With training camp officially underway for all 32 teams, news is going to spread like wildfire. Some of it will be informative, and others may get blown out of proportion. Remember when Ja’Marr Chase couldn’t catch balls in camp and was labeled a fantasy football bust? Yeah.
It’s important to stay even-keeled and not to overhype certain news. This is a time when some players’ average draft position (ADP) will rise while others will fall. Using FantasyPros’ expert consensus rankings (ECR), I identified three players who have already received plenty of hype and shouldn’t be drafted at their current ADP.
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Overhyped Fantasy Football Players
Luther Burden III (WR – CHI) | ECR: WR24/ADP:49
The hype on Luther Burden III began when DJ Moore was traded to Buffalo. His ADP climbed into the late-fourth round to early-fifth round. Burden should benefit from Moore’s departure, but Rome Odunze should also have an uptick as well and offers better value at WR29 in ECR.
Let’s not forget how well Odunze played before injuring his foot. He continued to play through it, and his production understandably declined.
Through the first eight weeks last season, among 37 qualifying wide receivers (minimum 200 routes run), Odunze ranked eighth in yards per route run, eighth in targets per route run, fourth in first downs per route run and sixth in fantasy points per route run.
If he’s healthy and gets comfortable with what he called his “new normal,” there’s a real path for Odunze to be the most targeted Bears wide receiver. It’s not to say Burden won’t improve. But with Colston Loveland clearly in the mix, he could easily end up being an overvalued boom-or-bust receiver.
Jayden Daniels (QB – WSH) | ECR: QB5/ADP:54
A lot of people expect Jayden Daniels to bounce back after being injured last season. He has the talent to do so, but he’s already being drafted near his ceiling at QB5. The pass-catchers in Washington aren’t that exciting. Outside of Terry McLaurin, who is really going to command a large target share?
Daniels did finish QB5 in fantasy points per game as a rookie in 2024 despite having a less-than-stellar wide receiver corps. However, it also took him rushing for 891 yards to get there.
That is tough to bank on considering his injury history. He was just OK as a passer, relying heavily on his rushing ability.
In 2024, according to the Fantasy Points Data Suite, among quarterbacks with at least 300 dropbacks, Daniels ranked 21st in passing yards per game (209.9), 13th in yards per attempt (7.43) and tied for the most sacks charged to the quarterback (19).
With Daniels dealing with multiple injuries last season, I’m not sure it’s wise to rely on him to try and rush for nearly 900 yards again. He does have a new offensive coordinator in David Blough, who was promoted from quarterbacks coach in Washington. He will be calling plays for the first time in his NFL career.
Blough could help Daniels improve in some areas, but betting on Daniels to outperform an already expensive QB5 price tag is a gutsy bet that I’m not willing to take.
Zay Flowers (WR – BAL) | ECR: WR14/ADP:29
It’s hard for me to get behind the momentum around Zay Flowers, who’s now ranked as a fringe WR1 in fantasy football. He had career highs in receptions and yards, finishing WR12 in PPR fantasy points per game.
Baltimore enters the season under a new head coach in Jesse Minter. He brought in Declan Doyle, who previously worked with Ben Johnson in Chicago, to call plays. I do like what Doyle can bring to this offense and possibly even open up more passing volume. But it doesn’t mean more high-value opportunities. Flowers hasn’t really established himself as a reliable red-zone target.
Flowers saw only 11 targets from inside the 20-yard line last season. Since 2022, Lamar Jackson‘s best finish in red-zone attempts among quarterbacks was 12th.
When you have a running back like Derrick Henry, who has continued to carry a full workload, and a quarterback capable of making people miss, it limits touchdown upside. Add in Mark Andrews, who has consistently led the team in red-zone targets, and I’m wary of Flowers’ WR14 price tag.
The Ravens’ No. 1 WR may have to repeat last season’s career highs to return value at his near-WR1 ranking.
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