Tired of making the same draft-day mistakes in your fantasy football leagues? Our team of Featured Pros is here to help you avoid that trap in 2025. In this expert-driven article, our collection of top-ranked analysts has come together to highlight the players they’re completely out on for the upcoming fantasy football season. Whether it’s due to injury concerns, age, declining performance, or inflated ADPs, these are the players our experts will never draft again, starting in 2025. Before you build your big board, make sure you know which names to cross off your list for good.
- Cheat Sheets: DBro | Erickson | Fitz
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Players Fantasy Football Experts Will Never Draft Again
Running Backs
Which one RB burned you so badly that you can’t fathom taking him at or near his half-PPR ADP?
Breece Hall (RB – NYJ)
“I won’t draft Breece Hall at his current ADP (RB13 and 30.8 overall) after his disappointing 2023 season. He was drafted as a top-three running back but finished last year as the RB17, averaging 13.3 half-point PPR fantasy points per game. Furthermore, Hall set career lows in several categories last season, including fantasy points per game, yards per rushing attempt (4.2), and fantasy points per touch (0.8). The one thing that gave him fantasy upside was his role in the passing game, averaging 5.1 targets per game in his career. Unfortunately, that likely won’t happen in 2025 with Justin Fields under center. I won’t be drafting Hall this year unless I can get him closer to the 20th running back off the board.”
– Mike Fanelli (FantasyPros)
David Montgomery (RB – DET)
“This RB didn’t burn me in the traditional sense because he did have a successful season, but David Montgomery wasn’t around for the playoffs. I don’t normally do the “I won’t draft this guy because of last year” trope because usually those guys fall back in ADP and can be a value play sometimes. However, on top of the late-season absence, I don’t think new offensive coordinator John Morton is going to maintain the same RB split as Ben Johnson did in Detroit. John Morton’s previous teams have typically leaned on a single lead back, and that’s Mr. Gibbs for the Lions.”
– Brandon ‘B_Don’ Myers (Razzball)
Jonathan Taylor (RB – IND)
“It’s not that he has wronged me in some unforgivable way, but I can’t see paying the price for Jonathan Taylor at ADP in 2025. The quarterback play for Indy is a worry with how often they could be in the red zone this year, as well as his lack of pass-game involvement. Last year, Taylor ranked sixth in red zone touches. I don’t know if he comes close to that number this season, but I could easily be wrong. I don’t see more check-down opportunities for Taylor this season with Daniel Jones or Anthony Richardson under center. It’s not like he’s demanding those looks either, with his per-route performance in 2024, anyway. Last year, among 45 qualifying backs, Taylor ranked 37th in target share (7.4%) and 43rd in yards per route run and first downs per route run. Taylor could pay off at his ADP, but I find myself consistently pushing the draft button for other players at his cost in 2025.”
– Derek Brown (FantasyPros)
Christian McCaffrey (RB – SF)
“Christian McCaffrey will probably be a pretty popular answer, and it is easy to understand why. If healthy, there is no denying McCaffrey is a potential league winner given his role in a 49ers offense that may need him more than ever. The downside, however, is too great for me to even consider this again. If this were about a player I was considering in the 3rd round, given the pedigree, I would consider it. However, we are discussing the player going seventh overall and RB5 in half-PPR ADP. To all of those who make the plunge, good luck. I wish you nothing but joy.”
– Ed Birdsall (Talking Points Sports)
D’Andre Swift (RB – CHI)
“It’s never come fully together for D’Andre Swift in the NFL. He’s been a back-end fantasy RB2 (RB18-RB23) every year in his NFL career, and has been a solid bet to beat his ADP. He’s beaten his average draft position every single season, except for in 2022 in Ben Johnson’s 1st year as the offensive coordinator with the Lions. Interesting. In 2024, Swift finished the season poorly, rushing for 60-plus yards just three times in his last 10 games played. He was the RB32 in points per game (8.2) from Week 9 onward. Swift posted a career low in yards per carry in 2024, finishing the year as PFF’s 6th-worst graded RB and ranking 4th-worst in rushing yards after contact per attempt. Per Next Gen Stats, Swift finished dead last in rushing yards above expectation per attempt (-0.7). I think the Bears’ offense can improve in 2025 under a new HC and revamped offensive line, but I bearish on Swift being the main benefactor. I think the realistic ceiling for Swift is lower than most realize, based on his body of work and how inefficient he has been as a rusher in both 2023 and 2024 (bottom-8 in yards after contact per attempt). Not to mention, Swift has low TD equity. 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). Contrary to popular belief, Ben Johnson does not HATE Swift. But he fully acknowledged that he has durability concerns, which was the driving force behind why they moved on from him in Detroit (ironically, he has been very healthy the last 2 seasons since leaving the Lions). 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.”
– Andrew Erickson (FantasyPros)
“I’m fully out on D’Andre Swift. Regardless of whether he is in a committee or wins the Bears RB1 job outright, I just cannot trust him. Swift is perhaps the most injury-prone running back in my time as a fantasy manager, and there is simply no price tag at which I am willing to deal with this hassle again.”
– Aaron St Denis (Fantasy Sports Advice Network)
Rhamondre Stevenson (RB – NE)
“I have a few Rhamondre Stevenson scars after drafting him in a couple of leagues last year. There were some productive weeks early in the season, but Rhamondre fumbled his way into the doghouse after coughing it up four times in his first four games. The drafting of the athletic and versatile TreVeyon Henderson slams the door on heavy-duty usage for Rhamondre in 2025, and Antonio Gibson is in the mix, too. Maybe the Patriots use Rhamondre as the goal-line hammer, but New England doesn’t figure to have a high-scoring offense. Even at a modest ADP of RB39, Rhamondre has very little appeal.”
– Pat Fitzmaurice (FantasyPros)
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