3 Draft Picks to Avoid (2025 Fantasy Football)

With player values swinging wildly from platform to platform, it’s essential to identify the outliers and mispriced players wherever you play. Here are three overpriced fantasy football players to avoid in ESPN leagues.

Fantasy Football Players to Avoid on ESPN

Christian McCaffrey (RB – SF) | ECR: 19/ADP: 8

After staying relatively healthy during his first two seasons in the Bay Area, everything unraveled in 2024 for San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey. Achilles tendinitis cost him the first eight games of the season, and then a posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) injury in his right knee sidelined him for the final five contests.

Last season’s consensus first overall pick in redraft formats played only four games in 2024, averaging 12 PPR points per game and finishing as the RB69 on the season. McCaffrey reportedly has “zero restrictions” at the moment, but his ongoing knee issues make him a risky selection this season.

While McCaffrey could certainly return to form this season, he is currently overpriced at No. 8 overall on ESPN’s platform. Some players I prefer in this range include Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty, New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers, Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins and Miami Dolphins running back De’Von Achane.

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Xavier Worthy (WR – KC) | ECR: 65/ADP: 47

After an inconsistent start to his rookie campaign, Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy broke out during the final month of the 2024 NFL regular season. From Week 15 to Week 17, Worthy averaged 21 PPR points per game and finished as the WR10 over that span.

Worthy joined the rest of Kansas City’s starters on the sidelines for their meaningless Week 18 contest, but his hot streak continued in the playoffs. In three playoff games, Worthy recorded 19 receptions, 287 receiving yards and three touchdown receptions, including 157 yards and two touchdowns in Kansas City’s 40-22 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII.

A sophomore leap is possible for the blazing receiver (4.21 in the 40-yard dash), but his volume may be inconsistent again in 2025. Worthy benefited from wide receiver Rashee Rice’s season-ending lateral collateral ligament (LCL) injury last season, but Rice is reportedly ahead of schedule in his recovery.

I’m not entirely out on Worthy this season, but his current average draft position (ADP) of 47 overall seems a bit high. While I wouldn’t mind selecting him above his current FantasyPros expert consensus ranking (ECR) of 65 overall, I would likely value Worthy somewhere in the middle.

Rhamondre Stevenson (RB – NE) | ECR: 110/ADP: 79

The 2024 season was a tale of two halves for New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson. In the first half of the season, Stevenson averaged 14.6 points per game and scored 15+ fantasy points in five contests.

However, his average dropped to 8.7 points per game (RB32) in the final seven contests, and he failed to score 15+ PPR points during that span. While his overall numbers (RB28) may look decent on paper, Stevenson was largely unplayable late in the season.

Part of Stevenson’s decline can be attributed to his dependence on touchdowns while playing on one of the league’s weakest offenses. After scoring seven total touchdowns in the first eight weeks, he managed to score just once over the season’s final eight weeks.

Stevenson also struggled with ball security in 2024. He put the ball on the ground seven times, doubling his career fumbles in one season. With the addition of running back TreVeyon Henderson, who was the No. 38 overall pick in the draft, it is difficult to justify Stevenson’s current ADP of 79 overall on ESPN. For reference, he ranks as the 110th overall player according to FantasyPros ECR.