Fantasy Football: 5 sleeper wide receivers

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• Marvin Mims Jr. had a late-season surge: He demonstrated his potential late in the 2024 season, finishing as the 23rd-ranked wide receiver in PPR points per game over a crucial seven-game stretch and showcasing his ability to be a valuable fantasy asset when given the opportunity.

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Estimated Reading Time: 16 minutes

Once a fantasy football draft reaches the 11th round, most rosters are filled out with starting wide receivers and, in some cases, one or more backups. While there are plenty of minimal-upside pass catchers available at that point in drafts, there are also hidden gems with top-20 potential, like Brian Thomas Jr. in 2024 or Nico Collins in 2023.

We’re identifying five wide receivers who are being drafted from the 11th to 14th rounds and could end up becoming weekly must-start options.

The average draft position listed is from a consensus between ESPN, Sleeper and Yahoo! for where the player is picked on average in a 12-team, redraft league.

Last updated: Wednesday, July 2

Darnell Mooney, Atlanta Falcons (ADP: 11.11)

The Chicago Bears drafted Mooney in 2020, and he put together one of the most successful seasons by a fifth-round rookie receiver. His 61 receptions tied with Tyreek Hill for the second most among fifth-round rookies in the past decade, and he ranked just behind Puka Nacua and just ahead of Stefon Diggs. Mooney surpassed Allen Robinson as the Bears’ top wide receiver in 2021, gaining 1,000 yards for the first and only time in his career.

Unfortunately, his yards-per-game average dropped by 21 between 2021 and 2022, and D.J. Moore‘s arrival in 2023 caused Mooney’s target rate to plummet. Part of the problem was that Mooney played primarily as an outside receiver in 2020 and 2021 but then logged more snaps from the slot than out wide in 2022 and 2023. Mooney has averaged 1.92 yards per route run over the past season when lined up out wide, compared to 1.12 in the slot.

The Atlanta Falcons signed Mooney during the 2024 offseason to a three-year, $39 million contract ($26 million guaranteed), and he served as the X receiver in their offense. His target rate shot back up despite him being the No. 2 option behind Drake London. His yards-per-game average matched his best season with Chicago, and while his receptions-per-game mark slightly declined, he set a career high in receiving touchdowns (five).

Mooney was a classic up-and-down third wide receiver option in fantasy leagues last season. He recorded 80 or more receiving yards in seven games, with his five touchdowns all coming in those outings. However, he was held to three receptions for fewer than 40 yards in six games. Some receivers tend to put up bigger numbers in losses than wins because their team needs to pass more often, but Mooney’s good games generally occurred in the Falcons’ high-scoring, close affairs, while his bad games were generally in low-scoring, close losses.

Mooney will be in Zac Robinson’s offense for a second straight season. His offense heavily resembles the one the Los Angeles Rams run, using three-receiver sets at a high rate while also often throwing to wide receivers. Mooney should see a high volume of targets.

By far, the biggest change for the Falcons’ offense is at quarterback, where Michael Penix Jr., who started the last three games of 2024, will take over full time. Mooney gained 82 yards on five receptions in his first game with Penix last season, injured his shoulder in the second game and missed the third game. While Penix zeroed in on Drake London for most of those three weeks, he should be a positive for Mooney, on paper.

Penix threw deep and was accurate on such throws at much higher rates than the league average. Mooney caught 14 passes on deep attempts last season, the third most in the NFL. He could lead the league in deep targets if he gains more chemistry with Penix.

Mooney tallied the 38th-most fantasy points per game in 2024. Most teams can have two fantasy-relevant skill players if they have anywhere close to an average offense, and the Falcons have Bijan Robinson and London. It’s often the quality of the offense that determines if a third target is fantasy-viable. If Penix plays well, Mooney would likely be that third person. If Penix plays worse than Kirk Cousins last year, then the Falcons probably won’t have a third fantasy-relevant option.

Mooney was a borderline WR3 last season and could be a weekly fantasy starter if Penix continues to develop into a solid NFL quarterback. If not, Mooney will just be a fantasy backup who can fill in due to injuries or bye weeks.

Marvin Mims Jr., Denver Broncos (ADP: 13.11)

Mims joined the Denver Broncos as the 63rd overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. He started last season as a non-factor, playing even less than in the previous season, and caught 11 passes for 69 yards over the first 10 weeks. In Week 11, Mims started seeing a much higher target rate. He gained at least 40 receiving yards in five of his last seven games and caught six touchdowns in that time. He had two games near the end of the season with a 46% snap rate, in addition to a 69% snap rate in the Broncos’ playoff game.

Mims ranked 23rd in PPR points per game during the seven-game stretch (15.5). He was the clear second option in the offense despite having run the fourth-most routes in the wide receiver room. He posted an elite 89.7 PFF receiving grade and saw a target on 30.4% of his routes, leading to 4.25 yards per route run. After being a deep threat earlier in his career, Mims averaged only 4.2 depth yards per target.

He scored a touchdown on 3.1% of his routes last season, the best rate among wide receivers, while his 0.64 receiving fantasy points per route ranked second.

