Fantasy Football Week 13: Big-Name Busts You Must Avoid This Week
Fantasy football Week 13 is a crucial one for many fantasy owners. With the regular season winding down, the last thing your potential playoff team needs is an albatross hanging around it's neck, ensuring that it can't perform up to expectations.
I'm talking, of course, about the busts of the 2010 NFL season, and there have been plenty. From tight ends who aren't getting targets, to wideouts who have forgotten how to catch, and running backs who seem to think the best way to play football is to run smack into the defensive line on every single play, busts have been wide reaching and hard to predict all season.
These 20 players have been some of the biggest busts in fantasy football this season. We're looking at why they've been busts, whether they'll stay busts (at this point the answer is almost always yes), and what you should do with them from this point on. Let's get started.
20. Felix Jones, RB, Dallas Cowboys
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Why He’s Been a Bust: Jones entered 2010 as one of the best breakout candidates of the season. His running style and assumed boost in carries all but assured him of success. But a funny thing happened on the way to superstardom for Jones: he stopped getting the ball. With an offensive line that couldn't run block, Jones' carries and production plummeted, and he's posted just three games of 10 or more points all season long. He's had one 100-yard rushing game and has yet to score a rushing touchdown this season.
Will He Stay a Bust: Hard to say. The dynamic back has shown signs of life since Jason Garrett took the reins in Dallas, posting two double-digit scoring games in his last three. Still, when he's getting just 10-15 carries a week, it's hard to see much chance for a true breakout performance.
Who’s the Matchup: Indy ranks 22nd in the NFL against opposing running backs, but it won't matter. Jones is doomed to a 12-carry, 50-yard game once again.
What You Should Do With Him: Bench him or cut him loose. Call it a hunch, but the Cowboys haven't given Jones the kind of run he needs to shine all season. Why should the last four weeks of the year be any different?
19. Brandon Jackson, RB, Green Bay Packers
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Why He’s Been a Bust: Remember how excited people were for Jackson when he took over for an injured Ryan Grant in Week 1? He was going to have a breakout campaign, right? Except, as it turned out, he kind of stunk. Jackson has had three double-digit scoring games and just one game in which he broke 100 yards rushing on the year. He's not scoring touchdowns and he's not getting touches. When neither of those things are happening, it typically makes you a bust.
Will He Stay a Bust: Yes. It's clear that Jackson's not lead back material and the Packers don't run the ball all that much as it is.
Who’s the Matchup: San Francisco's defense has been solid against the run all year, and currently ranks sixth against the position.
What You Should Do With Him: Cut him loose. There's not much else out there in terms of running backs, but you can cobble together more production than Jackson can provide.
18. Marshawn Lynch, RB, Seattle Seahawks
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Why He’s Been a Bust: When Lynch came to Seattle, there was a mad dash to snag him off waivers. Clearly, the issue in Buffalo was the offensive line, so the fourth-year back would explode the way everyone thought he could once he got out of there. After failing to deliver a 100-yard rushing game, and giving owners just two games with 10 or more points, it's clear that Lynch just isn't a good rusher, regardless of the situation.
Will He Stay a Bust: Yes. Justin Forsett is running better than Lynch right now, and once Pete Carroll figures that out, Lynch can expect not to see the ball much. Even while he's getting the carries, he's shown he can't do anything with them.
Who’s the Matchup: Carolina ranks 27th against opposing running backs, but when all you do is smack into the defensive line, even the Panthers can shut you down.
What You Should Do With Him: Bench him or cut him loose. Lynch is good for no more than 4-5 points per week. With so few reliable backs out there, even Lynch's scant production is better than most of what's out on waivers.
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17. Brandon Marshall, WR, Miami Dolphins
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Why He’s Been a Bust: Remember when Marshall was a potential top-five receiver heading into the season? Seems like a long time ago, doesn't it? Since then, the talented-but-insane wideout has posted just two double-digit scoring games and has broken 100 receiving yards all of twice. He's just hasn't looked comfortable on the field in that teal jersey all season long.
