Injuries are an unavoidable part of the NFL, and of fantasy football. But when a player is coming off a significant injury, or has a long history of missed games, we need to ask a hard question: Will they really return to their old form?
This breakdown highlights the fantasy football busts most likely to disappoint in 2025 due to injury risk, declining efficiency, or reduced roles following recovery. While many of these players once offered WR1, RB1, or TE1 upside, their current situations suggest regression is far more likely.
If you're hunting for the next fantasy football sleepers, make sure you're also identifying injury-related landmines that can quietly sink your draft. For more insight on both ends of the spectrum, keep an eye on our regularly updated fantasy football articles throughout draft season.
Quarterbacks
Trevor Lawrence (shoulder) – Jacksonville Jaguars
Lawrence missed nearly the entire second half of 2024 due to a shoulder injury. Though it was his first major absence, he's still never topped 25 touchdown passes in a season. New coach Liam Coen is supposed to fix everything, but Lawrence's inconsistency and poor decision-making span multiple years. Betting on Lawrence takes a massive leap of faith.
Tua Tagovailoa (hip) – Miami Dolphins
Tagovailoa missed the final two games of 2024 after another concussion followed by a hip injury, on top of his major hip issue from Alabama. He's averaged five missed games per season in three of his last four years. No matter how productive he can
Injuries are an unavoidable part of the NFL, and of fantasy football. But when a player is coming off a significant injury, or has a long history of missed games, we need to ask a hard question: Will they really return to their old form?
This breakdown highlights the fantasy football busts most likely to disappoint in 2025 due to injury risk, declining efficiency, or reduced roles following recovery. While many of these players once offered WR1, RB1, or TE1 upside, their current situations suggest regression is far more likely.
If you're hunting for the next fantasy football sleepers, make sure you're also identifying injury-related landmines that can quietly sink your draft. For more insight on both ends of the spectrum, keep an eye on our regularly updated fantasy football articles throughout draft season.
Quarterbacks
Trevor Lawrence (shoulder) – Jacksonville Jaguars
Lawrence missed nearly the entire second half of 2024 due to a shoulder injury. Though it was his first major absence, he's still never topped 25 touchdown passes in a season. New coach Liam Coen is supposed to fix everything, but Lawrence's inconsistency and poor decision-making span multiple years. Betting on Lawrence takes a massive leap of faith.
Tua Tagovailoa (hip) – Miami Dolphins
Tagovailoa missed the final two games of 2024 after another concussion followed by a hip injury, on top of his major hip issue from Alabama. He's averaged five missed games per season in three of his last four years. No matter how productive he can be when healthy, that's a fantasy gamble most managers shouldn't take.
Running Back
Alvin Kamara (groin) – New Orleans Saints
Kamara missed the final three games last season and turned 30 in July. He's missed time in each of the last four seasons, and his broken-tackle and yards-after-contact rates have steadily declined. With bottom-tier quarterback play expected in New Orleans, defenses can stack the box, potentially limiting the only thing still helping Kamara: volume.
Wide Receivers
Stefon Diggs (knee) – New England Patriots
Diggs was on pace for 1,000 yards in Houston before an ACL tear ended his season. Now 31 and returning from a major injury, he's entering a new system with a developing quarterback. It's tough to project anything close to his former output in this new context.
Zay Flowers (knee) – Baltimore Ravens
Flowers' knee injury ended both his regular season and the Ravens' playoff hopes. But more concerning was his disappearing act down the stretch. He often scored over 18 PPR points in early games, but only cleared 12 once after Week 10. Baltimore's shift to a run-first identity could continue to cap his upside in 2025.
Tyreek Hill (wrist) – Miami Dolphins
Hill had offseason surgery on a wrist injury, but the real issue may be wear and tear. His 38th percentile YAC rate in 2024 was far below career norms. Add in a limited quarterback, reported unhappiness in Miami, and age 30+ decline risk, and Hill's WR1 status looks shaky.
Darnell Mooney (shoulder) – Atlanta Falcons
Mooney's shoulder injury late in 2024 was minor, but the bigger problem is usage. He averaged 7.5 targets early in the season but dropped to 5.0 once the Falcons leaned more on Drake London. And now, Mooney is missing preseason time with another shoulder injury. When he returns, he'll be fighting for targets with little upside at cost.
Rashid Shaheed (knee) – New Orleans Saints
Shaheed flashed with Derek Carr on deep routes, but a season-ending knee injury, and Carr's retirement, put his outlook in jeopardy. The Saints' passing offense is now one of the worst in the league. Even if healthy, Shaheed is stuck in a system unlikely to support fantasy success.
Tight Ends
Evan Engram (shoulder) – Denver Broncos
Engram missed half of last season and turns 31 before Week 1. The Broncos now project as a defense-and-run team after upgrading the backfield and bolstering their defense. With Courtland Sutton and Marvin Mims likely commanding targets, Engram's role could be an issue in a low-volume passing offense.
Taysom Hill (knee) – New Orleans Saints
Hill is 35 and recovering from a serious late-season knee injury. With a new coaching staff unfamiliar with his unique usage, and limited availability in offseason work, it's hard to envision the gadget-heavy role returning. Hill may be phased out entirely in 2025.
Final Thoughts: Let Injury History Influence Your Draft Board
It's tempting to chase value on big names coming off injury discounts, but not all recoveries lead to bounce-back seasons. Some players rebound, others fade, and many simply lose their edge.
As you build your board of fantasy football sleepers and busts, weigh both injury history and projected usage. RotoWire's fantasy football draft software can help balance risk and upside while keeping your roster construction sharp.
Avoid red flags, embrace value, and use every edge possible heading into 2025.
Want more in-depth analysis? Watch here:
Dominate your fantasy football league this season by exploring our ultimate draft kit. Packed with expert insights, rankings and strategy tips, the kit features our interactive mock draft simulator to prepare you for every scenario. Streamline your draft-day decisions using our printable cheat sheet and stay ahead of the competition with our up-to-date rankings for all formats. RotoWire has everything you need to win. To learn more, subscribe now and start optimizing your roster today.
