Everyone has heard of the Zero-RB draft strategy. However, the Zero-WR strategy rarely gets mentioned. Yet, it’s one of my favorite draft strategies because of the depth at the wide receiver position.
How does the Zero-WR draft strategy work? Like a Zero-RB strategy, you don’t avoid that position the entire draft. Instead, you focus on other positions early in the draft before targeting wide receivers starting in the fifth or sixth round.
Ideally, you load up at the running back position in the early rounds, grabbing two star-caliber guys. Fantasy players also want to draft an elite quarterback and/or tight end before picking their first wide receiver with this draft strategy. The point of this strategy is to sacrifice at the wide receiver position to have a star-studded lineup everywhere else.
Below are 15 wide receivers I am targeting this year when using a Zero-WR draft strategy. Ideally, I want to leave my draft with at least four of these wide receivers on my team.
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Zero-WR Fantasy Football Draft Targets
Round 5 Targets
DK Metcalf (PIT): ADP 49.8 | WR21
Last year, Metcalf took a backseat to Jaxon Smith-Njigba. The former Ole Miss star was the WR32, averaging 12.7 PPR fantasy points per game, the lowest average of Metcalf’s career since his rookie season in 2019. Yet, he is primed for a bounce-back year after getting traded to the Steelers this offseason. Metcalf is the team’s only meaningful weapon in the passing game. More importantly, Aaron Rodgers loves targeting his No. 1 wide receiver. Last season, his top wide receiver averaged 10.7 targets and 17.4 fantasy points per game.
Courtland Sutton (DEN): ADP 52.7 | WR22
Many fantasy players were ready to throw Sutton on the waiver wire last year after he had zero fantasy points in Week 7. However, the veteran was a fantasy superstar following that awful performance. The former SMU star was the WR7 from Week 8 through Week 18, averaging 8.8 targets and 18 PPR fantasy points per game. More importantly, his production picked up as Bo Nix started to find his footing as an NFL quarterback. Sutton is one of the safest wide receiver options in fantasy football this season.
Xavier Worthy (KC): ADP 54.8 | WR23
Worthy was the WR10 during last year’s fantasy playoffs, averaging 21 PPR fantasy points per game, totaling 19.6 or more in every outing. According to Fantasy Points Data, his 0.61 fantasy points per route run ranked 15th out of 88 wide receivers with at least 50 routes during the fantasy playoffs, posting a higher average than Ja’Marr Chase (0.47). Unfortunately, Rashee Rice is facing a potentially heavy suspension during the 2025 season, giving Worthy a chance to build off his rookie year and become Patrick Mahomes’ top wide receiver.
Round 6 Targets
Tetairoa McMillan (CAR): ADP 67.2 | WR28
While Carolina won’t have an elite passing offense, expect Bryce Young to make McMillan a weekly starting fantasy receiver. The rookie has shined during training camp. Meanwhile, he was one of the top pass catchers in college football last year, ranking sixth in yards per route run (2.87), second in missed tackles forced (29), and fourth in contested catches (18) among 42 wide receivers with at least 100 targets (per PFF). More importantly, no one on the team will keep McMillan from seeing at least 140 targets as a rookie.
Calvin Ridley (TEN): ADP 64.2 | WR29
Some believe Ridley will be this year’s Terry McLaurin – a veteran having a career season thanks to a massive upgrade at quarterback. Last season, Ridley was significantly better with Mason Rudolph starting than with Will Levis. He averaged more PPR fantasy points per game (14.8 vs. 10.5), a higher yards per route run (2.46 vs. 1.81), and nearly twice as many receiving yards per contest (84 vs. 49.8) with the veteran quarterback. Imagine how well Ridley will play with Cam Ward under center and no meaningful target competition.
Travis Hunter (JAC): ADP 67.2 | WR31
Hunter is dealing with an upper-body injury but should be ready for Week 1. Yet, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner is criminally undervalued at his current ADP. While Hunter will play on offense and defense, the Jaguars didn’t trade up in the NFL Draft for him to not play a significant role in Trevor Lawrence’s development. Last year, he had 1,258 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns on only 121 targets. Hunter should see at least that many targets as a rookie in the Chris Godwin role of Liam Coen’s offense.
Round 7 & 8 Targets
Stefon Diggs (NE): ADP 84.8 | WR37
Unfortunately, Diggs suffered a torn ACL last season. However, the veteran was playing well before getting hurt, ranking as the WR6 over the first seven weeks, averaging 7.9 targets and 15.6 PPR fantasy points per game despite splitting targets with Nico Collins and Tank Dell. More importantly, he is the unquestioned No. 1 wide receiver in what will be a significantly improved Patriots’ passing attack. Diggs should end the year no lower than a high-end WR3 after avoiding the Physically Unable to Perform list to start training camp.
Cooper Kupp (SEA): ADP 87.3 | WR39
Kupp’s days as an elite fantasy wide receiver are over. However, he still has plenty of gas left in the tank. Last season, Kupp was the WR19 on a points-per-game basis among wide receivers with at least nine games, averaging 14.6 PPR fantasy points per outing. Furthermore, he had multiple spike week performances despite playing alongside Puka Nacua, scoring 20 or more fantasy points in nearly half of the contests. Kupp will have no problem seeing enough target volume after DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett had 182 last year.
