Dynasty Report: An Early Look at the 2025 Wide Receiver Class (Fantasy Football)
The 2024 class was defined by its elite talent at the wide receiver position, featuring Marvin Harrison Jr. and Malik Nabers. Even beyond the top two of this year’s class, prospects such as Rome Odunze, Xavier Worthy, and Brian Thomas Jr. should immediately contribute to their respective teams. Looking ahead to next year’s draft, multiple wide receivers already project to be top-tier prospects. That includes Tetairoa McMillan, Luther Burden III, and Evan Stewart, three receivers with the profile to rank in the +90th percentile in my rookie model. With plenty of depth at the wide receiver position, dynasty managers should hold on to their first-round picks as the 2025 class will likely feature multiple difference-makers for fantasy football.
In this article, we’ll dive into some of the top wide receiver prospects that could shake up the NFL landscape as soon as next season! For more prospect breakdowns, keep an eye on the Dynasty Report where I will highlight one prospect every week in a segment called the Prospect Watch List!
If you were following along during this year’s draft coverage, you likely already know that Jacob Cowing (fourth-round pick to the 49ers) dominated at UTEP before transferring to Arizona. However, his production declined in his final two seasons, in part because of the emergence of Tetairoa McMillan. At 6’5” and 210 pounds, McMillan is a tough receiver cover, leveraging his length to routinely make highlight reel plays. While his unique size and physicality certainly stand out, his production profile is arguably even more impressive, contributing as early as his true freshman season. In 2022, he totaled over 700 receiving yards and eight touchdowns, accounting for nearly 21% of Arizona’s receiving production. However, his official breakout would not happen until the 2023 campaign, operating as the unquestioned WR1 for the Wildcats. He finished the year with over 1,400 receiving yards, 10 touchdowns, and an elite 3.02 Receiving Yards per Team Pass Attempt. For context, his sophomore season ranks in the 95th percentile among all drafted wide receivers since 2013. As a result, he enters the 2024 season as the potential WR1 of the 2025 class. Barring an injury, I expect McMillan to continue to dominate and add to his already impressive resume. And assuming he can replicate his production from last season, he could rank as high as a 99th-percentile prospect in my rookie model, making him a very viable top-three pick in dynasty rookie drafts.
While McMillan is certainly in contention to be the WR1, Luther Burden III has the profile to overtake him this year. One could easily argue that Burden is the WR1 of his class as he was equally impressive this past season. In 2023, he finished with over 1,200 receiving yards and nine touchdowns, operating as the focal point for the Missouri Tigers. While those numbers trail McMillan’s production from last season, Burden’s market share metrics tell a different story. He accounted for over 37% of the team’s receiving production and averaged an elite 3.20 Receiving Yards per Team Pass Attempt, leading McMillan in both metrics. And when we compare his production against all drafted wide receivers since 2013, his sophomore campaign would rank in the 96th percentile. What stands out the most in his game is his ability to create with the ball in his hands. In fact, according to PFF, he led all Power Five wide receivers last season in yards after the catch (340), missed tackles forced (14), and receiving yards after contact (146). Beyond that, he is also an impressive route runner who can operate in all areas of the field. In short, I fully expect Burden to be one of the first receivers selected in next year’s draft. And similar to McMillan, Burden has the production and efficiency profile to rank as high as a 99th-percentile prospect in the 2025 class.
Not too long ago, the top two wide receivers in the 2024 class were considered to be Marvin Harrison Jr. and his teammate Emeka Egbuka. In fact, if Egbuka had declared for this year’s draft, he likely would have been selected within the first 30 picks. However, after dealing with an ankle injury that limited his production last season, he decided to return for his senior year. Despite that, we need to remember just how dominant he was alongside Harrison Jr. in 2022. As a sophomore, Egbuka totaled over 1,200 scrimmage yards and 12 touchdowns for Ohio State, averaging an impressive 2.81 Receiving Yards per Team Pass Attempt. For context, his production as a sophomore would rank in the 92nd percentile among all drafted receivers since 2013. He now enters the 2024 campaign as the most experienced receiver for the Buckeyes. Even though he will have to compete with Jeremiah Smith, the number one recruit in the nation, I still anticipate Egbuka leading the team in receiving production. Therefore, while his profile may not be as elite as Burden’s or McMillan’s, Egbuka should still be regarded as a top-five wide receiver in the 2025 class, especially if he can make a significant comeback this upcoming season.
The only other wide receiver who currently ranks in the +90th percentile in my rookie model is Evan Stewart. Measuring in at 6’0” and 175 pounds, Stewart has been one of the most productive wide receivers in the nation over the last two years. As you can see above, he was an immediate contributor as a true freshman. In 10 games, he averaged a 25% Receiving Dominator Rating and an impressive 1.84 Receiving Yards per Team Pass Attempt. As a freshman, those numbers are borderline elite, ranking in the 92nd percentile among drafted wide receivers. In addition, he would only elevate his game as a sophomore setting career-highs in multiple receiving metrics. Keep in mind that he also dealt with a leg injury, which limited his production last season. Fortunately, heading into 2024, Stewart should be fully healthy as he is now a member of the Oregon Ducks. And while he will compete with Tez Johnson for targets, Stewart has been the better prospect so far in their careers and should operate as the WR1 for their offense. Assuming he can continue to elevate his production, Stewart should be in contention as a top-three wide receiver prospect in the 2025 class.
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Very rarely do we see five-year prospects break out in the NFL. However, in the case of Tory Horton (and all prospects who played in 2020), he received an extra year of eligibility due to the COVID season. As a result, Horton decided to return for one more year with Colorado State. Even as a non-early declare prospect, Horton’s production profile is somewhat intriguing. He was an immediate contributor as a true freshman and sophomore at Nevada, averaging about 18.5% of his team’s receiving production in his first two seasons. However, his junior year with Colorado State is what truly sets him apart, finishing the year with an elite 57% receiving dominator rating (!!) and 3.51 Receiving Yards per Team Pass Attempt. That would place him in the 95th percentile among all drafted prospects. Unfortunately, even though his total receiving yards would match his junior campaign, Horton’s market share metrics declined significantly in his fourth year. As you can see above, he was still very productive, though he would only rank in the 68th percentile as the thresholds are slightly higher for seniors. As a result, Horton is currently only my WR7 in the 2025 class (65th percentile). However, if he can replicate his junior year, I would not be shocked to see him move up draft boards by the end of the season.
Isaiah Bond is one of the most explosive wide receivers in the nation. According to PFF, Bond produced 18 plays in 2023 in which he clocked in at over 20 mph, behind only Xavier Worthy. Coincidentally, Bond now enters the 2024 campaign as the potential replacement for Worthy in the Texas offense, transferring to the Longhorns after starting his career with Alabama. As you can see above, his production still leaves plenty of room for improvement. After a quiet true freshman season, Bond received an elevated role behind Jermain Burton, accounting for 20% of Alabama’s receiving production in 14 games. And even though his production was far from elite, he still averaged a solid 2.06 Receiving Yards per Team Pass Attempt, ranking in the 78th percentile since 2013. As a member of the Longhorns, I fully expect Bond to finally break out. With Worthy, Adonai Mitchell, and Ja’Tavion Sanders all declaring for the draft, Bond should receive plenty of opportunities as the potential number one option for Quinn Ewers. For now, my rookie model has him ranked in the 77th percentile, with the upside to improve if he can elevate his game even further.