X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

Top 10 Fantasy Football Busts Of All Time - Le'Veon Bell, Peyton Hillis, LeSean McCoy, and more

John dives into the biggest fantasy football busts of all time. Which players are in the top 10 biggest busts of all time for fantasy football?

Fantasy football managers have the fear of picking busts fresh in their minds every season because every year, players who are thought to be headed for productive seasons, whether due to injury, not reaching overly high expectations, or other reasons, bust hard.

Those who drafted San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey are well aware of this reality. He played in just four contests last season, failed to score more than 20 PPR points in any games, and got reinjured, ending his 2024 campaign prematurely. He provided very little value to fantasy football managers.

This article will absolutely not feature any recency bias because I can argue that the two players from 2024 who are on it had such ridiculously high expectations, even in this era where fantasy managers are more knowledgeable than ever, and still faceplanted. Let's dive in!

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:

 

10. LeSean McCoy, Buffalo Bills, 2018

McCoy, the Philadelphia Eagles' all-time leading rusher, entered his fourth year with the Bills in 2018 with high expectations. He had finished as the RB4 in 2016 and the RB7 in 2017, and he was entering his age-30 season, so it seemed that he had some value left.

That wasn't the case. He played in 14 games, yet mustered just 514 yards on 161 carries, averaging under 3.2 yards per rush, scored just three rushing touchdowns, and caught 34 passes for 238 yards, failing to log a single receiving touchdown.

It was a shocking result for anyone who had watched McCoy play for the Eagles, and though he wasn't quite his old self with the Bills, it was reasonable to think he still had some gas in the tank. Instead, he never came close to finishing as a top-10 back again and was out of the league entirely after just two more unproductive seasons.

 

9. Tyreek Hill, Miami Dolphins, 2024

He was widely regarded as being on the short list of best wide receivers in the NFL after his monster 2022 and 2023 seasons with the Miami Dolphins and was picked universally in the first round of fantasy drafts. His first game went very well, and many fantasy managers were probably happy with his production, especially after seeing his 80-yard touchdown reception. He scored 26 PPR fantasy points in Week 1.

Then things all came crashing down. Miami's starting quarterback, Tua Tagovailoa, suffered a severe concussion in Week 2 against the Buffalo Bills. Hill's totals in PPR were 6.6, 7.0, 8.2, 12.9, and 2.3 fantasy points in the next five games, including Week 2, as Tagovailoa was placed on injured reserve and missed all those weeks.

Tagovailoa's return was heralded as team-saving for Hill managers, but much to their shock, Hill would go on to log just two more games with 20 or more PPR fantasy points, including duds of 11.7, 9.8, 5.6, and 4.0 scoring totals. Hill never looked like his old self, often failing to create the wild separation due to his elite explosiveness that he had in previous seasons.

The Hill we were accustomed to seeing from previous years simply wasn't there. And while he did have a few good games, he's a massive bust considering how high expectations were for him after his 119-catch, 1,799-yard, 13-touchdown season in 2023.

 

8. Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers, 2024

This past season's other huge bust, McCaffrey, finished as the dominant RB1 in fantasy football in 2023, and expectations for him to have another massive season were widespread. He clearly showed he was elite, both in real football and as a fantasy asset, when he totaled over 391 PPR fantasy points just a season prior.

Much like with the No. 1 bust on this list, fantasy managers didn't know what they were getting themselves into. At the time of most drafts, they believed the lies that they were told by 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan -- that McCaffrey had a calf strain that wasn't serious and that he'd be ready for Week 1.

Instead, they were dragged along through an awful saga, continually teased that he'd be returning soon, then watched as his condition magically worsened (yes, I didn't buy it, either), and he was placed on injured reserve. He didn't play his first down until Week 10.

Many fantasy managers simply held the bag, and he scored 16.7 and 14.6 PPR fantasy points in his first two games. Then he mustered just 7.8 a week later, and the week after that, he went down with a knee injury that ended his season.

It's hard to blame him for his troubles, but he was far from a league winner in 2024, which is what he was drafted to be.

 

7. Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals, 2012

Fitzgerald racked up 153 catches for 1,411 yards and eight touchdowns in 2011, his eighth season in the league. It was the fifth straight year that he gained over 1,000 receiving yards and scored six or more touchdowns, and he was in the midst of a core stretch that would contribute to his eventual spot in the NFL Hall of Fame.

So, he was seen as an elite pick in fantasy football drafts and taken off the board very early in most leagues. But despite playing in 16 games and matching his 153 targets from the year prior, his 71 catches in 2012 amounted to just 798 yards and four touchdowns of production.

