Startups. Startups. Startups. It is dynasty startup SZN! I know we all return to redraft fantasy football in the summer months, and the best ball streets are blazing, but this is also the time for dynasty startups. There are wonderful values to be had right now in startups, so let’s kick off the discussion of the best values at the wide receiver position.
Before you enter another dynasty fantasy football startup, read up on my top five wide receiver values and run a handful of startup mock drafts with our fantasy football mock draft simulator.
Startups. Startups. Startups. It is dynasty startup SZN! I know we all return to redraft fantasy football in the summer months, and the best ball streets are blazing, but this is also the time for dynasty startups. There are wonderful values to be had right now in startups, so let’s kick off the discussion of the best values at the wide receiver position.
Before you enter another dynasty fantasy football startup, read up on my top five wide receiver values and run a handful of startup mock drafts with our fantasy football mock draft simulator.
Dynasty Fantasy Football Draft Values: Wide Receivers
Let’s dive into my best dynasty startup draft values among wide receivers.
The Carolina Panthers selected Tetairoa McMillan inside the top 10 in the NFL Draft, giving Bryce Young a true No. 1 WR. McMillan could be a wonderful volume hog this year in what looks to be an ascending passing offense. Last year, in Weeks 12-18, when Young was hitting his stride, the Panthers ranked 13th in neutral passing rate. We could see that number increase this year with a true number option leading the way.
Last year, during that same stretch, Young ranked eighth in completion percentage over expectation (CPOE), fifth in depth throw rate, 12th in highly accurate throw rate and second in hero throw rate, per Fantasy Points Data. McMillian has the talent to smash in his rookie season if he gets enough volume. I don’t have any worries about a receiver that ranked inside the top 22 in yards per route run and receiving grade, per Pro Football Focus (PFF), over the last two seasons drawing a monster target share. McMillan could easily be a WR1 in dynasty as quickly as midseason.
I understand Davante Adams is entering his age-33 season, but for a player who has shown no falloff to this point, it feels like ageism is driving this lowly average draft position (ADP). Once Adams landed with the Jets, among 79 qualifying receivers, he ranked 22nd in separation and 27th in route win rate, per Fantasy Points Data.
With the Jets, Adams was the WR7 in fantasy points per game and was on pace for 176 targets, 104 receptions and 1,320 receiving yards. With a solid two-year contract and Matthew Stafford chucking passes to him, Adams could easily log two more top-15 fantasy receiver seasons at a WR3 price tag in dynasty startups.
Tre Harris, the soul-snatching route savant, lands with the Bolts in the second round of the NFL Draft and should quickly become Justin Herbert‘s trusted second option in the passing game opposite Ladd McConkey. Yes, Harris will have to hop either Mike Williams or Quentin Johnston to crack the starting lineup, but I’m not worried about his ability to do so.
We’re discussing a player who has ranked first and ninth in yards per route run over the last two years, stacked up against arguably a former first-round bust and a veteran who looked like he was running on empty last year.
The Chargers are looked at as a run-heavy team, but that isn’t necessarily true and might not be in 2025. Last year, after Week 7, the Bolts ranked 11th in neutral passing rate and seventh in pass rate over expectation, per Fantasy Points Data. Harris could easily finish this season as a top-30 fantasy wide receiver in his rookie season and crush his current ADP.
Jayden Higgins got the capital I was hoping for as the fifth wide receiver selected in the NFL Draft at the top of the second round. He should immediately file in as the starting outside receiver opposite Nico Collins. Higgins was an underrated player during the entire draft process after ranking 27th and 16th in yards per route run and first and 18th in receiving grade during his final two collegiate seasons, per PFF.
The addition of Higgins and fellow former Iowa State wide receiver Jaylin Noel should push Christian Kirk while also hopefully fueling a big bounce-back season for C.J. Stroud. With Tank Dell likely out for the entire 2025 season, Higgins has a clear path to playing time with the talent to fly up dynasty startup boards heading into 2026.
This ADP is kinda crazy for a former first-round NFL Draft pick who now has a clear lane to ascend in 2025. Pearsall’s rookie season was derailed early by camp injuries and then off-the-field circumstances that were out of his control. All of these factors delayed Pearsall from flashing his immense talent, but, eventually, the cream rose to the top.
In the final two weeks of the regular season, Pearsall finished as the WR7 and WR14 in weekly scoring while seeing a 21.7% target share and 30.4% first-read share and producing 2.84 yards per route run, per Fantasy Points Data. Brandon Aiyuk is coming off a torn ACL in 2025, and Deebo Samuel is gone. If Pearsall can establish himself as the 1B in this passing attack behind George Kittle, he’ll zoom up ADP and rankings this season.
*All data utilized in this article courtesy of FantasyPros, Fantasy Points Data, Pro Football Focus and PlayerProfiler unless otherwise specified. All ADP cited per DLF May Superflex ADP.
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