Will He Stay a Bust: Probably. There's a chance Marshall could find success with Chad Henne back, but the quarterback seems to like to spread the ball around, which hurts Marshall's big-day potential. He's also battling a hamstring injury and those have a tendency to linger, so temper what expectations you have left for him.
Who’s the Matchup: Cleveland ranks 19th in the NFL against opposing wideouts and Marshall is just the kind of player capable of burning them. If he wasn't hurt, that is.
What You Should Do With Him: Bench him. Marshall's got too much talent to cut, but given his production all season, temper your expectations when you play him.
16. Chad Henne, QB, Miami Dolphins
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Why He’s Been a Bust: Henne was widely viewed as a potential fantasy starter heading into 2010. But his scatter-shot production and flat-out terrible decision-making have turned him into an unreliable backup option this season. He's posted four single-digit outings on the year and has a nasty habit of throwing picks.
Will He Stay a Bust: Hard to say, really. Henne looked awfully good on Sunday, but he's still throwing lots of picks, which hurts his value. If he's really turned the corner, he could have value down the stretch.
Who’s the Matchup: The Browns rank 16th against opposing quarterbacks on the season, but given Henne's proclivity for throwing interceptions, he could be in for a long day.
What You Should Do With Him: Cut him loose. You shouldn't need a backup quarterback anymore and Henne's not going to put up anything near starter numbers the rest of the way.
15. Brett Favre, QB, Minnesota Vikings
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Why He’s Been a Bust: Favre was seen as a mid-round steal in many drafts, given his stellar play in 2009. But 2010 has felt like a nightmare for his owners. The aging gunslinger has posted just two games with 10-or-more points this season and has played just two games in which he hasn't thrown a pick.
Will He Stay a Bust: Yes. Favre might have a big game here or there, but he's turning the ball over a ton and he's not finding the end zone enough to make up for it.
Who’s the Matchup: Buffalo ranks 23rd against opposing quarterbacks this season, but a shoddy secondary hasn't helped much against the Cowboys, Redskins, Patriots or Lions this season.
What You Should Do With Him: Cut him loose. If you need a backup quarterback still, rest assured there are more reliable options available on waivers.
14. Beanie Wells, RB, Arizona Cardinals
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Why He’s Been a Bust: Remember when Wells was mentioned as one of the breakout candidates of 2010? Well, that didn't happen. Thanks to injuries and a crappy offensive line, the second-year back has posted a grand total of two double-digit games and has yet to exceed 75 yards rushing on the year.
Will He Stay a Bust: Yes. Wells is still the most talented back in the desert right now, but he's not getting the work to make any kind of impact in the fantasy world. Which is pretty much the case for all of the Cardinals right now.
Who’s the Matchup: St. Louis ranks 14th in the NFL against the run this season and the Rams have faced better backs than Wells and had success.
What You Should Do With Him: Cut him loose, unless you're desperate for a running back. Wells isn't running for anything right now and he's not getting the carries needed to be effective.
13. Mike Sims-Walker, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars
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Why He’s Been a Bust: After bursting onto the fantasy scene in 2009, Sims-Walker has failed to live up to the hype in 2010. He's posted three double-digit games, but has posted three zero-point outings as well.
Will He Stay a Bust: Yes. Unlike the other hyphenated player in Jacksonville (Maurice Jones-Drew), MSW just isn't that good.
Who’s the Matchup: Tennessee ranks seventh in the NFL against wide receivers this year and Sims-Walker can't score on anyone ranked in the top 20 against the position.
What You Should Do With Him: Cut him loose. I bet you can find a more reliable player to use as a backup than MSW has been this season.
12. Hines Ward, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers
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Why He’s Been a Bust: Ward had been a reliable fantasy contributor for so long, no one could imagine the aging wideout not producing. But with just three double-digit games in 2010, that's exactly what Hines has done.
Will He Stay a Bust: Probably. Even when Big Ben came back, it couldn't save Ward from fantasy irrelevancy. Maybe Week 12 was a sign of things to come down the stretch. But do you want to risk starting him?