The quarterback situation was just about the complete opposite of the WR situation, though. While Fitzgerald did what he always did, get open, the quarterbacks struggled to hit him with any consistency, and a massive load of production was left out on the field. It was part of a long three seasons where Fitz failed to reach 1,000 yards receiving, until he did so again in 2015.

 

6. Zac Stacy, St. Louis Rams, 2014

After a solid rookie season in which Stacy rushed for 973 yards and seven touchdowns and caught 26 passes for 141 yards and a score, most fantasy managers viewed him as the clear RB1 moving forward and a safe pick relatively early in fantasy football drafts. Stacy rewarded them by being a massive bust in 2014.

Instead, Stacy was outproduced handily by rookie RB Tre Mason, was let go before the following season, and washed out of the league after just one more year with the New York Jets.

 

5. Peyton Hillis, Cleveland Browns, 2011

Hillis had a legendary breakout season in 2010. Seemingly coming out of nowhere, he quickly became the face of the Browns franchise by running for 1,177 yards and 11 touchdowns and catching 61 passes for 477 yards and two scores, finishing as one of the best RBs in fantasy football that season. His 194 yards from scrimmage and three-touchdown game against the Carolina Panthers was truly special.

The Madden curse, a series of injuries, and a poor roster around him did him in for the 2011 season, though. In 10 games played, he rushed for only 587 yards and three touchdowns and caught just 22 passes for 130 yards. Hillis' career took a nosedive after that, and in his last three seasons combined, he failed to match his numbers from the 2010 season alone.

 

4. Braylon Edwards, Cleveland Browns, 2008

Edwards put together a monster breakout campaign in 2007. After a solid 2006 season in which he caught 61 of 125 targets for 884 yards and six scores, he smashed those numbers with 80 receptions for 1,289 yards and 16 receiving touchdowns the subsequent year. He was a dominant WR1, and many believed he would remain so for many years to come.

Edwards started 2008 very slowly, gaining just 95 receiving yards and one touchdown. But against the New York Giants in Week 5, he caught five passes for 154 yards and a score. This would have been the perfect time for fantasy managers to trade him away, but in a tale as old as the game itself, many saw it as his "get right game" of the season.

He would go on to average just 56.7 receiving yards and score a single more touchdown over his final 11 games, and his career mostly fizzled from there, interrupted by just one solid season for the New York Jets.

 

3. Rudi Johnson, Cincinnati Bengals, 2007

Johnson was a monster in fantasy football for three straight seasons with the Bengals. His rushing totals for 2004, 2005, and 2006 are as follows: 1,454 rush yards and 12 touchdowns, 1,458 rushing yards and 12 TDs, and 1,309 rush yards and 12 rush scores, respectively.

So, naturally, he was seen as an elite, safe pick in fantasy drafts, with his workhorse usage and production leading to great games.

In 2007, though, his massive usage caught up to him. The season prior, he had averaged just 3.8 yards per carry, a drop-off of 0.5 YPC from the season before that, which is always a big red flag you should pay attention to when evaluating running backs.

Johnson played just 11 games in 2007, failed to reach even 500 rushing yards, scored just three times on the ground, and averaged an abysmal 2.9 yards per carry. He was a bona fide league loser and washed out of the NFL just one year after that.

 

2. Tom Brady, New England Patriots, 2008

Brady's 2007 MVP season still stands as one of the best in the history of the NFL for a quarterback. He broke the NFL record for passing touchdowns with 50, eclipsed 4,800 passing yards in just 16 games, tossed only eight interceptions, and led his team to a 16-0 record, the first and only undefeated regular season in history after the league switched to a 16-game schedule.

Brady's demolition of the Tennessee Titans, in which he threw five touchdowns in the second quarter, is perhaps his most memorable regular-season game to date. So, at a time when quarterbacks were often selected in the first round, Brady was seen as on the cusp of having another historic season.

The problem was not that he disappointed, but that he blew out his ACL in Week 1. Can't do much to fix that.

 

1. Le'Veon Bell, Pittsburgh Steelers, 2018

The biggest bust of all time has to be Bell. After a huge season in which he rushed for 1,291 yards and nine touchdowns and caught 85 passes for 655 yards and two touchdowns, Bell was the No. 1 overall pick in many fantasy football drafts. He was an all-purpose weapon for the Steelers, and his volume and production were that of a league winner the year prior.

The saga that unfolded sank many fantasy teams' hopes. Bell ended up holding out for the entire season, not playing a single down and not scoring a single fantasy point. Those who drafted him were left high and dry, and it's often extremely difficult to win leagues if your first-round pick produces absolutely nothing.

