Fantasy Football Week 4: Stars Whose Production Will Continue to Decline

The 2013-14 NFL season has seen some major stars struggling out of the gates, but some studs will continue their declines in Week 4 rather than rebound with bounce-back performances.

Andre Johnson of the Houston Texans got off to a great start in Week 1, but injuries have slowed him down since, and his overall downward trend won't stop just yet.

Eli Manning and the New York Giants have been horrendous through three weeks, and an unfavorable matchup leaves no end in sight for the two-time Super Bowl-winning signal-caller.

Meanwhile, Reggie Bush's knee has been the main focus of his season so far, and the Detroit Lions running back will see a further decline in production when he faces the stingy Chicago Bears defense in Week 4.

Let's take a closer look at why each of these players will continue to disappoint—or even get worse—this week.

Andre Johnson, WR, Houston Texans

Johnson's production has been declining. Not only has he failed to get into the end zone at all, but he also has seen his yards drop from 146 in Week 1 to 36 in Week 3.

The 32-year-old has also been dealing with injuries that have sidetracked his season. Johnson had to leave the Week 2 game against the Tennessee Titans late in the fourth quarter after suffering a concussion, and last week he left even earlier with a shin injury, per Tania Ganguli of ESPN:

"

Gary Kubiak said on Sports Radio 610 that Andre Johnson got kicked in the shin. Johnson is on the sideline. #Texans

— Tania Ganguli (@taniaganguli) September 22, 2013"

On this week's injury report, Johnson is listed as questionable (per ESPN.com). Even if he plays, he may not be at 100 percent, and that could affect his production.

Additionally, the Texans are going up against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 4. Seattle, one of the NFL's elite teams, sports the No. 1 pass defense in the NFL.

Seahawks cornerbacks Richard Sherman and Brandon Browner are two of the biggest and most physical at the position in the league. San Francisco 49ers receiver Anquan Boldin found that out the hard way after being shut down almost completely in Week 2 following a Week 1 performance in which he caught 13 balls for 208 yards and a touchdown. Against the Seahawks, he had a single catch on four targets for seven yards.

The deck is already stacked against Johnson thanks to his injury, but going up against a stellar defensive unit in the Seahawks means things will only get worse for the Texans receiver.

Eli Manning, QB, New York Giants

To say this season has been a nightmare for Manning and the Giants would be a major understatement. The G-Men are 0-3 after getting crushed by the Carolina Panthers 38-0. They lead the NFL in giveaways (13), and Manning himself is responsible for eight interceptions.

The Giants' futility on offense starts with the offensive line. In Week 3, New York's O-line allowed six sacks in one half alone and finished with a total of seven allowed. The Giants have also been unable to get a ground game going, as evidenced by the fact that they are dead last in the NFL with just 44.3 yards per game. David Wilson has been a massive disappointment so far as they wait for him to turn things around.

This week's opponent couldn't be worse for the Giants. Not only is New York hitting the road, but it's a difficult matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Everything the Chiefs do well is exactly what the Giants do poorly. Kansas City has a monster front seven, which features linebacker Justin Houston (7.5 sacks) and defensive tackle Dontari Poe (3.5 sacks).

New York's turnover-prone offense will find little relief against KC, as the Chiefs lead the AFC with nine total takeaways. The Giants' lone strength on offense—the passing attack—is ranked No. 5 in the NFL, but the Chiefs pass defense is also ranked No. 5.

More interceptions and overall frustration look to be inevitable for the Giants, as the Chiefs defense looks rock solid this season.

Reggie Bush, RB, Detroit Lions

A minor injury stalled Bush's momentum in the early part of the 2013-14 campaign. After dominating in Week 1 with 191 total yards and one touchdown, he took a step back in Week 2 with just 69 total yards and no scores after leaving the game early with a knee injury.

Bush wasn't able to suit up in Week 3 thanks to the knee injury he suffered against the Arizona Cardinals, but he looks ready to go after practicing with a sleeve on his left knee, per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press:

"

Bush had a sleeve on his left knee but otherwise should no other signs of injury that kept him out last week.

— Dave Birkett (@davebirkett) September 25, 2013"

No matter how he looks in practice, though, concerns remain regarding Bush's knee. That's a dangerous injury for a running back, especially given Bush's history of getting hurt (he played in just 44 games from 2007 to 2010 due to injury).

His replacement, running back Joique Bell, produced enough to help fill the void left by Bush last week. Bell gained 132 total yards of offense with one rushing touchdown and has the kind of versatility Bush possesses.

Should Bush not be 100 percent, Bell may once again see a heavy workload. Even when Bush has been in the lineup, Bell has been a big part of the Lions offense this season. The Bears also have the No. 8 rush defense in the league, so that will make Bush's job even tougher.