The 2025 season is screaming value in the WR3 or slightly later territory this year. Finding value in the midrounds that can produce legitimate top-12 upside is very realistic this season. From rookie receivers to second-year ascending talent and veterans, there’s league-winning upside if you tap into the right players.
Fantasy Football WR3s with WR1 Potential
Tetairoa McMillan (WR – CAR)
McMillan’s ADP is hanging on by a thread in WR3 territory with offseason hype highlights and beautiful contested catches in preseason. The only thing holding his ADP in the WR3 range is the stench of Marvin Harrison Jr.‘s rookie season. Fantasy managers are hesitant to overdraft a rookie receiver with diminishing returns.
While Marvin Harrison Jr. had the more extreme hype heading into the season, McMillan arguably has the far better path and opportunity to WR1 fantasy production. Arizona’s offensive playcalling was always a major question mark. The coordinator was a first-year playcaller, and there wasn’t a proven system of known production. Carolina is the exact opposite. Dave Canales is a strong, offensive-minded head coach with a system that can produce and took a strong upward turn in the back half of 2024.
Carolina has a solid young receiver corps with Jalen Coker and Xavier Leggete, plus Ja’Tavion Sanders at tight end and the veteran presence of Adam Thielen. However, the offense doesn’t have a true WR1 and lacks a dominant red zone presence. McMillan solves their exact need and appears ready to immediately step in as the first-look for Bryce Young.
Jerry Jeudy (WR – CLE)
Steve Smith doesn’t want to hear this, but…Jerry Jeudy finally ascended to the WR1 he was always meant to be!
Jeudy’s 2024 season needs to be contextualized. He finished as the WR15 in overall points but WR29 in average points per game in half-PPR. However, there was a valid reason for that. Jeudy had to fight through the Browns’ chaotic quarterback situation. Deshaun Watson started the first six games of the season and struggled, failing to reach 200 passing yards in any single game. Dorian Thompson-Robinson started two games, played in several others and failed to throw a single touchdown. Jameis Winston started Weeks 8 through 15, and over that period, Jeudy was the WR3 overall.
The upside exists for Jeudy. He’s a big play machine, capable of thriving on volume. He just needs a quarterback with the ability to throw for more than 200 yards and actually provide touchdown opportunities. The Browns officially named Joe Flacco as their starting quarterback for the season, and that’s good news for Jeudy. While a 40-year-old quarterback isn’t the most ideal situation, Flacco does provide the volume to carry Jeudy to another strong season.
Jeudy will face competition. The Browns have a strong but underrated receiving corps. Cedric Tillman popped during a short stint after the trade of Amari Cooper and before injury. David Njoku tends to thrive when healthy. However, Jeudy is the strongest, consistent force within the offense.
Ricky Pearsall (WR – SF)
If you follow my work, you know that any article or video I create regarding wide receiver upside or breakout potential will always mention Pearsall. There’s arguably no player I’ve gone to bat more for this season, and it comes with good reason. The 49ers are not in an ambiguous situation. Their offensive vision is set, and their quarterback is well-paid to execute that vision. The 49ers drafted Pearsall in the first round with both Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel on roster because they had a plan for attrition, and Pearsall was the focal point of that plan.
Pearsall’s ADP falls in the WR4 range and has baked-in skepticism around his true potential in the offense. Christian McCaffrey is healthy. George Kittle will remain a focal point within the offense. Jauan Jennings showed massive upside in 2024, and some fantasy managers may understandably want to lean into that ceiling. However, Pearsall can be a consistent volume receiver here. We got a very short preview of the upside he brings to this 49ers’ offense at the end of last season. Pearsall had a mini-breakout in Weeks 17 and 18 with WR8 and WR14 performances in half-PPR, totalling 14 receptions for over 200 yards and two touchdowns.
Rome Odunze (WR – CHI)
Odunze is an extremely popular candidate for the 2025 Jaxon Smith-Njigba, i.e. the guy whose talent pulls through in Year 2 and ascends to the WR1. Of all the receivers on this list, Odunze offers the most raw talent, but comes with the least clarity in role and volume.
Predicting the target share within the Bears’ offense is a process. We’ve got the addition of multiple high-upside rookies in Luther Burden and Colston Loveland, plus the existing presence of DJ Moore and Cole Kmet. We’ve also got a change in coaching staff and system, so we can’t judge purely based on 2024 statistics. However, if we’re looking at the offense that Ben Johnson brings to the Bears, one thing we should expect is a far more favorable usage of Odunze.
Odunze was the third look in targets with 96, catching just 52 for 734 yards and three touchdowns. To be fair, no receiver had over 1,000 yards. A major problem in Odunze’s lack of production is his average depth of target (ADOT). If Johnson can more effectively utilize him, Odunze can quickly ascend to WR1 upside. Odunze’s ADOT was a whopping 14.2, resulting in inconsistent production on a high ADOT with a poor offensive line. Johnson will likely diversify Odunze’s production to put him in more advantageous situations.
Keenan Allen‘s departure could play a bigger factor in Odunze’s production. Allen’s work paled in comparison to his volume in Los Angeles, but it was a pretty significant chunk of the Chicago offense. His 117 vacated targets will also open up opportunities for Odunze.
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