Draft day is full of excitement and potential, but it can also be a minefield if you select the wrong players. This year, certain running backs and wide receivers come with serious risk, and avoiding these draft landmines could make or break your season. Our team of FeaturedPros analysts has identified the top RBs and WRs who are most likely to disappoint in 2024, helping you dodge those potential busts and build a winning roster.

Running Back Draft Landmines to Avoid

What one RB inside the top 50 in our consensus ADP do you plan on avoiding in all or most of your drafts relative to their price and why?

De’Von Achane (RB – MIA)

“One running back I’m avoiding at all costs is De’Von Achane. Achane averaged over 7.7 yards per carry last year and still finished as RB22. While a lot of this can be attributed to an injury that kept him out for multiple weeks, Achane finished as RB15 or better just twice in the last six weeks of the season. Achane has an ADP of RB10 while he isn’t used as a workhorse and will surely see some regression in production. He’s an electric player, but one that is much too overpriced for me.”
– Trevor Land (FlurrySports)

“De’Von Achane (RB10 in ADP) was outstanding as a rookie, finishing as the RB4 on a points-per-game basis, averaging 16.1 half-point PPR fantasy points per contest. Furthermore, he averaged 7.8 yards per rushing attempt, a 12.6% explosive run rate, and 1.36 fantasy points per opportunity (per Fantasy Points Data). Unfortunately, the numbers aren’t repeatable in 2024. More importantly, the explosive runner struggled to stay healthy as a rookie. After the Dolphins brought back Raheem Mostert and drafted Jaylen Wright, Achane shouldn’t get picked before featured running backs like Isiah Pacheco (RB12).”
– Mike Fanelli (FantasyPros)

“I’m continuing to fade on De’Von Achane in the top 50. I understand the upside he can offer on limited touches, but the downside could be horrible for his price. That round-two value on Achane is too high for someone who isn’t even the starter in Miami. It’s a committee backfield where the passing game will still be heavily focused. I’m concerned Miami won’t use him in close games like they did last year. Interestingly, 83 percent of Achane’s rushing yards came in games where the Dolphins either led or were behind by 15 or more points. I’m avoiding Achane at cost in drafts.”
– Steven Pintado (The Fantasy Coaches)

“I will probably avoid De’Von Achane in non-Best Ball formats this year. While he has a very high ceiling, his weekly floor is too low for me, given his draft price. Achane played in 11 games last season. He finished outside the top-25 RB in weekly scoring five times, including three games with less than four fantasy points. For reference, Isiah Pacheco finished as a top-25 weekly running back in 10 of 14 games, never scoring fewer than 5.2 fantasy points. Achane is likely to be a volatile weekly commodity once again this season. That is fine after a certain point in the draft but not ideal as a top-10 running back off the board.”
– Mick Ciallela (Fantrax)

“De’Von Achane is electric with the ball in his hands, but his ADP at RB10, late in the second round, is simply too steep for me. Investing that kind of early draft capital on a boom-or-bust player will make the agonizing weekly decision to start him a headache you don’t need. I’d much rather grab Pacheco in that spot, who offers a guaranteed workload out of the backfield and a coaching staff committed to getting him more involved in the passing game.”
– Chris Battistel (Fantasy In Frames)

“De’Von Achane is electric with the ball in his hands, but his ADP at RB10, late in the second round, is simply too steep for me. Investing that kind of early draft capital on a boom-or-bust player will make the agonizing weekly decision to start him a headache you don’t need. I’d much rather grab Pacheco in that spot, who offers a guaranteed workload out of the backfield and a coaching staff committed to getting him more involved in the passing game.”
– Chris Battistel (Fantasy In Frames)

“De’Von Achane – Mostert set a Dolphins record in TDs last season, yet for some reason, everyone thinks now Achane will get the TDs. The only time Achane gets his numbers is when the Dolphins are playing a team on Rookie Mode in Madden, and the game is a blowout. Drafting the backup RB before the starter to a team is wild, especially in the 2nd/3rd Round when there are so many valuable players to stack your team with.”
– Muntradamus (Beast Dome)

