Fantasy owners who hopped aboard the Kareem Hunt hype train last season were likely laughing all the way to the title, whereas others who bought into the Terrelle Pryor hype paid dearly for their mistake. With there being so many players fantasy enthusiasts are excited about, combined with a plethora of conflicting advice on those same guys, it’s often hard to discern which of these players are worth investing in. That’s why we have our featured pundits here to help you separate the legitimate fantasy studs from the fantasy frauds. See who they’re buying and selling.

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Q1. What one player is currently over-hyped and why will he disappoint fantasy owners this season?

Evan Engram (TE – NYG)
“I’m not touching Engram at his current cost. He can’t possibly live up to the expectations set by his 115-target rookie season. Odell Beckham Jr. and Saquon Barkley will siphon targets away this year, so Engram will need to drastically improve his 55.7 percent catch rate, which worse than all but one tight end among those with at least 60 targets in 2017, to return value. He should finish somewhere in the middle tier of his position, but you can find tight ends with similar ranges of outcomes at much lower prices.”
– Greg Smith (TwoQBs)

Jimmy Garoppolo (QB – SF)
“Quarterback is way too deep for me to take a chance on Garoppolo’s currently inflated ADP. I get that he was 6-0 for San Francisco and looked good in Kyle Shanahan’s offense, but Garoppolo was outside the top 20 in fantasy points per game and given the amount of film now available, opposing defenses will have ample opportunity to make adjustments. I’d much rather take Philip Rivers, Ben Roethlisberger, or Andrew Luck, who are also available in the same area of most drafts.”
– Jody Smith (FantasyPros)

Derrick Henry (RB – TEN)
“Henry is a giant of a man (6-3, 247) but he is being drafted as though the Titans didn’t just pay Dion Lewis $20 million over four years. Lewis and his versatility will see the field for Tennessee, and Lewis should hog the passing game targets. Henry’s upside is capped. I’ll wait a round later for Lewis if I’m targeting the Tennessee running game.”
– Heath Capps (Fake Teams)

Tyreek Hill (WR – KC)
“It’s Hill, large-in-part to the fact that there’s some who believe he can maintain his historic efficiency. The reason? He’s fast. Guys, if that’s the case, you’d better start sliding John Ross up your draft boards. While I like Ross as a sleeper, there’s a reason DeSean Jackson was never a consistent WR1 option in fantasy football. Speed is great when used correctly, and Andy Reid knows how to do that, but when you add Sammy Watkins to the team and replace Pro Bowl quarterback Alex Smith with Patrick Mahomes, who has started one NFL game, you should expect some target and efficiency regression. I don’t think Hill will be a non-factor, but rather a boom/bust WR2 who everyone is drafting as a WR1.”
– Mike Tagliere (FantasyPros)

Sammy Watkins (WR – KC)
“The hype is starting to build on Watkins again, and it seems like we go through this painful exercise every year. The talent is very considerable, which wows people, but he can never seemingly play a full season or deliver on a consistent basis. Don’t buy into an impending disappointment again. He’ll have some moments that remind us of why so many love him to begin with, but he will never be dependable.”
– Scott Engel (RotoExperts)

Zach Ertz (TE – PHI)
“This time of year it’s necessary to take much of the camp chatter with a grain of salt. That being said, if rookie Dallas Goedert is as good as advertised, then it will be hard for Ertz to live up to a late third-round ADP. By all accounts, Goedert is the better red zone option, and Ertz never put up more than four touchdowns before last year. Fade Ertz at his current price and look for other TE values, like Jordan Reed in the seventh or eighth round.”
– Scott Smith (RotoViz)

Q2. Who is a player deservedly receiving hype that fantasy owners should buy into?

Keenan Allen (WR – LAC)
“Allen is finally getting the recognition he deserves as one of the top WRs in the league. After a string of fluke injuries, Allen was a league winner last year and the third-most efficient WR on a per-play basis. With Hunter Henry injured, Allen should easily be the top target for the Chargers in the red zone. Couple that with around 150 targets and Allen is an easy value at his second-round ADP. For Zero-RB enthusiasts, there may not be a better draft start than grabbing Allen as your WR2.”
– Scott Smith (RotoViz)

Rex Burkhead (RB – NE)
“Burkhead’s stock has risen two-to-three rounds over the past couple of months and is only going to keep rising with the Sony Michel injury. Burkhead should retain his short-yardage role for a Patriots squad that is annually at or near the top of rushing touchdowns scored. Burkhead scored eight TDs in 10 games last year and also holds his own as a solid receiver. He’s a locked-in RB2 with RB1 potential.”
– Jody Smith (FantasyPros)

Alex Smith (QB – WAS)
“Smith has passed the 500-pass attempt mark twice, and both times he was a top-12 quarterback. He’s on the move to Washington this year, where pass-happy Jay Gruden is reportedly happy with Smith’s “processing speed.” It sounds like Gruden believes Smith can execute the offense better than his last quarterback…you like that 4,000-yard, 25-touchdown floor in Round 12 of your drafts? YOU LIKE THAT!?”
– Heath Capps (Fake Teams)

Stefon Diggs (WR – MIN)
“I’ve been saying that Diggs is a legitimate top-five route-runner in the game and once he gets the targets…look out! It’s odd hearing people throw out Antonio Brown as a comparison this year because it’s a name I’ve tossed around as a comparison for Diggs for a few years. So you know, Calvin Ridley is the same type of receiver. But as for Diggs, he’s got a new quarterback in a new offense, and the team just paid him handsomely to become their No. 1 target. While Adam Thielen isn’t going away, it’s Diggs’ time to shine.”
– Mike Tagliere (FantasyPros)

Corey Davis (WR – TEN)
“I’m generally wary of players who are largely unproven at the NFL level, but I can’t resist buying the hype on Davis. Positive regression is due for Marcus Mariota, and the quarterback’s rebound will equate to improved efficiency for his receivers. Meanwhile, with Rishard Matthews already dinged up, Davis has a clear path to top-receiver status on what should be an ascending passing offense. An elite college prospect, Davis has been meant for that WR1 role ever since the Titans drafted him fifth overall in 2017, and he can be drafted outside the top-20 at his position in fantasy.”
– Greg Smith (TwoQBs)

Nyheim Hines (RB – IND)
“There is growing buzz on Colts rookie Hines, and it’s not just smoke. Andrew Luck never had a toy like him in the past, and Hines gives Luck not only a safety valve, but a unique weapon. Hines could become the next Darren Sproles and could play a prominent receiving role in the Colts’ offense, as they lack a solid WR2 and don’t have a clear leader at RB either. Hines should get a lot of reps as a unique chess piece for the Colts and could be a fine flex option in PPR leagues.”
– Scott Engel (RotoExperts)

Thank you to the experts for naming who they’re buying and selling. Be sure to give them a follow on Twitter for more great advice and check out our latest podcast below.

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