Fantasy football is very much a "what have you done for me lately?" business. We tend to fall victim to confirmation bias, and once we've been burned by a player, we tend to hold onto that feeling for far too long.

Here are four dynasty fantasy football bounceback candidates who could certainly fall into the "bust" category that I believe still have bright futures in both the NFL and on your dynasty rosters.

Dynasty Bounceback Candidates

Michael Mayer, TE - Raiders

One year after selecting Michael Mayer, the Raiders doubled down and drafted Brock Bowers.

So much for a promising start to a career for the former 35th overall pick.

Even after just two seasons, it's clear that Mayer has no real future with the Raiders. He tallied just 21 receptions across 11 games in 2024 and never had a full-time role in the offense. In fact, the Raiders are reportedly exploring trade options.

This is great news for both Mayer and fantasy managers. There's no real read on where he'll end up, but anywhere is better than where he's currently at. I am willing to take a low-level risk before he potentially winds up with a starting job with another franchise.

It can be easy to forget just how solid Mayer was coming out of college. In the history of the Rookie TE Model (2018-2025), he checks in at No. 7 overall.

We have varying levels of success on this list. You can certainly argue the Raiders made the right call by drafting Bowers last season, and T.J. Hockenson has had a solid career thus far. On the other end, both Kyle Pitts and Noah Fant (especially the former) have disappointed relative to expectations.

Then you have a pair of incoming rookies who are about to have their own stories unfold.

So, where does that leave Mayer?

As mentioned, I'm more than willing to take a chance on him getting moved either in the coming weeks or over the summer. If he lands a starting job in a stable offense with an average QB, his fantasy upside is something worth keeping an eye on.

Trevor Lawrence, QB - Jaguars

Some may think it's bold to tab Trevor Lawrence as a dynasty bust, but I think the evidence speaks for itself, especially when he was considered one of the greatest prospects of all time coming out of college.

In his four seasons, he has just one top-12 finish (QB8 in 2022) and has just never looked like the generational talent we all thought he was.

Let's not belabor the past; let's look forward.

Last summer, Lawrence signed a five-year/$275M deal that keeps him under contract through 2030. He also has a new, potentially exciting head coach in Liam Coen. Coen most recently spent time with both the Rams and Buccaneers, which have each had successful offenses and passing games in recent seasons.

Oh, and let's not forget about the elite weapon Lawrence now has in Brian Thomas. There are a lot of promising variables in places that all point towards Lawrence resurrecting his career and becoming much more valuable for both the Jaguars and your dynasty teams.

I'm comfortable taking swings on Lawrence in dynasty leagues, especially Superflex formats, as a relatively inexpensive QB2 with plenty of room for upside.

Dalton Kincaid, TE - Bills

I've used the example before, but it truly was a "death by a thousand cuts" for Josh Allen and the Bills offense last season. With no true No. 1 target option besides Khalil Shakir, dynasty managers everywhere hoped that Dalton Kincaid would finally take that next step.

It … didn't really happen.

Kincaid finished 2024 in a tier consisting of both Mack Hollins and Keon Coleman for the No. 2 pass-catching role behind Shakir.

Shakir got a sizable contract and, with Hollins now in New England, Kincaid (again) has a clear path forward for more meaningful production alongside Allen.

Maybe I'm hedging too much for Kincaid, but I still believe in both his talent and his offensive environment. Being an athletic, highly productive TE tethered to Allen and this offense, yet only being valued as the TE8 in dynasty formats, just doesn't click for me.

At his current price point, I'm fine getting back on board the Kincaid hype train for another season (and beyond). If your dynasty team is in shambles and you are looking to rebuild, or if you just want another semi-viable option on your bench, Kincaid is someone I am willing to go after as he looks to resurrect his career.

Rashod Bateman, WR - Ravens

With four seasons under his belt, we pretty much know who Rashod Bateman is at this point. He was a former first-round draft pick back in 2021 and finished as the WR72, WR111, and WR87 in Years 1-3.

However, he made a sizable jump last season and finished as the WR34.

There's a good chance he keeps climbing. Still only just 25 years old and tied to Lamar Jackson and his high-powered, fantasy-friendly offense, Bateman scored nine TDs last season, which was more than double what he scored in his first three seasons combined.

Yes, Derrick Henry will remain The King for another season (or more, who really knows at this point), but the end is coming whether we like it or not. Zay Flowers is also a talented, young wideout who has already demonstrated strong fantasy upside.

Toss in Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely, and I'm not entirely sure what this offense will look like in two to three years. Changes are coming, and I'm willing to buy into the uncertainty with a wideout like Bateman. While he started to rewrite the "bust" narrative last season, there's a great chance for even more production on the horizon.

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