Fantasy Football Predictions: Top-12 Wide Receivers (2025)

When fantasy football experts put together their redraft rankings, several factors determine how they rank each player. However, that doesn’t mean how the experts think the upcoming season will go. An expert’s top-12 wide receiver rankings aren’t necessarily how they feel wide receivers will finish in 2025.

The rankings include upside, floor, injury risk, and more. Instead of providing my top-12 wide receiver rankings for the upcoming season, I will look into my fictional crystal ball and predict which wide receivers will finish the 2025 fantasy football season in the top 12 in PPR scoring.

• Fantasy Football Draft Kit
• 2025 Fantasy Football Expert Rankings
• Fantasy Football ADP
• Fantasy Football Trade Tools

Predicting the Top-12 Fantasy Football Wide Receivers

WR1 – Ja’Marr Chase (CIN)

Last year, Chase was the far-and-away WR1, averaging 23.7 PPR fantasy points per game. He scored 40.1 more fantasy points than any other flex player. Furthermore, Chase outscored every quarterback except Lamar Jackson. More importantly, he won the triple crown, leading the NFL in receptions (127), receiving yards (1,708), and touchdowns (17). Chase was the first player in league history to have over 1,700 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns in the same season. He should have a repeat performance in 2025 with the Bengals having an awful defense.

WR2 – Nico Collins (HOU)

Having Collins finish as the WR2 is a hot take. However, he has been one of the top wide receivers in the NFL since the Texans drafted C.J. Stroud. Last year, the superstar missed time with a hamstring injury. Yet, he finished as the WR8 on a points-per-game basis, averaging 17.6 PPR fantasy points per outing. Houston might have the worst rushing attack in the league if Joe Mixon isn’t healthy. Meanwhile, Christian Kirk and the rookies won’t keep Collins from earning a 30% or higher target share in 2025.

WR3 – Justin Jefferson (MIN)

Some might be nervous drafting Jefferson because of J.J. McCarthy. However, the superstar wide receiver is quarterback-proof. He was the WR2 last season, averaging 18.7 PPR fantasy points per game with Sam Darnold under center despite Jordan Addison ending the year as the WR21. Furthermore, the former LSU star was the WR3 from Week 15 through Week 18 during the 2023 season, averaging 11 targets and 22.1 fantasy points per game with Nick Mullens and Jaren Hall under center, totaling 15.4 or more in all but one contest.

WR4 – Drake London (ATL)

London finished last year as the WR5, averaging 16.5 PPR fantasy points per game. While the former USC star was the WR14 on a points-per-game basis among qualifying wide receivers, he finished fourth in the NFL in receiving yards (1,271) and third in targets (158). More importantly, London was significantly better with Michael Penix Jr. under center because of his ability to push the ball downfield. He is the only wide receiver with an ADP outside the top 15 picks who could finish this season as the overall WR1.

WR5 – CeeDee Lamb (DAL)

Unfortunately, everything that could go wrong last season did for the Cowboys. The offense got off to an awful start, while Dak Prescott missed half the year with a hamstring injury. Yet, Lamb finished as the WR8, averaging 17.6 PPR fantasy points per game despite playing most of the season with a significant shoulder injury. More importantly, many expect Dallas’ offense to bounce back in 2025 under Brian Schottenheimer. Two years ago, Lamb finished as the WR1, averaging 23.7 fantasy points per game when the Cowboys had an elite offense.

WR6 – Puka Nacua (LAR)

Nacua has been one of the top wide receivers in fantasy football, averaging 18 PPR fantasy points per game in his career. Unfortunately, he missed time last season because of a knee injury. However, Nacua was the WR2 on a points-per-game basis among qualifying wide receivers. Furthermore, the former BYU star averaged 10.9 targets and 21.8 fantasy points per game in the nine contests he finished last year. While Matthew Stafford’s back injury is a concern, Nacua should still finish as a WR1, even if Jimmy Garoppolo starts multiple games.

If Jimmy Garoppolo started for the Rams in Week 1…

Would it actually be catastrophic for Puka Nacua and Davante Adams?

Across five full games in 2023, his top-2 WRs averaged:

[Davante Adams]
> 9.4 targets/g
> 17.2 FPG

[Jakobi Meyers]
> 8.3 targets/g
> 17.0 FPG

Not bad! pic.twitter.com/sT9fpFQHN1

— Fantasy Points Data (@FantasyPtsData) August 13, 2025

WR7 – Malik Nabers (NYG)

Last year, Nabers was outstanding despite missing two games with a concussion and catching passes from Daniel Jones, Drew Lock, Tommy DeVito, and Tim Boyle. He finished as the WR6, averaging 18.2 PPR fantasy points per game, a higher average than his former college teammate Brian Thomas Jr. (16.7). More importantly, Nabers was the passing offense for the Giants last season, accounting for nearly half of the team’s receiving touchdown total (46.7%). The former LSU star should be even better after New York significantly improved their quarterback unit this offseason.

WR8 – Tetairoa McMillan (CAR)

McMillan 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 Panthers will keep him from seeing at least 140 targets this season after an impressive training camp. Don’t be surprised if McMillan has a Brian Thomas Jr.-like end to his rookie season, making big plays downfield with limited target competition.

WR9 – Brian Thomas Jr. (JAC)

Speaking of Thomas, the former LSU star was arguably the biggest surprise in fantasy football last year. He finished as the WR4, averaging 16.7 PPR fantasy points per game despite spending half the season catching passes from Mac Jones. Furthermore, Thomas was one of the most efficient wide receivers in the NFL. According to Fantasy Points Data, he ranked ninth in yards per route run (2.56), 10th in yards after the catch per reception (6.57), and ninth in fantasy points per route run (0.57) among qualifying wide receivers.

WR10 – Amon-Ra St. Brown (DET)

While St. Brown remains arguably the safest first-round pick, the former USC star will likely somewhat regress following a career year in 2024 after the Lions lost Ben Johnson this offseason. Last year, he was the WR3, averaging 18.6 PPR fantasy points per game. However, the superstar saw a decline in volume, going from 10.3 targets per game in 2023 to 8.3 last season. Yet, St. Brown remains the focal point of Detroit’s offense, leading the team in receptions (115), targets (141), receiving yards (1,263), and touchdowns (12) last year.

WR11 – Calvin Ridley (TEN)

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.

* via Fantasy Points Data

WR12 – Travis Hunter (JAC)

We wrap up the top 12 with another hot take. While Hunter will play on offense and defense, the Jaguars didn’t trade up in the NFL Draft for him to not have a significant role in Trevor Lawrence’s development. The rookie had 1,258 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns on 121 targets last season at Colorado. More importantly, Hunter will fill the Chris Godwin role in Liam Coen’s offense. Last year, Godwin averaged 8.9 targets per game, which would have been 151 over a 17-game pace, the eighth-most in the NFL.

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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.