Welcome to Week 4 of the 2025 Footballguys Roundtable. Our intrepid panel of fantasy pundits discusses and debates four topics every week. We split the conversation into separate features.
This week's roundtable features these four topics:
- Chargers Passing Game
- Browns Passing Game
- For Real or Fool's Gold, WR Edition
- Hot Running Back Starts
Let's roll...
Matt Waldman: Consider these four wide receivers...
Which player do you think is legitimately finishing as a top-36 fantasy starter this year?
Joseph Haggan: Tetairoa McMillan is for real. He has the body, route-running, and hands to continue being a WR1 for the Panthers. He has little competition for targets and is on a team that needs him to lead the wide receiver room.
He is key to the development of Bryce Young. He hasn't had fewer than eight targets in a game yet this season, and though he has not found the end zone yet, it is an area in which he could thrive and did so in college. Keep feeding the rookie!
Meng Song: Tetairoa McMillan is the most likely to legitimately finish as a top-36 wide receiver in fantasy. There's a dearth of talent in Carolina's passing game. Because of that lack of talent, McMillan has seen at least eight targets in each of his first three games.
The Panthers' blowout win over the Falcons in Week 3 was an aberration. Bryce Young will need to pass early and often in most games this season, which should translate to continued healthy target volume for McMillan.
The only potential concern is a lack of touchdowns, but even without having found the end zone yet, McMillan is currently the PPR WR30 through three weeks. He's doing it with receptions and yardage.
Andy Hicks: I expect many to suggest Tyquan Thornton is overrated. I disagree with that proposition.
Thornton had a disastrous start to his NFL career with the Patriots. Going from 22 receptions in his first year to 10 in his second, with only 4 in his third.
The Patriots have probably the poorest track record of developing wide receivers this century. Despite having a draft pedigree of a second-round pick, most teams labeled him a bust. Not the Chiefs, who picked Thornton up late last year after the Patriots cut him.
Thornton's time spent on the practice squad during their Super Bowl run last year, combined with a full offseason under Patrick Mahomes II and Andy Reid, has him in a great spot. Problems with Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy gave him an opportunity.
Having watched all three Chiefs games, the connection with Mahomes is getting better each game. There have been numerous plays that would have Thornton as the No. 1 fantasy receiver if half of these targets connected.
Tipp Major: It hasn’t been fun to watch, but Tetairoa McMillan looks like the real deal. He’s locked in as the WR1 in this offense based on snap percentage and targets. Averaging nine targets per game, McMillan’s usage points to consistent fantasy production.
Patience is required—he’s a rookie, and there’s always a learning curve when transitioning to the pros, no matter how talented you are. Out of this group, McMillan is gold and has the profile to finish as a top-36 wide receiver.
Jeff Bell: McMillan has the best chance to finish in the Top 36. He has started his career very strongly, has established himself as the go-to receiver for Bryce Young, and the weak overall roster of the Panthers should afford him some heavy volume situations. The comparison to Mike Evans in Dave Canales' offense is too easy.
Dave Kluge: Tetairoa McMillan has looked phenomenal through his first few weeks, but the production has been slim. Bryce Young has two bad outputs out of three -- 121 and 154 passing yards.
Nonetheless, McMillan has established himself as the clear primary option in the passing attack. He’s drawing press coverage from defenders and doing exactly what he did in college: beating guys to the catch point and hauling in contested catches. Despite the Panthers’ lackluster passing attack (23rd in passing offense), McMillan is still 14th in receiving yards (216).
Waldman: I'll note that 41 percent of McMillan's coverage has been tracked as "press," but I have not seen more than two routes where McMillan had to deal with contact within the first 2-3 yards of the line of scrimmage.
The tracking currently overstates McMillan's value in relation to this type of coverage. I'm in wait-and-see mode about him as a primary, but the yardage and scheming to get McMillan open have been effective.
Mike Kashuba: I overheard Jeff Blaylock in the employee parking lot telling his friend about how it was going to rain on our rookie excitement over Tetairoa McMillan, who is the clear top dog in Carolina. Spoiler alert below...
I don't care. I think McMillan has the strongest case to remain a top-36 fantasy starter. Rookies are supposed to start slow, but McMillan is averaging nine targets a game through three weeks.
That volume isn't going away anytime soon, and he's locked into a top-36 finish unless an injury pops up. I'd like to give an honorable mention to Elic Ayomanor, who has a legitimate chance to finish higher than expected. Top-36 value might be a touch too high, but he's a vital part of this Tennessee offense and should continue to operate as their wide receiver two.
Waldman: Which receiver from this list do you think is legitimately overrated this year and will fall out of the top 36?