Kyren Williams (RB – LAR)

“Kyren Williams is going off the board as RB6 and 15th overall, and I am out at that cost. He is simply too much risk for the reward. We have likely seen his career season come and go, and it’s all downhill from here. Sure, Williams was a league-winner in 2023, but I’ve said it 1,000 times that late-round rookie running backs rarely repeat their single-season production. As if Williams’s lack of draft capital isn’t scary enough, factor in the return of a healthy Cooper Kupp and the addition of Round 2 rookie pick Blake Corum. There are too many ways that Williams could lose value this season, and he is being drafted at his ceiling with the bust potential being completely ignored.”
– Aaron St Denis (Fantasy Football Universe)

“Kyren Williams will not be on a single roster of mine in 2024. The price at 15th overall scares me half to death, for starters, followed by the love I have for Blake Corum. While I don’t believe Corum will simply win the job on merit versus Williams, I do believe Corum will have a greater role to play in this offense than many will give him credit for, especially on third down. I would rather take Derrick Henry, Isiah Pacheco, and Travis Etienne Jr., who are all going behind Williams.”
– Ed Birdsall (Talking Points Sports)

Josh Jacobs (RB – GB)

“Unless he falls, I won’t have any Josh Jacobs at RB11 prices. I love the Packers offense, and I don’t mind the player, but I still can’t pull the trigger at the end of the 2nd round. With MarShawn Lloyd in Green Bay and AJ Dillon looking good in camp, it’s enough to put me off the idea that Jacobs will get the volume he needs to produce high-end RB numbers. I’ll take the chance on the upside with Pacheco at the same position, or I’ll pivot to LaPorta or Waddle if I’m not grabbing an RB.”
– Jeremy Shulman (Fantasy Football Universe)

Rachaad White (RB – TB)

“Volume runners are my least favorite kind of running back. Meaning, backs rely on a mountain of touches to be productive for fantasy managers. It’s a personal preference. While some may view these players as safe because they get the ball so often, any player who needs 25 carries to get 80 yards just isn’t my cup of tea. Rachaad White is mediocrity manifest with weak True Yards Per Carry, Breakaway Run Rate, Fantasy Points Per Opportunity, and the list goes on.”
– Matt De Lima (The Game Day)

“Rachaad White plodded his way to fantasy relevancy last year. He averaged 3.6 yards/carry but was saved by his 64 receptions. This year, he is still the main runner for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but they added Bucky Irving out of Oregon in the draft. If Irving eats into any of the receptions in 2024, Rachaad White‘s value will plummet. White is currently the consensus 34th player off the board and should be passed over in drafts due to his inefficiency as a runner, competition for carries, and because there are many more valuable running backs being drafted after him.”
– Adam Dove (The Fantasy Couriers)

James Cook (RB – BUF)

“James Cook is really talented, but the situation he’s in is less than ideal. Despite his talent, Cook is undersized at 190 lbs. He loses too many TDs to Josh Allen near the goal line. In nineteen games last season (regular season and playoffs), Cook rushed for a paltry two TDs! In addition, Allen’s athleticism hurts Cook’s reception potential since Allen is elusive enough to escape on his own when under duress. With a current ranking at RB 14, Ringo thinks drafters will get burned if they draft Cook at his 2024 price tag because the “steaks” are too high. I’ll see myself out now, haha!”
– Mark Ringo (Sleepers and Busts)

Bijan Robinson (RB – ATL)

“I love Bijan Robinson and the rhetoric from camp that he’s going to be featured like CMC, but he’s also the only RB in the first round (assuming Gibbs is 2.01) with another RB on the team that absolutely will be involved and steal opportunities. While I do think Bijan is in for a great year and have shares of him, it’s not a 1.04 year. With Breece Hall sitting at 1.05, I’d much rather take him and pull in Tyler Allgeier later in the draft.”
– Avery Thrasher (The Branded Sports)

Wide Receiver Draft Landmines to Avoid

What one WR inside the top 50 overall in our consensus ADP do you plan on avoiding in all or most of your drafts relative to their price and why?

