Fantasy Football Advice: Jalen McMillan, Isiah Pacheco, Zach Ertz

When it comes to fantasy football, few topics spark more debate than the most polarizing players — those whose values vary wildly from one expert to another. These are the quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers and tight ends that divide rankings, dominate draft-day discussions and often determine whether you’re a contender or pretender.

In this article, we asked our collection of Featured Pros to weigh in on players at the key positions with a high standard deviation, meaning analysts are all over the board in how they rank them. Whether it’s a breakout candidate you should be targeting or a risky pick to fade, our experts share who they’re significantly higher or lower on and why. Let’s dive into the most hotly debated names ahead of the 2025 fantasy football season.

Polarizing Fantasy Football Players: Draft or Pass?

Polarizing Players: Running Backs

Who is one running back with a high standard deviation you are higher or lower on and why?

Isiah Pacheco (RB – KC)

“Isiah Pacheco was the RB10 in fantasy points per game during the 2023 season. Last year, he was dealing with a nagging injury that put a damper on his season, and I expect him to bounce back now that he is healthy. Pacheco is in one of the league’s best offenses and will benefit from having Patrick Mahomes as his quarterback with several goal-line opportunities. I expect Pacheco to be a high-end RB2 with weekly RB1 upside.”
– Nick Penticoff (Fantasy Football Astronauts)

Polarizing Players: Wide Receivers

Who is one wide receiver with a high standard deviation you are higher or lower on and why?

Jalen McMillan (WR – TB)

“Jalen McMillan’s expert consensus ranking (ECR) is WR55, which suggests he’s draftable. How on earth is McMillan going to have a fantasy-relevant role with Mike Evans and Chris Godwin both healthy and with first-round draft pick Emeka Egbuka joining the Buccaneers? McMillan scored eight touchdowns as a rookie, but seven of them came in the Buccaneers’ last five games, after Godwin’s season-ending injury. McMillan averaged 1.22 yards per route run, not a number that suggests impending stardom. Don’t squander a draft pick.”
– Pat Fitzmaurice (FantasyPros)

Polarizing Players: Tight Ends

Who is one tight end with a high standard deviation you are higher or lower on and why?

Zach Ertz (TE – WAS)

“If I punt the tight end position in drafts this year and wait until the double-digit rounds to get one, Zach Ertz will be my guy. There won’t be much enthusiasm for the 34-year-old Ertz, but he was TE7 in PPR scoring last season and was terrific down the stretch, averaging 13.5 PPR points per game from Week 11 on. In Washington’s playoff loss to Philadelphia, Ertz had 11 catches for 104 yards. Ertz clicked with young quarterback Jayden Daniels in 2024, and it’s reasonable to expect similar production from Ertz in 2025 if he can stay healthy.”
– Pat Fitzmaurice (FantasyPros)