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 average draft positions (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
- Fantasy Football Draft Kit
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- Fantasy Football Trade Tools
Players Experts Will Never Draft Again
Wide Receivers
Which one WR burned you so badly that you can’t fathom taking him at or near his half-PPR ADP?
George Pickens (WR – DAL)
“Many had high hopes, including myself, for George Pickens last year after the Pittsburgh Steelers traded away Diontae Johnson, making Pickens their only fantasy-relevant wide receiver, drafting him ahead of his WR26 and 61.7 overall ADP. Unfortunately, he was a massive bust, ending the season as the WR42, averaging 9.6 half-PPR fantasy points per game, a lower average than Quentin Johnston (9.8). Pickens’ current ADP (WR29 and 66.8 overall) is ridiculous. He went from the only viable option for the Steelers’ passing game to the No. 2 guy with the Cowboys. Over the past three years, Dallas’ No. 2 wide receiver has averaged five targets per game. While many are projecting him to have a career season, don’t be surprised if Pickens averages no more than two targets per game more than Jake Ferguson. I won’t draft him anywhere near his current ADP.”
– Mike Fanelli (FantasyPros)
Davante Adams (WR – LAR)
“I know 1000 yards and eight touchdowns seems like a solid season, but it was honestly pretty disappointing from Davante Adams last year if you rostered him. There were glimpses of the old Adams, but then there were moments when he looked like he had lost a step. Over his last seven seasons, he averaged 158 targets per season. He’s moving to an offense where he’s the second option and no Aaron Rodgers to force feed him the ball instead of a younger, more talented wide receiver at this point in their careers. He’s going ahead of top receivers, and you’re counting on his performance to bounce back, for his health and Stafford’s health. I’ll gamble elsewhere.”
– Brandon ‘B_Don’ Myers (Razzball)
DK Metcalf (WR – PIT)
“At first, after his move to Pittsburgh, I was all in on DK Metcalf for 2025, but the deeper I dug into his 2024 numbers this offseason, I’m out. As the clear top option for the Steelers’ passing attack, I understand the reasons why people want to draft him, but his per-route metrics from last year, along with residing in a run-first offense, have me leery of his WR2 price tag. Last year, he was 78th in separation, 89th in route win rate and 64th in first downs per route run, per Fantasy Points Data. Yes, he did rank 36th in target share, 35th in yards per route run and 20th in receiving yards per game, so it’s not all doom and gloom surrounding Metcalf. There are reasons to believe in a bounceback here, but I can’t pay up for this profile as a WR2 in drafts.”
– Derek Brown (FantasyPros)
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