The 5 Most Overrated Players in Fantasy Football

This analysis may turn some heads, but just to note, these are “my” 5 most overrated players in fantasy football for 2026. There are going to be some hot takes, and as always, these players can prove me wrong, but based on recent trends, I will stay away from these players. Now, these players are overrated for me for a few reasons. One is that they were a one-year wonder, and these players keep getting drafted high because of that year, but since then have not lived up to that standard. My second reason is based on ADP and who you could draft later, but since these players have huge names, they go early. And lastly, it is just how I feel based on the performances I have seen over the years.

5 Most Overrated Players for 2026 Fantasy Football

A.J. Brown, WR, New England Patriots (ADP 27)

This could be a hot take as A.J. Brown has finished inside the top 12 of wide receivers in three of the last four years. But he has seen a decline in the last two years. He truly is a boom-or-bust type of wide receiver to me, where last season he had just as many single-digit fantasy games as he did double-digit. Yes, he can get you 30 points, but he also had games where he scored 1.3, 1.7 and 2.3 fantasy points. Yes, he is on a new team with a young quarterback, but you will see later why that doesn’t help elevate him this season.

Cam Skattebo, RB, New York Giants (ADP 43)

I see Cam Skattebo as more of a fan favorite than a serviceable fantasy football player. He did have some electric games last season, scoring three touchdowns in Week 6 and going for 121 all-purpose yards and a touchdown in Week 3. I could be jumping to conclusions too fast, given that he only played eight games.

We will never know if his hot streak would continue or if he went cold after Week 8. What I will say is I saw nothing special in those eight games. He averaged four targets a game, which is good, but most were dump-offs, and if you are not playing PPR, this doesn’t help much. When he took the reins from Week 2 to 7 (Not counting Week 8, as he left the game early with a leg injury), he averaged 16 attempts per game. I do think his production is overrated by his high carry attempts. I do not think he is a fourth-round pick when he will still be sharing carries with Tryone Tracy Jr.

Kenneth Walker III, RB, Kansas City Chiefs (ADP 25)

Kenneth Walker III has yet to finish as an RB15 or better. His best season was RB18 in his rookie year. He has been subject to injuries, as he averages around three missed games per year. He does score touchdowns consistently, but his rushing stats are inconsistent. I know he will no longer have Zach Charbonnet there to steal his touchdowns, but I see him going into a not-so-good Kansas City rushing offense. Patrick Mahomes is expected to start Week 1, but I do not see him being at 100%.

George Pickens, WR, Dallas Cowboys (ADP 28)

This one is mainly off the ADP. George Pickens had an amazing season last year, but CeeDee Lamb did miss four games, and the Cowboys were flat-out bad. They were behind most games, which led to more passing. Pickens has a high touchdown upside, but if he is not scoring, he is not producing. His yards were inconsistent last season, but he did score nine touchdowns. Pickens is the definition of boom or bust. Before joining the Cowboys, he was a highlight-style wide receiver. In his previous seasons, he finished as the WR42, WR30, and WR40. He could be a viable option this year but not in the second round.

For more great fantasy football rankings and analysis, make sure to check out the 2026 FantraxHQ Fantasy Football Draft Kit!

Justin Herbert, QB, Los Angeles Chargers (ADP 103)

​I love Justin Herbert as a talent, but aside from his second year, he has been a middle-of-the-road fantasy quarterback. Herbert is one to get a lot of excuses “if his o-line was healthy or if he had some more weapons,” but at the end of the day you have to produce with what you have. Since 2022, he has not topped 4,000 passing yards and hasn’t gone over 30 passing touchdowns since 2021. Also, since 2021, he has not finished inside the top 10 for fantasy quarterbacks. Whereas Dak Prescott, when healthy for a full season, has five quarterback finishes inside the top-10, with three of them coming in the last five years. Another example is Jared Goff, who has a QB8, QB6 and QB7 finish in the last three years. Yet, his ADP is 139.