Aside from immediately trading him to another manager who thought he would end his holdout, there were no options for his fantasy managers to extract value from his presence on their rosters. Instead, they were left with a roster clogger. A No. 1 overall pick that misses games due to injury or produces as a top-20 player at their position rather than a top-5 player can at least be useful.

But Bell presented the worst possible case -- nothing.



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!

More Fantasy Football Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Keandre Lambert-Smith

KeAndre Lambert-Smith Finds End Zone in First Training Camp Practice
Tyler Shough

Pushing for Fully Guaranteed Rookie Deal
Ar'Darius Washington

Goes on PUP List
Lamar Jackson

to be Even Better in 2025?
Tre Harris

Agrees to Terms on Rookie Deal
Justin Herbert

Off to Good Start at Training Camp
Jameson Williams

Earning Rave Reviews from Lions Coaches
Christian Mahogany

Expected to Start for Lions
Zach Allen

an Extension Candidate in Denver?
Zaire Franklin

May Miss Start of Training Camp
Portland Trail Blazers

Damian Lillard Returning to Portland
Mason Taylor

to Play "Crucial" Role in Jets' Offense
Paul Skenes

Pirates Could Preserve Paul Skenes in Second Half
T.J. Watt

Once Again Becomes Highest-Paid Non-QB
RJ Harvey

Reaches Agreement on Four-Year Rookie Contract
Rashee Rice

Chiefs Believe Rashee Rice Will Receive Two- to Four-Game Suspension
Brooks Barnhizer

Grabs 19 Points, Nine Boards in Summer League Win
Jack Kiser

Inks Rookie Deal With Jaguars
Mike Green

Expected to Sign Rookie Deal with Ravens on Thursday
Mike Williams

Retiring After Eight NFL Seasons
Jeremiah Fears

Scores 22 Points in Summer League Loss to Thunder
Jordan Addison

Pleads Guilty to Lesser Offense, Gets Fine and Probation
Jordan Mims

Titans Add Backfield Depth With Jordan Mims
Isaiah Collier

Collects 17 Points In Summer League Win
Anthony Richardson Sr.

Believed to be Recovered From Shoulder Injury
Najee Harris

Chargers Place Najee Harris on NFI List
Caleb Houstan

Joins Hawks
AJ Johnson

Erupts for 25 Points in Summer League Loss
Washington Wizards

Leaky Black Logs Double-Double in Loss to Jazz
Connor Norby

Undergoes Surgery, Expected to Miss 6-8 Weeks
Trey Alexander

Tallies 25 Points in Losing Effort
Johni Broome

Records Second Consecutive Double-Double
Jahmir Young

Has Historic Summer League Outing
Rob Dillingham

Plays Big Role in Wednesday's Win
Tyrese Proctor

Erupts for 35 Points Against Kings
Cody Williams

Leads Jazz to Victory Against Wizards
LeBron James

Mavs Not Interested in "Gutting its Roster" For LeBron James
Josh Hart

Undergoes a Procedure on Right Finger
Jake Burger

Goes on 10-Day Injured List With Quad Strain
Sal Frelick

Dealing With Grade 1 Hamstring Strain, TBD for Start of Second Half
Chris Sale

Plays Catch
Los Angeles Clippers

Bradley Beal Heading to Los Angeles to Join Clippers After Contract Buyout
Rayan Rupert

Scores 24 Points in Summer League Win
Derik Queen

Collects Third Consecutive Double-Double in Summer League Loss
GG Jackson II

Records 13 Points in Summer League Action on Tuesday
Johni Broome

Logs Double-Double Against Wizards
DaRon Holmes II

Records Double-Double in Summer League Loss to Raptors
Kyle Schwarber

Named All-Star Game MVP
Harris English

Takes Stellar 2025 Performance to The Open Championship
Aldrich Potgieter

Seeks Better Result in Northern Ireland
Cameron Young

Likely to Hang Around at The Open Championship
Cameron Smith

Just Trying to Make the Cut at Royal Portrush
Jordan Spieth

Is Jordan Spieth Still a Natural for Links Style Golf?
Patrick Reed

a Viable Option at The Open Championship
PGA

Sungjae Im Wants to Rebound from Last Experience at Royal Portrush
Xander Schauffele

