13 Players to Avoid (2025 Fantasy Football)

When preparing for your fantasy football drafts, knowing which players to target and others to avoid is important. The amount of information available can be overwhelming, so a great way to condense the data and determine players to draft and others to leave for your league mates is to use our expert consensus fantasy football rankings compared to fantasy football average draft position (ADP). In this way, you can identify players the experts are willing to reach for at ADP and others they are not drafting until much later than average.

A common theme with “bust” candidates is when players become overvalued based on bulletproof roles/situations that turn out not to be what they thought they would be.

Let’s dive into a few notable fantasy football players below. And you can check out which experts are higher or lower than our expert consensus rankings using our Fantasy Football Rankings Comparison Tools.

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Fantasy Football Players to Avoid

Quarterbacks

Jared Goff (DET)

Jared Goff checks off all the boxes of a quarterback you DO NOT DRAFT in 2025.

The Lions QB finished 2024 as the QB7 in points per game (19.4) and QB6 overall (third in passing yards per game).

But Goff hit his stride as injuries derailed the Lions’ defense. From Week 11 onward, Goff averaged north of 25 points per game. Weeks 1-10 with a healthier defense? Fewer than 16.5 points per game.

That’s just one red flag the Detroit QB has to face in 2025. The loss of OC Ben Johnson figures to be a challenge. Goff was just the QB18 in expected fantasy points per game, with virtually zero rushing to supplement his passing production. Among the top-8 finishers last season, Goff posted the highest bust rate at 31%.

And although many will point to the Lions’ suffering a ton of defensive injuries last season, their offense was one of the healthiest in the NFL (second healthiest according to FTN). That type of injury luck on one side of the ball doesn’t carry over from year to year. Odds are that their defense will be much healthier than their offense in 2025; not exactly a recipe for fantasy success.

Goff’s 6.9 TD% was the highest of his career in 2024. This is a number that will typically regress. Goff also posted the highest completion rate on third downs among all QBs, a metric that tends not to be very sticky.

And if I haven’t convinced you yet, just look at Goff’s median 2025 projection. QB21 overall. QB23 in Mike Clay’s projections. He’s vastly overvalued as a top-12 fantasy QB.

Add in one of the NFL’s toughest schedules and six outdoor games (against teams that all had winning records last season), and a major statistical drop is likely for the Lions’ one-dimensional pocket passing QB.

Fantasy managers are chasing last year’s points and overvaluing a non-elite rushing QB instead of forecasting next year’s obvious problems.

Speaking of overvalued QBs…

Baker Mayfield (TB)

Baker Mayfield is being highly overvalued as the QB7 off the board.

With Liam Coen gone, Mayfield enters the season under a new offensive coordinator, which introduces uncertainty after his career-best year. He’ll also be without elite left tackle Tristan Wirfs — one of the NFL’s premier pass blockers — a major concern for a quarterback who was the third-least pressured QB last season but still posted the fifth-highest pressure-to-sack rate. On top of that, Mayfield will open the year missing two of his top weapons in Chris Godwin and Jalen McMillan, further capping his ceiling. His 2024 production was fueled by unsustainably high efficiency, including a career-best 7.2% passing touchdown rate and career-high rushing numbers, both of which are likely to regress. With so much late-round QB value available — including Brock Purdy, who comes at a discount and offers similar upside — there’s no reason to pay up for Mayfield. Don’t draft last year’s points at this inflated price tag.

Dak Prescott (DAL)

I don’t want to draft Dak Prescott this season as the QB11 in ADP. Don’t hate him in the season-long projections, but if you take him as your late-round QB…it’s at the Eagles in Week 1. Not ideal. OT Tyler Guyton is iffy to play after missing so much of the offseason with an injury. The Cowboys OL is vastly overrated and let’s not pretend Prescott was even good last year before his injury. In 8 games last season, Prescott had one top-12 finish. No rushing juice either.

If you want to bet on a QB returning to 2023 form…just draft Jordan Love.

Running Backs

Saquon Barkley (PHI)

The consensus RB2 is Saquon Barkley after arguably the greatest season we have ever seen from the position. He went over 2,000 rushing yards as the only skill player to average more than 20 points per game in half-PPR. The Eagles’ rusher led the NFL in touches with nearly 500 (492) when including his workload in the postseason…running effectively behind the league’s best OL.

