We’ll have you covered as you prepare for your 2025 dynasty rookie drafts. In order to dominate your dynasty rookie draft, check out our expert consensus dynasty rookie draft rankings. And sync your dynasty league to practice with fast and free dynasty rookie mock drafts. We dive into dynasty rookie draft picks our analysts are higher or lower on compared to our expert consensus rankings. Here are a few dynasty rookie wide receivers our experts avoid in drafts.
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Dynasty Rookie Draft Advice: Wide Receivers Experts Avoid
Most rookie mocks have Travis Hunter going way too early. Although Hunter might just be *the* most talented receiver in the draft, he almost certainly won’t be a full-time receiver in the NFL. A two-way player in college, Hunter could very well end up as a full-time cornerback in the pros. It makes much more sense for Hunter to be a full-time cornerback and a part-time contributor at receiver than vice versa. Face it: No team would have the willpower to limit Hunter’s snaps at cornerback if he were the best cover man on the team – and he probably would be. Hunter played heavy snaps on both sides of the ball in college. That isn’t going to happen in the NFL, where double duty would inevitably lead to a short career. Here’s betting he’s a starting cornerback in his first NFL season and plays 15% to 25% of his team’s offensive snaps. That isn’t worth a first-round pick. Heck, it’s probably not worth a second-round pick either. But in the back half of the second round of a rookie draft, it’s worth the gamble that the sensational Hunter gets more playing time at wide receiver than is widely expected.
-Pat Fitzmaurice
Johnson was a manufactured touch player at Oregon. He was utilized in motion, bunch formations, and from the backfield (27 snaps in 2024) to get him free releases. Over the last two seasons, he has ranked 26th and eighth in screen targets among wideouts. Last year, screens comprised 51.7% of his target volume (23rd-highest mark). Johnson was tasked with plenty of stop routes, leaks out of the backfield, curls, and five-yard out routes. He faced mostly off-coverage in college. Johnson was able to win with speed and quickness. When corners could run with him and chose to press him at the line, they had little issue hanging in his back pocket through his route. Johnson deploys a similar shimmy and shake off the line and at the top of his route breaks when he works to gain separation. This caught some corners in college who lacked the foot speed to hang with him, but I worry it won’t be enough in the NFL. His release package off the line and in-route nuances are limited. Johnson could be deployed in the NFL in a similar manner that Oregon used him, but he will have to grow as a route runner and separator to deal with man, press, or playing any on the perimeter. His lack of size and physicality shows up in his routes and at the catch point. It doesn’t take much for a corner to push him off his route.
-Derek Brown
Bryant is a big-bodied physical receiver. His play strength shows up continually in his film. He fights through contact well in his routes, is a bully after the catch (13 missed tackles forced with only 54 receptions), and is strong at the catch point (69.2% contested catch rate last year). Bryant’s raw speed is questionable. He has build-up speed that is best displayed on posts and deep overs. He looks clunky in his routes at times, running like he has cement in his shoes. Bryant displays the ability to stack corners, but I worry that against better competition, he could lack the raw speed and route nuance to consistently stack corners at the next level. He has to continue to add releases to the tool belt and refine his footwork at the top of his stems. His release package at this juncture is limited. He has issues sinking his hips consistently and decelerating quickly to create late separation. He has the play strength and solid hands to win 50/50 balls, but that could be a realm he lives in constantly in the NFL.
-Derek Brown
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