RADIO
The 17th Sunday of the 2023 NFL season has come and gone. Hopefully, you woke up on Monday morning feeling very good about how your matchup went. However, this week's slate of games was certainly stress-inducing for many fantasy football managers.
Part of that stress was caused by a group of players who drastically underachieved in Week 17. These players simply did not meet fantasy expectations, and it cost their managers in a big way.
Let's take a look at the biggest busts from Week 17, as well as whether or not we can still have some trust in these players moving forward. All point totals are based on the PPR scoring system. Players who missed part of the game due to injury are exempt from being featured.
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Fantasy Football Quarterback Busts
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Fantasy Football Running Back Busts
James Cook, 5.4 FPTS
Cook has seen a massive fall from grace ever since his big outings against the Chiefs and Cowboys in back-to-back weeks. The 24-year-old's skid has come at an awful time for fantasy managers in the playoffs, and he might not fare much better in Week 18 against the Dolphins. The last time Cook faced Miami, he averaged just 2.42 yards per carry (but salvaged his outing with a touchdown).
Jahmyr Gibbs, 5.3 FPTS
Gibbs had a tough time getting things going on Saturday, averaging just 2.87 yards per carry while finishing with zero receiving yards. He seemed outmatched by the Dallas defense at times, especially in situations around the goal line. With that said, he should be able to bounce back against the Vikings in Week 18.
Austin Ekeler, 4.0 FPTS
Ekeler's tough second half of the season continued on Monday as he totaled 50 scrimmage yards and lost a fumble. The veteran seems to have completely lost his elusiveness, pass-catching dominance, and ball-security skills. He's quickly falling down fantasy rankings and should merely be viewed as an RB3/FLEX option against a solid Chiefs defense next week.
Tony Pollard, 5.9 FPTS
Pollard had his third consecutive game with single-digit fantasy points, finishing with just 49 rushing yards in the win over Detroit. However, managers can count on him to bounce back with a very favorable matchup against the Commanders in Week 18.
Derrick Henry, 4.2 FPTS
The Titans played from behind for the entire game and therefore operated through a pass-heavy approach. Henry didn't get involved as a receiver, and he contributed just 42 rushing yards on 12 carries. His final test of the season will come against the Jaguars next weekend.
Fantasy Football Wide Receiver Busts
Chris Olave, 5.6 FPTS
Olave wasn't able to build on his big Thursday Night Football performance from a week and a half ago. Even as the Saints cruised to a big win over Tampa Bay, their 23-year-old receiver mustered just three receptions for 26 yards through the air. He's a WR2 with legitimate boom or bust potential heading into Week 18 against the Falcons.
Stefon Diggs, 7.1 FPTS
Diggs' woes continue. The veteran receiver caught four passes for 26 yards on Sunday and now has single-digit fantasy points in six of his last seven games. There's no way that he can be trusted as anything more than a fantasy WR2, even in a potential shootout against the Dolphins next Sunday night.
Ja'Marr Chase, 7.1 FPTS
Chase returned from his shoulder injury on Sunday and underperformed, catching just three of seven targets. He has shown flashes of potential while catching passes from Jake Browning, but certainly isn't the same player that we saw when Joe Burrow was under center. He could face similar struggles against a strong Browns' secondary in Week 18.
Tyler Lockett, 2.0 FPTS
Lockett caught just one pass on Sunday, which was his lowest mark for a single game since the 2019 season. The 31-year-old drastically disappointed his fantasy managers, but could bounce back against the Cardinals during next week's regular-season finale.
Rashid Shaheed, 3.4 FPTS
If you thought Olave's quiet day would allow Shaheed to boom, you were wrong. The second-year wideout caught just two passes for 14 yards against the Buccaneers, delivering his fifth game of the season with two or fewer receptions. Next week's clash against Atlanta could allow him to finish the regular season on a high note.
Fantasy Football Tight End Busts
Travis Kelce, 4.6 FPTS
What has happened to the NFL's top tight end? Kelce remained a non-factor on Sunday, turning in his third consecutive game with single-digit fantasy points. Even more alarming is the fact Kelce, who has been a top-two fantasy tight end every year since 2015, currently ranks as the overall TE3 this season. With that said, he could sneak back into the top two slots. After all, he's just 4.2 fantasy points away from No. 2 scorer T.J. Hockenson (knee), who is done for the year.
George Kittle, 5.9 FPTS
Not everyone benefited from the 49ers' favorable matchup against Washington. Kittle caught just three passes, taking a backseat in the offense after his seven-catch, 126-yard explosion on Christmas Day. The 30-year-old should return to the midrange TE1 tier next week.
Dalton Schultz, 3.9 FPTS
Schultz caught just two passes on Sunday, taking a significant step back after averaging 12 fantasy points over his previous two games. Perhaps C.J. Stroud (concussion) retaking his job from Case Keenum impacted Schultz's production. Nevertheless, he'll rank as a low-end TE1 going forward.
Cole Kmet, 0.0 FPTS
Normally, injured players don't get featured here. Kmet is a rare exception after he entered Week 17 with an injury and essentially operated as a decoy. Going forward, the 27-year-old should rank as a low-end TE1 with the expectation that he'll be healthy enough by Friday.
Kyle Pitts, 1.5 FPTS
Pitts turned in his first one-catch game of the season despite commanding five targets on Sunday. He has 50 catches, 635 yards, and three touchdowns in 2023, dropping him to the very bottom of the TE1 tier. Fantasy managers should look for better options than Pitts.
Cade Otton, 3.0 FPTS
The Buccaneers struggled and so did their playmakers. Otton has 43 catches, 415 yards, and four touchdowns so far this year, giving him mid-to-low TE2 value in most formats. With that said, he's off the radar in most single tight end leagues going forward.
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