Fantasy Football Players Experts Will Never Draft Again (2026)

Every fantasy football manager has that one player who burned them so badly one season that they swear they will never draft them again. Here are the players that our Featured Pros say they won’t forgive.

Never Draft Again

Which one RB burned you so badly that you can’t fathom taking him at or near his half-PPR ADP?

Christian McCaffrey (RB – SF)

“Christian McCaffrey is my easy answer here. I have made it known that I am not touching CMC this season. He is a 30-year-old running back off a 413-touch season. The last two times McCaffrey had 330 or more touches, he missed a combined 26 games the next seasons. Even if he stays healthy, his rushing statistics were atrocious last season (3.9 yards per carry and a career-worst 1.5 yards after contact per attempt), and Deebo Samuel will eat into his short targets.”
– Michael Tomlin (Fantasy Six Pack)

“Christian McCaffrey has led the NFL in touches twice. His fantasy football finishes AFTER those seasons? Let’s say it was nowhere near No. 3 overall…(53rd and 72nd). Double woof. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice…you know the rest. Coming off 450 touches in 2025…CMC has major bust risk in 2026.”
– Andrew Erickson (FantasyPros)

Quinshon Judkins (RB – CLE)

“My issue isn’t as much with Quinshon Judkins as much as it is with the situation he’s in. Judkins is a very talented RB. Unfortunately, he’s stuck in the fantasy hell that is Cleveland. And the early word out of Browns’ camp is that both Shedeur Sanders and DeShaun Watson have struggled so far. With an ADP at RB 21, there doesn’t seem to be any upside at that price. I’d rather roll the dice on other players in that range who I’m higher on, such as Bhayshul Tuten or Luther Burden.”
– Mark Ringo (Sleepers and Busts)

TreVeyon Henderson (RB – NE)

“First of all, I never take it personally when a player disappoints. (Except in the case of Chris Chambers in 2006. That guy was a grifter.) I will simply say that TreVeyon Henderson’s ADP seems, um … ambitious. Hopeful. Aspirational. To date, I haven’t seen or heard anything to make me believe New England’s backfield split will look any different than it did last season, when the Pats reached the Super Bowl. Rhamondre Stevenson is a good, reliable pro. He’s not going away. Henderson simply has too many holes in his game.”
– Andy Behrens (The Deep Shot)

“The answer is easy for me. TreVeyon Henderson. Somehow he is still going 10 RB slots ahead of his running mate Rhamondre Stevenson. I didn’t even draft Henderson last year because his ADP was outrageous, and it somehow is still crazy. He had just under 60 of his 188.7 fantasy points in Weeks 10 & 11 when Rhamondre was injured. Yet, Rhamondre is coming into this season healthy. Henderson should not be anywhere near his current ADP, going ahead of guys like Swift who has proven he can do it year in/year out. Or even guys like Jadarian Price/Bhayshul Tuten with clear paths to more work and higher upside. ”
– Shawn Gill (Super Fantasy Bros)

Jonathan Taylor (RB – IND)

“For me, it’s Jonathan Taylor. He’s appropriately priced as RB4 and could easily be the best RB in the league once again. But in 2022 and 2023, injury slowed his production and really soured my opinion of his fantasy value. A great back in an offense designed to feed him is an exceptional situation for any running back. But I personally prefer to take Christian McCaffrey, probably a popular answer for many in this section, or Omarion Hampton simply because when I believed, Taylor didn’t cut it. It’s irrational for sure, but I’ll also take the shot on a better offense with CMC or wait a round for Chase Brown, who has a similar setup in a better O.”
– Jeremy Shulman (Fantasy Football Universe)

RJ Harvey (RB – DEN)

“I’ll draft any player at the right price, but I’m pretty much out on RJ Harvey. Harvey’s prospect profile was enticing, but his rookie year was a disappointment despite his 12 touchdowns. After JK Dobbins got hurt last year, Harvey averaged 3.3 yards per carry the rest of the season, even though he was running behind one of the NFL’s top offensive lines. According to Next Gen Stats, Harvey averaged -0.63 rushing yards over expected per carry, fourth worst among qualifying RBs. Dobbins is back, and the Broncos drafted RB Jonah Coleman in the fourth round. It’s hard to justify Harvey’s high-end RB3 ADP.”
– Pat Fitzmaurice (FantasyPros)

Isiah Pacheco (RB – DET)

“Isiah Pacheco is the running back who burned me the most because the draft price never came close to matching the production. He entered last season around RB26 in half-PPR ADP but finished as the RB55, scoring only 77.8 points across 13 games. Pacheco is now with Detroit, and while the David Montgomery role seems enticing, I just can’t see myself taking that risk again.”
– Justin Fuhr (Pro Football Mania)

