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Drafting wide receivers has become the single most important decision in fantasy football. With the modern game leaning pass-heavy, the top wideouts often decide who contends and who collapses in your league. However, that also means the cost of missing on a receiver is brutal. A bust at the position can sink your season faster than any whiff at running back or quarterback. And in 2025, a handful of big names carry serious red flags.
The 2025 NFL season is shaping up to be one of the most intriguing in recent memory. The defending champion Philadelphia Eagles are poised to defend their crown with Saquon Barkley and Jalen Hurts leading the charge. Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh Steelers usher in a bold new era with Aaron Rodgers throwing to DK Metcalf. Elsewhere, the Kansas City Chiefs face questions after years of dominance, the Jacksonville Jaguars look to rise behind their dynamic young offense and rookie sensation Travis Hunter, and the Baltimore Ravens enter what feels like a make-or-break campaign.
In fantasy football, no position carries more weight than wide receiver. Miss on a wideout, and your season could be sunk before it starts. Just ask the managers who spent premium picks on Tyreek Hill or Marvin Harrison Jr last year, only to watch them underperform. Unless you lucked into breakout stars like Brian Thomas Jr, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, or Ladd McConkey, climbing out of that hole was nearly impossible. With that in mind, it’s critical to spot potential pitfalls early.
Here are five receivers who may not live up to expectations in 2025 — and could wreck your draft if you’re not careful.
Tyreek Hill is still an electric playmaker, but fantasy football is about value. His average draft position remains sky-high despite a decline in both production and efficiency. According to NextGen Stats, his yards per catch plummeted from 15.1 to 11.8. The decline in his yards after the catch, which was just 306 last year compared to 690 in 2023, is especially concerning for a receiver whose fantasy ceiling has long been tied to explosive plays.
Adding to the concern, Hill’s target share dipped from 37.8 to 24.1 due in part to Jonnu Smith’s role in the passing game. Though Smith is now gone, Hill enters the 2025 season at 31 years old, which is often when wideouts begin to slow. Drafting him as a top-three wide receiver feels more like paying for past production than forecasting future performance.
Terry McLaurin is a beloved fantasy football option. However, managers must separate affection from production risk. He’s coming off a career-best season of 267.8 fantasy points. That said, sustaining that level at age 30 is far from guaranteed. The warning lights are flashing.
The Washington Commanders also added Deebo Samuel Sr this offseason. That further complicates McLaurin’s target share. His ADP has already slipped to 37.2....