But as was the case with Christian McCaffrey in 2023 and many RBs before him, leading the NFL in touches by such a vast margin is essentially the kiss of death for RBs the following year. Only two RBs finished as RB1s the following year after leading the NFL in touches since 2013. Ezekiel Elliott is the only one over that period to finish inside the top 5.

The last 12 RBs with 400-plus touches the following season: RB71, RB53, 2 DNPs, RB17, RB6, RB17, and RB2. The only RB to return to glory after seeing 400+ touches was 24-year-old LaDainian Tomlinson.

There’s no better time now than to sell high on Barkley, considering his age (28) and injury history.

RBs aged 27+ who led the NFL in touches: 5 times and zero top-5 finishes the following year.

Kyren Williams (LAR)

It feels like Groundhog Day all over again – another offseason, another round of analysts fading Kyren Williams. Despite a monster workload in 2024 (nearly 400 touches, 87% snap share, both second to only Saquon Barkley), Williams was wildly inefficient – ranking near the bottom in explosive run rate, missed tackles, and YAC per attempt (akin to Najee Harris‘ numbers in 2024 in regards to yards per carry, rush yards over expected, total rush EPA etc.) with an alarming number of fumbles to boot. Williams finished with the 5th-highest carry per fumble rate (63.2).

The Rams spent legit draft capital on Blake Corum in 2023 (who Sean McVay repeatedly calls a stud) and Jarquez Hunter in 2024 (who the Rams traded up for) while publicly embracing the NFL trends of a more committee-driven backfield approach this offseason. McVay was impressed by Liam Coen’s deployment of Rachaad White and Bucky Irving in 2024, and I can’t help but think Williams might end up being this year’s White. After all, those pumping up White late year cited his volume from the year before without acknowledging his inefficiency as a rusher enough (which I was also very much guilty of).

And to carry over the touch analysis from last season…the 2023 regular season touch leaders were all BUSTs in 2024: Christian McCaffrey – 339, Rachaad White – 336, and Travis Etienne – 325. Woof.

Williams could still deliver RB1 numbers on sheer volume alone, but if that volume even slightly dips, it will be tough for him to live up to his ADP. Williams is RB7 to RB11 in the projections, which seems like it would be terrifying to witness as a Williams fader. I know McVay loves Kyren and he Rams signed him to a new contract.

But without a notable pass-catching role (the Rams ranked 32nd in targets to RBs in 2024), this is the best-case scenario for Williams. He needs to gobble all the volume yet again while also scoring double-digit rushing TDs. Seems less likely than ever before for him to go on an insane rushing TD streak given the addition of red-zone hog WR Davante Adams.

The Rams RB has yet to crest the top-5 in either of the last two seasons.

I think that Williams could end up being a small win player at his ADP of RB12. But I just don’t see the case where he completely buries you versus the flip side. If he does lose out on work to the other RBs and lacks the efficiency/upside in the passing game to make up the difference.

There should also be some hesitance with all Rams players given the status of Matthew Stafford and his back injury. If he misses games, that could thwart the offense and hurt Williams’ production.

D’Andre Swift (CHI)

D’Andre Swift fits the classic “dead zone RB” mold – a projected volume play with an RB2 ceiling.

He finished as the RB23 in points per game last year (RB19 overall), but it was an empty workload propped up by opportunity, not efficiency. From Week 9 on, he was the RB32 in points per game. Swift ranked dead last in rushing yards over expectation per attempt on the season (-0.7).

He rushed for 60-plus yards just three times in his last 10 games played.

Swift has finished inside the bottom 8 last season in yards after contact per attempt over the last two seasons…

He now reunites with Bears HC Ben Johnson – the same coach who phased him out in Detroit back in 2022. Johnson doesn’t hate Swift. But he fully acknowledges that he has major durability concerns which is why the team originally moved on from him in Detroit.

Despite no clear threat to his touches, Swift’s inefficiency last season (career low in yards per carry and PFF’s 6th-lowest graded RB) makes him a low-ceiling RB2 fantasy managers should be cautious of over-drafting in 2025.

His career finishes are as follows in half-PPR: RB18, RB19, RB22, RB23, RB19. Do you really want to draft a mid-range RB2 ceiling player as the fantasy RB25 (and rising)? Again, a small win that might not be worth the risk if the bottom falls out completely.

Because I don’t think that Swift rules this backfield as a true bell cow. Johnson’s tenure in Detroit should tell us that much, given how he operated with a one-two punch between David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs.

I also expect the Swift price to CLIMB given the lack of additions in the backfield (Real-time ADP, RB25)

All that’s behind him in Chicago’s backfield is third-year RB Roschon Johnson and 7th-rounder Kyle Monangai out of Rutgers. It should be easy for Swift to be the RB1 in the Bears’ backfield. But watch out for the rookie in this backfield. Monangai has been a standout in training camp.

Also, it wouldn’t be the first time a 7th-round RB from Rutgers took over a backfield on a team with Eric Bienemy on the coaching staff. Yes, Bienemy is the Bears’ new RB coach…

Swift also severely lacks red-zone upside given he has never been a coach’s preferred goal-line back.

In 2024, Swift had 4 top-12 finishes (25%), the lowest of any RB who finished inside the top-20 overall last season. He’s never been a trusted red-zone rusher, as there has always been another teammate used ahead of him in that area of the field (including Jamaal Williams and his 17 TDs back in 2022). Even last season, Roschon Johnson was better converting from inside the 5-yard line (both scored 6 rushing TDs).

Friends don’t let friends forget that Swift lost the RB1 job to Kenneth Gainwell in Philly in Week 1 before getting it back because of an injury. His “projected volume” and upside hype in Chicago for 2025 is far from a lock.

David Montgomery (DET)

If Detroit’s offense takes a step back or regresses without Ben Johnson and downgrades across the offensive line, I think that might hurt David Montgomery the most based on his less diverse skill set. Keep in mind that his receiving popped and bolstered his fantasy production in 2024. But Jahmyr Gibbs seems poised to take on an even larger receiving role in 2025 as the Lions build around their young ascending superstar.

Monty’s receptions more than doubled compared to the previous season with nine games of at least 3 receptions. In 2023, he had one game with three or more catches. That combined with the double-digit touchdowns made him another great draft pick in 2024.

Monty was the RB18 last season and hasn’t seen his price reduce much (RB22 in real-time ADP) despite obvious concerns between total touches, Lions offensive regression, offensive line fall off, a tougher schedule which forecasts more negative game scripts.

Joe Mixon (HOU)

Don’t touch Joe Mixon with a ten foot pole this season. He is still being drafted as a top-30 RB. Don’t fall for it.

There’s a lot of ambiguity around Mixon’s health and when he will return. I am open to scooping up suppressed prices on players with injuries, but Mixon doesn’t seem like he is worth the dice roll with his long track record of foot/ankle injuries.

Even when Mixon was projected to be healthy to start the season, he was a volume-based RB2. He’s an older running back who showed signs of decline last season, and the Texans’ OL is very much a work in progress. He has missed the entire installation of the new offense. In Mixon’s last 10 games in 2024, he averaged 3.7 yards per carry with a bottom-10 mark in yards after contact per attempt.

Even if Mixon does return for Week 1 (far from a lock) I’m not sure there’s a massive upside case for him in the short term or long term.

Buyer Beware:

A few guys I’ve cooled on for a number of reasons that I am probably only willing to take at a discount.

De’Von Achane (MIA): Sky high ceiling, but the Miami Dolphins fragile offensive outlook combined with his calf injury make him extremely tough to trust especially when you have to take him around other stud players without nearly as much risk in Round 2 (RB8 and 17th overall ADP). If you feel really good around somebody in Achane’s range…take the safer route instead. But if you want to chase the upside case of Achane (especially if the calf injury is being a tad overblown), take the home run swing at a discount.

Breece Hall (NYJ): Timeshare back in the Jets offense. The talent is undeniable, and his ADP has dropped into Round 4 (RB18 ADP). But I question the true upside Hall can deliver in the Jets offense led by Justin Fields. Explosive pass-catchers tend to always find a way to produce in fantasy, so don’t be too scared off if he falls in your draft. But Hall doesn’t fit into my draft strategy as a must-have target because I don’t think he completely crushes you if you go in another direction.

Quinshon Judkins (CLE): Suspension looming and the rookie RB remains unsigned by the Browns. Could be a while until we see Judkins take the field for Cleveland. In shallow bench leagues, hard pass. Judkins needs volume to hit for fantasy, and if/when he returns projecting him to see a heavy workload immediately after missing all of training camp seems like a pipe dream. Even at RB40 (real-time ADP) there are still plenty of other late-rounders I’d rather take. I’m not taking him with a top-100 pick with the information we have at the moment.

