FantasyPros Staff | Mon, Aug 11th 2025, 3:36am EDT

13 Fantasy Football Draft Landmines: Wide Receivers (2025)

Navigating your fantasy football draft can be tricky, especially when certain players come with more risk than reward. To help you dodge potential pitfalls, we’ve gathered insights from our collection of Featured Pros to highlight the biggest 2025 draft landmines to avoid. These are the players our fantasy football experts believe are overvalued, injury risks, or simply unlikely to live up to their ADP this season. Before you make a costly mistake on draft day, check out who the pros are steering clear of-and why.

Fantasy Football Draft Landmines to Avoid

What one WR inside the top 50 overall in our consensus ADP do you plan on avoiding in all or most of your drafts relative to their price and why?

Terry McLaurin (WR – WAS)

“Terry McLaurin feels like a no-brainer to add to the fade list. Ask yourself these questions: Can Jayden Daniels easily mimic or exceed his numbers from last year? Can Terry McLaurin keep up the touchdown totals from last year? Both questions can be answered with history stating that teams adapt and learn to limit players. Add in a holdout for McLaurin, and now we have an increased risk of injury with an addition to the wide receiver room in Deebo Samuel stealing opportunities.”
– Joe Pepe (Beyond The Gridiron)

“Terry McLaurin at WR17, 39th overall, feels like a massive trap for me. Even if he ends up staying on the Commanders, I’m not sold that he’ll be involved enough to make that price worth paying. If he ends up leaving, a similar outcome could occur, as he’s already missed a lot of the offseason. Receivers need time to bond with their quarterback, and McLaurin is missing out on that time on his own team, let alone the rest of the NFL. Until we see how his contract shakes out, I’m fine passing and letting someone else hold the bag.”
– Andrew Hall (FantasyPros)

“Terry McLaurin – Prior to last season, McLaurin’s career 17-game pace was 80 catches for 1126 yards and 5.4 TDs. That trend generally continued, as he caught 82 passes for 1096 yards, but happened to pop for 13 TDs – his TD rate ballooned from a career rate of 6.6% to 15.8% in 2024. Some of this increase is rightfully attributed to an improvement in QB play, but enormous regression is likely headed McLaurin’s way. FantasyPros currently has Terry projected for 8.3 Tds in 2025; if he caught that many last year, he would have tied for WR23 in Half-PPR points per game. Pair all of this with the Commanders’ difficult strength of schedule and Terry’s current holdout/trade request (although I expect him to be signed by Washington), and there is enough risk for me to choose to go elsewhere in the 4th round of drafts.”
– Charlie Sisian (The Fantasy DC)

Marvin Harrison Jr. (WR – ARI)

“We’re doing it again. Consensus is inflating Marvin Harrison Jr.’s ADP with little to prop up his top-20 wide receiver price tag. Marvin Harrison Jr. didn’t come close to living up to the hype in his rookie season. Harrison Jr. finished as the WR39 in fantasy points per game and the WR27 in expected fantasy points per game. After such a disappointing first year, we’re left wondering, entering year two, “Can Harrison live up to last year’s hype and breakout in 2025?” I’ll start by saying I’m doubtful, and I’ll likely remain below consensus on him entering the year, but there’s a pathway for it to happen. Ok, let’s get back to 2024. In Weeks 1-9, Arizona deployed Harrison Jr. primarily as a downfield receiver, with only 29.9% of his routes being horizontal breaking routes and 49.6% of them being vertical breaking routes. In that sample, he drew a 21.4% target share (32nd) with 49.4 receiving yards per game (43rd), a 28.2% first-read share (29th), 0.093 first downs per route run (36th), and 1.97 yards per route run (38th, per Fantasy Points Data). This was a horrible game plan by Arizona’s coaching staff. Last year, Harrison Jr. ranked 84th and 51st in vertical route-breaking separation and route win rate, as opposed to 16th and 19th in those categories when it came to horizontal-breaking routes. The good thing for Harrison Jr. is that in Weeks 10-18, his horizontal route % climbed to 41.4%, while vertical breaking routes made up 38.5% of his usage. The problem is that in Weeks 10-18, his numbers didn’t improve; instead, they actually worsened with the usage change. He had a 20.6% target share (33rd), 55 receiving yards per game (37th), a 27.1% first-read share, 0.078 first downs per route run, and 1.56 yards per route run. His late-season usage and per-route numbers with horizontal routes offer hope, but his declining efficiency with the usage change muddies the 2025 waters. Harrison is a tough player to get excited about, given that his usage and efficiency are in question, and there are no concrete answers to suggest we should expect better results moving forward.”
– Derek Brown (FantasyPros)

Ladd McConkey (WR – LAC)

“I will choose not to highlight the obvious choice of Washington’s Terry McLaurin. Instead, I’ll pivot to L.A.’s Ladd McConkey. While I believe he will have another good season, his ADP price tag is just too high for my tastes. As the WR11 in half-PPR ADP, I have a preference for other wideouts in his range like Tyreek Hill and Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Should McConkey slip out of the WR1 range, I’ll have to reconsider, but I believe the Chargers will strike a better balance to get their other pass-catchers like Tre Harris, Quintin Johnston, and Najee Harris more involved to diffuse the offensive production better.”
– Matt De Lima (Athlon Sports)

