Fantasy Football Boom-or-Bust Team 2025: Rashee Rice, Christian McCaffrey, Kenneth Walker top high-risk, high-reward picks

Griffin Missant

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Fantasy Football Boom-or-Bust Team 2025: Rashee Rice, Christian McCaffrey, Kenneth Walker top high-risk, high-reward picks image

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Every season, a specific group of fantasy football players is labeled as "boom or bust."

At first glance, these players can be intimidating to draft. However, managers often draft too timidly, which can wind up why they miss out on fantasy success.

Just like most other sports and competitions, there's usually only one person from your league who is truly happy at the end of the fantasy football season. Sure, finishing in second place is better than last, but only because you don't have to do the punishment.

Drafting conservatively, or even downright scared, might help you not lose your league, but at the same time, it may keep you far away from the trophy.

While opponents in your fantasy football league will avoid these six risky players, hopefully you'll be convinced to pick your spots on which to capitalize on these potential league winners.

The Best Fantasy Boom-or-Bust Picks for 2025

High-risk, high-reward quarterback

Justin Fields, New York Jets (ADP: QB12)

Seemingly, everyone collectively thinks  Fields went to the Jets to have his career die. While Fields has not had the NFL career we once envisioned, he's proven to be a legit fantasy football threat.

Just three seasons ago, Fields finished as the QB6 overall when he rushed for 1,143 yards. The explosive-play ability from that season can be attributed to a career-high 160 rush attempts.

Last season, when Fields was the starter for the Steelers in the first six weeks, he had two top-8 QB finishes for fantasy football. One of those was a QB1 overall performance in Week 4.

This might be a bit of a stretch, but Fields had more rushing attempts in those first six weeks than he did in the first six weeks of his QB8 season in 2022. He still has that immense rushing talent that makes him such a great option for fantasy:

People tend to forget that Jets head coach Aaron Glenn wanted Fields as his QB. He's raved about him all camp long and continues to give Fields his flowers.

Regardless of if the Jets are winning or losing, the Jets will let Fields scramble and perhaps run in designed plays often. His legs represent his strength.

The passing attack hasn't ever been there for Fields, but that's why you can get him fairly low in drafts. If Fields gets the same rushing volume as he did in 2022 and the first six weeks in Pittsburgh in 2024, he would build a strong case to finish as a top-8 QB in fantasy football.

2025 DRAFT SLEEPERS: QB | RB | WR | TE | DST | Deep Sleepers | 1 From Each Team

High-risk, high-reward running backs

Kenneth Walker III, Seattle Seahawks (ADP: RB17)

The only proper way to start this is by saying Walker does not belong on this list. While he is a frustrating player because of his injuries, ask yourself why he is so frustrating.

The answer is because the ceiling is so high and recognized by anyone who plays fantasy football.

Six of Walker’s 11 games in the 2024 fantasy regular season produced top-15 RB performances. Three of those were top RB10 performances, and one was a RB2 overall finish.

Even with the inability to stay on the field, Walker finished as the RB12 in fantasy points per game. The main selling point this season is the new coaching staff that will facilitate Walker.

Walker is one of the most efficient runners in outside zone schemes. New offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak called the third-most zone runs last season with the New Orleans Saints.

Last season in New Orleans, Kubiak's offense had the fourth-highest RB target rate and the second-highest RB check-down rate. Walker, who had a career-high in targets and receptions last year, will surely benefit from this.

This is all setting up for a great season for Walker if he can stay healthy. Best advice: If you grab Walker, draft Zach Charbonnet as a handcuff.

PPR RANKINGS: Top 300 Cheat Sheet | QB | RB | WR | TE | DST | PK

Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers (ADP: RB5)

If there was a player who represented the definition of a high-risk, high-reward player, it would be Run CMC. You can't say it comes without warrant that fantasy managers are afraid to draft a 29-year-old running back with one of the most extensive injury histories.

His upside does not need to be explain. Everyone knows what will happen if McCaffrey plays a full season based on the undeniable evidence. In the last five seasons where he played 16 or more games, his lowest finish was RB10 his rookie year. The other four seasons he went RB2 in 2018, RB1 in 2019, RB2 in 2022, and RB1 in 2023.

Last season, if you drafted McCaffrey, you simply got burned.

Burned doesn't even feel like an accurate description; you were straight-up lied to about his health. It's understandable to be worried about taking that risk.

Here's the thing: Last offseason, nothing was going right for McCaffrey, and we all drafted him anyway. We ignored the blaring sirens about his calf and Achilles’ because it's McCaffrey.

