Tyreek Hill, Chris Godwin Headline Fantasy Football WR Busts to Potentially Avoid

There's a certain amount of risk that comes with any fantasy football draft selection. There just aren't any guarantees in life, and generally, the bigger the risk, the bigger the reward when it comes to fantasy football production.

That could be the case with several veteran receivers this fall. But there are two that stick out as potentially having more risk than reward for various reasons.

I generally don't recommend fantasy managers remove any players from the draft board. Anyone could be worth selecting at the right price.

But Miami Dolphins' Tyreek Hill and Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Chris Godwin are two veteran wideouts that I'd be wary of targeting.

Let's dive into why:

Tyreek Hill, Miami Dolphins

Hill posted some very disappoint numbers in 2024, especially when compared to what he did in 2023. The four-time All-Pro receiver (Hill's first All-Pro was as a returner) registered 81 catches on 123 targets with 959 receiving yards and six touchdowns.

Behind that stat line, it was the first time Hill didn't make the Pro Bowl.

The veteran wideout had valid excuses for why his production was down. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa missed six games because of a concussion and hip injury. Hill also played a bulk of the season with an injured wrist, which caused him to miss practices.

But fantasy managers should second-guess the idea that 2024 was an outlier for Hill and that he will return to All-Pro form in 2025.

Hill turned 31 years old in March. Yes, his best season came during his 29-aged season, but speed wideouts such as Hill don't get better with age. Tagovailoa's injury concerns also haven't gone anywhere.

He's a concussion-prone quarterback who has made it through one full NFL season healthy -- the one where Hill led the league in receiving during 2023.

Those risks have dropped Hill's ADP this summer, but arguably not enough. According to the Fantasy Pros receiver tiers, Hill is rated the No. 16 receiver in the third wideout tier for PPR formats.

In 12-team leagues, that puts him firmly in the WR2 discussion. He should be no higher than that, and his high upside does make him an intriguing WR2 option.

But it's quite likely Hill finishes 2025 closer to his last year stat line than 2023.

Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

I'll repeat this over and over again between now and the regular season. Fantasy managers should seek players on great offenses.

In 2024, the Buccaneers were fourth in points and third in yards. Tampa Bay was also third in passing yards and second in passing touchdowns.

But the Buccaneers have added receivers on either the first or second day of the NFL Draft each of the past two years. In 2025, they selected Ohio State's Emeka Egbuka at No. 19 overall.

The fastest way Egbuka can get on the field this fall is in the slot. That's where Godwin has spent most of his career, so the rookie could greatly cut into Godwin's opportunities. In five of the past six seasons, Godwin has played at least 61% of his snaps in the slot.

The veteran isn't going to disappear entirely. In 2023, Godwin played mostly out-wide, so an adjustment to stay productive is possible.

It's just not super likely at 29 years old coming off a season-ending injury. Godwin missed the last 10 games and the postseason last year because of an ankle dislocation.

Fantasy Pros has Godwin rated as a fifth-tier receiver. That seems appropriate for fantasy managers willing to trust he continues to receive the same amount of snaps as previously.

But there's other fifth-tier receivers that either come with less risk or more upside than Godwin. While he's far from a guarantee to be a bust, he's not the underrated fantasy asset he was five years ago.