The week after the conference championship games is always a bit slow in terms of NFL and fantasy football news. So, as the NFL does during this “dead week,” it’s a good time to celebrate greatness on the field. The league does that with the Pro Bowl Games, so I’ll be doing the same as it pertains to fantasy football.
I’ve already covered my All-Sleeper, All-Breakout teams and All-Rookie teams, so let’s move on to the players who failed fantasy managers most this past season. These are the players we projected would have breakout seasons but failed, or former superstars who missed time (injuries) or didn’t live up to their previous standards.
All-Sleeper Team | All-Breakout Team | All-Rookie Team
QB: Lamar Jackson, Ravens: Jackson scored 430.4 fantasy points in 2024, the most by a quarterback in NFL history. Unfortunately, injuries and poor play resulted in him posting only 214.7 points (or 215.7 fewer) this season. His 16.5 points-per-game average was the lowest he has had as an NFL starter, making him a major fantasy disappointment and the biggest bust among quarterbacks.
RB: Bucky Irving, Buccaneers: Irving was the 11th running back off the board based on ADP data, and he came off the board in the second round in most drafts. Unfortunately, injuries limited him to only 10 games, and he was a shell of his former self in the second half. Over his final four games, Irving failed to score more than 10.8 points. Overall, he finished the fantasy season ranked tied for 35th at the position.
WR: Brian Thomas Jr., Jaguars: Thomas was drafted as the WR7, ahead of Drake London, Puka Nacua and Jaxon Smith-Njigba. He finished as the WR44, behind Tre Tucker, Alec Pierce, Troy Franklin, Rashid Shaeed and his Jags’ teammate, Parker Washington. BTJ missed Mac Jones (with whom he thrived as a rookie), and he didn’t seem to fit well in coach Liam Coen’s offensive system.
TE: T.J. Hockenson, Vikings: The tight end position was loaded with busts, but it’s hard to find a bigger one than Hockenson based on ADP data. The sixth tight end picked on average, he finished an awful 26th in points at the position, while averaging 7.5 points per game. That’s his worst total since 2019 (his rookie season). Much of Hockenson’s failures are on J.J. McCarthy, but he was a fantasy dud regardless.
More NFL on Sports Illustrated
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- NFL Salary Cap Projected to Shoot Past $300 Million in 2026
- Ravens to Hire Bears Offensive Coordinator Declan Doyle to Same Position
- The Super Bowl Will End One of Three Ways
- The 5–12 Browns Now Feature Two Pro Bowl Quarterbacks
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Fab's 2025 All-Bust Fantasy Football Team Led By Brian Thomas Jr., Justin Jefferson.