Josh Jacobs

“Josh Jacobs helped ruin playoff runs for many teams (including my best team ever that has a couple hundred more total points than my league-mates, but ended up in 4th place!) During the regular season, he was a player that could be depended on for about a touchdown a week. Then, in weeks 16 and 17, when he was really needed, he put up 12/36yds and 4/3yds, effectively ruining championship-caliber teams! Even at RB14, Josh Jacobs is a guy that I will not be drafting!”
– Adam Dove (The Fantasy Couriers)

Tony Pollard (RB – TEN)

“Tony Pollard is one running back I can’t take anywhere near his half‑PPR ADP. The Titans backfield remains a muddled committee, and their offensive line is still questionable at best, particularly in the run game. Tennessee also drafted Nicholas Singleton as the future of the position, which limits Pollard’s ceiling and job security. Even with a discounted ADP, I wouldn’t consider him at an even lower price because the situation offers too much volatility and too little upside.”
– Lawrence Iacona (The Architect’s War Room)

Travis Etienne (RB – NO)

“I was excited about Travis Etienne when he signed with the Saints this offseason, but over time, I’ve become less enthused. First, New Orleans worked out a deal to keep beloved franchise star Alvin Kamara, which makes Etienne less attractive this coming season. Then, when I pull back the curtain, some of the under-the-metrics for Etienne aren’t that enticing: 32nd in fantasy points per opportunity (0.81), 44th in true yards per carry (3.9), and 145th in EPA (-23.3), per PlayerProfiler data. Last season, Etienne got to 14.9 fantasy points per game (RB13) on mostly volume (296 touches) and a career-high 13 touchdowns. I’m not sure he gets to either of those totals in 2026, not with Kamara siphoning off work — particularly those valuable receptions. Etienne’s a risky bet, even at RB19, because I don’t want to get burned like it’s 2024 all over again.”
– Wolf Trelles-Heard (FantasyPros)

Ashton Jeanty (RB – LV)

“I was not burned on Ashton Jeanty last season as BEAST DOME ranked him lower than any site last season, but he was so awful last year I could not imagine spending a 1st or 2nd Round pick on a guy who played like an RB3 at best in 2025. The Raiders did not make drastic improvements to the point where Ashton is going to be an every-week RB1, and if he is anything less than that, then he underperformed his draft position. Raiders are going to finish in last place in the AFC West; Ashton Jeanty will disappoint again.”
– Muntradamus (Beast Dome)

Running Backs in General

“The running back I’m never drafting again can be several players, such as Alvin Kamara or Aaron Jones, but what it actually comes down to is an archetype rather than a specific player. For me, the running backs that have burned me in the past are those who were already battling an injury before the season even started. In past years, I haven’t shied away from a running back with an injury designation and, in some cases, have actually targeted them due to the discount I was getting in ADP. This strategy has not worked well for me, as I have seen these players spend the majority of the season clogging up my bench. In fantasy football, it’s a war of attrition. Avoiding injury is tough enough to do with a player who has a clean bill of health to start the year. So why risk it on a player who is already backed up before Week 1 is even here? Sure, they come at a discount, but the discount rarely pays off. For that reason, draft healthy running backs; yours will be injured soon enough in many cases.”
– Aaron St Denis (Fantasy Sports Advice Network)

“Honestly, I don’t think that way. If a running back burned me last year, I’m probably more interested in him this year than the fantasy community is. One disappointing season has a way of creating value, and that’s where I want to be looking. Fantasy managers tend to overreact. They chase last year’s breakout and avoid last year’s disappointment. I’d rather ask whether the situation has actually changed. The only trend I generally avoid is paying a premium for aging running backs. Derrick Henry is the exception. He’s earned the benefit of the doubt. Everyone else has to prove they’re still worth drafting at their current price.”
– Fantasy Football Goonz (Fantasy Football Goonz)

Which one WR burned you so badly that you can’t fathom taking him at or near his half-PPR ADP?

Rashee Rice (WR – KC)

“I feel like I am beating the dead horse here, but Rashee Rice has burned me too badly to come close to trusting. He is still not 100% healthy because he was having to rehab off-season surgery in jail. Even if he does not get suspended for this past incident, every push notification with the Fantasy Pros logo will make me scared he did something else stupid off the field.”
– Michael Tomlin (Fantasy Six Pack)

