You can't make an omelet without breaking a few eggs, right? Fantasy football is no different. At some point throughout your draft, you're going to have to look yourself in the mirror, put on your adult pants, and decide whether or not that player that comes with a ton of risk is worth it. Can Christian McCaffrey repeat as the RB1 despite handling more than 370 touches last season? Can Malik Nabers return to WR1 territory after his devastating ACL tear? Can Derrick Henry still be elite at 32 years old? In truth, almost every player comes with a certain level of risk. No player is immune to injury, or poor coaching, or even poorer off-the-field decisions. That said, some certainly come with a higher level than others. But that doesn't mean you should avoid them at all costs. Rather, just be cautious when considering adding them to your roster at their current ADP. Here are the 10 riskiest players in fantasy football heading into the season:
Riskiest players in fantasy football 2026 10) WR Luther Burden III, Bears Luther Burden showed flashes of greatness in his rookie season and the departure of DJ Moore means tons of targets have opened up for Luther Burden to take, right? Theoretically, yes, but there are a lot of mouths to feed in this Chicago offense. Rome Odunze had some brilliant flashes himself last season, and tight end Colston Loveland feasted down the stretch. Furthermore, Luther Burden might have the underlying metrics that point to a breakout campaign and coaches are talking him up in camp, but we still haven't seen that elite production yet. Last year, he only had two games with more than five receptions, only caught two touchdowns, and most of his season-long production came in just one game against the 49ers at the end of the year. Yes, there's a lot to like, but there's also a chance that Odunze is the one who benefits most from Moore's departure. And given that Burden is going ahead of Odunze in drafts right now, that makes him the riskier pick. 9) WR Emeka Egbuka, Buccaneers With Chris Godwin banged up and Mike Evans in the Bay Area, all signs point to a massive sophomore season from Emeka Egbuka, right? Well, maybe not. Last year, when Mike Evans was out in Weeks 8-14, Egbuka recorded just one game with more than 10 PPR fantasy points. Don't get me wrong, when Evans was out earlier in the season between Weeks 4 and 6, Egbuka feasted, but the variance in success across all of those games has me questioning if Egbuka is really ready to be Baker Mayfield's No. 1 guy. The talent is there. The opportunity is there. But the lack of production last season when his situation most closely mirrored what we're seeing now is an annoying buzz in the back of my mind making me question whether Egbuka is worth a late third or early fourth-round pick. 8) WR Christian Watson, Packers Every year, fans get ecstatic at the prospect of Christian Watson. A second-round pick with some big games and big plays under his belt, Watson has some pedigree that makes him worthy of the hype. Every year, he disappoints. This year, something is supposed to be different. Analysts noticed that Watson ranked fourth among wide receivers in yards per route run and a lack of total route shares. With the departures of both Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks, perhaps there is more room for Watson to thrive now. At the same time though, this is a guy who constantly lets his fantasy owners down year after year. Whether it be due to injury or general lack of production. There are signs that point to a breakout in Year 5, specifically his new, lucrative contract extension, but history tells us to expect otherwise. 7) RB Cam Skattebo, Giants New Giants head coach John Harbaugh has a history of creating great fantasy running backs, and Skattebo is not only young but showed some outstanding flashes as a rookie. All signs point to a sophomore breakout into fantasy stardom. Then you remember what he runs like. This man is bound to miss at least five or six games every year with multiple concussions. Sure, he doesn't have the injury-prone tag attached to him just yet, but you have to imagine that'll be the case in a year or two if last season is any indication. Still, the upside is pretty enticing if he can remain on the field for a considerable amount of time. 6) RB Jeremiyah Love, Cardinals Historically, high-end running back prospects don't exactly pan out in their first year in the league. Ashton Jeanty was a letdown last year. Bijan Robinson was a letdown a few years ago. Now, it's Love's turn. Love being drafted third overall is a great indicator that the Cardinals have plans for him long-term, but at least for the start of this season, there's reason to be concerned. Reports out of camp indicate that Tyler Allgeier is getting lots of reps with the first team. A split in the backfield likely will be a good thing for Love long-term, but if you're thinking of drafting him at the end of the second round. That could be a massive mistake. 