One of the most important parts of having a successful fantasy football draft is not only to pick sleeper and breakout players who could exceed expectations, but also to know when it’s time to pass on certain players. This was never more evident than last season with Saquon Barkley. One of my biggest bust candidates going into the 2025 campaign, his numbers fell across the board, causing fantasy fans headaches rather than euphoria.
The common term used to describe such players is “bust,” but I’m not sure that term is correct in every instance. While Barkley was certainly a disappointment (he scored 123 fewer points than in 2024), he was still a top-15 fantasy running back. Justin Jefferson, who went from an elite, must-start player to someone who you almost couldn’t start down the stretch (thanks to J.J. McCarthy), was closer to the term bust. In all, managers should be looking to avoid players coming off “magical” seasons, or those who could fail to live up to their average draft position.