Wide Receivers

Amon-Ra St. Brown (DET)

Amon-Ra St. Brown delivered another elite season in 2024, finishing as the WR3 in both total and per-game scoring while leading the NFL in red-zone receptions. However, he did outperform his expected fantasy output (14.6 expected points per game, WR18), and his target share dipped from 27% to 23% over the final seven games as Jameson Williams and Sam LaPorta gained steam. With Ben Johnson gone and increased competition for targets after Jamo’s breakout, there’s reason to be cautious about repeating a top-5 finish, especially with the Sun God coming off clean-up knee surgery this offseason.

St. Brown is being drafted inside the 1st round, despite the 2025 projections placing him closer to 16th among RBs/WRs.

Tyreek Hill (MIA)

Tyreek Hill’s 2024 season was a far cry from his usual explosive standards, finishing as the WR33 in points per game (10.5) – a massive disappointment for fantasy managers who spent early-round draft capital on him. While much of the blame can be pinned on Tua Tagovailoa‘s injury, Hill still underwhelmed even when his quarterback was healthy. In the 11 games with Tagovailoa under center, Hill surpassed 100 receiving yards just twice and averaged 12.4 fantasy points per game, only good enough for WR18 during that span. He was battling a wrist injury from Week 1 onward, which may have impacted his efficiency, but the steep drop in performance is still concerning. His yards per route run plummeted to just 1.75 – less than half of his 2023 mark – and he posted the worst YAC/catch of his career (3.5), signaling a potentially sharp decline.

Hill also turned 31 this offseason, and the dreaded age cliff for speed-dependent wide receivers may be arriving. His outburst at the end of the 2024 season – removing himself from the game and demanding to get out of Miami – adds another layer of uncertainty regarding his role and long-term future with the Dolphins. There are so many red flags: declining efficiency, age, durability concerns regarding the rehab from the wrist injury, and potential chemistry issues with the team that make him a high-risk, low-confidence fantasy pick in 2025 drafts, especially with his ADP relatively high as the WR14 (35th overall).

Terry McLaurin (WAS)

Terry McLaurin had a career year in 2024 with 82 catches for nearly 1,110 yards and 13 TDs (2nd among all WRs and 16 TDs including the postseason), finishing the 2024 season as the WR6 overall and WR15 in points per game. According to FantasyPros’ boom or bust report, McLaurin finished as a top 24 weekly option in 69% of his games, tied for the 3rd-highest among all WRs. TMC took off with Jayden Daniels as his QB, and the duo will be looking to repeat their efforts in their second season together in 2025.

However, McLaurin commanded just a 21% target share in 2024 (37th) while finishing with the 12th-highest air yards share (38%). The Commanders’ wideout ranked 23rd in expected fantasy points per game because he performed well above expectations for scoring TDs (nearly double per PFF). Looking ahead to 2025, the only true threat to the target competition for McLaurin is Deebo Samuel (who has struggled to stay healthy), 90-year-old Zach Ertz, and questionable WR depth pieces. That being said, chasing McLaurin’s TDs from last season might make him overvalued in 2025 fantasy football drafts. TMC caught 16 TDs combined through his first four seasons played in the NFL.

Keep in mind that he had no target competition last season and still ranked outside the top-30 WRs in targets per game.

Before Noah Brown‘s injury (7-game stretch from Weeks 6-12), Brown and Zach Ertz led the Commanders in targets, suggesting McLaurin isn’t an elite target earner in Kliff Kingsbury’s offense, and will need to repeat top-end efficiency to pay off his increased ADP in 2025. Considering a lot of his efficiency metrics – yards per route run, average depth of target – were not too far off from his career numbers, fading McLaurin is just a bet on his TD production coming back down to Earth. McLaurin’s 25% bust rate tied for the highest among any WRs inside the top-15 last season (Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Jerry Jeudy).

Not to mention, McLaurin is also looking for a new contract entering the final year of his deal. His holdout further complicates selecting him in fantasy drafts because he might not be fully back to football shape by Week 1.

McLaurin checks off so many boxes of WRs that bust, that I just can’t feel confident drafting him even as his ADP continues to fall. And with him signing a new contract extension, I think that will create a sense of “unwarranted hope” he will be full go by Week 1. Not necessarily.

