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15 Rookies to Target (2025 Fantasy Football)

15 Rookies to Target (2025 Fantasy Football)

Get ready for your fantasy football draft with our fantasy football draft cheat sheets. Our analysts dive into their favorite fantasy football draft targets and sleepers, as well as overvalued players and busts they’re avoiding in drafts. Let us help you prepare for your fantasy football draft with our cheat sheets! And use our Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet Creator to create your cheat sheet using our expert rankings, notes, and player tags.

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Fantasy Football Draft Cheat Sheets

Erickson’s Rookies to Target

Tetairoa McMillan (CAR)

Tetairoa McMillan lands in an ideal situation to emerge as the alpha wideout in Carolina. Drafted with top-10 capital (8th overall) the former Arizona star joins a Panthers offense in need of a true WR1. McMillan brings size, production and opportunity to a WR room featuring an underwhelming Xavier Legette and a promising but undrafted Jalen Coker. T-Mac was just one of 3 WRs in the FBS in 2023 to hit 1,396 yards, 10 TDs, and 89 receptions. The others being fellow top-10 WR draft selections: Malik Nabers and Rome Odunze. If Bryce Young takes even a modest step forward and continues to fuel fantasy success for his No. 1 target, McMillan could be this year’s breakout rookie receiver.

Jaylin Noel (HOU)

Jaylin Noel is one of the most exciting under-the-radar rookie wideouts in the 2025 class. The 5’10”, 194-pound Iowa State product posted a 33% dominator rating in his final season and led the class in receiving yards on throws of 20+ air yards – despite suffering from some of the worst QB play. He’s a vertical slot weapon with elite athleticism, punt return ability, and strong production alongside fellow Texans rookie Jayden Higgins.

Houston snagged Noel in the third round (79th overall), and while he may open the season behind Christian Kirk, the opportunity is there. With Kirk’s durability in question and Noel’s explosive playmaking, don’t be shocked if the rookie earns a major role down the stretch. Attached to C.J. Stroud in a high-powered offense, Noel is a sneaky late-round target.

Jaylin Lane (WAS)

Jaylin Lane enters the NFL as a fourth-round pick by the Washington Commanders, initially expected to make his mark as the team’s starting punt returner. But don’t rule out a larger offensive role. With Terry McLaurin in the final year of his contract and Deebo Samuel on a one-year deal with an extensive injury history, Lane has a realistic path to becoming the starting slot receiver in Washington – especially with last year’s third-round pick Luke McCaffrey failing to impress. Lane is a dynamic playmaker and elite athlete. Measuring in at 5-foot-10, 191 pounds, he ran a sub-4.4 40, jumped at least 11’0″ in the broad, and cleared 40″ in the vertical, making him one of just eight WRs to hit all three athletic benchmarks since 2003. He ranked 4th in the 2025 class in YAC per reception (8.5) and has over 100 career kick/punt returns, reinforcing his playmaking ability in space.

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