“It pains me to say this as he was one of my guys last year, but Ladd McConkey’s price assumes he will perform like he did at the end of the year last year, and there are some problems with that thesis. The Chargers had no healthy NFL starting-caliber running backs at the end of last year, and the team couldn’t run the ball the way Harbaugh and Roman want to. Ladd also had virtually zero competition for targets. Now, Ladd is a great route runner and target earner, and will get his, but that was a perfect storm for massive volume last year. This year, they added a 1st round running back and (maybe) Najee Harris to get back to the ground game they want and added Tre Harris, KeAndre Lambert-Smith, Oronde Gadsden II, and now Keenan Allen. At a WR11 ADP, he has to maintain his super high volume from last year to pay off ADP, and the situation doesn’t seem to be conducive to that for me.”
– Jay Wood (Daily Dynasties)

Jaxon Smith-Njigba (WR – SEA)

“Jaxon Smith-Njigba is a high catch percentage and low average depth of target player who relies heavily on volume. Due to the offensive coordinator they had in 2024, who produced the potent Washington offense with Penix and Odunze, they passed at a much higher rate than any average team would. They went from 17th in pass attempts in 2023 to 7th with the same cast on offense. With a solid defense, run game, and normal offensive coordinator, Smith-Njigba does not have the skill set to produce as WR13, where he will likely see around 115 targets.”
– Justin Weigal (FantasySharks)

“In seventeen games last season, Jaxon Smith-Njigba had over one hundred yards just three times and scored only six TDs. Njigba just doesn’t have the speed or burst to generate big plays. He’s a slot WR, which is great in PPR leagues, but not as valuable in Half PPR settings. And while the departures of D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett leave a vast amount of targets there for the taking, Seahawks’ new starting QB, Sam Darnold, gives me reason for pause when it comes to Smith-Njigba’s fantasy outlook. Darnold laid an egg last year in the playoffs for the Vikings, and that was in the weather-controlled dome of State Farm Stadium, not outdoors in the rain and sleet of the Pacific Northwest. Smith-Njigba’s current lofty ADP at WR 12 is way too risky for Mark Ringo.”
– Mark Ringo (Sleepers and Busts)

Mike Evans (WR – TB)

“It’s Mike Evans. It’s sad to say, but Father Time is finally catching up with Evans, who needed every bit of the 2024 season to eclipse 1000 receiving yards. Part of the issue is Evans’s 31 years, but most of it has to do with the other weapons in Tampa. Emeka Egbuka has already seemingly paid off his 1st round draft capital if you think the incessant camp hype will translate immediately like many, including myself, believe. Chris Godwin is on the mend and will also return at some point this season. Evans averaged just 6.4 targets per game with Godwin on the field last year. He averaged 9.2 targets when Godwin was out with injury. And then there’s Baker Mayfield‘s insane TD rate of 7.2% a year ago. He had only eclipsed 5% twice in his career, so we can expect Evans’s 11 TDs to regress a little as his QB should throw fewer tuddies himself. Evans is a great player, but all of these factors push me toward the RB value in the early 4th, where he’s currently going.”
– Jeremy Shulman (Fantasy Football Universe)

DJ Moore (WR – CHI)

“Many were afraid to draft DJ Moore last year after the Bears added Keenan Allen and Rome Odunze in the offseason. However, the former Maryland star finished the year as the WR16, averaging 11.1 half-point PPR fantasy points per game despite playing on a dysfunctional offense. Unfortunately, fantasy players should avoid drafting Moore at his WR20 ADP. The veteran will have even more target competition this season than last year after Chicago used their top two picks in the 2025 NFL Draft on Colston Loveland and Luther Burden III. More importantly, Moore has had a rocky offseason, reportedly having issues with Ben Johnson. Meanwhile, Odunze could break out and be the Bears’ No. 1 wide receiver in 2025. Fantasy players should target DK Metcalf, Tetairoa McMillan, and Xavier Worthy with a later ADP over Moore.”
– Mike Fanelli (FantasyPros)

“DJ Moore is a top 50 wide receiver I’m avoiding in most drafts relative to his ADP. He’s currently going off the board as WR20 (47th overall), but I have zero faith in the Bears’ offense with Caleb Williams under center and a shaky coaching situation. Chicago just added Luther Burden III and Colston Loveland to a room that already includes Rome Odunze, making this one of the most volatile WR corps in fantasy. Moore is a great player, this fade isn’t about talent, it’s about situation, and the Bears look like a mess on and off the field. Unless Moore falls well past his ADP, I’m not touching him in redraft.”
– Lawrence Iacona (Gridiron Experts)

Amon-Ra St. Brown (WR – DET)