Jordan Addison (MIN): ADP 91.2 | WR40
After a successful rookie year, Addison was outstanding with Sam Darnold. He was the WR21, averaging 14.2 PPR fantasy points per game, posting a higher average than Tyreek Hill (12.8). Furthermore, Addison is one of the NFL’s top touchdown scorers. He had 10 touchdowns on 108 targets in 17 games as a rookie. Last season, the star receiver had nine receiving touchdowns on 99 targets in 15 games. After ranking top 10 in receiving scores in back-to-back years, I’m all in on Addison in 2025 despite the three-game suspension.
Round 9 & 10 Targets
Matthew Golden (GB): ADP 96.3 | WR42
The Packers ended a 23-year drought by selecting Golden with their first-round NFL Draft pick. That should stress how much the team likes the former Texas star and feels they need a difference maker on the outside. Unfortunately, Jayden Reed is dealing with a foot injury and severely struggled in the second half of last year. Meanwhile, Golden has been Green Bay’s top wide receiver in training camp. Don’t be surprised if the Packers trade Romeo Doubs or Dontayvion Wicks during roster cutdown, creating even more work for Golden.
Ricky Pearsall (SF): ADP 96.5 | WR43
San Francisco traded away Deebo Samuel earlier this offseason. Meanwhile, Brandon Aiyuk likely won’t be ready for Week 1 coming off a torn ACL. Furthermore, Jauan Jennings is battling a calf injury for the second time this offseason. Unfortunately, Pearsall missed the first six weeks of last year recovering from a gunshot during an attempted robbery. Yet, the former Florida star averaged 21.6 PPR fantasy points per game in the three contests with six or more targets, scoring three receiving touchdowns. Pearsall is one of my favorite draft targets.
Emeka Egbuka (TB): ADP 107.8 | WR46
Reportedly, Chris Godwin won’t start the season on the Physically Unable to Perform list, but likely won’t play the first few games as he is still recovering from a dislocated ankle. Furthermore, Jalen McMillan suffered a significant neck injury and will miss the first half of the season. Therefore, it’s no surprise that Egbuka’s ADP has skyrocketed after having an outstanding training camp. Fantasy players need to grab the former Ohio State star at his current ADP, if you still can, as it will only go up from here.
Late-Round Targets
Keon Coleman (BUF): ADP 123.2 | WR49
The former Florida State star had four receiving touchdowns as a rookie, the second-most on the team despite ranking seventh with 29 receptions. Coleman has had an impressive training camp. Furthermore, he could turn into Josh Allen’s top wide receiver in 2025, especially with Khalil Shakir dealing with a high-ankle sprain. Last year, his first-read target share in the red zone (28.1%) led the team, 10.5% higher than any other Bill (per Fantasy Points Data). Coleman has become a popular breakout candidate and is one of my favorite late-round sleepers.
Marvin Mims Jr. (DEN): ADP 155.7 | WR57
Mims was the WR22 from Week 13 through Week 18, averaging 17.5 PPR fantasy points per game, a higher average than A.J. Brown (16.2), Tyreek Hill (14.9), and his teammate Courtland Sutton (15.1). More importantly, his efficiency was on par with or better than several superstars, including Justin Jefferson, Puka Nacua, Nico Collins, and Brian Thomas Jr. Those four superstars each had at least a 71.8% route participation rate. By comparison, Mims had a 28.1% route participation rate last season. He is primed for a third-year breakout with enough volume.
|
Player |
Route Participation* |
Target Per Route Run* |
Yards Per Route Run* |
Fantasy Points Per Route Run* |
|
Justin Jefferson |
92.2% |
26% |
2.66 |
0.55 |
|
Puka Nacua |
71.9% |
38% |
3.59 |
0.75 |
|
Nico Collins |
71.8% |
29% |
2.94 |
0.62 |
|
Brian Thomas Jr. |
82.8% |
26% |
2.56 |
0.57 |
|
Marvin Mims Jr. (Full Season) |
28.1% |
28% |
2.78 |
0.72 |
|
Marvin Mims Jr. (Week 13-18) |
41.1% |
32% |
4.37 |
1.12 |
* via Fantasy Points Data
Cedric Tillman (CLE): ADP 200.3 | WR64
While Jerry Jeudy was the WR12 last season, averaging 14.2 PPR fantasy points per game, Tillman was the Browns’ top wide receiver following the Amari Cooper trade before suffering a season-ending concussion. According to Fantasy Points Data, Tillman had a better target per route run rate (22% vs. 18%), yards per route run average (1.69 vs. 1.67), first-round target share (25.7% vs. 23.5%), and fantasy points per route run (0.41 vs. 0.30) than Jeudy during the five weeks where both were healthy following the Cooper trade.
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Mike Fanelli is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Mike, check out his archive and follow him @Mike_NFL2.
