Wide Receiver Sleepers For 2025: Late-Round Rookies To Target in Best Ball

We know rookies are the skeleton key to unlocking teams with massive upside in best ball tournaments.

Specifically, each of the past five Best Ball Mania rosters has included at least one late-round rookie WR who made a significant impact in at least one of the playoff weeks:

The market is hip to this strategic angle, though. The Round 1 and Round 2 WRs all go within the top 125 picks. The days of Round 1 rookie WRs like Garrett Wilson going in Round 12 of drafts, or the aforementioned ARSB going in Rounds 17 and 18, are long gone.

That doesn't mean we should throw in the towel on selecting rookies, though. It just means we have to dig deeper and be even more picky with our selections.

This year's crop of Round 3 and Round 4 WRs provides us with a handful of intriguing options at various price points, but some of them come with significant zero risk.

Below, I'll outline two priority targets from this cohort, as well as guys who should be placed on a watch list.

The concept of a "watch list" in May might seem silly, but it was this exact time two years ago when we flagged positive drumbeat on two late-round rookie WRs who would go on to be stone-cold league winners.

ICYMI: I did a similar exercise for my favorite late-round rookie RB targets two weeks ago.

For more data on these rookies in the Super Model, click here.

Late-Round Wide Receiver Rookie Sleepers To Target

Kyle Williams – New England Patriots (Pick No. 69)

ADP: 122 (11th round)
Super Model Rating: 69
Action Item: Target at ADP on Drake Maye or Justin Fields teams

Despite the kiss of death that the Patriots seem to give any WR they select, Underdog drafters have no issue selecting the Washington State product in the 11th round of drafts.

He's—by far—the most expensive third-round rookie, which should immediately call for some skepticism. Let's not forget that we did this same song and dance with Ja'Lynn Polk last year when we chased available targets on a wide-open depth chart.

Still, Williams is a polished route-runner whose game is expected to translate immediately to the next level.

Williams is not a priority target for me, but I'm happy to select at a discount or when correlating around the Patriots.

Jaylin Noel – Houston Texans (Pick No. 79)

ADP: 150 (13th round)
Super Model Rating: 69
Action Item: Priority target for C.J. Stroud teams and solid target at ADP on WR-needy teams

Noel appears blocked initially as the backup slot WR behind Christian Kirk, but there are multiple ways he can pay off his ADP thanks to a reasonable 13th-round cost.

For one, he could end up being better than his Iowa State teammate Jayden Higgins, whom the Texans took in the second round. The draft capital gap would suggest that it is not likely, but it certainly isn't impossible.

He could also get on the field in the event of an injury to any of the other three WRs ahead of him.

Or he could simply outplay Kirk down the stretch in a way that makes it impossible to keep him off the field in the high-leverage weeks.

Considering the price, the offensive environment, and the outs to success, he's become my most drafted WR through 54 drafts.

Pat Bryant – Denver Broncos (Pick No. 74)

ADP: 175 (15th round)
Super Model Rating: 68
Action Item: Priority target right now in all drafts—price will continue to rise

Denver surprised everyone by selecting Bryant, a 6'2", 204-pound receiver from Illinois, at No. 74. He was not on many analysts' radar until after the pick, but everyone is paying attention after Sean Payton compared him to Michael Thomas.

Bryant's draft capital is particularly intriguing when paired with the ambiguity of the Broncos WR room. Courtland Sutton remains the alpha, but there is plenty of competition for the No. 2 and No. 3 spots here.

I think Bryant's ADP is going to continue to rise into the Noel range, so he's a priority target for me at these 15th-round prices.

Isaac TeSlaa – Detroit Lions (Pick No. 70)

ADP: 205.1
Super Model Rating: 68
Action Item: Keep on watch list; stack sparingly with Jared Goff if desperate for a WR

TeSlaa's production rating (62) leaves a lot to be desired, but it's hard to ignore the draft capital the Lions spent to draft him. Not only did they use the 70th pick, but they exchanged their 102nd overall pick and two future third-rounders with the Jaguars to secure him. That's essentially the equivalent of a 2nd-round pick.

While it seems unlikely that TeSlaa could make an impact on a crowded depth chart with elite talent, I want to remain open to targeting a rookie on an explosive offense in the same way we took stabs on Pearsall last year.

I'm only taking him on Goff teams for now, but I'll be willing to do more than that if we get positive news throughout the summer.

Tai Felton – Minnesota Vikings (Pick No. 102)

ADP: 214
Super Model Rating: 64
Action Item: Keep on watch list; stack sparingly with J.J. McCarthy if desperate for a WR

Felton feels like a forgotten man right now despite sneaking into the end of Round 3. Felton is a tall, fast WR from Maryland who set a school record with 96 receptions in his senior year.

Similar to TeSlaa, he's not a priority target right now, but his path to significant playing time as the WR3 is not as blocked as you might think with Jalen Nailor as the primary roadblock.

I don't mind stacking him with McCarthy in a pinch, but keep him on the watch list for now.

Savion Williams – Green Bay Packers (Pick No. 87)

ADP: 215
Super Model Rating: 66
Action Item: Keep on watch list; stack sparingly with Jordan Love if desperate for a WR

Matthew Golden was the marquee WR addition for the Packers, but Williams should still be on radars after going in Round 3. He's a big (6'4", 222-pound) receiver from TCU who finds himself in a very ambiguous WR room with plenty of opportunity.

We've seen guys climb their way up the depth chart in Green Bay to make surprising impacts (remember Bo Melton?), so I wouldn't count out Williams.

I'm not taking him yet, but he's starred on my proverbial watch list.

Honorable Mentions (Round 4 WR Sleepers for Best Ball)

Jalen Royals – Kansas City Chiefs (Pick No. 133)

ADP: 202
Super Model Rating: 63
Action Item: Keep on watch list; stack sparingly with Patrick Mahomes if desperate for a WR

Royals, a 6'0", 195-pound receiver from Utah State, is likely to redshirt Year 1 behind Rashee Rice, but I never want to ignore a rookie WR tethered to Mahomes.

Unfortunately, we know this org loves to slow-play rookie WRs, and the KC room is as deep as it's ever been heading into 2025.

Elic Ayomanor – Tennessee Titans (Pick No. 136)

ADP: 200
Super Model Rating: 63
Action Item: Keep on watch list; stack sparingly with Cam Ward if desperate for a WR

Ayomanor was expected to go earlier than this and was certainly expected to go before his teammate Chimere Dike, whom the Titans took at pick No. 103. Still, his profile is interesting enough to keep tabs on if he is able to get on the field early with Cam Ward.

Deep Watch List

Chimere Dike, Dont'e Thornton, Arian Smith, Jaylin Lane, KeAndre Lambert-Smith, Tory Horton

None of these guys is likely to make an impact, but be prepared to adjust if they get a steady drumbeat of praise over the summer.

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I stream Best Ball Drafts every Monday morning on my YouTube channel. This past week, I drafted one with our very own Kendall Valenzuela. Check it out here.

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