Much like roller coasters, not all hype trains are safe to get on. If you get on the wrong one, it can be devastating to your team’s success and ultimately your morale over the NFL season. Let’s try to keep everyone happy and avoid the dangerous rides. Earlier this week, I released an article on which hyped players I believed in. That article highlighted players such as Emeka Egbuka, Anthony Richardson and Dont’e Thornton. This time, I’m scouring the reports and finding which players are being subject to unprecedented hype by the fantasy football community.
Now is the most exciting and most dangerous time for fantasy football managers. This is where we start to solidify our opinions on certain players and take action in our drafts. Without further ado, here are overhyped players you should fade.
- Fantasy Football Draft Kit
- 2025 Fantasy Football Expert Rankings
- Fantasy Football ADP
- Fantasy Football Trade Tools
Overhyped Fantasy Football Players: Wide Receivers
DK Metcalf (WR – PIT)
Let’s play two truths and a lie. See if you can pick out the lie: Aaron Rodgers threw an interception on the first throw of camp, the Steelers’ offense looks functional and DK Metcalf has to text Rodgers before flushing the toilet to make sure he isn’t sleeping. Did you guess the lie? That’s right, this offense looks far from functional, making it a lie.
Metcalf is in this article as a result of the Rodgers-Metcalf highlights circulating. They are highlighted in so many videos, I’d be surprised if Rodgers throws to anyone else at camp. Considering the other options are Calvin Austin and Robert Woods, I’d probably do the same. Either way, these videos have undeservedly started to move Metcalf up draft boards.
I say it’s undeserved because there is a lot more that has to go right before Metcalf returns value on his WR21 average draft position (ADP). Last season, with Rodgers under center, Garrett Wilson (who I would argue is a much better player than Metcalf) was the WR23 in points per game. Although WR21 to WR23 is not a big difference, what is worrying is their different styles of play.
Metcalf thrives as an X receiver who can rely on his size and athleticism to overpower defensive backs. Wilson is more of a route-running tactician who can win all over the field. Last season, Rodgers averaged the 29th-most air yards per attempt (of quarterbacks who started 10+ games), and he also had the 21st-most completions of 30+ yards.
If you watched the Jets last season, I want to apologize. I also want to identify that Rodgers played each snap like he was terrified to get hit. As a result, many passes were thrown early, before receivers were able to get open or turn their head. Considering Metcalf was 12th in total air yards and averaged 21.4 air yards per reception, this is a major red flag.
What if Metcalf gets all the volume? This is one way to contradict his reliance on big plays; however, Rodgers isn’t the quarterback for that. Not only does Arthur Smith love his 2-TE sets, but he also loves to run the ball. Additionally, Rodgers is notorious for his slow pace of play. Let’s piece this together. We have a run-first team, with a quarterback who had the third-fewest offensive snaps per game in 2024, and he wants to get the ball out quickly. If you’re Metcalf, this is starting to look like an episode of Chopped — you’re trying to make lemonade out of bananas.
Marvin Harrison Jr. (WR – ARI)
Will we finally see the Marvin Harrison Jr. we were all promised from the 2024 NFL Draft? Out of camp, all the reports are sounding like last year was just a glitch in the Matrix. At camp, Harrison has made a collection of impressive physical catches and crisp routes that have stunned defensive backs.
Cardinals beat writer Tyler Drake believes Harrison, “leads the way as one of Arizona’s top offensive standouts.” There is also reporter Theo Mackie, who has explicitly stated that “Harrison looked explosive in his first live reps of camp.” Why am I fading all the positive reports?
Harrison is sort of an anomaly for hype. Has he improved his contested catch ability and explosiveness? Probably. Am I buying into the hype? No. At no fault of Harrison’s, there is one key factor reports overlook: Kyler Murray.
With Trey McBride primed to be the top target on this team for the second year, Harrison is already limited to being the second option on this team. Additionally, based on quotes from the coaches, this Cardinals team is very committed to the run game; relying heavily on veteran back James Conner, who is coming off his most efficient season. Even last season, the Cardinals were 22nd in the league in offensive snaps per game and 22nd in passing attempts per game; this isn’t a high-volume passing offense. As a result, it’s already an uphill battle for Harrison to return value on his WR17 ADP.
As for Murray, we have all seen glimpses of brilliance, mixed with an embarrassing amount of turning down open players over the middle of the field. Thankfully, there is a chance that another offseason together will increase the chemistry between the two. Primarily, if Harrison can further adapt to Murray’s scrambling, it could kickstart a better season than 2024 for Harrison. However, if McBride begins to find the end zone, Harrison may regress from his team-leading eight receiving touchdowns in 2024.
I hope the reports of Harrison improving as a player come to fruition. He was a star in college and is related to a Hall of Fame receiver. Unfortunately, I believe there are too many variables that are out of his control, limiting his fantasy production.
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