Has a player burned you? I know. That’s like asking if water is wet. Is it though, or is it the perception of a feeling from the molecules between the hydrogen and … I’m kidding; I’ll stop. I never joke about putting feelings aside in fantasy, not only with fanmanship and drafting with your heart, but also when it comes to forgiveness.
If you never give a player a second chance, you will regularly miss on rebounds, bounce backs, etc. Saying, “I’ll never draft Player X again!” can ruin your chances for tremendous values … though, there might be one player on this list about whom you said that three or four times already. In that case, hesitancy is more understandable, but “Last Year’s Trash” is a great list to visit. After all, you’re not the only one feeling the burn, and most people will write off players, thereby pushing them down draft boards and turning them into values.
From Trash to Treasure
Jordan Love, QB, GB
When I consider the entire list, maybe it should be “Last Year’s IR Room” instead of “Trash.” In any case, Love wasn’t 100% for most of 2024 after spraining his MCL in Week 1 and adding a groin injury in Week 8. Love mentioned he wanted to run more in 2025, but the injuries in 2024 also affected his throwing, including when passing to Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs.
The Packers added Matthew Golden in the draft, who is likely their new No. 1, allowing Doubs to use his downfield ability more as the No. 2 (or No. 3 with varying formations including him and/or Jayden Reed). As of this writing, Love picked up a new injury (non-throwing-hand thumb surgery). It doesn’t sound like it will affect his season, but it’s worthy of your attention, as Love is a great bounce-back candidate, but managers likely want to double-dip with another option, given the risk.
Dak Prescott, QB, DAL
Prescott missed half of the 2024 season, and even before his injury, there were performance concerns — most notably, three straight games with two interceptions (Weeks 5-8) after tossing two against the Saints in Week 2. That was a lot of “twos.” Well, here’s another. How many games with two-wenty or more points did Prescott have (yeah, I forced that)? Just one. So, why am I taking a gamble on a rebound season? Well, it’s not because of the offensive line, which still has major concerns. It’s that Prescott is healthy, he now has one of the better No. 2 wideouts in the league in George Pickens alongside No. 1 CeeDee Lamb, and the defense still has questions.
Prescott has attempted at least 590 passes in his past three healthy seasons. While he doesn’t chip in much on the ground, Prescott has the arm and ability to roll up passing numbers, pushing him into the Top 10.
Christian McCaffrey, RB, SF
I told you there would be a lot of health-related bounce-backs. If CMC is healthy for just 13 games, he’ll be an RB1. Next!
Isiah Pacheco, RB, KC
I promise. Not all my bounce-back candidates will be injury-related, but here we are again. I had an interesting conversation with Pat Fitzmaurice, who said, “Would Pacheco rank higher if he never stepped back on the field in 2024?” It’s certainly worth considering, as injury optimism can get the best of us, and with Pacheco, we saw him struggle in his return — similar to Cam Akers in 2021.
The risk/reward is obvious. Pacheco is the likely lead option for the Chiefs, and he had 193.9 fantasy points in 2023 on just 205 carries (13.9 FPPG). Kareem Hunt is at the end of his career, Elijah Mitchell has flashed at times with the 49ers but is more of a backup plan, and Brashard Smith is an intriguing Jerick McKinnon-type option for the team. If Pacheco is anything like his pre-injury self, 250 touches will have him in the Top 15. The risk is Pacheco going the way of Javonte Williams, never looking the same and being a bust of a pick in fantasy.
Travis Etienne, RB, JAX
I’m not even weighing Etienne’s hamstring strain in Week 6, as we all know he’s only given us glimpses of that 2023 first-half performance — Etienne was the second-best running back, only behind McCaffrey, averaging 18.8 FPPG before the Week 9 bye. After that, Etienne averaged 11.5 FPPG, then a mere 7.5 last season.
Liam Coen arrives to be the Jaguars’ savior, and we hope his magic touch can fix everything from Etienne to Trevor Lawrence being labeled as a bust at this point in his career. There was talk of Tank Bigsby leading the backfield, but in Week 1 of the preseason, it was Etienne who had 100% of his snaps with the first-team offense while Bigsby spent time with the backups. Things can change, but if Etienne is the lead, gets 250+ touches and looks anything like that first-half, 2023 Etienne, a Top 15 finish is well within the cards.