Stefon Diggs (WR – HOU)

“While Stefon Diggs might seem like a steal with an ADP of WR19 after finishing as WR11 last year, there are plenty of reasons to stay away from him. For starters, Diggs finished as WR30 or better just twice in the last eight weeks last year. On top of his poor finish, he also finds himself in Houston, where he will have to split targets with players like Nico Collins and Tank Dell. Even if he does get on the same page with C.J. Stroud out the gate, it’s hard to see him producing Top-20 WR numbers again.”
– Trevor Land (FlurrySports)

“Stefon Diggs (WR19 in the ADP) is getting massively overdrafted. He has an early fourth-round ADP, getting picked well ahead of Malik Nabers (WR24), Amari Cooper (WR25), George Pickens (WR27), and Christian Kirk (WR31). There are two reasons why I won’t draft the veteran in 2024. He has had late-season struggles in back-to-back years. He was the WR47 over the final eight games last season, averaging only 7.5 half-point PPR fantasy points per game and 0.41 fantasy points per route run (per Fantasy Points Data). More importantly, Diggs won’t see the 27.5% target share and 28% target per route run rate from 2023 in Houston. The veteran should clearly be the third Texans receiver drafted and a sixth-round pick.”
– Mike Fanelli (FantasyPros)

“Stefon Diggs was unhappy in Buffalo and was rewarded by being traded to a great offense in Houston! With CJ Stroud at the helm of the Houston offense, Diggs should be excited, but Nico Collins and Tank Dell are still in Houston. All three wide receivers will command targets, and the connection that young Stoud has with Collins and Dell is sure to make fantasy owners disappointed in Diggs whose current ADP is 37, but should slide down owners’ draft boards in favor of wide receivers who don’t have as much competition for receptions.”
– Adam Dove (The Fantasy Couriers)

Davante Adams (WR – LV)

“Davante Adams is going off the board as WR10 and 17th overall, and that may seem like a value given the fact that it’s the cheapest he has been in what seems like an eternity. Adams has been a perennial target hog and a fantasy stud and has traditionally been one of the more consistent producers in fantasy; the problem is the Raiders offense. Outside of rookie tight end Brock Bowers, there is essentially no other high-end talent on this roster, which means this offense is going to struggle all season to score. Add a low floor based on a poor offense and combine that with his targets coming from either Aidan O’Connell or Gardner Minshew, and Adams is likely to hit the age cliff very soon and see a massive fall in the rankings like we’ve seen with Austin Ekeler. Davante Adams has been one of the best for a long time, but his best days are behind him. It’s time to move on.”
– Aaron St Denis (Fantasy Football Universe)

“Davante Adams The latest news out of Vegas is that Aidan O’Connell and Gardner Minshew have struggled mightily with interceptions in training camp. In addition, head coach Antonio Pierce wants to focus on running the ball. But what am I saying? You guys are Fantasy Pros Experts (shameless plug). The best. I’m sure you guys have already figured out a way for Adams (who we can agree is one of the most talented WRs in the NFL) to be worth an ADP of WR 10, even with some of my concerns. Of course, lest we forget, the last time I checked, you’re still stuck with Gardner Minshew or Aidan O’Connell running the offense in the middle of the freakin’ desert!!! Remember, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, except for bad fantasy calls. That stuff will come home with you. Ringo has left the building. Bust.”
– Mark Ringo (Sleepers and Busts)

Marvin Harrison Jr. (WR – ARI)

“I don’t see myself grabbing any shares of Marvin Harrison Jr. at WR9. Especially in half-PPR leagues, we need Harrison to produce both heavy volume and TDs at that price. And, outside of Puka Nacua – who had himself a future Hall of Fame QB and future Hall of Fame Head Coach scheming him open, by the way – we usually don’t see the level of production needed from rookies for MHJ to pay off at his current ADP. Is he a generational WR? Maybe. But I prefer Davante Adams, Derrick Henry, Drake London and De’Von Achane to him this year, all of whom have lower ADPs.”
– Jeremy Shulman (Fantasy Football Universe)