Looks to Defend His Claret Jug at Royal Portrush
Tony Finau

Trying to Turn Tide at Royal Portrush
Daniel Brown

Seeks a Rebound at The Open Championship
Rory McIlroy

Will be the Most Watched Player This Week at Royal Portrush
Daniel Berger

Trending Poorly as The Open Championship Looms
Clayton Kershaw

Retires Both Batters In ASG Appearance
Eugenio Suárez

Eugenio Suarez Hit In Pinky In All-Star Game, X-Rays Negative
MLB

NL All-Stars Win On Tie-Breaker Home Run Swing-Off
Robert MacIntyre

Hoping to Bounce Back at Open Championship
Shane Lowry

Hopes to Repeat at Royal Portrush
Brian Harman

Hopes to Rekindle Some Magic at the 153rd Open
UTA

Michael Carcone Returns to Utah on One-Year Contract
Bowen Byram

Signs Two-Year Deal with Sabres
Morgan Barron

Jets Re-Sign Morgan Barron for Two Years
PGA

Chris Gotterup Punches Ticket to Royal Portrush With Win at Scottish Open
Bryson DeChambeau

Hopes to Reverse Links Golf Struggle at the 153rd Open
Keegan Bradley

Needs to Find The Weekend at Royal Portrush for Ryder Cup Hopes
Oneil Cruz

Ties Home Run Derby Distance Record
Cal Raleigh

Wins 2025 Home Run Derby
Justin Thomas

Finishes Tied For 22nd at Genesis Scottish Open
Scottie Scheffler

Finishes Tied For Eighth at Genesis Scottish Open
Jon Rahm

Finishes in Second at LIV Andalucia
Tallison Teixeira

Suffers First-Round TKO
Derrick Lewis

Scores First-Round TKO
Michael Lorenzen

Royals Put Michael Lorenzen on Injured List With Oblique Strain
Stephen Thompson

Loses Controversial Split Decision
Gabriel Bonfim

Wins Controversial Split Decision
Calvin Kattar

Gets Outclassed At UFC Nashville
Steve Garcia

Extends His Win Streak
Nate Landwehr

Gets Knocked Out
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere Scores Third-Round Knockout
Austen Lane

Suffers Submission Loss
Vitor Petrino

Scores First-Round Submission In Heavyweight Debut
Tuco Tokkos

Earns His First UFC Win
Junior Tafa

Unsuccessful in his Light-Heavyweight Debut
Chase Elliott

Charges to A Finish of Third At Sonoma
Chase Briscoe

Finishes Second With his First Career Road-Course Top-Five at Sonoma
Christopher Bell

Rollercoaster Day Ends With Top-5 Finish at Sonoma
William Byron

Maintains the Regular-Season Points Lead
Kyle Busch

Earns A Hard-Fought Top-10 Finish At Sonoma
Alex Ovechkin

Not Thinking About Retirement
PIT

Penguins Acquire Arturs Silovs
NHL

Nikolai Kovalenko Returns to Russia
Yoshinobu Yamamoto

Tosses Gem Against Giants
Shota Imanaga

Shuts Down Yankees on Sunday
Nathan Eovaldi

Dominant Again in Seventh Win
Tyler Reddick

Evades Near Upset to Remain Alive in In-Season Challenge
Ty Gibbs

One of Three Tylers to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinals
Kyle Larson

Curiously Mediocre at Sonoma Before Late-Race Crash
NASCAR

John H. Nemechek Edges Out Teammate to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Alex Bowman

Ty Dillon Bumps Alex Bowman to Advance to In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Chicago White Sox

Billy Carlson Goes 10th Overall to White Sox
Cincinnati Reds

Steele Hall Selected Ninth by Cincinnati
Toronto Blue Jays

Blue Jays Select JoJo Parker with Eighth Overall Pick
Miami Marlins

Marlins Select Aiva Arquette With Seventh Overall Pick
Pittsburgh Pirates

Pirates Select Seth Hernandez with Sixth Overall Pick
Kyle Stowers

Punishes Former Team with Three-Homer Game
Shane Van Gisbergen

Can Anyone Beat Shane van Gisbergen at Sonoma?
Tyler Reddick

Better at Sonoma Than Record Shows
Chase Elliott

a Prime DFS Option at Sonoma
Michael McDowell

Struggling a Bit at Sonoma
NASCAR

Christopher Bell Has Never Finished Better Than Ninth at Sonoma
Ryan Blaney

Has Top-10 Upside at Sonoma
NASCAR

Sunday at Sonoma Will Likely Be a Long Race for Bubba Wallace
Kyle Larson

Is A Likely Top-Five Contender for Sonoma
Ryan Preece

Points Position Could Affect Race at Sonoma
Todd Gilliland

Struggling to Find Speed at Sonoma
Ty Gibbs

May be an Underrated Favorite to Compete for the Win at Sonoma
Erik Karlsson

Open to Move Away From Pittsburgh
Zach Hyman

Hopes to be Ready for Start of Next Season
SJ

Jeff Skinner Joins Sharks on One-Year Contract
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF