Every year in fantasy football, drafts are littered with disappointing players. However, a lot of times these players have red flags, and their disappointment is predictable. With that in mind, here is one player that you should avoid in each of the first 10 rounds.
*Note all average draft positions (ADPs) via FantasyPros consensus average, and scoring numbers are based on half PPR formats.*
Round 1: Christian McCaffrey (ADP: 8)
Admittedly, there's a solid chance I'm wrong on this one and Christian McCaffrey has yet another elite RB1 season. However, a 29-year-old running back coming off Achilles tendonitis is something I will gladly avoid. CMC appeared in just four games and recorded 202 yards and zero touchdowns last year, totaling just 32.8 points in an injury-riddled season.
When McCaffrey is at his best, he's the best player in fantasy football. Regardless, he's had injury problems in the past, and at 29, I don't feel comfortable predicting these issues won't affect him again this season. In the first round, you want a clear star, and CMC has too much risk to justify his current ADP
Round 2: De'Von Achane (ADP: 16.3)
De'Von Achane is a tricky evaluation. The Miami Dolphins running back finished as the RB6 in half-PPR leagues last season, averaging 15.3 points. However, Achane is currently dealing with a calf injury. Sure, he's expected to be ready to go for Week 1, but this sort of injury is problematic for explosive backs like Achane, and there's a solid chance it could be a lingering issue.
During his rookie season, Achane missed six games. Additionally, he averaged just 7.7 points in six games without Tua Tagovailoa last season, and Tua himself has significant injury concerns. Overall, Derrick Henry, Bucky Irving, Chase Brown, Jonathan Taylor and Josh Jacobs are all safer running back options in the second round.
Round 3: James Cook (ADP: 29.7)
James Cook is coming off a breakout season where he finished as the RB8. However, his production was too tied to touchdowns: Cook recorded a league-leading 16 rushing scores, something that is unlikely to continue this season — especially when considering that in the two seasons prior, he combined for just four touchdowns.
Second-year running back Ray Davis provides some competition for Cook in the backfield. And Josh Allen is one of the best rushing quarterbacks in football. None of this is to say Cook will have an awful season, but some regression can be expected, and the third round is just too rich.
Round 4: Breece Hall (ADP: 36.7)
Breece Hall is currently being drafted in the late third to early fourth as the RB15. However, he finished as the RB17 last season, and the New York Jets' offense looks even worse this preseason. With Justin Fields in the fold, Hall will have fewer opportunities, and the ones he does get will feature stacked boxes.
Plus, head coach Aaron Glenn has openly stated that he wants to utilize all three running backs, including Hall, Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis. Allen is the most serious threat to take away touches from Hall. Ultimately, the former Iowa State star feels poised for an inconsistent role, and that's something that fantasy managers must avoid at all costs. Kenneth Walker, James Conner and Chubba Hubbard are all better options within the same range.
Round 5: Sam LaPorta (ADP: 54)
Sam LaPorta was the No. 1 tight end back in 2023. However, he fell to the No. 7-ranked TE last season, and he's being drafted as the No. 8 TE this year. LaPorta was a fairly boom-or-bust player in 2024, and that trend feels primed to continue with offensive coordinator Ben Johnson leaving for Chicago. The Detroit Lions are expected to lean into the run game with Jamhyr Gibbs even more, and LaPorta has significant target competition in Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams.
If you can't get one of the blue-chip tight ends (Brock Bowers, Trey McBride or George Kittle), target one of the rookies, Coslton Loveland or Tyler Warren, instead; Tucker Kraft is another viable option. All three of these guys have more upside and can be drafted later than LaPorta.
Round 6: Baker Mayfield (ADP: 69)
With quarterbacks, it's either best to draft them early to get a star like Lamar Jackson or Josh Allen or to wait and draft several sleepers from a deep middle class. Drafting in the middle is a recipe for disaster.
Sure, Baker Mayfield finished as the QB4 last season, but that was an outlier fueled by a sky-high TD rate. The loss of Liam Coen could be significant for Baker, and he's unlikely to replicate his magical 2024. Even last year, Baker was turnover-prone and had limited upside as a runner, which is a significant part of fantasy upside. If you really want to get a QB in the middle of the draft, Kyler Murray and Bo Nix are better options.
Round 7: Chris Olave (ADP: 76)
This is an unfortunate one. Undoubtedly, Chris Olave is one of the most talented receivers in the league. However, after suffering two concussions last season, he also brings significant health concerns. The New Orleans Saints also have arguably the worst quarterback situation in the league, which limits Olave's upside immensely.
Olave averaged just 7.6 points in an injury-riddled season last year, and with the Saints' QB uncertainty, it's hard to see him exceeding that number by much in 2025. His 7.6 ppg ranked 55th among WRs last season; however, he's being drafted as the WR33. Look for safer and higher-upside options within this range, including Emeka Egbuka, Ricky Pearsall and Rome Odunze.
Round 8: Jordan Addison (ADP: 92.3)
Admittedly, Jordan Addison isn't an awful pick, and I would be fine taking him slightly later. However, there's plenty of reason to be concerned. For starters, Addison is suspended for the first three games of the season, so you are automatically sacrificing a few weeks by drafting him.
On top of this, it's unclear how J.J. McCarthy will fare in his rookie season, which gives Addison's fantasy outlook some uncertainty. With Justin Jefferson, T.J. Hockenson and the newly re-acquired Adam Thielen, Addison will also have significant target competition when he returns.
Round 9: Jauan Jennings (ADP: 102)
Jauan Jennings was the definition of a boom-or-bust player last season. Maybe he'll have a few good games again this year, but his overall outlook feels bleak. Currently, he is going through a contract dispute and hasn't practiced with the San Francisco 49ers since late July as he is battling a calf injury. Yikes.
Jennings' boom-or-bust style is something that should be avoided to begin with, and there's even more reason to do so now. Pearsall, Kittle and Brandon Aiyuk (when healthy) will all take targets away from Jennings. Plus, CMC is back in the fold for the time being. There's really no good argument to draft Jennings even with a fairly late pick.
Round 10: Rhamondre Stevenson (ADP: 116.3)
Rhamondre Stevenson has been a solid fantasy performer over the past two seasons. However, with rookie TreVeyon Henderson in the mix, Stevenson is poised for a reduced role.
Even when he was the New England Patriots' clear RB1, Stevenson had some clear issues. Notably, he fumbled an egregious seven times last year and had five games below 5.0 fantasy points. Unless you have already drafted Henderson and are handcuffing in case of an injury, it's best to avoid Stevenson. Javonte Williams, Braelon Allen or Austin Ekeler are all better 10th-round options.