Worst Salary Cap Values To Avoid In 2025 Fantasy Football Auction Drafts

Avoid these big-name players to dominate your upcoming fantasy football auction drafts.

Dec 1, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (23) warms up before a game against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium. | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

Auction drafts offer a unique and strategic format to draft a fantasy football team. While it can be very enticing to spend big on some of the biggest names in the league, here are some players to avoid in auction drafts. The following player values are based on a 12-team, $200 budget league using average draft prices from FullTime Fantasy. 

QB Anthony Richardson- $15

Anthony Richardson is a clear option to stay away from at this price. Daniel Jones has already been named the starter for the Indianapolis Colts, making Anthony Richardson the backup QB. Additionally, Richardson has a significant injury history during his college and NFL career. Even when he has been on the field, the quarterback has shown inconsistent play with poor decision-making and a low completion percentage. All of these factors point towards a fantasy season that will disappoint the auction price he is being drafted at. 

RB Christian McCaffrey- $42

There is no denying the fact that the running back for the San Francisco 49ers has put up monster fantasy seasons in the past. However, last season was a tough one for McCaffrey owners. The running back was sidelined with injuries all year and only played in four games, in which he didn’t even score a touchdown once. McCaffrey’s recent injury history should cause concern for fantasy players this year, and there are many better options at running back around this price range. 

WR Justin Jefferson- $45

Including Justin Jefferson on this list has nothing to do with his receiving skillset or fantasy ceiling, but rather the Minnesota Vikings' QB situation. JJ McCarthy has been named the starter, but has yet to take a regular season snap in the NFL. When he was under center at Michigan, the offense was very run-heavy. The other viable option is Sam Howell, who was traded to the Vikings from the Seahawks during the 2025 NFL Draft. While Howell has shown potential in the NFL, he remains unproven as a reliable quarterback. QB play is a major factor in Jefferson’s fantasy season, and the uncertainty in Minnesota makes him a risky fantasy pick at this high price. 

TE Travis Kelce- $10

While Travis Kelce still remains a large piece of the Kansas City Chiefs' offense, there are many other weapons that will be in the mix. Kelce has been under the 1,000-yard mark for the last two seasons after reaching the milestone seven years in a row. Between Xavier Worthy, Hollywood Brown, Jalen Royals, JuJu Smith-Schuster, and eventually Rashee Rice, Patrick Mahomes will be spreading the ball around. Kelce remains a solid tight end, but there are much better values around his average auction price.