This offseason, we have seen no setbacks or injuries, and he looks like his peak self:

And most importantly, he's going at a discount that allows you to get him at the Round 1-Round 2 turn.

If you're still not sold, the 49ers have by far the easiest schedule in the entire NFL. They will be winning games and will lean on the run game while doing so.

He's on this list for a reason. It's terrifying drafting an aging running back who was drafted No. 1 last season and only played four games.

However, if he plays 16 or more games, he'll be a top-3 running back in fantasy football.

WARNING: Avoid these fantasy draft busts

High-risk, high-reward wide receivers

Rashee Rice, Kansas City Chiefs (ADP: WR25)

This is such an unprecedented time for a receiver of this caliber. Without any threat of suspension hanging over him, Rice would undoubtedly be a third-round pick, at his cheapest, in fantasy football drafts.

If you haven't heard, the NFL has decided they will hold Rice's disciplinary hearing on Sept. 30, which is Week 5 of the season. This will address Rice's recent sentencing for his role in a March 2024 multiple-vehicle crash in Dallas.

READ: Rashee Rice fantasy suspension update

This makes Rice a complete wildcard going into this season. If the SMU alum gets suspended after his hearing and serves it this season, depending on the length, he could be out for some of your fantasy football playoffs. We as managers would've preferred the first 4-6 games, as there are fewer bye weeks to account for (including the Chiefs’ in Week 10), and, of course, having Rice for the playoffs.

This unfortunate news still should not completely turn you away from selecting Rice. People seem to think Rice only dominated in that small sample size in 2024 before his injury.

While Rice did average 17 fantasy points per game and officially broke out at the beginning of 2024, the writing was on the wall in late 2023.

From Week 12 onward, Rice averaged 14.9 fantasy points per game and was a key piece in the Chiefs' 2023 Super Bowl run.

The unfortunate part is we will not know anything until that September hearing.

But if Rice gets a lower suspension and is available for the playoffs, he's still a league winner. If somehow he serves his suspension next season, he would wind up nequivocally as the greatest steal in 2025 fantasy football — maybe ever.

EXPLOIT LEAGUE APPS: Yahoo, ESPN rankings can reveal sleepers, busts

Tyreek Hill, Miami Dolphins (ADP: WR13)

Hill is not going to fall off the face of the earth for fantasy football. He still offers that top-end speed for those week-winning deep touchdowns.

This is not to say you shouldn't be terrified drafting him at his ADP as of early August.

At 31 years old, he’s starting to deal with injuries more frequently, already nursing an oblique injury for most of August. In 2024, Hill dealt with a wrist injury that claimed bothered him all season.

On top of the injuries, Hill also remains at the mercy of Tua Tagovailoa staying on the field.

Over the last two seasons, Hill has played eight games (within the fantasy season) without Tagovailoa at QB:

  • In those games, Hill averaged 4.9 catches for 55.3 yards and zero touchdowns.
  • In the 31 games with Tua, Hill averaged 7.2 catches for 108.4 yards and 22 total touchdowns.

Despite the wrist injury and Tua’s own disturbing injury history, you should be willing to give Hill a shot this year. That WR13 price tag seems daunting, but it’s his lowest average pick since 2017 (WR21).

Plus, that Miami schedule is ripe for the picking:

NON-PPR RANKINGS: TOP 300 Cheat Sheet | QB | RB | WR | TE

High-risk, high-reward tight end

Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons (ADP: TE17)

Yes, unfortunately, you have to read about Kyle Pitts once again.

Pitts has almost become this meme-like figure in the fantasy football community, but I feel justified in bringing him up again.

Since 2000, Pitts is still the earliest tight end selected in the NFL Draft. In his first season, he became the first rookie TE to have 1,000 yards receiving yards in the last 60 years. Pitts had a career high in touchdowns last season, which was only four, but still notable.

Now still a fairly young talent, Pitts will play with potentially the best QB of his career in Michael Penix Jr. We’ve seen flashes of this connection in camp, which has helped create a decent amount of hype.

By no means should you draft Pitts at the 1.01 like some people are joking about, but if you find yourself needing a TE with upside late in your draft, give Pitts another chance.

Griffin Missant

Griffin Missant joined The Sporting News in 2025 as a fantasy football intern. He graduated from Grand Valley State University, where he covered the Lakers football program. He has also worked for Sleeper and the Fantasy Trade Room. He has played fantasy for over a decade, and has been passionate about fantasy football ever since.