5 NFL Fantasy Flukes to Unload Immediately

We’re now nearing the midseason for fantasy football. As usual, there have been shockers and stunners all over the NFL, with underperforming and overachieving teams and players in every division.

Some late-round draft picks and waiver wire pickups have been pleasant fantasy football surprises, but their sell-by dates are drawing nigh. Turn the page to read more about five fantasy flukes whose time in the spotlight is about to expire.

Matt Hasselbeck

Matt Hasselbeck’s career has been rejuvenated with a change of scenery from Seattle to Tennessee. He had a great first four games with an 8.73 YPA that was nearly two yards better than his career average and a QB rating of 104.7, more than 20 points higher than his career average.

However, keep in mind that the Titans' early season schedule was soft, against the likes of Jacksonville, Denver and Cleveland—surely three of the NFL's bottom 10 teams. And with tougher opponents ahead, the loss of his dominating wideout Kenny Britt to a season-ending knee injury and the inability of newly wealthy running back Chris Johnson to display the skills that earned him that $55 million contract, Hasselbeck’s days as a fantasy QB1 are numbered. 

Hasselbeck’s remaining weapons are unproven. Nate Washington is a career WR2 unfamiliar with the double coverage that comes with being a WR1. TE Jared Cook has great speed but has yet to show the consistency of the NFL’s elite TEs. 

In the Titans’ 38-17 loss at Pittsburgh, Hasselbeck averaged barely over five YPA. Worse, CJ2K suffered a hamstring injury in the second half. Things are not going to get any better for the 36-year-old Hasselbeck. Regression to his career averages is more likely. Deal him now while you can.

Ryan Torain

Ryan Torain came out of nowhere with a bruising 19-carry, 135-yard, one-touchdown performance in the Redskins’ Oct. 2 win at St. Louis. 

However, Torain is untrustworthy as a fantasy RB2 or even RB3 because he is a Washington Redskin and his coach is Mike Shanahan, the most diabolical fantasy nightmare of a head coach as exists in the NFL. 

While at Denver, Shanahan anointed a succession of RBs as his workhorse feature backs, in so doing transforming ordinary RBs into 1,000-yard rushers (Olandis Gary, Mike Anderson, Reuben Droughns, Tatum Bell), and 1,000-yard rushers into All-Pros (Terrell Davis). 

At Washington, Shanahan has instead insisted on running back by committee, with disastrous results for owners of any of the Redskin RBs. 

While Torain has burst onto the 2011 fantasy scene, don’t be fooled. Tim Hightower was not brought in from Arizona to ride the bench, and Shanahan drafted the speedy Roy Helu out of Nebraska. Expect all three to see action over the rest of the season with none making much of a fantasy impact.

Scott Chandler

Scott Chandler has been part of the Buffalo Bills’ amazing start to the 2011 season. He was a human highlight reel in the Bills’ exciting wins in September. 

Here are his stats for the last four Bills games: seven catches, 38 yards. 

Those are his total stats: seven catches, 38 yards. 

Now, two of those seven receptions were for touchdowns. 

Still, 7-of-38 is something the elite NFL tight ends accomplish in about one half, not four games. Deal Chandler now to the Bills fan in your league.

Victor Cruz

How can Victor Cruz be a fantasy fluke? Why, he’s Eli Manning’s new go-to WR, with a knack for scoring long TDs.  He’s this year’s Dwayne Bowe!

Uh, maybe not. Cruz has posted gaudy numbers in his last two games, but he’s been aided by shockingly poor tackling, lucky bounces and favorable officiating. 

What’s more, after the Giants’ stunning Oct. 9 come-from-ahead loss to the lowly Seahawks, coach Tom Coughlin vowed the running game would improve, as in: run more, throw less.

A renewed emphasis on the ground game would seem to make sense for the G-Men. Manning has never been the most careful caretaker of the football, and his turnovers and inconsistency have kept him from joining his older brother Peyton and the likes of Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers in the upper echelon of NFL QBs. 

Even if Eli Manning is permitted to continue his pass-happy ways, Cruz will still have to share targets with Hakeem Nicks and Mario Manningham. Trade him now while he’s highly coveted.

Doug Baldwin

Speaking of the Giants’ shocking loss to the Seahawks,WR Doug Baldwin has been a rookie revelation for Seattle and posted an eye-opening performance of eight receptions for 136 yards and one touchdown.

That was just the latest in a string of great games for Baldwin, who was one of Andrew Luck’s favorite targets at Stanford in 2010, where he caught nearly 60 passes for over 800 yards and nine touchdowns. 

There’s only one problem with keeping Baldwin on your fantasy roster: His QB, Tarvaris Jackson, himself a 2011 fantasy fluke, left the Giants’ game with the dreaded pectoral muscle injury. Jackson could be out for the rest of the season and at a minimum might miss some games. 

So, do you want the fate of your fantasy fortunes to be in Charlie Whitehurst’s hands? Me neither. Unless you are in a dynasty league, consider dealing Baldwin now while his value is sky-high.