Best Ball Comeback Player: How to Target Injury Comeback Players in Best Ball Fantasy Football
Why comeback players matter more in best ball: in standard leagues, managers can add a comeback player from the waiver wire once they demonstrate healthy return form — they do not need to take the pre-season uncertainty risk. In best ball, if a comeback player is not on the roster at the start of the season, the manager cannot add them. A best ball manager who drafts a comeback player at round 8 ADP who returns and plays like a round 3 player has found a significant value win that non-best-ball formats do not reward in the same way.
Comeback Player Quick Reference
| Comeback player scenario | Best ball value | Target round | Mistake to avoid |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACL tear (9–12 month recovery), week-1 injury prior season | High upside — may be at full strength mid-season | 3–5 rounds below healthy ADP | Avoiding ACL recoveries entirely — most return to full production; the market over-discounts them |
| Jones fracture or Lisfranc (foot injuries) | Higher risk — longer and less predictable recovery | 5–7 rounds below healthy ADP or pass entirely | Treating foot injuries the same as ACL — foot surgeries have a higher rate of lingering issues |
| Hamstring or shoulder injury (well-managed) | Lower risk — heals more reliably | 2–4 rounds below healthy ADP | Over-discounting hamstring injuries — most resolve fully within 4–8 weeks and rarely affect production if well-managed |
| Comeback player with contested role upon return | Risky — the role must be secure for the return to be valuable | Reduce target value by 1–2 additional rounds vs. a secure-role return | Drafting a comeback player whose team added a WR in the offseason during recovery — role security is as important as health |
| Comeback player with secure alpha role | Highest value comeback scenario — talent + role + ADP discount | Draft 3–5 rounds below expected healthy ADP | Waiting for the comeback player to prove health in week 1 before drafting — in best ball, you can’t add them mid-season |
| ADP discount threshold | Must be 3–5 rounds below healthy projection to justify the risk | Only draft when the discount is clear | Drafting a comeback player with only a 1-round ADP discount — the uncertainty isn’t compensated at that price |
Evaluating Comeback Player Risk
Injury type and recovery timeline. Different injuries have predictably different recovery trajectories. ACL tears typically require 9–12 months of recovery — a player who tore their ACL in week 1 of the prior season may not be at full strength or movement capacity until midway through the following season. Jones fractures and Lisfranc injuries in the foot have longer and less predictable recovery curves, with some players never fully regaining pre-injury explosiveness. Hamstring and shoulder injuries that are well-managed tend to heal more reliably.
Role security upon return. The most valuable comeback targets are players whose roles are secure upon return — an alpha WR1 who is healthy enough to play is the first read in a productive passing game regardless of their recovery stage. The riskiest comeback targets are players whose roles are contested — if a team added a WR in the offseason while the player recovered, the comeback player may face competition they did not have before the injury.
ADP and Expected Value
What discount is sufficient. Best ball managers should target comeback players at least 3–5 rounds below where they would be projected if healthy. A WR1 talent who is healthy would be drafted in round 2–3 but is available in round 6 due to injury uncertainty — that gap represents the value that best ball managers can capture. Comeback players available for less discount than their health risk justifies are not good value, regardless of talent.
For how comeback player targeting connects to complete best ball draft strategy, see: Best Ball Draft Strategy: How to Build a Winning Best Ball Fantasy Football Roster.