Buy-Low Candidates

Thu Jun 26 12:05pm ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer

Harrison could get it going

Players disappoint every season. And because of that, some fantasy owners never want to roster them again. You can take advantage of this. Sometimes there are reasons why a player underperforms, leading to his down fantasy numbers. Guys can rebound and improve, making them good buy-low candidates. So we thought it might be a good idea to look at some players for the coming season that can get it going again and be the top buy-low candidates of 2025.

Patrick Mahomes, QB, Chiefs. Mahomes did not produce near the numbers of past years despite plenty of success from the Chiefs once again. Mahomes was just 11th overall in fantasy quarterback scoring. The Chiefs had all sorts of issues along the offensive line, though, and injuries really hurt Mahomes’ receiving corps. He rarely had his top receivers on the field at the same time. Some new offensive line help and a healthy group of receivers should make things much, much better for Mahomes. Remember, he is one of the few quarterbacks in the league capable of finishing first overall in fantasy quarterback scoring. We expect a big rebound season for him.

C.J. Stroud, QB, Texans. Stroud led his team to the playoffs for a second straight season but didn’t have near the success of his rookie season. His numbers dipped, finishing 18th overall in fantasy quarterback scoring. But much like Mahomes, Stroud had a lot of injuries to deal with at receiver. This really hampered his production. The Texans made it a huge point to upgrade at the position, though, drafting two talented young receivers while adding veteran Christian Kirk. If Nico Collins can stay healthy for a full season and these young guys start to show their talent, Stroud can produce some big fantasy numbers once again.

Tyjae Spears, RB, Titans. Spears took a backseat to Tony Pollard most weeks last year, but had injury issues, missing five games. The injuries really slowed him throughout the year, leading to Pollard getting more consistent work. The Titans are already saying there could be more of a split backfill this year. Spears is a big-time explosive back, so look for him to get his chances this year to make those big plays. Spears is an asset in the passing game in addition to his ability to make the big play on the ground. We look for him to be more of a factor this year in the Titans offense, producing more like what most thought he would last year.

Marvin Harrison, WR, Cardinals. Harrison was the hot rookie receiver last year, getting picked very early in drafts. He was a late-first or early second-round pick in many drafts without ever playing a draft in the NFL. He disappointed last year, finishing 30th in fantasy receiver scoring. He just couldn’t get on the same page with Kyler Murray. He is so young and talented, though, that a turnaround is a very good possibility, especially in an offense lacking top options at receiver. He has a chance to take a big step forward in year two.

Michael Pittman, WR, Colts. Pittman had his struggles last year, finishing with 69 receptions. It was a big drop in production for him after having 109 catches the previous year. He had at least 88 receptions three straight seasons before last year. Pittman was having some back issues, which slowed him throughout the year. A healthy Pittman is a different player. He is the clear top target at receiver in a passing game that could be better after a ton of struggles last year. Having Daniel Jones as the starter could be a positive for the Colts offense, which is saying something about the play of their quarterback last year.

Tyreek Hill, WR, Dolphins. Hill had three straight seasons with 110-plus receptions before last year. He caught 81 passes and played a full season, but it sure seems like a wrist injury was a big factor for him. He had to have offseason surgery to repair the problem. Plus, Hill was without his starting quarterback for some of the season once again, which hurt his production. Things are looking up for him this year, being healthy and hopefully getting his starting quarterback for a full season.

Sam LaPorta, TE, Lions. Many fantasy owners were really disappointed in LaPorta last year, but he was still eighth overall in fantasy tight end scoring. He wasn’t a complete bust, especially if you compare him to some other tight ends from last year. The issue for LaPorta was a drop in targets, having 120 his rookie season compared to 83 last year. He still made some big plays with his chances and just a few more targets get him to top-five territory at tight end once again. Plus, he is a top red zone target in a very good offense. He has high touchdown potential. He might not repeat his huge rookie season, but we like him to be somewhere between those numbers and those of last year.

Jeff Paur is a two-time finalist for FSWA Fantasy Football Writer of the Year and won the FSWA award for Best Fantasy Football Article on the Web in 2011. He also was the most accurate expert in 2012, winning the FSTA Fantasy Football Accuracy Award. If you have any questions for Jeff, email him at jeff@rtsports.com. Follow Jeff on Twitter @jeffpaur.

Buy-Low Candidates

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