Tier 6-7 Wide Receivers Heading Towards 2025 Season

Late-Round Wide Receivers: Searching for a WR3 in the Wilderness

If you’re digging into the WR40–WR60 tier looking for that final flex or WR3 in PPR leagues, good luck — and bring a shovel. This year’s back-end wide receiver board is full of uncertainty, risk, and “maybe if” scenarios.

Take a look at some names in this range:

Khalil Shakir (Buffalo Bills) – Quietly dependable in PPR formats, especially with Stefon Diggs (New England Patriots) gone. Not explosive, but he’ll catch 4–5 balls a game.
Jayden Reed (Green Bay Packers) – Flashes upside, but Green Bay’s WR room is a logjam. Any of Reed, Christian Watson, or Romeo Doubs could break out — or none might.
Ricky Pearsall (San Francisco 49ers) – Gets a shot thanks to Brandon Aiyuk’s injury situation and Deebo Samuel (Washington Commanders) departure. But can you trust a young receiver in an offense riddled with preseason PUP players?

✅ Best Bet: In full PPR leagues, Shakir offers the safest floor. If you need a steady WR4 or bye-week fill-in, he’s got a weekly role.

Fall of a Fantasy Legend: Avoiding the Cooper Kupp of the Seattle Seahawks Trap

Let’s be blunt: Kupp should not be on your draft board in 2025 redraft leagues.

Age has caught up.
Injuries continue to mount.

Even if he flashes for a game or two, you’re gambling on a guy who’s more likely to miss time than win you weeks. At an ADP near 150, you’re better off taking upside shots on rookies or WR3s in emerging offenses.

2025 WR Draft Strategy: PPR Depth Wins Championships

If you’re not walking away from your draft with at least 5 wide receivers, you’re doing it wrong — especially in 3-WR or PPR leagues. The middle and late rounds are stocked with names who could outperform ADP in the right scenario:

Matthew Golden (Houston Texans) – Rookie with opportunity if Tank Dell or Nico Collins falters.
Josh Downs (Indianapolis Colts) – Clear WR2 in Indy, decent floor in full PPR.
Stefon Diggs (New England Patriots) – Volume should be there, but upside is capped in New England’s low-octane offense.

🎯 Dart throw of choice: Downs offers sneaky WR3 production with little competition for slot targets.

Rookie WR Watch: Contract Chaos & Dynasty-Only Investments

The 2025 rookie wideout class is dealing with a contract quirk: second-rounders are holding out over guarantees. This includes:

Luther Burden (Chicago Bears)
Trey Harris (Los Angeles Chargers)
TreVeyon Henderson (New England Patriots) – technically a RB, but relevant in PPR checkdown-heavy schemes

Expect them all to sign before August 1, but delays in camp can kill rookie momentum in redraft formats. Dynasty managers can still stash and hope, but redraft drafters should wait and monitor camp news before pulling the trigger before Round 10.

🚫 Avoid for now: Burden and Harris until they’re signed. Preseason reps matter, especially for rookies.

Betting Spotlight: Rookie WR Props & Depth Chart Speculation

Want to bet on a wide receiver breakout? This is where low totals + high opportunity = value. A few angles to watch:

Reed – Total TDs (O/U 5.5) – Take the Under. Unclear red zone role with Watson and Luke Musgrave around.
Diggs – Receptions (O/U 74.5) – Lean Over. New England might be boring, but Diggs should still see 8+ targets per game.
Downs – Receiving Yards (O/U 675.5) – Take the Over. Has WR2 locked up and is a clear chain-mover for the Colts.
Pearsall – Receiving Yards (O/U 499.5) – Avoid. Too much volatility with SF’s QB situation and receiver injuries.

Final Word: WR3s Are Messy — Pick a Lane

The late WR tiers are about two things: floor vs. ceiling.

If you’re loaded at WR, swing for upside: rookies like Golden or Pearsall could become top-30 options.
If your core is shaky, stabilize with floor: Shakir and Downs aren’t sexy, but they’re weekly plug-ins.

There’s no perfect WR3 pick this year. But if you nail the right one in the late rounds, it could be the difference between playoff push and waiver-wire desperation.

Stack your WR depth. Bet smart on low-prop value. Fade the fading names.