An overwhelming selection of talented players will hit fantasy football rosters ahead of the 2021 football season.
From Christian McCaffrey and Alvin Kamara to Davante Adams and Stefon Diggs — there isn’t a shortage of game-changing players. It’s easy to identify the top players within the first few rounds, but it’s easy to grab an overrated player as the remaining rounds dwindle down. Whether it’s from injury or just an overhyped name — everyone ends up taking the chance on a player who turns out to be a bust.
We’re going to take a look at 10 players who likely won’t live up to the hype this season. And trust me, there’s a lot of them.
Will Fuller, WR
(AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Will Fuller is always an appealing pass-catcher when it comes to draft time. He has explosive speed and big-play ability that’s led to games like his 14-catch, 214-yard and three-touchdown gem in 2019. But, he hasn’t played in more than 11 games throughout his five-year career and he doesn’t have Deshaun Watson throwing him the ball. Fuller’s entering a Miami Dolphins team that has a growing Tua Tagovailoa — along with DeVante Parker, Mike Gesicki, Robert Foster, Allen Hurns and Jakeem Grant catching passes. As gifted as Fuller can be, he’s someone to avoid while entering the middle rounds of your draft.
Joe Burrow, QB
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Don’t get me wrong, Joe Burrow is shaping up for a great NFL career. But, he’s coming off an ACL and MCL tear, while only playing three collective snaps in the preseason. The second-year quarterback will have to overcome the mental battle before getting back to the fearless player he was last season. Giovani Bernard is gone and Burrow will have to rely heavily on Joe Mixon at first to move the chains. He does have receiver targets in Tyler Boyd, Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase, but those connections will have to build as the season continues. There’s plenty of great options at quarterback in a 10 or 12-man league — Burrow can likely be picked up off waivers if he quickly becomes comfortable.
Melvin Gordon, RB
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Melvin Gordon won’t be a terrible choice if you find him in the middle rounds. But, he won’t be the RB1 or RB2 that you’ll need to bring you a championship. Gordon’s injury history slowed him down in the past couple seasons — while the Denver Broncos’ draft pick Javonte Williams will slow him down in 2021. Williams was drafted at No. 35 overall and he’s expected to be a breakout candidate this season. Phillip Lindsay beat out Gordon last season as the primary back and Williams is expected to bring more talent than Lindsay had. The seventh-year back is nearing the end of his prime years and Williams could be the player to push him out of Denver.
Kenny Golladay, WR
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Kenny Golladay is undoubtedly a high-level receiver. If he was coming off a season with full health and had a top quarterback, he’d be within a small group of gifted receivers to draft in fantasy. But, both of these areas are concerns. He only played in five games last season due to a strained hamstring and he missed time during the preseason this year with a hamstring injury. Daniel Jones is also finding himself in his third year — Year 2 wasn’t nearly as promising as his rookie season. Despite Golladay’s clear talent, he’s a receiver who should be avoided due to these circumstances.
Matt Ryan, QB
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Things will look very different for Matt Ryan this season. The two specific changes include the addition of run-heavy head coach Arthur Smith and the departure of Julio Jones. Smith called run plays 52 percent of the time with the Tennessee Titans last year and he’s going to bring that approach to Atlanta. Ryan will have Calvin Ridley and Kyle Pitts readily available, but the young guys don’t carry the same threat that Jones did. The 36-year-old is still capable of slinging the ball, but this season will look much different than last year.
Marquise Brown, WR
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After two seasons, Marquise Brown has been shaping up for a solid NFL career. He had nearly 600 yards with seven touchdowns his rookie season and nearly 800 yards with eight touchdowns in his sophomore year. But, the Baltimore Ravens have a crowded receiving core now with the additions of first-round pick Rashod Bateman and Sammy Watkins. Brown is also dealing with a hamstring injury that sidelined him for several weeks, and he may not see the field in Week 1. He’s a solid mid-round pick, but it’ll be hard to justify him as a WR1 or WR2 on a team with championship aspirations.
James Conner, RB
(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
James Conner’s second season built up the hype around his potential. He was filling the shoes of Le’Veon Bell and it landed him with a Pro Bowl season. In the past two seasons — played in 23 of 32 total games and didn’t surpass 800 rushing yards in either year. Chase Edmonds will be the primary back in Arizona and it’s becoming more and more clear. Edmonds is a much better receiving back and his explosiveness/durability makes him a reliable threat on fantasy. Conner’s role will likely come within the goal-line — but that doesn’t leave him as an RB1 or RB2.
Kenyan Drake, RB
(AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Kenyan Drake won’t be the high ADP that was last season. He’s now sitting behind one of the league’s ascending backs in Josh Jacobs. He had a solid outing last year, rushing for 955 yards and 10 touchdowns, but that will slow down and take him out of RB1 or potentially RB2 contention. Jacobs will likely do third-down work while Jacobs will take the early-down snaps. He’s more considered a RB3 or FLEX player and you should draft him accordingly.
Juju Smith-Schuster, WR
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Juju Smith-Schuster set himself up 2018 to be one of the best receivers in the NFL. He had a monstrous season where he totaled 111 receptions (on 166 targets) for 1,426 yards and seven touchdowns. He was untouchable. The past two seasons — he’s combined for 139 receptions, 1,383 yards and 12 touchdowns. He’s still a player who could provide value, but not within the first four or five rounds. There’s plenty of talented receivers who will be reliable, including his teammate Diontae Johnson on the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Evan Engram, TE
(AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)
Evan Engram is an avoidable tight end throughout the entire draft. There’s players with less talent that will provide more value based off of Engram’s injury history. He left the New York Giants’ final preseason game with a hamstring injury and could miss up to three weeks heading into the season. Engram’s touchdown value has dropped tremendously since his rookie season and his fantasy value continues to plummet as he struggles to stay on the field.
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