Superstars are difficult to keep out of your fantasy lineups, but a stretch of poor games or a bad matchup warrants doing just that (or at least thinking about it). Here are five potential busts who fit that bill. For all of your final lineup decisions, be sure to check out Start ’Em, Sit ’Em and my weekly fantasy football player rankings, which are updated daily throughout the season.
Note: Starting percentages are from Sleeper.
Week 9 Fantasy Busts and Players To Beware
Jordan Love at Patriots (54% started): The Packers quarterback has scored 20-plus fantasy points in three of his last four games. Still, I would temper your expectations for him against the Patriots. Their defense has allowed just three quarterbacks to score more than 14.6 points, but all three of those games were on the road. At home, New England has allowed the fourth-fewest points per game.
Ashton Jeanty at 49ers (94% started): Jeanty is tough to sit with his high ownership totals and the decline in trustworthy running backs, but you have to temper expectations after what we saw last week. Against the Jets, Mike Washington Jr. saw 25 carries and led the Raiders backfield in both touches and snaps. If that continues, Jeanty will be a risky starter in fantasy leagues.
Saquon Barkley at Giants (83% started): Have you seen Barkley’s snap numbers lately? In his last two games, he has played just 32 snaps and a modest 24% of the Eagles’ offensive snaps. That’s because he’s clearly not 100%. So while it’s going to be tough to sit Barkley against his old team, it’s also hard to start him with such a limited workload.
Michael Wilson at Seahawks (73% started): Wilson scored a season-high 26.8 fantasy points last week in Dallas, but facing the Seahawks is a much tougher task. Their defense has given up the fifth-fewest fantasy points per game to perimeter receivers, and no team has allowed fewer receiving points per game to the position, regardless of alignment. I’d beware the Cardinals receiver.
DJ Moore vs. Vikings (68% started): Moore posted a solid stat line last week for the Bills, scoring a touchdown and 16.6 fantasy points. However, a matchup against the Vikings makes him a risk. Their defense has allowed just one wide receiver to beat them for more than 12.6 points since Week 2, and perimeter receivers have averaged the sixth-fewest points per game against them.
More Players To Beware
- Bryce Young vs. Broncos (35% started): After a hot start, Young has been held to 15.4 points in his last two games. I’d keep him on the sidelines in one-quarterback leagues against Denver, who have allowed the 10th-fewest fantasy points per dropback.
- Ollie Gordon vs. Lions (74% started): Gordon has been solid in most games he has played this season, but he has a tough matchup against Detroit in Week 9. Their defense has allowed the third-most fantasy points per game to opposing running backs.
- Jalen Coker vs. Broncos (71%): Coker has failed to score more than 9.6 points in three games and has averaged a mere 7.8 points over his last four games. This week, he faces a Denver defense that has allowed the sixth-fewest points per game to wideouts.
- Dalton Kincaid vs. Vikings (52% started): Kincaid had 18.6 fantasy points last week. Still, I’d beware of a matchup against the Vikings. No defense has allowed fewer points per game to tight ends, and not one has scored more than 9.5 points this season.
- Vikings defense vs. Bills (73%): The Vikings have the best fantasy defense in the league this season, but they face superstar quarterback Josh Allen and a Bills offense averaging the most points (33.3) and the second-most yards per game this season.
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