Mims has typically been a backup outside and slot receiver, but his role expanded in the playoffs last season. In that game, he played Denver’s only snap in a one-wide receiver set and split time with Lil’Jordan Humphrey in two-receiver sets, while Courtland Sutton played all of the snaps across from them. In three-receiver sets, he played 25 of a possible 35 snaps, splitting his time out wide and in the slot while also playing two snaps in the backfield. Devaughn Vele tended to play in the slot when Mims was out wide, while Troy Franklin played out wide when Mims was in the slot. In any case, Denver used nearly every conceivable combination of wide receivers at some point.

The Broncos moved on from Humphrey this offseason and added Trent Sherfield Sr. to fill the role of the early-down wide receiver who can run block. The team also drafted Pat Bryant, which may complicate the wide receiver room. Bryant has the body of an X receiver and has been compared to Michael Thomas. 

On the bright side for Mims, he is unique in size as the Broncos’ only wideout who is less than 6 feet tall (5-foot-11). Denver has always deployed a rotation at wide receiver under Sean Payton, and Mims will ideally be able to keep seeing the playing time he received in the playoffs.

Mims is entering his third season with Payton as his head coach. Payton’s most successful receivers have been bigger receivers — Marques Colston and Michael Thomas — but he also utilized undersized receivers during his time with the New Orleans Saints. Most notably, Brandin Cooks brought a similar size and speed to Mims. Cooks had a similar average depth of target in his rookie season to Mims’ last season before becoming a more complete receiver. Cooks was the WR13 in 2015 and the WR10 in 2016. Payton has called Mims an elite player with the ball in his hands and has raved about his confidence.

Broncos quarterback Bo Nix played reasonably well for a rookie last season, finishing with a high accuracy rate. He targeted wide receivers at a very high rate and went to his first read rate at a low clip, which is generally good for a low-target-depth player like Mims. He should do just fine with Nix at quarterback, and Nix may make even more strides in his second season, in which case Mims’ ceiling could be even higher.

Mims is just a late-round dart throw, but one worth taking. Either he will have a high snap rate early in the season, similar to late last season and the playoffs, in which case he has a solid chance of being a fantasy starter, or he won’t see enough snaps, which means you can drop him early in the season.

Emeka Egbuka, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (ADP: 12.05)

Egbuka spent the past three seasons as the second option in Ohio State’s passing game, first behind Marvin Harrison Jr. and then behind Jeremiah Smith. The Buckeyes were often ahead in games, allowing them to run the ball with future NFL running backs. That hurt Egbuka’s cumulative statistics, but his per-route numbers are very strong relative to other wide receivers. His target rates remained extremely high for a No. 2 receiver.

Egbuka checks many boxes, including high separation scores and catch rates. While his speed isn’t elite, it’s what you would expect from a mid-to-late first-round pick of his size. On the downside, the PFF Draft Guide notes his “route breaks could be sharper” and “his breaks aren’t as sharp or twitchy as some.”

In general, you hope to see college players improve each season, but that wasn’t the case for Egbuka. He played so well in his second year that there wasn’t as much room to put up bigger numbers, but he also never exceeded an 85.0 PFF receiving grade in a season — a mark that most potential first-round wide receivers reach.

Egbuka is projected to be a slot receiver, as he played nearly 75% of his snaps there in college, but he could also play the Z role.

If you ranked the teams that needed a wide receiver the most heading into the draft, the Buccaneers would be near the bottom of the list. They retained future Hall of Famer Mike Evans, re-signed Chris Godwin and watched as 2024 third-round pick Jalen McMillan shone late in his rookie campaign. For Egbuka to play significant snaps in his most natural role as a rookie, he would need to beat out Godwin — one of the most prolific slot receivers of the past decade and a top wide receiver in fantasy points per game last season.

Egbuka’s clearest path to playing time is by beating out McMillan for the Z receiver role. McMillan similarly played in the slot in college and moved out wide with Tampa Bay. Even if Egbuka wins the Z receiver job, there aren’t enough targets to go around. McMillan had a 14.8% target rate last season, which isn’t strong enough to be a fantasy starter. During the six games where Evans and Godwin were both fully healthy last year, all of the other receivers combined averaged just over four targets per game.

If no one in Tampa Bay is injured, it’s hard to imagine Egbuka becoming a fantasy starter in the near future. Even if Evans retires after the season, Godwin, McMillan and Egbuka are all better suited to be slot receivers or Z receivers rather than X receivers, making it challenging for the three to coexist. Both Godwin and McMillan will be on the roster for a minimum of two seasons.

Egbuka is a very talented rookie, but he was consistently the second wide receiver in Ohio State’s offense. With the Buccaneers, he will likely be the third option in the short term — although he still carries sleeper potential because of his opportunity to beat out McMillan.

Luther Burden III, Chicago Bears (ADP: 13.05)

Burden was one of Missouri‘s top two wide receivers for the past three seasons. In 2023, he earned the third-highest PFF receiving grade among Power-Five receivers, behind Malik Nabers and Malik Washington but ahead of Marvin Harrison Jr. and Rome Odunze. That included a top-five yards-per-route-run figure that ranked just ahead of Ladd McConkey.