“Amon-Ra St. Brown has been a stalwart of Detroit’s passing offense, but a career-best touchdown rate buoyed last year’s production while his usage quietly slipped. After ranking in the top five among receivers in targets per route run in 2022 and 2023, the ranking fell to 17th in 2024. He should maintain his role as the team’s primary receiver. But the emergence of Jameson Williams and Sam LaPorta, coupled with the coaching brain drain, set St. Brown up for a season where he can fall well short of his top-five price tag.”
– Dave Kluge (Footballguys)

Rashee Rice (WR – KC)

“Rashee Rice. He was terrific in 2023 and before ripping up his knee in 2024, but there are headwinds now. Rice is facing a suspension. He’s coming off a serious knee injury. And the target outlook isn’t quite as bright. When he broke out in 2023, the Chiefs’ other receivers were Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Justin Watson and Skyy Moore. They have a first-round draft pick, Xavier Worthy, who had 50 catches in his last eight games (including the playoffs and excluding Week 18, when he played one snap), and the dangerous Hollywood Brown. I have a hard time believing that Worthy’s emergence doesn’t change the target distribution in Kansas City.”
– Pat Fitzmaurice (FantasyPros)

Michael Pittman Jr. (WR – IND)

“With Anthony Richardson, Michael Pittman Jr. isn’t very useful, even as a WR3/Flex. He is not a guy that you could trust at all.”
– Alejandro Orellana (Estadio Fantasy)

Nico Collins (WR – HOU)

“This offseason, Nico Collins’ value has vaulted to WR7 (#13 player overall). He has yet to play a full 17-game season, and his #9 finish in 2023 is his career high. Last year was a down year for the Texans as a team. Nico still managed 68/1,006/7 in 12 games. That is a great pace, but it was slowed due to injuries, which should worry owners. This off-season, the Texans signed Christian Kirk and drafted Jaylin Noel & Jayden Higgins from Iowa State. While none of the new receivers are game-changers (yet), they will take targets from Collins. I am a huge Collins fan and hope the team rebounds, but at his current cost, I believe there are many safer picks at wide receiver.”
– Adam Dove (The Fantasy Couriers)

Tyreek Hill (WR – MIA)

“Anything that contains ‘Tyreek Hill‘ and ‘top-12 wide receiver’ in the same sentence should scare fantasy managers away. Yes, Tyreek Hill is great, but do not forget how Hill was ready to get out of Miami at the end of 2024. This has the makings of a situation that could get ugly, and ugly fast, if Miami is not playing winning football. Not to mention, drafting Tyreek Hill as a top-12 wideout after being one of the biggest busts of 2024 is not a discount at all. Stay far away from Hill, at cost.”
– Ed Birdsall (Talking Points Sports)

“Tyreek Hill enters 2025 as one of the riskiest early-round picks in fantasy football. He finished last season as WR33 in points per game, with just two 100-yard games alongside a healthy Tua Tagovailoa (11 games as WR18 in PPG) – a far cry from the elite production fantasy managers drafted him for. His efficiency cratered, with yards per route run dropping to 1.75 – less than half his 2023 mark – all while battling a wrist injury. Now 31, Hill is approaching the dreaded age cliff for speed-reliant receivers, and a late-season sideline outburst only adds to the concerns about his role/stability in Miami. Early reports have indicated that he is still working to rebuild his relationship with his QB. The game-breaking upside might still be there, but the red flags around health, chemistry, and declining performance make Hill a logical bust candidate that should be avoided.”
– Andrew Erickson (FantasyPros)

“How many times will Tyreek Hill appear in this list? He’s a guy that you have to love in a best ball situation for season-long. He’ll post some solid numbers, and I believe he’ll top the down ’24 campaign. But I’m not sweating out the weekly efficiency of this offense with him as a back-end WR1 (current WR12).”
– Mike Harmon (Swollen Dome)

Puka Nacua (WR – LAR)

“As of right now, Puka Nacua is being drafted as the No. 7 overall player in ADP. But there are some serious questions. Will Davante Adams take over as the WR1 in this offense? Can Puka stay healthy for a full season? And will Stafford even be healthy to start the year? There are WAY better options in Round 1 with far fewer question marks – give me guys like Nico Collins, De’Von Achane, and Malik Nabers instead at the back half of round 1.”
– Brady Auer (BA Sports Podcast)

Travis Hunter (WR/CB – JAC)

“There is no way Travis Hunter can sustain playing both sides of the ball in the NFL without becoming a liability. Fatigue is going to catch up, and at some point, the Jaguars will have to limit his snaps, either by design or necessity. Sure, he may get a few gadget plays, but there will be drives where he is simply too tired to take the field, and a real NFL-caliber WR like Parker Washington or Dyami Brown will be better suited for the job. If Hunter’s defensive skills prove more valuable to the team, they’ll pump the brakes on his offensive usage fast. The NFL hits harder than college, spending a 4th/5th/6th round pick on a potential part-time WR who might not crack 800 yards is a good way to end your Fantasy Football season before it begins.”
– Muntradamus (Beast Dome)

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