DJ Moore (CHI)

DJ Moore wrapped up a strange 2024 campaign as the WR16 in total points but just WR32 in points per game (11.1). On the surface, his 98 receptions for 966 yards and 6 touchdowns look fine, especially within the confines of a dysfunctional Bears offense. Still, he posted a career-low 1.44 yards per route run and a 25% bust rate, tied for the third-highest among top-24 wide receivers. That’s especially troubling considering Moore was supposed to be the clear alpha in a broken Bears passing game. While Moore did show signs of life after Thomas Brown took over play-calling duties – topping 5.5 receptions in every game down the stretch – his role shifted to a low aDOT (5.3). He saw plenty of volume (27% target share), but the high-value looks were going elsewhere.

Rookie Rome Odunze dominated air yards and end-zone opportunities, while Keenan Allen (before his Week 18 absence) was quietly leading the team in targets since Week 11. Looking ahead to 2025, Moore’s situation has changed yet again. Allen is gone, but the Bears added two high-upside rookies with first and second-round draft capital: WR Luther Burden and TE Colston Loveland. Both are dynamic after the catch and will challenge Moore for volume in a Ben Johnson-led offense that should be significantly more efficient with Caleb Williams entering Year 2. The Bears target could be spread out between 3-4 guys, making Moore the worst Bear to pay the premium for.

After all, Moore’s career production profile doesn’t scream alpha WR1. Outside of his WR6 finish in 2023 (a year heavily influenced by a few monster games), Moore has never finished inside the top-15 WRs across his career. He’s a classic boom-or-bust weekly WR2 – capable of game-breaking performances but just as likely to disappear depending on game script and usage. Moore should be drafted as a volatile WR2/WR3 with spike-week appeal, but expectations should be tempered. Moore is fine at ADP, especially if he slips. But there may be better value elsewhere in the Bears’ passing game, particularly if Rome Odunze continues to command high-value touches or Burden emerges as a YAC weapon in the slot.

Moore’s ceiling remains intact, but his path to consistency looks as murky as ever. I think it’s just easier to take shots on the Bears offense with the cheaper pieces in the offense ie Odunze, Colston Loveland, Luther Burden etc.

DK Metcalf (PIT)

You don’t have to draft Arthur Smith’s No. 1 fantasy WR. Because historically speaking, those players have not been that productive for fantasy football other than A.J. Brown in 2020. Meanwhile, DK Metcalf has outside the top-15 in PPF for three straight seasons. WR33 in PPG last year…in a pass-happy offense.

Add in an Aaron Rodgers slow paced run-heavy offense and heavy TE usage…I’m fine fully fading DK at cost as the WR20 at the Round 4/5 turn.

Chris Olave (NO)

Chris Olave enters 2025 with more red flags than breakout buzz. Now 25, he’s coming off an injury-riddled 2024 season in which he played just six full games and averaged a disappointing 10 fantasy points per game (WR40). While still efficient on a per-route basis (2.15 YPRR), Olave was out-targeted and out-produced by Rashid Shaheed, who doubled him in air yards and posted more top-12 weekly finishes.

Shaheed doubled Olave’s air yards. 25% target share to 20% target share. 338 receiving yards to 275 receiving yards. Over the last 24 games he has played alongside Chris Olave, Shaheed has averaged 56.5 receiving yards per game compared to Olave’s 64. Shaheed also had more top-12 finishes (4) than Olave (3) since 2023.

Olave has struggled to deliver high-end fantasy weeks throughout his career (fewer than two top-12 finishes per season, three years into the league) and now faces even murkier outlooks with shaky QB play likely incoming in New Orleans. Given that Olave doesn’t offer much after the catch he is hardly worth the headache. Olave has five documented concussions dating back to Ohio State as well presenting even further risk to his already low upside profile.

Buyer Beware:

Garrett Wilson (NYJ)

Jaxon Smith-Njigba (SEA)

Don’t hate these guys, but I don’t love their upside cases in offenses that we expect to focus on running the football. Not to say they can’t return their values as Round 3/4 picks (especially in full PPR) but a bottoming out due to a poor passing attack needs to be considered more drafting them inside the top-40 overall picks.

Jayden Reed (GB)

Reed is dealing with a Jones fracture in his foot. He is expected to play through it, but that puts him at a high level of both declined efficiency and re-injury risk. YHTSI.

No Longer Fading:

Rashee Rice (KC)

Rashee Rice enters 2025 as one of the biggest wildcards in fantasy football.

After suffering LCL/hamstring injuries that ended his 2024 season early, his Week 1 injury was first uncertain – although a quick return was realistic based on a similar ACL injury timetable and the positive reports on him from training camp.