“I will not sniff Rashee Rice this season. This one is worse than my Jonathan Taylor aversion because Rice is actually an extreme value where he’s going in drafts. A mid-round 3 ADP as the WR11 who could legitimately finish as the WR1 overall is exactly what we look for in a league winner. Rice could absolutely break fantasy this season with Travis Kelce in decline and no other target hogs on a team with one of the best quarterbacks to ever do it in Patrick Mahomes slinging the rock. The problem is, he’s not only seemingly mentally unstable, but he’s also consistently in trouble with the law and consistently hurt – at least over the past two seasons. Playing the short, over-the-middle role is fantastic for fantasy… while it lasts. Give me George Pickens or Chris Olave at WR or Colston Loveland or Tyler Warren over Rice in this range if I’m looking at a pass catcher.”
– Jeremy Shulman (Fantasy Football Universe)

Brian Thomas Jr. (WR – JAC)

“Brian Thomas Jr. We were flying so high after his electric rookie season, but his sophomore season was a downright disaster. And as long as Trevor Lawrence remains the QB in Jacksonville, it’s hard to be overly optimistic about BTJ turning back to his rookie form. Thomas averaged six catches, 9.5 targets, and 76.2 receiving yards per game with Mac Jones as his QB in 2024. In his other 21 games played with Lawrence (’24-’25), those numbers fall to 3.6 catches, 6.1 targets, and 58.4 receiving yards per game. T-Law just works better with TEs and other WRs such as Jakobi Meyers/Parker Washington in the Liam Coen offense. That was extremely evident last season. In five games with Washington and Meyers, Thomas averaged just five targets and three catches per game. He was actually 4th in the target pecking order behind the two WRs and TE Brenton Strange (14% target share, 4.4 targets per game). Honestly, it’s not too shocking, given how Lawrence was at his best in previous seasons with Evan Engram and Christian Kirk. And as a final nail in the coffin, the Jags also face a juggernaut of opposing CBs in the first half of the season…putting BTJ in an extremely tough spot as the team’s primary vertical threat (sacrificial X).”
– Andrew Erickson (FantasyPros)

“Brian Thomas Jr. is the wide receiver I cannot talk myself into drafting again, even at the reduced price. He entered last season as the WR7 in half-PPR ADP but finished WR43 after catching 48 passes for 707 yards and only two touchdowns. His current ADP (WR31) is far more reasonable, but last year he just didn’t look the same as his breakout rookie season. I am worried this will continue and he will become a trade candidate for the Jags.”
– Justin Fuhr (Pro Football Mania)

“Brian Thomas Jr. had more than a sophomore slump; it was a sophomore cliff dive! He went from WR4 in his rookie year and being a league winner for owners who gambled on him in 2024 to WR43 and a team-wrecker in 2025. Fantasy managers shouldn’t be too shocked, as before his rookie year, he only had one huge year in college (it was pretty big with 1,177 yards and 17 touchdowns), but prior to that he didn’t eclipse 361 yards. During his disastrous season, Parker Washington took over the WR1 role for the Jaguars, and the team locked up Jakobi Myers last December (and I am not even mentioning the possibility of Travis Hunter splash plays!). Even at WR31, owners shouldn’t expect Thomas to perform as he did in his rookie season or even close to a WR3 in a league with so many stellar players at the position, making him a definite player that I will not be drafting this year!”
– Adam Dove (The Fantasy Couriers)

Jaylen Waddle (WR – DEN)

“Jaylen Waddle was a star at Alabama, but that seems like a lifetime ago. His rookie year was pretty good- 100 receptions and 1,015 yards. However, for whatever reason, he hasn’t been able to recapture that magic. I’ve heard it’s been injuries that he’s tried to play through. After Tyreek Hill went down last year, I thought for sure Waddle would pile on the stats as the clear-cut No. 1 WR option in Miami. That didn’t happen either. And now he goes to Denver, where the Broncos have one of the better defenses in the league and even less incentive to air it out late in the game than the Dolphins. Even though I love Jaylen Waddle’s talent, WR 22 is too rich for my blood. Instead of Waddle, I’d rather take a shot with Terry McLaurin or Jameson Williams.”
– Mark Ringo (Sleepers and Busts)

Marvin Harrison Jr. (WR – ARI)

“If Marvin Harrison Jr. actually produces a third-year breakout in 2026, he’s gonna be a draft success story for someone else. I can’t say that any receiver with an ADP outside the top-30 is particularly problematic, but I also can’t imagine taking MHJ ahead of, say, Parker Washington or Michael Wilson. At this stage, there are enough unanswered questions (and/or poorly answered questions) about Harrison that I can’t talk myself into him when his name is next in the queue.”
– Andy Behrens (The Deep Shot)

Malik Nabers (WR – NYG)

“I’m going to piggyback on my running back health statement above and avoid Malik Nabers at receiver. Not only do I not want to draft players who are already injured, but I definitely don’t want to do it with a high pick. Nabers is going to cost you one of your top three picks, and there is little chance of him returning value at that cost. He is either going to miss time to start the season or, at best, he is going to require some time to get back to full speed. It’s entirely possible Nabers may have little value until midseason and will just weigh your team down.”
– Aaron St Denis (Fantasy Sports Advice Network)

