Fantasy Football Week 9: Chris Johnson and 3 Players Sure to Fail

Forget about Wall Street. In the NFL, and more specifically in fantasy football, there is no such thing as "Too Big To Fail."

Then again, we're talking about football players here, not bloated banks and floundering financial firms, though these one-time stars have left their owners, both real and imaginary, hemorrhaging cash and fantasy points alike this season and will continue to do so in Week 9.

Chris Johnson, RB, Tennessee Titans

Whether it's an issue of confidence, complacency or health, one thing remains the same—Chris Johnson has been absolutely terrible in 2011. He currently ranks last among qualified backs in rushing yards per carry (2.8) and has cracked 100 yards in a single game but once this season.

Now, Johnson isn't likely to see an out-and-out benching anytime soon, not with the kind of money the Titans committed to him in the offseason after a prolonged contract dispute.

That being said, don't expect him to do much of anything against the Bengals and their second-ranked run defense on Sunday.

Then again, opposing runners have "lit up" Cincy's D for 3.3 yards per carry, a full half-yard better than what Johnson has managed this season. Even then, Johnson is anything but a good bet to carry your fantasy team to victory this week.

Joe Flacco, QB, Baltimore Ravens

If you haven't given up on Joe Flacco yet, now is the perfect time to slam on that big, red "ABORT" button in your panic room. Flacco has floundered of late, throwing just one touchdown against four interceptions over his last four games.

And if you think that's going to change against a revitalized Steelers D, think again. Flacco's three TDs against Pittsburgh in Week 1 came largely out of short fields created by seven takeaways for the Ravens defense.

That sort of serendipity just doesn't come around often, much less twice in the same season against the same opponent. Flacco has looked lost as of late without Derrick Mason and Todd Heap to throw to underneath, and will appear even more perplexed when he has Troy Polamalu charging at him at full speed.

Stevie Johnson, WR, Buffalo Bills

Remember when Stevie Johnson was one of the hottest receivers going in the NFL? Well, times have changed, and so has he.

Johnson hasn't cracked 60 yards receiving in a single game since September, coinciding quite closely with a decline in production by quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick over that same span.

He'll be hard-pressed to get back on track while trapped on Revis Island against the Jets on Sunday. Even if Johnson somehow manages to get open against Darrelle Revis, he isn't likely to see the ball flung too often—not when the Bills can hand the ball off to Fred Jackson and have him run wild against Gang Green's 25th-ranked run defense.