5 Dynasty Busts to Avoid: Running Backs (2025 Fantasy Football)

When it comes to dynasty fantasy football, knowing who not to invest in is just as important as finding the next breakout star. That’s especially true in Superflex formats, where value can shift quickly based on age, opportunity, and long-term outlook. In this article, our collection of Featured Pros experts tackles a critical question for dynasty fantasy football managers: Which running backs and wide receivers ranked inside the top 50 of our Dynasty Consensus Superflex Rankings are they avoiding or looking to trade away, and why?

Whether you’re building for the future or trying to win now, identifying potential dynasty busts can help you make smarter trades, avoid long-term roster cloggers, and capitalize on peak market value. Read on for expert insights into which big-name players may not live up to their current dynasty fantasy football price tag.

Dynasty Fantasy Football Busts to Avoid

What RB inside of the 50 overall in our Dynasty Consensus Superflex Rankings are you avoiding or looking to trade away in dynasty fantasy football leagues and why?

De’Von Achane (RB – MIA)

“De’Von Achane is a player to avoid or trade away for value in Superflex dynasty leagues due to concerns about long-term workload, efficiency regression, and Miami’s evolving backfield. Despite his explosive rookie season, Achane’s efficiency declined, with his yards per carry dropping from 7.8 in 2023 to 4.5 in 2024 as his workload increased. The Dolphins have also added Jaylen Wright, Ollie Gordon, and Alexander Mattison, creating uncertainty about Achane’s future role and goal-line opportunities. His pass-catching ability remains strong, but Miami’s offensive philosophy is shifting, and his dynasty value could decline if his workload continues to fluctuate. Fantasy managers should consider selling high before his production stabilizes at a lower level, making him a risky long-term asset.”
– Lawrence Iacona (Gridiron Experts)

“There are only ten running backs in the overall top 50 ECR right now, which makes this tough. However, I’d probably try to trade away De’Von Achane of that group. His ceiling isn’t much higher than his current RB5 ranking in dynasty. If I can pivot off of him to another RB in the tier down and add another asset with more upside, I’m doing that. It’s not that I don’t like his value; it’s that I don’t know how much higher his value can go, especially on a rebuilding Dolphins team.”
– Andrew Hall (FantasyPros)

“”Bust” isn’t the right word here, because De’Von Achane is an electric playmaker and a personal favorite of mine, but he’s being overvalued. Achane was never going to be able to replicate the 7.8 yards per carry he averaged as a rookie, and that number dipped to 4.5 YPC last year. Achane had 78 receptions last season, but the spike in his passing game usage seemed to come at the expense of WRs Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, and the guess here is that Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel will look to get his stud receivers more involved this season. It’s also concerning that the overall functionality of the Miami offense is tied to the health of QB Tua Tagovailoa, who has a worrisome concussion history. When Tua missed four games with a concussion last season, Achane averaged 47.3 yards from scrimmage in those games and didn’t score any touchdowns over that stretch.”
– Pat Fitzmaurice (FantasyPros)

James Cook (RB – BUF)

“James Cook (RB10 in the rankings and 48th overall) finished last season as the RB8, averaging 15.7 half-point PPR fantasy points per game. However, the former Georgia star won’t be on any of my dynasty rosters in 2025. He had four rushing touchdowns and five receiving scores over his first two years in the NFL. By comparison, Cook had 16 rushing touchdowns and two receiving scores last season, leading the league in rushing touchdowns. More importantly, he saw 30 fewer rushing attempts than the season before and had 43.1% of his fantasy production come from reaching the end zone. Cook’s a clear-cut touchdown regression candidate. Furthermore, the star running back and the Bills are in the middle of messy contract talks, which could lead to a holdout. I would rather have TreVeyon Henderson (RB14 in the rankings) and Kenneth Walker III (RB15) over Cook.”
– Mike Fanelli (FantasyPros)

“James Cook, ranked as RB10 in FantasyPros’ 2025 Dynasty Superflex Rankings, is a player to avoid in superflex dynasty leagues due to his inconsistent role in Buffalo’s offense. Despite his athleticism, Cook’s limited goal-line work, which is often ceded to Josh Allen or Ray Davis, caps his touchdown upside, a critical factor in his fantasy production. His receiving role, while solid, hasn’t translated to elite PPR numbers, and the Bills’ offense may shift with personnel changes in 2025. At 25, he has youth, but his lack of a dominant workload and competition in a quarterback-driven offense make him a risky long-term hold. In superflex formats, where quarterback and youth are premium assets, trading Cook for a more secure or versatile option could be prudent.”
– Aaron St Denis (Fantasy Sports Advice Network)

Saquon Barkley (RB – PHI)

“Of the 50 overall Dynasty Consensus Superflex Rankings players, just 10 are RBs, and of those 10 RBs, just 1 is older than 26: Saquon Barkley (28). While Barkley is liable to defy the odds and maintain elite production like Derrick Henry, the reality is that most RBs decline after 28. The key to Dynasty success lies in anticipating trends and maximizing asset value, and Barkley’s current market value after his monster season presents a chance to acquire a haul of long-term assets that will outlast his remaining prime. Trading him isn’t just about immediate gain; it’s about positioning your roster for sustained contention by acquiring younger talent, draft capital, and/or undervalued assets that will appreciate over time. Exploit the market’s myopia to build a more resilient and valuable team for years to come.”
– Avery Thrasher (The Branded Sports)

“The consensus dynasty RB4 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…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. There’s no better time now than to sell high on Barkley, considering his age (28) and injury history.”
– Andrew Erickson (FantasyPros)

Jonathan Taylor (RB – IND)

“The Golden Rule in dynasty: Managers would rather be a year early than a year late. Why is this? Capitalizing on value while it exists. Jonathan Taylor, 26, is a great example of a player who still has tons of value after his first double-digit touchdown season since 2021, but has massive risk. Taylor has not played a full season since 2021, with the recurring theme of those injuries being related to his ankles. These injuries do not go away as one gets older. If a package comes in relating to anything close to a first-round pick for Taylor managers, it is wise to consider it. For those in start-ups, it is best to simply stay away and avoid the potential headache if Taylor cannot stay healthy in 2025.”
– Ed Birdsall (Talking Points Sports)

Breece Hall (RB – NYJ)

“Breece Hall is still being valued pretty high for an RB who is no longer a bell cow RB. In fact, Jets head coach Aaron Glenn has hinted at an RBBC – possibly as large as three RBs comprising Hall, Braelon Allen, and Isaiah Davis. We’ll see if that turns out to be the case, but one thing is for certain: Breece Hall has had a difficult time staying healthy. Last season, Hall once again struggled with injuries last year which limited his effectiveness. In addition, it’s hard to imagine Hall’s reception total going up without Aaron Rodgers at QB. Justin Fields is younger and faster, and much more likely to take off and run when there is pressure rather than dumping off a pass to his RB in the flat. Bottom line- Ringo is dealing Breece Hall while his trade value is still relatively high.”
– Mark Ringo (Sleepers and Busts)