Burden’s 2024 numbers weren’t nearly as strong due to injuries and Missouri‘s offensive decline. The Tigers’ offense ran the second-most running plays in the SEC during the regular season and logged a below-average number of passing plays. That limited Burden’s routes relative to some other receivers. On a per-play basis, he remained relatively strong. His separation rate over the past two years was the best among the top five receivers in the class. The PFF Draft Guide focused on his well-rounded skill set, his ability to play every position and his biggest weakness being his blocking ability.

Burden spent his college career primarily playing out of the slot as a low-average-target-depth receiver. He joins a Chicago Bears team with D.J. Moore and Rome Odunze, who have spent most of their careers on the outside. Odunze played 33% of his snaps from the slot last season, while Moore has never logged more than 31% of his snaps from the slot. The Bears made two free-agent additions who have primarily played out of the slot in Olamide Zaccheaus and Devin Duvernay. Still, both were signed to low-risk one-year contracts, and Burden should surpass them on the depth chart relatively quickly. 

It is difficult to trust a wide receiver, for fantasy purposes, if they are playing in the slot only. For example, Khalil Shakir was the Buffalo Bills‘ best receiver last season, catching passes from the league MVP. He mostly played in three-receiver sets and finished 37th in fantasy points per game. Burden would need to beat out Odunze, who was a top-10 pick but underperformed as a rookie and was drafted by the past regime.

Optimism abounds about the Bears’ passing game because of new head coach Ben Johnson, whose offenses run a lot of plays and score a lot of points. Slot receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown was the focal point of his passing game with the Lions, and Burden is the most likely receiver to fill that role in Chicago. However, St. Brown was also playing consistently in two-receiver sets, and Johnson’s offenses stayed in two-receiver sets more often than most teams.

Caleb Williams’ development is key. Williams had three games this past season with a PFF overall grade above 80.0 but ended the season with five sub-60.0 marks in his final six games. The 2024 first-overall pick has an entirely reworked offensive line and multiple new receivers to throw to, so he’s being given every opportunity to succeed. Burden won’t become fantasy-relevant as a rookie unless Williams takes a step forward.

Burden was among the most talented wide receivers in the 2025 draft class but landed on a team with several other options in the passing game. If he can surpass others on the depth chart, he may be Ben Johnson’s Bears version of Amon-Ra St. Brown. If he doesn’t surpass others in the target pecking order, he might not be worth rostering in fantasy leagues by the end of the season.

Jayden Higgins, Houston Texans (ADP: 13.10)

Higgins spent his first two college seasons at Eastern Kentucky before transferring to Iowa State and becoming the Cyclones’ lead receiver. In 2023, he led the wide receiver room in routes run, but there was more of a rotation of receivers, with five players who received at least 150 offensive snaps. In 2024, Higgins again led the team in routes, but he and Jaylin Noel were much higher than the other players on the depth chart, as only one other receiver played at least 150 offensive snaps.

Higgins was efficient in college, constantly making catches down the field on his way to first downs and a high yards-per-route-run mark. His efficiency numbers weren’t all that different in 2023 compared to 2024, but his target rate and routes run increased, leading to better cumulative stats. While he primarily played outside and typically faced zone coverage, he was able to find success regardless of where he lined up and what defense he faced. He was generally effective on most routes, but he produced less on some in-breaking routes.

Higgins is a prototypical X receiver at 6-foot-4 and 217 pounds. While the PFF Draft Guide compared him to Tim Patrick, some others compared him to his new teammate Nico Collins.

The Texans had a clear need for more receivers this offseason, and they’ve found a lot of potential replacements. Tank Dell is likely to miss most if not all of the 2025 season. Stefon Diggs played significantly and at a high level last season before his injury. Houston added Christian Kirk via trade, Justin Watson and Braxton Berrios in free agency, and Higgins and Noel in the draft.

Collins, Kirk, Higgins and Noel are locked into roster spots, while Watson and Berrios will compete with John Metchie III and Xavier Hutchinson for the last two spots, or the last spot once Dell is available.

The Texans will likely go with Collins and Higgins as the outside receivers, and Kirk or potentially Noel in the slot. However, both Kirk and Noel have experience in Z roles. The Collins-Higgins pairing is unusual for the NFL. Only five times in the past decade has a team had two 6-foot-4 or taller wide receivers who each reached 500 receiving yards. In no case were both wide receivers worth starting in fantasy. Higgins may function mainly as a backup for Collins, a wide receiver who has missed at least two games in each of his NFL seasons. In that case, one of Kirk and Noel will play in the slot and the other at Z.

The most likely scenario is that there is no clear distinction between starters and backups. All four wide receivers could play significant snaps, which limits each’s fantasy value. If Collins were to suffer an injury, Higgins would naturally fill his role and potentially take his high target rate. This would likely lead to Higgins being a clear fantasy starter if he can quickly adapt to the NFL level.

Higgins was the 34th overall pick, and any wide receiver selected that high is worth the risk in fantasy.

This news was originally published on this post .

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