Chris Olave, WR, NO
Olave suffered two concussions last season, the second of which ended his season. Those marked Olave’s third and fourth concussions in the NFL, and then there was his head injury in his 2020 college season. It’s fair to be concerned — for Olave’s long-term health as much as anything. And it’s fair to point out the quarterback issue in New Orleans, as the Saints have one of the worst situations and likely one of the worst offenses.
Nevertheless, Olave is essentially Garrett Wilson for the Saints, and no, not just because they are both former Buckeyes. They are similar wideouts, the No. 1 option on their teams and have quarterback situations requiring high volume for Top 20 upside. The ride will be more of a rollercoaster than in 2022-23, but 120-130 targets would put Olave in line for around 80-1,000-5, or a Top 30 finish and a huge bounce-back season from WR92.
Jaylen Waddle, WR, MIA
Not another one! Sorry. And Waddle has two injury concerns — his own and Tua Tagovailoa’s. If Tua goes down again, Waddle’s value would be in trouble. As for Waddle, he’s suffered four injuries in the past two seasons: sternum bruise, concussion, ankle sprain and knee strain. Waddle also fractured his ankle in college, but that was nearly five years ago.
Still, Waddle is the definition of a high-risk/high-reward pick. Waddle averaged 12.2, 13.2 and 11.6 FPPG, respectively, in his first three seasons, giving him a nice floor with Top 15 upside. Last year, the Dolphins fell apart, and we need to see Mike McDaniel adjust to the changes defenses made … well, and this team to stay healthy. If we get both, Waddle will be one of the better WR3 investments.
Rome Odunze, WR, CHI
Like Waddle, Odunze isn’t merely a product of his issues. Yes, Odunze faltered in his rookie season, but Caleb Williams had a rocky debut. With Ben Johnson in town, everything is sunshine and rainbows with Gummiberry Juice, right? While Williams did show some improvement after the Shane Waldron firing last year, he still had plenty of concerns and inconsistencies. As for Odunze, Keenan Allen is gone, and while Luther Burden is a talented rookie, he’s been slow to acclimate due to a hamstring injury (another injury, Jake!).
Odunze still can be one of the better No. 2 receivers in the league. Heck, his pure talent gives him a ceiling to be the best option on the Bears. All of that makes Odunze a great pick as a fringe WR3. Yes, there is a chance we don’t see a vastly improved Bears offense until the second half of the season, maybe even 2026. But if Ben Johnson is pure magic and makes this offense look anything like the Lions, Odunze will push for a Top 20 finish.
Deebo Samuel, WR, WSH
You hate me now, don’t you? I’m sorry, but at least there aren’t any more players coming off injuries — just one with a teammate currently hurt … muwhahaha. Samuel tweaked his calf early in the season, injured his ribs in Week 8 and played through pneumonia for at least half the season, if not longer (diagnosed after feeling exhausted in the Chiefs’ Week 7 game). To say the man went through a lot last year might be underselling it.
Samuel arrives in Washington, which has a major need at the No. 2 wideout position. Jayden Daniels threw 200 passes to (and to the likes of) Olamide Zaccheaus, Noah Brown, Dyami Brown, Luke McCaffrey and Jamison Crowder (once he returned). Your leaguemates would laugh at you if you slotted any of those players into your WR3 spot, let alone as your WR2. If Samuel is 100% — as we assume — a 1,000-yard season and Top 30 finish is quite possible for someone coming off a WR44 finish and with a WR4 draft cost.
Kyle Pitts, TE, ATL
And here. We. Go! I’d like to find the fantasy manager who Pitts hasn’t burned. We all were suckered in after his terrific rookie season, made excuses after his second-year disappointment and gave him one more chance, as we picked him up off waivers on some random week over the past two seasons.
So, why again? Well, not only does Pitts only cost you a 12th-, maybe 11th-round pick this year, he also has the chance to be Michael Penix’s second option. And that’s before Darnell Mooney’s worrisome, “We’ll have him back healthy this year” quote from Raheem Morris. Even though Pitts has proved to be miscast as a tight end or wideout (think Kelvin Benjamin), this could be his one shining … err … Jonnu Smith-like season, where he ends up with a Top 5 finish.
(Photo of Dak Prescott: Luke Hales / Getty Images)
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