5) TE George Kittle, 49ers Kittle is a phenomenal talent when he's on the field, but he won't be on the field for a lengthy amount of time to start the year. "That's fine though," you're probably thinking. "I'll just draft another tight end and start them until he returns." Well, this isn't about Kittle's health. Rather, what his role will be when he returns. See, the addition of Mike Evans raises some concerns about Kittle's usage in San Francisco. The big man was one of Brock Purdy's favorite targets in the red zone, but the addition of a tall wideout known for coming down with jump balls slightly diminishes Kittle's touchdown upside. Kittle was already a pretty inconsistent fantasy producer, but if his touchdown upside decreases as well...then, is he worth it? 4) WR Malik Nabers, Giants Nabers entered his sophomore season with high PPR hopes. Then, a gruesome injury ended his season after just four games. While his talent is undeniable, and the absence of Wan'Dale Robinson will certainly help, the injury was bad, and Nabers doesn't look as explosive as before in clips we've seen of him. Furthermore, Nabers underwent a secondary clean-up procedure in the spring, which is a little close for comfort for those hoping to see him fully healthy when the season starts. We can expect a slow start from Nabers this year, but the question is whether or not he will be able to return to peak efficiency sooner rather than later. 3) WR DJ Moore, Bills Is Moore destined to be Josh Allen's next great receiving threat, or is this going to turn out like Amari Cooper did in Buffalo? DJ Moore has seen his efficiency metrics drop each of the last two seasons. Now, many fans are hoping that a move to Buffalo and little competition for targets will give him the opportunity he needs to prove he's still a huge receiving threat. That might not happen though. Josh Allen clearly has a great connection with Khalil Shakir and tight end Dalton Kincaid's role has increased since his rookie season. Moore is not entering Buffalo as a former No. 2 option looking for just a shot at a No. 1 role like Diggs was. Moore had a No. 1 role and then couldn't maintain his level of production. That's not a good sign. Still, the projected top guy in Buffalo's offense will hold fantasy relevance. If you're drafting him to be your WR2 though, that could cost you. 2) RB De'Von Achane, Dolphins De'Von Achane is a monster out of Miami's backfield. He makes some plays that you could only expect to see in Madden, and is undoubtedly one of the most talented backs in the league. That said, he does get most of his points through the air. He's a great receiving back and is great in open space. However, he's heading into his first season without Mike McDaniel or Tua Tagovailoa. The loss of Mike McDaniel is obvious. He is a great offensive mind who knew how to scheme Achane open and create space for him. But the loss of Tagovailoa could be equally devastating for Achane's fantasy production. See, Tagovailoa's average depth of target (aDOT) sat between 6.7 and 7.2 yards last season, one of the lowest figures in the league. Tua loved to throw to his running backs out of the backfield. Willis doesn't. Or at least, he didn't do it much in the limited amount of time he played last year. Basically, Achane might not get as many looks this year, and in PPR formats, that could really hurt his value. 1) RB Christian McCaffrey, 49ers Need we say any more? Christian McCaffrey is the poster child for risk every year. He either wins the league for you or gets hurt in Week 2 and destroys any hope you had for a 'chip. Throw in the fact that McCaffrey commanded over 370 touches last season, a number that often indicates regression the following season, and there's even reason to be concerned for McCaffrey's production when healthy. All in all, McCaffrey is still a phenomenal talent who will be a dominant PPR player when healthy, but at the No. 6 overall pick, he might be a little too risky. All the NFL news on and off the field. Sign up for USA TODAY's 4th and Monday newsletter. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY Sports: Ranking the 10 riskiest picks in fantasy football for 2026