Fantasy Football is a game of luck, but knowledge is just as important. Managers may be excited for their drafts, especially the first round. Every year, someone reaches for a pick that turns into an absolute bust. Avoid that mistake. Do not reach for these players in your Fantasy Football draft.
All stats are full-PPR courtesy of FantasyPros.
Jonathan Taylor started 2025 outstandingly. He was a top-three fantasy back in six of the season’s first 10 weeks. The drop-off was dramatic following the Week 11 bye.
Taylor had a stellar Week 10 performance, rushing 32 times for 244 yards and three touchdowns for 49.6 fantasy points (FPTS). After the Week 11 bye, he failed to log another 100-yard game and only found the end zone three times.
Taylor’s drop-off could be attributed to Daniel Jones suffering lingering injuries. Indy’s QB played through a fractured left fibula, then suffered a torn Achilles in Week 14.
Jones’ status is still in question, and Taylor’s injury history should bring hesitation. 2025 was the first full season he had played since 2021. At his best, he’s a league-winner, but the risk may not be worth a top-10 pick.
It may be tempting to draft Christian McCaffrey after a bounce-back 2025 season. He only played four games in 2024, but started all 17 the following year. In 2025, he rushed a career-high 311 times for 1,202 yards and 10 touchdowns.
McCaffrey was also a major receiving threat in 2025. He caught 102 receptions for 924 yards and seven touchdowns, ending the year with 416.6 FPTS as the league’s RB1.
McCaffrey is now 30 years old with an extensive history of lower leg injuries. The 49ers signed veteran wide receiver Mike Evans, hoping to take some of the load off CMC’s shoulders.
If the Niners’ offense is healthy, McCaffrey won’t need to rush the ball over 300 times, and that’s a good thing. Just like Taylor, CMC’s injury history should hinder a first-round reach.
Drake London is one of the most talented wide receivers in the NFL and is certainly worth a top-10 pick in a vacuum. The problem with drafting him, however, is the situation around him.
The Falcons have a new head coach, Kevin Stefanski. They’re also in the midst of a QB battle between Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix Jr. To dive into London’s draft stock, the quarterbacks must be examined.
In 2025, with Penix at the helm for nine games, London’s production was all over the place. In Week 2, he logged three catches for 55 yards. In Week 11, he logged seven catches for 119 yards. In that span, he caught five touchdowns.
Tagovailoa has not thrown for over 3,000 yards since 2023. Over the last two seasons, he’s thrown 39 touchdowns and 22 interceptions. His accuracy is an issue, and he may not be the most efficient QB for London to succeed with.
Despite London’s talent, the entire situation in Atlanta is less than ideal. Combined with superstar running back Bijan Robinson, the team may lean more toward the run.
Last offseason, I posted an article similar to this one. I warned against drafting Saquon Barkley early, and his 2025 season was a letdown. His problems were not all his fault, though. The Eagles’ offensive line was riddled with injuries, and the former offensive coordinator, Kevin Patullo, was simply not up to par.
After a near record-breaking 2024 season, Barkley’s 2025 was never going to be on the same level. He rushed 280 times for 1,140 yards and seven touchdowns, nearly half of his 2,005 yards and 13 touchdowns from the year prior.
Philly’s new OC, Sean Mannion, will be implementing a new system. Barkley is now 29 years old and coming off back-to-back 16-game seasons for the first time in his career. His numbers will likely be closer to 2025’s than 2024’s.
The allure of Chris Olave may be the strongest it’s been since his rookie year. 2025 saw him log career highs in receptions (100), yards (1,163), and touchdowns (nine). He seemingly has a franchise QB and an exciting receiver to line up with.
Olave has suffered multiple career concussions, the last coming in 2024. Injury history aside, the Saints’ offense may be much more crowded this season. New Orleans drafted WR Jordyn Tyson eighth overall and signed RB Travis Etienne in free agency.
The Saints have built the offense around rising QB Tyler Shough. The 40th overall pick in 2025 showed flashes of potential and now has more weapons at his disposal.
Olave is a great receiver, but the offense won’t need to lean on him so heavily this year. If Tyson and Etienne show out, the fifth-year veteran will likely see decreased production. A balanced offense is great, but not overly exciting for fantasy managers.
Whether it’s injury history or a lack of targets, anything can contribute to an underwhelming fantasy football team. It’s better to be safe than sorry, and these bullets may be worth dodging.
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