The looming legal situation presents another layer of risk, though early projections suggested a minimal suspension (potentially just three games) that will probably not occur until 2026. However it was announced recently that Rice would indeed serve a multi-game suspension in 2025 anywhere from 3-8 games.

And that suspension won’t fall until at least Week 5 at the latest based on the time of the hearing. Rice could be a massive value pick tied to Patrick Mahomes if he falls too far based on the suspension, but fantasy managers will have to plan for the Chiefs’ WR to miss a chunk of time. And it comes at the worst time (during bye weeks and while you combat other injuries on your roster). You also have to consider that he won’t hold much trade value with managers knowing he will get suspended (in what could be a lengthy penalty).

Because when on the field, Rice was electric in 2024: through the first month he ranked third in target share (32%) and averaged nearly 100 yards and 17.6 fantasy points per game (second only to Ja’Marr Chase).

Over his last 18 games played, dating back to the middle of his rookie season, Rice has averaged 13.0 PPG – WR16 territory.

But if he is not 100% back from the injury, he may disappoint fantasy managers in a big way even if he is available in the early weeks. Layer in time that Rice will miss during the middle of the season things are going to be very complicated for the Chiefs WR this year.

Just given all the complexities about his situation, he profiles as a massive headache to roster in traditional redraft formats.

I was already starting to get very concerned about Rice delivering on his rising best ball ADP, which is entering the back-end of WR1 territory on some platforms earlier this summer. I thought it was very aggressive. I’ve done work on identifying the archetype of “busts” at WR, and typically they all follow similar patterns.

They are the highest-drafted WRs without true season-long breakouts on their resumes. It’s paying a premium for a potential. And when it is easy to write the narrative that KC spreads the ball more with a healthier WR room to not put all the pressure on their third-year WR coming off a season-ending injury, it’s not hard to see Rice underwhelming against lofty expectations. Now factor in a suspension, and I’m not confident Rice will fall far enough for me to take a swing on him.

There’s just so many ways that these ends up being bad for Rice, that I am more than happy to let somebody else take on the risk. He is WR31 ADP (real-time) is sandwiched between so many other WRs that I really like. Unless all those guys are gone, I’m going elsewhere with my fantasy selection. His normal ADP is closer to WR24 (but dropping as indicated by real-time ADP).

If you take Rice, just make sure you have a plan already in mind during your draft to combat his missed games.

Update: Rice will now serve a six-game suspension to start the season. Now eligible to return Week 7. I think this is actually better for his fantasy value as managers will presumably have him for the second half/fantasy playoffs (and avoid a tougher slate of defenses the KC Chiefs have to face to open the year) while also having full rosters with less injuries/bye weeks to overcome.

Keep in mind that last season Puka Nacua missed 6 games and still finished as a top-30 WR overall in half-PPR. And that’s because he was dominate on a per-game basis in the second half of the season. Rice’s real-time ADP was already dropping to the WR29-WR32 (Round 6-7) under the impression his suspension would be at the start of the season. I don’t think that this news will necessarily boost his ADP (he is still missing 6 games, not 2 or 4) but I think fantasy managers might be overweighing how that actual impacts their roster. I’m targeting Rice round 6 if his ADP holds (or falls even further as it’s in Round 7 in half-PPR).

Tight Ends

Sam LaPorta (DET)

I was against Sam LaPorta as the TE1 in 2024 and I felt justified by the results. The Lions tight end finished 17 weeks as the TE7 and the TE8 overall in points per game (9.3). His expected fantasy points per game ranked outside the top 12 TEs (9.5) as he wasn’t the focal point in the offense many of his backers projected him to be. The lesson to be learned here? Don’t draft a tight end as the TE1 overall if they aren’t even the No. 1 on target on their OWN team.

LaPorta did finish the season on a high note in the second half as he benefited from the absences of Jameson Williams and David Montgomery. From Week 8 through the divisional round, LaPorta’s production was back to his rookie year – north of 11 points per game.

But the third-year tight end’s fantasy ceiling remains capped in a crowded Lions offense while others stay healthy, and the loss of OC Ben Johnson is also a concern. Even though his draft price is much more palatable than in 2024, paying up for the most expensive tight end outside the “Big Three” hardly seems like a smart investing strategy. We always echo to stay out of the middle at tight end, and LaPorta feels too expensive inside the top-50 overall picks as the TE4 off the board. He’s even lower in the ECR overall ranks (64th) despite ranking as the TE4 by the expert consensus.

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