4 Second-Year Players to Avoid (2026 Fantasy Football)

There are several second-year players I’m willing to take in 2026 fantasy football drafts. Tetairoa McMillan, Emeka Egbuka and Cam Skattebo, for instance, have all shown signs of league-winning upside. But what about the players who look like traps at their current average draft position (ADP)?

Below are four second-year players you could realistically draft based on FantasyPros’ expert consensus rankings (ECR), forming a “doomsday roster” to avoid.

Fantasy Football Second-Year Players to Avoid

Luther Burden III (WR – CHI) | ECR: WR21

The Chicago Bears moved on from DJ Moore, and Luther Burden III’s hype has skyrocketed in rankings. The market is treating him like the Bears’ new No. 1 WR, but I’m not buying it.

Rome Odunze led the team in targets and in first-read share in only 12 games played last season. Burden ranked sixth on the team in red-zone targets and didn’t record a single end-zone target.

Moore’s departure opens the door, but it doesn’t guarantee Burden sees consistent volume.

Burden’s 2.83 yards per route run is impressive, but the price has baked in a role that hasn’t been earned. With Odunze already showing a larger share of the offense and Colston Loveland continuing to ascend, I would rather take the discount on Odunze.

RJ Harvey (RB – DEN) | ECR: RB29

Remember the post-draft hype on RJ Harvey last year? The Broncos took Jonah Coleman in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, further muddying this backfield.

Harvey never ran away with the job, handling just 18.4% of the team’s rushing attempts through the first 10 weeks as Sean Payton leaned on J.K. Dobbins. His role increased to 51.6% after the season-ending foot injury to Dobbins in Week 10.

When given that opportunity from Week 11 onward, Harvey was inefficient as a runner, averaging only 3.4 yards per carry. Among 30 running backs with at least 80 carries during that span, Harvey ranked 23rd in yards after contact per attempt (1.86), per the Fantasy Points Data Suite.

While Harvey can contribute in the passing game, that profile alone isn’t enough to justify taking him as an RB2 or FLEX option, especially with Jonah Coleman now in the mix.

Tyler Warren (TE – IND) | ECR: TE5

Tyler Warren is one of the most exciting young tight ends in the league. The usage backs it up.

Per the Fantasy Points Data Suite, Warren posted a nearly 80% route participation per team dropback rate. Among tight ends with at least 200 routes, he ranked ninth in targets per route run (0.22), 13th in yards per route run (1.70) and ninth in receiving yards per game (48.1).

With Michael Pittman Jr. no longer in the picture, there’s room for even more volume.

So what’s the problem? There’s still some uncertainty around this offense. Daniel Jones is entering his age-29 season and coming off a ruptured Achilles tendon. Jones was excellent last season, but I’m not convinced he can sustain that level of production coming off this injury.

The tight end position has also gotten so much deeper than in years past. Tucker Kraft and Sam LaPorta are expected to return from injury, and Isaiah Likely is getting his first opportunity as the No. 1 TE with the New York Giants.

I prefer to pass on Warren at his ADP and find an option later. Why pay a premium when there are viable discounts at the position for the first time in years?

Matthew Golden (WR – GB) | ECR: WR55

Even as a late-round depth piece, I have no interest in Matthew Golden. I get the optimism after Romeo Doubs bolted to New England and the Packers dealt Dontayvion Wicks to the Eagles.

Since the Packers acquired Josh Jacobs two years ago, they have become a run-heavy team. Jordan Love has gone two seasons in a row where he finished 19th in pass attempts.

Despite the pass-catching group being fairly even in terms of target share, when Tucker Kraft and Jayden Reed both went out with injuries, Golden never capitalized. He topped 10 PPR fantasy points just three times and never fully separated himself from the pack.

At WR55, you’re hoping for a breakout that never showed any signs.