Fantasy Football rankings debate: Travis Hunter vs. Tetairoa McMillan in Dynasty rookie drafts

The 2025 NFL Draft has delivered us some talented rookies landing in key situations that impact your Fantasy Football season in 2025 and beyond. Depending on your Dynasty Fantasy Football league settings, you may have only a few days — or hours left to go before your rookie drafts. Some of you may already be on the clock in a slow draft and debating which rookie you want to select from the 2025 NFL Draft class. Some of these decisions are tougher than others and we’re going to start tackling a few of them here. Earlier, I did a deeper dive into some of the draft prospects selected on Day 3 of the NFL Draft who could serve as Dynasty gems later in your rookie drafts — you can find that here. Today, we’ll look at one of the toughest decisions a Fantasy Football manager has to make in the early part of the first round of his rookie draft — Jaguars wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter vs. Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan.

Hunter was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars after they traded up to select him at No. 2 overall. Shortly after, they revealed that he will start his career primarily playing wide receiver. Hunter joins a new coaching staff in Jacksonville led by Liam Coen — the mastermind behind the Buccaneers‘ breakout offense in 2024. He also joins 2024 breakout rookie Brian Thomas Jr. and will compete with him for target share. McMillan has a clearer path to a lot of target volume in Carolina as he joins an offense that took major strides in the second half of the 2024 season as Bryce Young found his rhythm. Young’s skill set as an anticipatory passer should work well with McMillan’s size.

Heath Cummings recently updated his Dynasty wide receiver rankings and here’s how he broke down the decision for managers in their rookie drafts:

While there is some concern that Hunter’s defensive work could negatively affect his Fantasy production, I feel much better about Hunter than I did a month ago. It also doesn’t hurt that he landed with a better quarterback than I really thought possible a month ago. All of that is to say, Hunter is now my WR1 in the class and a top-12 wide receiver in Dynasty. There is certainly a lot of risk at that cost, but it’s also possible that Hunter is a consensus top-five wide receiver in the future. 

Tetairoa McMillan is my number two wide receiver in the class and comes in at number 18 in the rankings below. I do think he has top-12 upside, but I don’t think he has the same upside as Hunter, even if he’s a little bit safer. McMillan is a big-bodied receiver, but he’s also a better route runner underneath than many his size. I do have some concerns about him separating in the NFL, and with Bryce Young elevating his play.

Hunter gets the edge for me over McMillan because of the talent gap I associate with the two receivers. This is not a knock on McMillan. I believe Hunter was the best prospect on tape in this draft class. His diverse release package off the line of scrimmage will make him an immediate red zone mismatch, he can stack in the vertical game, and his loose hips allow him to separate at the top of the route step on in and out-breaking routes. On top of all of that, he attacks the ball in the air, has excellent flexibility and body control on contested-catch situations, and strong hands at the catch point. If there’s any question mark about his scouting profile it’s the top-end speed.

I did a full scouting profile on Hunter and came up with a bit of a lofty NFL comparison in Justin Jefferson — remember — this is more of a playing style comparison than anything else:

It’s a lofty NFL comparison — one I was almost too cowardice to make — but let me be clear in saying Hunter’s ceiling is unlikely to reach Jefferson’s level. However, it’s not impossible. Stylistically, this is Hunter’s closest comp. Like Jefferson, Hunter is fluid, concise, and sudden in his movements without the ball, which allows him to create separation. He has the explosiveness both after the catch on quick-hitting passes and down the field on the vertical plane. He attacks the football like Jefferson and has the elite body control to not only high point the football but contort his body to make difficult contested catches. 

Travis Hunter is a rare athlete who can be one of the elite playmakers on either side of the ball at the NFL level. His combination of traits allows him to be a winner at all three levels of the field as a receiver. He is explosive to win on short-area targets, he stacks and accelerates as a vertical threat and he can throttle down to win in intermediate areas of the field. His body control and hands allow him to be an immediate red zone weapon, too — in addition to his smooth releases off the line of scrimmage. Hunter is the best WR prospect in this class because he is the most complete — and because his skill set is one that typically translates well to the NFL level.

You can find my full scouting profile on McMillan here.

McMillan is 97th percentile in height at the receiver position and certainly plays like it. He makes plays extended away from his frame and above the rim and will bring a different presence to the Panthers receiving room. However, question marks about how he can uncover against press-man coverage could slow down his early-career progress and there is more risk in his profile. That shouldn’t be the be-all-end-all in Dynasty decisions, but it could lead to more early value for Hunter from an asset standpoint. 

Like Hunter, McMillan rarely dropped passes at the collegiate level and could earn the trust of Young early in the process.

The decision between Hunter and McMillan is a bit complicated by the idea of Hunter playing some cornerback for the Jaguars, but the impact he’ll make at receiver early should solidify him as a Dynasty standout.