“Marvin Harrison Jr. What has he shown at an NFL level that makes you think there is no doubt this guy will not be a liability to my fantasy team? Absolutely nothing. On the other hand, his QB has shown that he is nothing but a liability for fantasy WRs throughout his career. No WR has had a monster season with Kyler, and the Cardinals are stacked at WR in 2024, plus McBride, who is probably the #1 target.”
– Muntradamus (Beast Dome)

Chris Olave (WR – NO)

“I am biased against Derek Carr and the New Orleans Saints. Therefore, despite his many talents, that means I’m also biased against Chris Olave. Carr has been underwhelming for most of his career, and I believe the Saints are one of the worst-run organizations in all of sports with their wanton disregard for salary cap management in the post-Drew Brees era. Olave is excellent, no question, but at his ADP, my inability to trust the entire Saints franchise makes his selection impossible.”
– Matt De Lima (The Game Day)

“Unfortunately, I have to say Chris Olave. I like the talent, but the offense scares me from drafting him. He is a receiver being taken in round two of drafts. Olave is being drafted as a top-12 receiver after finishing WR19 last year. We still have no idea how this offense will operate between Olave, Alvin Kamara, or Taysom Hill. Olave seems capped in a poor offense, and it shows with low touchdowns over these first two seasons. He is a solid late-round three/four receiver, but his upside is too capped to go in round two of drafts.”
– Steven Pintado (The Fantasy Coaches)

Puka Nacua (WR – LAR)

“I guess you can just say that I am the biggest Los Angeles Rams hater in the game, but Puka Nacua, at 13, I will be staying away from. The role Cooper Kupp, if healthy, will play in this offense cannot be taken for granted. However if Kupp does miss time again, Nacua is a smash play. It also does not help that Nacua is injured right now, with a knee injury sidelining him for several weeks. It is never a particularly good idea to be drafting anyone who is hurt going into the season, let alone someone going at 13th overall. I would rather have Garrett Wilson and Davante Adams over Puka Nacua at this spot.”
– Ed Birdsall (Talking Points Sports)

Nico Collins (WR – HOU)

“Though I love his skill set, I am avoiding Nico Collins at his current price. I do not think that the weekly consistency will be there. With the emergence of Tank Dell and the addition of Stefon Diggs into the Texans receiver room, C.J. Stroud has plenty of options to throw to. All three players averaged at least 12.9 points in half-PPR formats last year. Only 12 other wide receivers in the NFL (minimum of four games played) can make that claim. Collins is sure to have some spike weeks. However, he should also have more down weeks than your typical third-round pick. I prefer a more consistent player like Mike Evans or Michael Pittman Jr.”
– Mick Ciallela (Fantrax)

Mike Evans (WR – TB)

“Tampa Bay WR Mike Evans is a player I’m avoiding in drafts this year. With an ADP in the mid-3rd round as WR16, he’s being overvalued, given the Buccaneers’ shift in offensive philosophy. Reports out of camp highlight new OC Liam Coen’s intent to emphasize a balanced attack, focusing on the run game, play-action, and quick passes. This isn’t great news for Evans, who thrived last season as the WR1 in air yards and deep targets. I’d rather invest in Michael Pittman Jr., DJ Moore, or Cooper Kupp-all of whom are being drafted after Evans and offer better value in more favorable offensive roles.”
– Chris Battistel (Fantasy In Frames)

Justin Jefferson (WR – MIN)

“Let the hate fly, but a first-round Justin Jefferson is not okay this year. He has the talent to be a top 3 pick, but he doesn’t have the QB to support. When was the last time Sam Darnold produced a 900-yard WR? I’ll give you a hint: Never. Yes, in 2021, DJ Moore had 1,157, but 309 of those came in Weeks 10-14 when Cam Newton was under center. Maybe J.J. McCarthy wins the job, but then again, how often do Rookie QBs elevate a WR to top-12 status, let alone the current number 6 overall pick, according to ECR? Love the talent, but the questions around this offense make him an easy fade at ADP.”
– Avery Thrasher (The Branded Sports)

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