There is a ton of talent at wide receiver and options available from the start of drafts through the end of them. There’s no shortage of enticing options.
Still, the forthcoming three wide receivers are especially appealing picks. They’re also picked at different points in the draft and only one has an average draft position (ADP) inside the first six rounds (72 picks) of Underdog Fantasy best ball drafts.
- 2025 NFL Draft Guide
- 2025 NFL Draft Scouting Reports
- 2025 NFL Mock Drafts
- Dynasty Mock Draft Simulator
Must-Have Wide Receivers for 2025 Fantasy Football
*Average draft position data courtesy of Underdog Fantasy
Jauan Jennings (WR – SF) | ADP: 70.8/WR38
Brandon Aiyuk‘s contract negotiations and extension garnered most of the headlines for the 49ers last offseason. However, Jauan Jennings was also signed to a new two-year contract worth $15.4 million, per Over the Cap. In retrospect, the Jennings contract was a steal.
Among wide receivers who played more than five games in 2024, Jennings was tied for the WR27 in half-PPR points per game (11.5). Jennings’ underlying data was legit, too.
According to the data suite at Fantasy Points, among 127 wide receivers with at least 150 routes in 2024, Jennings was:
- 35th in air yards share (29.0%)
- Tied for 24th in target share (22.7%)
- Tied for 12th in targets per route run (0.27)
- 24th in first-read percentage (29.3%)
- 13th in yards per route run (2.47)
- Tied for 36th in end zone targets (eight)
- 36th in expected half-PPR points per game (12.6)
- Tied for 20th in expected half-PPR points per route run (0.48)
Jennings’ production per route run was excellent, and his path is less cluttered this year than last. The 49ers traded Deebo Samuel to the Commanders and Aiyuk might miss time or need to be eased into action early in the year after tearing his ACL and MCL in his right knee in late October.
In addition, John Lynch said the team has listened to calls about Aiyuk’s availability. Jennings’ fantasy football ADP will likely climb. Still, he’s an appealing pick as early as the end of the fifth round of Underdog drafts.
Adam Thielen (WR – CAR) | ADP: 169.2/WR72
Father Time is undefeated. Nonetheless, Adam Thielen keeps fending him off after it appeared he might be on his last legs in his final season in Minnesota in 2022. Instead, Thielen’s been rejuvenated in Carolina.
According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), in two years with the Panthers, Thielen has recorded 0.24 targets per route run, 151 receptions (5.6 per game), 1,629 receiving yards (60.3 per game), 1.74 yards per route run and nine touchdowns in 27 games. Furthermore, Thielen was more efficient in 2024 than in 2023.
Among wide receivers with at least 150 routes in 2024, Thielen was 37th in yards per route run (2.10), 14th in yards per target (10.08) and 53rd in expected half-PPR points per game (11.0). Thielen’s an ideal glue guy to offset rookie wideouts who might not emerge as fantasy assets until later in the season.
Tory Horton (WR – Colorado State) | ADP: 238/WR107
Sadly, Tory Horton’s final collegiate season was derailed by a knee injury that required surgery. Horton played in only five games in 2024 — he reached 20 routes only twice. Still, he had a productive college career and showed out at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine.
According to PFF, among 140 FBS wideouts with at least 75 targets in 2022, Horton was 35th in PFF’s receiving grade (78.9) and 20th in yards per route run (2.77).
Among 126 FBS wide receivers with at least 75 targets in 2023, Horton was 15th in PFF’s receiving grade (86.9) and tied for 21st in yards per route run (2.74). Horton had 71 receptions for 1,131 yards and eight touchdowns in 12 games in 2022 and 96 for 1,144 yards and eight touchdowns in 12 games in 2023.
On 96 routes in five games in 2024, Horton had an 81.4 PFF receiving grade, 38 targets, 25 receptions, 331 receiving yards, 3.45 yards per route run and one touchdown. In three seasons at Colorado State, Horton put up an impressive 0.30 targets per route run and 2.83 yards per route run.
Horton had stellar collegiate production and demonstrated eye-catching athleticism at the combine.
Tory Horton is a WR prospect in the 2025 draft class. He scored an unofficial 9.40 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 207 out of 3408 WR from 1987 to 2025.
Splits projected, times unofficial.https://t.co/eL7DON5Pqx pic.twitter.com/nni7VTwo7F
– Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) March 1, 2025
Horton jumped and ran well. He measured 6-foot-2 and 186 pounds. He likely helped himself with testing at the combine, but he’s flying under the radar in Underdog drafts.
As a bonus, his ADP indicates he’s often going undrafted. Thus, Horton can make massive waves in Underdog contests if he emerges as a fantasy asset during Underdog best ball playoffs.
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Josh Shepardson is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Josh, check out his archive and follow him @BChad50.
