📈 5 Bounce-Back Candidates

Guys who want to leave last season behind

Joe Holka
July 19, 2025

Welcome Back to Drop Army Fantasy!

Today’s players may have disappointed us last season due to injury or performance. But they have a shot to make all that ancient history with a comeback season. Here are 5 worth taking a look at for your fantasy draft.

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5 Players in line for a bounce-back season 👍
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D.J. Moore (CHI), ADP 40.5, WR21

D.J. Moore just caught a CAREER-HIGH 98 passes… and somehow had his WORST season in years…

His yards per catch? A career-low 9.9.
Yards per route run? Career-low 1.45.
Air yards per target? Just 7.5 — again, the LOWEST mark of his career.

But it wasn’t because he’s lost a step. He ranked 3rd in yards after the catch, 5th in target separation, and 7th in total route wins — still cooking corners every route. He just got stuck in an offense that buried him behind the line of scrimmage… and split him with a crowded room.

So now with Ben Johnson running the offense — the guy who engineered the NFL’s #1 unit in Detroit — Moore’s setup is finally clean again. He’s still the WR1. Keenan Allen is gone. Rookies Luther Burden and Colston Loveland are interesting… but Moore’s the only one with a Vegas prop line over 1,000 yards — they pinned him at 1,050.

The market is letting him slide to WR21… but if the offense clicks even a little, Moore SMASHES that ADP. Ben Johnson’s system has unlocked Amon-Ra, Laporta, and Goff — and Moore is the most dynamic YAC monster he's ever had.

So don’t overthink this. Moore’s floor is 90+ catches again. And if Caleb Williams hits? You’re getting a route-winner with alpha volume — in a scheme BUILT for efficiency.

T.J. Hockenson (MIN), ADP 90, TE5

T.J. Hockenson has finished as a TE1 in four straight seasons — and now he’s back at full strength. He missed the first half of 2024 recovering from a torn ACL. But from Week 9 on, he still saw a 18.2% target share — 7th among all tight ends — and averaged over 4 catches a game.

But he didn’t find the end zone until the playoffs… and JJ McCarthy is now under center.
Which means this offense is about to look VERY different. There’s Jefferson. There’s Addison. And there’s risk that Hockenson gets stuck as the third read.

So this comes down to value — and right now he’s going 90th overall. That’s a discount for a player with elite TE1 volume — in a system that leaned on him even when he wasn’t 100%. If McCarthy’s even serviceable, Hockenson’s route volume and security blanket role won’t go away.

Chris Olave (NO), ADP 63, WR35

Chris Olave averaged 2.15 yards per route and 9.1 yards per target last year — both career highs. And he did it despite missing half the season with two concussions.
He was converting a career-best 72.7% of his targets… while playing outside on 79% of his snaps.

But now he gets Kellen Moore — and likely more SLOT usage. That’s a major shift: Moore has historically schemed free looks for route technicians. Olave played just 21.1% of his snaps in the slot last year, down from 38% in 2023 — expect that to bounce back.

So even though the QB situation is rough — this is a bet on efficiency and talent.
He’s topped 2.0 yards per route in every season of his career. And with Kellen Moore calling plays? You’re getting a technician with spike-week upside at WR35.

Christian McCaffrey (SF), ADP 8.5, RB4

Christian McCaffrey played just 4 games in 2024… but in two full starts with Brock Purdy, he handled 90.5% and 85.2% of backfield touches. That’s elite bellcow usage — and it’s STILL locked in when healthy. He averaged 115 total yards per game in San Francisco over 2.5 years, and the offense remains a double-digit win projection.

But he’s now 29 years old — and injuries have taken a toll. He’s missed double-digit games in 3 of the last 5 seasons… And you’re no longer paying the 1.01 — you’re getting him closer to the 1.08–1.09 range.

So the only question is risk tolerance. If you want the safest 22 touches in fantasy… it’s not CMC anymore. But if you want the most valuable spike weeks in the draft — even if they only come for 10 games — he’s STILL the top weapon in this offense.

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