complete receiver. In Jacksonville’s offense, he’s set to take on a larger target share and could be this year’s version of Nico Collins or Brandon Aiyuk. He's explosive, efficient, and ready to break out.

Malik Nabers (Giants): Nabers is a beast in the making. Even in a questionable New York Giants offense, he’s already drawing comparisons to Ja’Marr Chase for his explosive play style and dominance at the catch point. If he hits even 80% of his potential, he could be the rookie WR who changes your fantasy season.

Additional Tier 2:
Amon-Ra St. Brown
Nico Collins
Drake London

Tier 3: Locked-In WR2s With Weekly Starter Value

These are the guys you can rely on every week. They may not have WR1 ceilings most weeks, but they’re rock-solid WR2s with the occasional boom game.

Stefon Diggs (Patriots)
While the New England Patriots’ offense isn’t known for lighting up the scoreboard, Diggs’ route-running precision and ability to win contested catches should make him a safety blanket for the Patriots' young QB. His target volume alone keeps him firmly in the WR2 conversation, and if the Pats’ passing attack takes a step forward, Diggs could deliver sneaky top-15 value at a discounted ADP.

A.J. Brown (Eagles)
Brown might be the most physical receiver in the league. While the Philadelphia Eagles' offense has its ups and downs, Brown consistently produces thanks to his elite YAC (yards after catch) ability and red-zone usage. If you're drafting him as your WR2, you’re likely getting WR1 weeks sprinkled in.

DeVonta Smith (Eagles)
Smith is the perfect complement to Brown and a technician in his own right. He has strong chemistry with Jalen Hurts, and his target share has remained steady year over year. He may not be flashy, but he’s dependable, and in deeper leagues, consistency is everything.

Additional Tier 3:
Marvin Harrison Jr.
Ladd McConkey
Rashee Rice
Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Tee Higgins
Davante Adams
Tyreek Hill
Mike Evans

Tier 4: Mid-Round Value With Breakout Potential

Here’s where you find the guys who could blow past their ADP and become top-20 fantasy wide receivers. Every championship roster needs at least one of these mid-round gems.

Garrett Wilson (Jets): All signs point to Wilson taking a major leap in 2025 with the New York Jets. With Aaron Rodgers finally healthy and a full offseason to build chemistry, Wilson’s already-elite route-running and contested catch skills could translate to a true breakout year. He’s a value pick with WR1 upside, as long as Rodgers can get a handle on his deep passing skills.

Marvin Mims Jr. (Broncos): After a quiet rookie season, Mims is flying under the radar with the Denver Broncos. But with Sean Payton expected to open up the offense and a clear path to WR1 duties, he’s the type of post-hype sleeper you’ll want to stash before he pops off.

Michael Wilson (Cardinals): Wilson quietly carved out a role in 2024 and could be this year’s breakout WR3/Flex darling. With Marvin Harrison Jr. and Trey McBride drawing heavy attention, Wilson could feast on single coverage and become a reliable PPR option, especially in deeper leagues. The Arizona Cardinals are in it to win it this season.

Additional Tier 4:
Tetairoa McMillan
Travis Hunter
Rome Odense
DJ Moore
Courtland Sutton
Jaylen Waddle
Zay Flowers
DK Metcalf
Chris Olave
Calvin Ridley
Jameson Williams
Jerry Jeudy

Tier 5: Late-Round Sleepers

These guys won’t cost you much on draft day, but they’ve got the talent and opportunity to return way more than you paid.

Xavier Worthy (Chiefs): Speed. Speed. Speed. Worthy fits perfectly into Kansas City's vertical game and brings elite separation ability to the field. He’s one big play away from being a household name, and that’s the kind of upside you want on your bench.

Andrei Iosivas (Bengals): While Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins get all the attention, Iosivas could carve out a valuable role as the WR3 in Cincinnati’s high-volume passing game. He showed flashes late last season and could be a plug-and-play flex option if injuries strike ahead of him.

Jalen Royals (Chiefs): Royals turned heads during the Kansas City Chiefs camp, and any time a rookie wideout starts building chemistry with Patrick Mahomes, it’s worth paying attention. If he earns a starting role, he could be the biggest waiver-wire regret for managers who didn’t take a late-round chance.

Additional Tier 5:
Jordan Addison
Japan Jennings
Chris Godwin
George Pickens
Jakobi Meyers
Brandon Aiyuk
Khalil Shakir
Cooper Kupp
Josh Downs
Jayden Reed
Rickey Pearsall
Matthew Golden
Darnell Mooney
Wan’Dale Robinson
Michael Pittman Jr.

Tier 6: Super Sleepers

Plenty of these receivers are still getting targets on the regular and plug-and-play rookies could get their shot immediately.

Emeka Egbuka (R)
Rashid Shaheed
Jayden Higgins (R)
Tre Harris (R)
Cedric Tillman
Luther Burden II (R)
Keon Coleman
Adam Thielen
Rashod Bateman
Christian Kirk
Romeo Doubs
Kyle Williams
Jack Bech
Pat Bryant
Jalen McMillan
Adonai Mitchell
Jalen Coker
Xavier Legette

Tier 7: Deep League Options

Demario Douglas
Eric Ayomar
Joshua Palmer
DeAndre Hopkins
Calvin Austin III
Quentin Johnston
Jaylin Noel
Tory Horton
Dontayvion Wicks
Alec Pierce
Amari Cooper
Troy Franklin
Keenan Allen
Noah Brown
Tutu Atwell
Tyler Lockett
Mike Williams
Darius Slayton
Roman WIlson
Devaughn Vele
Keyshawn Boutte
Dionte Johnson
Elijah Moore
Xavier Restrepo
Tre Tucker
Dyami Brown
Jalen Tolbert

Final Thoughts

When you draft wide receivers by tier, you're giving yourself more control, more flexibility, and more chances to grab value without reaching. Target your alpha early, grab high-upside guys in the middle rounds, and stash a couple of late-round fliers with paths to relevance. The majority of this list follows the PFF rankings, but not all of them. There are some standouts who I think aren't getting enough credit, so I've bumped them up.