Who’s the Matchup: Baltimore ranks 17th in the NFL against opposing wideouts and Ward's not exactly a tough man to cover anymore.
What You Should Do With Him: Bench him. Ward would be a good backup if there's no one else available. If you can find a more consistent player on waivers though, cut him loose.
11. Ronnie Brown, RB, Miami Dolphins
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Why He’s Been a Bust: Brown just can't seem to put it all together this season. He has yet to eclipse 100 yards in a game, has just two rushing touchdowns, and has just two double-digit scoring games all season long.
Will He Stay a Bust: Yes. Brown's not running well right now. Even with 24 carries last week, he could only muster 85 yards and still couldn't find the end zone.
Who’s the Matchup: Cleveland ranks sixth in the NFL against the run in 2010. Brown is poised for a flop game, for sure.
What You Should Do With Him: Bench him. Brown's a good backup running back, but he's not functional as a starter in most leagues at this point.
10. Kellen Winslow, TE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
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Why He’s Been a Bust: Until the last three weeks, Winslow had yet to post a double-digit scoring game all season. The big tight end has scored just two touchdowns on the year and was a forgotten man in Tampa for much of the season.
Will He Stay a Bust: Hard to say. Winslow's turned it on a bit in the last three weeks, and if quarterback Josh Freeman is looking for him in the end zone, he could easily salvage a disappointing season.
Who’s the Matchup: Atlanta ranks 16th against opposing tight ends; not stellar, but not too shabby, either.
What You Should Do With Him: Bench him. Winslow could finish strong this season, so keep an eye on him and be ready to plug him in should he keep this strong stretch going.
9. Visanthe Shiancoe, TE, Minnesota Vikings
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Why He’s Been a Bust: After a pair of stellar seasons in Minnesota, Shiancoe has dropped off a cliff in 2010. He's scored just two touchdowns on the year, and has cracked 10 points all of twice, while failing to exceed five points in any other game this season.
Will He Stay a Bust: Probably. Shiancoe's not getting many looks in Minnesota right now. Until that changes, he'll stay a colossal disappointment.
Who’s the Matchup: Buffalo ranks second-to-last against opposing tight ends and has allowed more touchdowns (8) to the position than any other team in football.
What You Should Do With Him: Start him this week. If Shiancoe's going to give you anything the rest of the season, most of it is going to come in this game.
8. Shonn Greene, RB, New York Jets
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Why He’s Been a Bust: Speaking of breakout candidates, here's one of the can't-miss rushers touted by many fantasy pundits. Greene has broken 10 points just twice and he has lost the starting gig in New York to LaDanian Tomlinson.
Will He Stay a Bust: Yes. Greene's not getting the touches to be successful right now and, given the hype surrounding him heading into the season, even a stellar end to the year isn't enough to save him.
Who’s the Matchup: New England ranks 25th against opposing rushers in 2010, but when you only get 10 carries per game, it doesn't matter much.
What You Should Do With Him: Bench him. Given the sorry state of the running back waiver wire in most leagues, Greene's still got a bit of value. But he has no business being anywhere near your starting lineup, unless LaDanian Tomlinson gets hurt.
7. Cedric Benson, RB, Cincinnati Bengals
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Why He’s Been a Bust: Benson was a borderline first-round pick heading into 2010, but the Bengals' running back has flopped in a big way. He's posted seven single-digit games this season and, most recently, was completely shut down by the Jets on Thanksgiving.
Will He Stay a Bust: Yes. Benson gains yards by smacking into opposing defensive lines and hoping to break a tackle or two. While it works once in a while, against competent defenses, he just falls flat.
Who’s the Matchup: New Orleans ranks 16th against opposing running backs this season and the Saints have gotten better as the year has progressed, while Benson seems to be getting worse.
What You Should Do With Him: Odds are good you don't have a much better option than Benson, so he's worth another start. But don't expect a 15-point game from him: 6-8 is much more in his range this year.
6. Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Arizona Cardinals
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Why He’s Been a Bust: Fitz has had a brutal 2010, but it's not his fault. Plagued by awful quarterback play, the wideout has posted six single-digit games this year, well more than any of his seasons with Kurt Warner at the helm.
Will He Stay a Bust: Yes. Fitz has had some success this year, but the talented wideout won't live up to his talent, thanks to the situation under center in the desert.
Who’s the Matchup: St. Louis ranks 18th against opposing wideouts, but when your quarterback can't get you the ball, it doesn't matter how bad the defense is.
What You Should Do With Him: You can't leave Fitz on your bench. He's always a threat to go off. Just temper your expectations.
5. Anquan Boldin, WR, Baltimore Ravens
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Why He’s Been a Bust: Boldin was seen as a top-tier wideout in 2010, but, in fact, he's been more of a boom-or-bust kind of player. He has five double-digit games to his name, but has six games with six-or-fewer points.
Will He Stay a Bust: No. Boldin's still the best wideout Baltimore has. He'll go off again soon.
Who’s the Matchup: Pittsburgh ranks sixth against opposing wideouts in 2010, but Boldin racked up seven grabs against the Steelers earlier this year.
What You Should Do With Him: Roll him this week, but know he's not going to get you the kind of stats you need unless he finds the end zone.
4. Jahvid Best, RB, Detroit Lions
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Why He’s Been a Bust: What happened? He was a popular sleeper pick and went off in a big way the first two weeks of the season. But since then, the rookie back hasn't broken 10 points in a week.
Will He Stay a Bust: Yes. Best isn't running well right now, and he's banged up. Until he finds his rhythm and gets healthy, he'll stay on the bust list.
Who’s the Matchup: The Bears rank seventh in the NFL against the run and Best has struggled against just about everyone he's faced in 2010. If he plays, he won't get much room to run.
What You Should Do With Him: Bench him. It's possible he finds his stride by the end of the year, but until he does, keep him out of your starting lineup.
3. Ryan Mathews, RB, San Diego Chargers
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Why He’s Been a Bust: Mathews was a popular mid-round pick in most leagues and he figured to have a strong rookie campaign. But he's battled injuries and poor play all year, losing carries to Mike Tolbert. He's posted just two double-digit fantasy weeks and he has yet to rush for more than 75 yards.
Will He Stay a Bust: Yes. Mathews can't stay healthy and, with a carry split in San Diego, he won't get enough touches to be effective when he is in the game.
Who’s the Matchup: Oakland ranks 29th in the NFL against the run, so if Mathews plays, he should find some success.
What You Should Do With Him: Bench him. Until something changes in San Diego, Mathews won't post the kind of numbers you need to merit starting him. But, he's too talented to leave on waivers.
2. Randy Moss, WR, Tennessee Titans
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Why He’s Been a Bust: Moss hasn't performed up to his considerable expectations at any of his three stops in 2010. He has just two double-digit scoring games and has done absolutely nothing since Week 5, failing to exceed 55 receiving yards in any week since.
Will He Stay a Bust: Yes. Moss has been a disaster in 2010 and it remains to be seen whether he's got anything left or not.
Who’s the Matchup: Jacksonville doesn't have a prayer of keeping up with Randy, but it won't matter if Kerry Collins won't throw him the football.
What You Should Do With Him: Bench him. Unless he suddenly remembers how to play football, Moss is no good to you in your starting lineup.
1. Steve Smith, WR, Carolina Panthers
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Why He’s Been a Bust: People knew 2010 would be bad for Smith, what with the quarterback situation and all. But no one could have foreseen things going this wrong. Other than his double-digit games in Weeks 1 and 2, Smith has done absolutely nothing the rest of the year, failing to exceed six points in any game.
Will He Stay a Bust: Yes. When your team stinks this much and your quarterback doesn't throw you the ball, it's safe to say you won't get much better.
Who’s the Matchup: Seattle ranks dead last in the NFL against opposing wideouts, not that it matters.
What You Should Do With Him: Bench him or cut him loose. If you want to keep Smith around, fine. But don't let him anywhere near your starting lineup this season. It will only end in tears.
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