DJ Moore (WR – BUF)

“Longtime DJ Moore advocate here. Moore has had a nice career, but his production fell off a cliff in Chicago the last two years. He’s averaged a paltry 1.44 and 1.24 yards per route run the last two seasons. The chemistry between Moore and Caleb Williams always seemed off, but considering that Williams threw for nearly 4,000 yards last year in what most people consider to be his breakthrough season, Moore’s lack of fantasy impact is puzzling. He was WR32 in 0.5 PPR fantasy points per game in 2025 among WRs who played at least five games. Even in his best seasons, Moore hasn’t been a prolific TD scorer. He’s scored 41 touchdowns in 131 career games. The case for Moore is that he’s had a fine overall career and now gets to be Josh Allen’s top target. But based on what we’ve seen from Moore the last two years, I’m unwilling to take him at anything close to his WR23 ADP.”
– Pat Fitzmaurice (FantasyPros)

Terry McLaurin (WR – WAS)

“One wide receiver I am avoiding at all costs is Terry McLaurin. His 2024 fantasy championship meltdown and the injury‑filled 2025 season make him impossible to trust at his current half-PPR ADP. The Commanders added Stefon Diggs, and there is still uncertainty around whether they will acquire Brandon Aiyuk, which would further split the target share. McLaurin is a talented player, but the combination of volatility, declining reliability, and added competition makes him a clear fade. I’m not willing to get burned again.”
– Lawrence Iacona (The Architect’s War Room)

Garrett Wilson (WR – NYJ)

“For me, it’s Garrett Wilson. The talent is there, but there’s no denying he’s underwhelmed as a fantasy producer. Despite the second-most targets in NFL history through a player’s first three seasons, Wilson gave us just WR30, WR32, and WR18 finishes in fantasy points per game. Last year, he was off to a fast start, but a knee injury derailed his campaign, and he was essentially done for the year from Week 6 on. Now, the Jets hired Frank Reich to be their offensive coordinator, and Reich didn’t even last a full season the last time he was a head coach in the NFL back in 2023. Add in the fact that Wilson has more competition than ever — first-round tight end Kenyon Saddiq, first-round receiver Omar Cooper Jr., and Adonai Mitchell, who the team acquired last year in the Sauce Gardner deal — and I’m just feeling faded by the Jets’ leading wideout. At WR19, I think Wilson is decently priced, but I’m just out on him after so many lackluster fantasy seasons.”
– Wolf Trelles-Heard (FantasyPros)

“I was not burned on Garrett Wilson for a season-long team, but anytime I played him in DFS, he does nothing to warrant my attention on draft day. As a Top 20 WR, Wilson needs to perform like a WR2 at worst every single week; with Geno Smith as his QB, the chances of that happening are close to zero. The Jets have a lot of young, exciting weapons this season to target in the passing game; Garrett Wilson is definitely the number one target, but Geno Smith is not going to be putting up numbers that can support everyone. Let someone else waste a valuable pick on Wilson who has yet to score 8 TDs in a season; that streak should continue.”
– Muntradamus (Beast Dome)

Rome Odunze (WR – CHI)

“The most frequent answers here are going to be Marvin Harrison Jr. and Brian Thomas Jr. Totally get both, but I’m going with an odd one. Rome Odunze. First four weeks of Rome last season feel like forever ago, maybe even a fever dream. He looked every bit the part of the true alpha we have been longing for. Then, as soon as you had him earn your trust, he disappeared. Scored only 1 TD in weeks 6-13 before going down with an injury. That injury, he says, feels great, but it has clearly been reported throughout camp that it is something possibly bothering him. With all of the Burden/Loveland hype coming out of camp, I am full-fading Rome at his ADP of WR28.”
– Shawn Gill (Super Fantasy Bros)

Consensus Breakout Wide Receivers

“I’m generally cautious with this year’s consensus breakout wide receivers. Every offseason, the fantasy community identifies a group of receivers with legitimate breakout potential. This year it’s players like Luther Burden, Emeka Egbuka, Jaylen Waddle, Ladd McConkey, Christian Watson, Parker Washington, and even younger names like Carnell Tate, Makai Lemon, and Jordan Tyson. The upside is real. The certainty isn’t. History tells us not all of these players will become league winners. Some will. Some won’t. The difficult part is identifying which ones before the season starts. When the market starts pricing every breakout candidate as if they’re all going to hit, I become more cautious. I’d rather be selective than assume the entire list is going to outperform ADP.”
– Fantasy Football Goonz (Fantasy Football Goonz)