Don’t step on these fantasy football landmines! Join Ryan Wormeli, Andrew Erickson and Jake Ciely for their dangerous players you should avoid in 2025!
Will Los Angeles Rams RB Kyren Williams be kicked to the curb by head coach Sean McVay? Could things blow up in South Beach, causing Miami Dolphins WRs Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle to bust for the second-straight season?
Plus, why will a fresh start in the nation’s capital still not be enough for Washington Commanders WR Deebo Samuel to return value?
The Pros mark possible mayhem on the map!
- More Fantasy Football Tips & Advice
- 2025 Fantasy Football Expert Rankings
- Fantasy Football Average Draft Position (ADP)
- Fantasy Football Trade Tools
12 Fantasy Football Busts to Avoid
1. Kyren Williams (RB, Rams)
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Why he’s a trap:
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Overloaded last year (389 touches; 87% snaps) with inefficient metrics—ranked near Naji Harris.
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Rams will likely use more committee/running‑back-by-committee sets (e.g., Jarbuzz Hunter, Blake Corum), reducing Kyren’s volume.
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Draft strategy:
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Potential backend RB1 only if he falls to Round 3. Avoid early drafting.
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2. Kenneth Walker III (RB, Seahawks)
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Why he’s risky:
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Competition from Zack Charbonnet (who outperformed Walker when he was healthy).
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Health concerns + inefficiency diminish his upside.
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Draft strategy:
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Pat’s bullish: keeper of explosive play viability.
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Cautious drafters should treat as mid‑to‑late RB2, not early round target.
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3. D’Andre Swift (RB, Bears)
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Why he’s overvalued:
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Historically consistent (RB18–22) but never “breakout”.
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Coaching disconnect with OC Ben Johnson; needs secure starting role.
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Draft strategy:
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Solid floor as time‑share back.
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Avoid drafting with hope—it’s a ceiling play, not upside bet.
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4. Tony Pollard (RB, Titans)
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Why he’s a bust candidate:
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Played through decline/injury—one of the worst PFF second‑half graded RBs in 2024.
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Titans plan to split heavy workloads (Taj Spears also in mix).
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Draft strategy:
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Avoid drafting in RB2 range; better value lies in higher-upside rookies.
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5. Tyreek Hill (WR, Dolphins)
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Why to fade:
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Age 30 decline — fell to WR33 in PPG; efficiency (Yards per Route Run) down ~50%.
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Miami offense less explosive than expected, younger WRs gaining targets.
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Draft strategy:
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Avoid drafting early; only risk‑tolerant drafters should consider him later.
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6. Jaylen Waddle (WR, Dolphins)
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Why he might be a bust:
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Recurring injuries; inconsistent in-season performance.
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Mixed efficiency and inconsistent usage.
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Draft strategy:
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Possibly take late if discounted (WR30+ draft slot) and you want upside.
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7. Deebo Samuel (WR, Commanders)
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Why he’s a landmine:
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Dropped to 8.5 PPG with only one 100+ yard game in last 7 appearances.
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Age 29, injury-prone, new OC could limit creativity—was on 49ers trade radar.
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Draft strategy:
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If he posts early-season surge, sell high Week 1. Avoid using a mid-round pick.
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8. Rashod Bateman (WR, Ravens)
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Why he’s risky:
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Heavily reliant on season-end health bounce-back; history of injuries.
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Ravens target splitting is common—mid-tier target volume expected.
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Draft strategy:
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Consider buy-low mid-season if healthy; don’t use early-round draft capital.
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9. Rashee Rice (WR, Chiefs)
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Why to fade:
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Coming off season-ending injury + potential suspension; target competition increased (Worthy, Moore, Brown).
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Draft strategy:
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Too much risk to draft at WR19 ADP. Wait for post-injury performance before buying.
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10. Jared Goff (QB, Lions)
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Why not to draft:
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Unsustainable TD rate (6.9%) in 2024, without rushing upside.
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Tough schedule, key OC departure and OL changes ahead.
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Draft strategy:
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Avoid drafting mid-round QB; target viable rushing QBs or wait for safer tier.
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11. Any Non-Rushing QB (besides Burrow)
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Why it’s risky:
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Volatility tightens without rushing upside.
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Stray performance one-offs driven by TD spikes—not sustainable.
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Draft strategy:
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Favor QBs with 500+ rush yards upside (e.g., Fields, Richardson) or elite passers with top-tier consistency (e.g., Burrow, Herbert).
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12. Mark Andrews (TE, Ravens)
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Why to avoid:
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TD-dependent; limited production outside red-zone.
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Heavy offensive distribution in Baltimore (Likely, Boykin, Samuel).
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Draft strategy:
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Too expensive for tight end value. Prefer higher-volume TEs like Isaiah Likely or a quality mid-to-late pick.
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???? Fantasy Football Draft Takeaways
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Volume matters: Overvalued players with reduced usage are dangerous.
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Committee concern: Teams leaning on multiple RBs or WRs signal risk in target/touch reliability.
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Age + injury = alert: Veterans on new teams with health issues often disappoint.
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Rushing QBs = floor: Drafting non-rushing QBs without breakout upside is a trap.
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TD-reliant TEs risk bust: Only draft high-cost TEs with strong reception base.
- Introduction – 0:00:00
- Kyren Williams (RB – LAR) – 0:03:21
- Kenneth Walker (RB – SEA) – 0:08:44
- D’Andre Swift (RB – CHI) – 0:13:05
- Tony Pollard (RB – TEN) – 0:19:26
- Tyreek Hill (WR – MIA) – 0:23:24
- Jaylen Waddle (WR – MIA) – 0:24:39
- Deebo Samuel (WR – SF) – 0:30:55
- Rashee Rice (WR – KC) – 0:34:53
- Jared Goff (QB – DET) – 0:40:04
- Non-Rushing Quarterbacks Besides Joe Burrow (QB – CIN) – 0:44:55
- Mark Andrews (TE – BAL) – 0:49:56
- Jake Ferguson (TE – DAL) – 0:53:35
- Is This Player a Trap? – 0:54:25
- Outro – 0:57:27
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