Every year, name value tricks fantasy football managers into chasing past production and ignoring the trap doors planted throughout the ADP minefield. Want to win your league? You’d better learn to spot the hidden duds and fade them aggressively.
This isn’t a column for the cautious or the consensus-followers. It’s for those determined to torch mistakes before the season even fires up.
Below, I’m calling out three wide receivers you should avoid at all costs. The data is brutal, and so is my verdict. If you want more watered-down advice, check out any generic fantasy football article. If you’re going to build a roster that wins, keep reading.
Terry McLaurin, WR, Washington Commanders
Terry McLaurin’s WR16 ADP tells a story the stats refuse to back up. He set career highs in touchdowns last year, but the rest stayed flat — another middling yardage season, average target share, and an unchanged role.
Those 13 scores are a pure fluke. The previous best in his career was seven. Touchdown luck always comes knocking, and with Deebo Samuel Sr. joining the receiving room, regression is all but guaranteed.
McLaurin’s never finished above WR20 in points per game, and age won’t help. He just hit 30, with no boost in explosive plays or efficiency. He’s never been a heavy-volume receiver, and now Washington has brought in more target competition. Overpay for the mirage if you want a repeat of last year’s luck. The smart play? Fade “Scary Terry.”
Deebo Samuel Sr., WR, Washington Commanders
Deebo Samuel Sr.’s decline isn’t hypothetical; it’s visible. He averaged just 44.7 yards per game in 2024, posting more duds than impact outings down the stretch and routinely disappearing for game-long cold spells.
His only big moments are buried in an outlier 2021 season. Since then? He’s been a magnet for soft-tissue injuries and a regular no-show as a featured player. Samuel had his worst season ever in yards after catch, tackle-breaking, and rushing efficiency (career-low 3.2 yards per carry).
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The Commanders didn’t bring him in to be the alpha. He’ll compete with McLaurin while the Commanders have two running backs to take touches, plus Jayden Daniels’ mobility.
Historically, when aging wide receivers show signs of decline, they do not rebound. Consider players like Brandin Cooks and Allen Robinson as recent examples. The most likely scenario is that Samuel continues to decline further and ends up being a wasted pick for fantasy managers.
Cooper Kupp, WR, Seattle Seahawks
It’s never easy to say goodbye to legends, but Cooper Kupp is two years into fantasy irrelevance.
He’s played just 21 games across two seasons, missing nearly half of 2023 and 2024, resulting in a pitiful 710 yards last year and just three touchdowns. What’s even worse is the data.
this is not good
Cooper Kupp’s rank in ability to get “open”
2021: #15 of 160
2022: #71 of 150
2023: #102 of 153
2024: #141 of 159per ESPN’s player tracking data pic.twitter.com/SSmQ4NT9TY
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) March 13, 2025
The Rams’ decision to move on says everything you need. Even Head Coach Sean McVay didn’t bother to offer a restructure.
Seattle’s offense isn’t designed for a lumbering slot man, especially not with Jaxon Smith-Njigba locked in as the top option. Kupp’s only business now is drawing soft coverage and eating dump-off volume.
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If you’re trusting the name and the 2021 breakout, you’re not paying attention to the way physical skills fade in the NFL.
Kupp’s price is so low that if you’re wrong, it probably won’t matter. But even at his ADP, fantasy managers are better off taking shots on younger players whose best seasons are in front of them.
