2010 Fantasy Football Busts: Wide Receivers

There is a saying in the NFL that anything can happen on any given Sunday. The same goes for fantasy football. A player can put up 24 fantasy points one week and none the next. It’s the unpredictability of the season that makes football and fantasy football so interesting and exciting. No position in fantasy football is as unpredictable as wide receiver. So many receivers are fixtures in a fantasy lineup one season and on waivers the next. Just because a player makes the bust list, doesn’t necessarily mean you have to avoid him completely on draft day (though we’ll let you know who to avoid altogether). Some, not all busts are overvalued players, while the majority have seen their situations change (e.g., new team, new coaching staff, upgrade or downgrade of players around them, injuries, etc.) or are likely to have a hard time living up to expectations. Use our 2010 Fantasy Football Busts Wide Receivers list as a guide to move some players down your draft board.

Kenny Britt, WR, Tennessee Titans – The Titans used a 2009 first-round pick on Britt, who chose to forgo his senior year at Rutgers University for a shot at the NFL. Britt had a solid rookie year catching 42 receptions for 701 yards and three touchdowns. Thirty-four of Britt’s 42 catches were first downs or touchdowns and he caught 10 balls for 20-plus yards. Not bad when you consider that the Titans were an obvious run-first offense behind fantasy stud Chris Johnson, with the passing game not much more than an afterthought. The Titans finished last season ranked No. 23 in passing yards, averaging 189 yards per game and attempting only 476 passes, the fourth fewest in the league.

Tennessee had high hopes for the athletic and talented Britt heading into the 2010 season. Those hopes were quickly dashed when Britt showed up to OTAs so out of shape that he was told to sit out offseason workouts. Britt’s preseason play has been disappointing too – marked by inconsistent play and mental mistakes. Titans’ head coach Jeff Fischer benched him in the first half of the preseason finale against the New Orleans Saints after he dropped two passes and received a false start penalty. Fischer has threatened to deactivate Britt if he suspects the second-year wide out is unfocused and unprepared to play. With his size (6’3”, 220 lbs.) and big-play ability, Britt has the most upside of the Titans’ receivers, including starters Justin Gage and Nate Washington. While Tennessee will pound the ball down the throats of opposing defenses, the team was counting on Britt to develop to his potential, build chemistry with quarterback Vince Young, and earn a starting job in the lineup. Instead Britt is battling Lavelle Hawkins, a 2009 fourth-round pick, for the third spot. Britt’s talent makes him worth consideration as a late-round flier, but he has serious work to do before he can expect to start. This once-promising fantasy sleeper begins the season as a big-time fantasy bust.

To see more potential wide receiver busts click here... 2010 WR Busts