Biggest Fantasy Football Busts of the Week - Fantasy Outlooks for Derrick Henry, A.J. Brown, Chris Godwin, Ladd McConkey, Juwan Johnson

September 29, 2025

Several NFL players underwhelmed in Week 4 of the 2025 fantasy football season. Andersen Pickard identifies busts at each position and if they'll bounce back.

The fourth Sunday of the 2025 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 4. These players failed to meet their fantasy expectations this week, and it cost their managers in a big way.

Let's take a look at the biggest busts from Week 4, 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.

Fantasy Football Quarterback Busts

Joe Flacco, 1.3 FPTS

Flacco had another poor outing Sunday as he completed fewer than 50 percent of his passes, didn't record a touchdown, and turned the ball over three times. The team insists it is not considering a quarterback change, but the fans' cries for Dillon Gabriel could get pretty loud soon. Flacco is not a dependable fantasy option.

Kerby made 'em pay#CLEvsDET 📺 FOX pic.twitter.com/NIkSHNYTCt

— Detroit Lions (@Lions) September 28, 2025

Cameron Ward, 3.5 FPTS

The growing pains continue as Ward and the Titans fell to 0-4 on Sunday. The reigning No. 1 pick completed just 38 percent of his passes for 108 yards, zero touchdowns, and an interception. He should be avoided in all fantasy leagues ahead of Week 5 against Arizona.

Fantasy Football Running Back Busts

Jeremy McNichols, 1.3 FPTS

The Commanders were expected to operate out of a committee on Sunday, but McNichols ended up being squeezed out of the rotation. He had just two carries for three yards and can be left on waivers in most fantasy leagues ahead of Week 5 against the Chargers.

David Montgomery, 1.2 FPTS

The Lions cruised to a big win on Sunday, but Montgomery was surprisingly uninvolved. He rushed for just 12 yards on nine carries, didn't haul in his lone target, and was unable to find the end zone. Jahmyr Gibbs is certainly the preferred running back in Detroit, but Montgomery should be able to bounce back as an RB3/flex against the Bengals next week.

Rhamondre Stevenson, 5.1 FPTS

Stevenson didn't fumble this week, but he was also the only Patriots running back without a touchdown. The 27-year-old touched the ball just 10 times for 41 yards and is nothing more than a low-end RB3/flex as TreVeyon Henderson's role grows.

Rhamondre Stevenson is officially starting at running back for the #Patriots today.

There were a handful of boos from the Gillette Stadium crowd as it was announced. pic.twitter.com/HL4L6NsG7F

— Mike Kadlick (@mikekadlick) September 28, 2025

Derrick Henry, 7.8 FPTS

Henry underperformed for the third consecutive week, sparking some alarm among fantasy managers. While a matchup against the Chiefs was always going to be difficult, we would have expected him to produce a little more, or at least touch the ball more than 10 times. A more favorable matchup against the Texans could be the perfect get-right opportunity for Henry, who should hang on to a top-12 ranking a little longer.

Fantasy Football Wide Receiver Busts

Jakobi Meyers, 7.0 FPTS

Meyers caught just four of seven targets for 30 yards on Sunday afternoon. It was an ugly game for the Raiders, who choked away the lead late in the contest, largely due to Geno Smith's three interceptions. Poor quarterback play may continue to make Meyers an inconsistent fantasy option, albeit a talented one with upside. For now, he's a high-end WR3.

Rashod Bateman, 3.4 FPTS

Bateman finished with fewer than four fantasy points for the third time in four games. He was held to just one catch for 24 yards as the Ravens' offense struggled to get going against Kansas City. The 25-year-old is off the fantasy radar for Week 5 against Houston regardless of whether Baltimore starts Lamar Jackson (hamstring) or Cooper Rush.

Jameson Williams, 5.7 FPTS

Williams was targeted a season-high eight times Sunday, but he caught just two passes for 40 yards. The young receiver's large target total suggests that he should bounce back as a solid WR3/flex in Week 5 against Cincinnati.

Calvin Ridley, 5.0 FPTS

Ridley had yet another disappointing week, in part due to the Titans' overall struggles on offense. He has just 10 catches through four games, finishing with fewer than nine fantasy points in every contest. He's not droppable yet, but he certainly shouldn't be started in fantasy leagues ahead of Week 5 against Arizona.

Wow, it appears to be over for Calvin Ridley https://t.co/JrscfpFFuK

— Adam Koffler (@AdamKoffler) September 29, 2025

A.J. Brown, 2.7 FPTS

Brown came back down to earth with just two catches for seven yards on Sunday. It was disappointing to see him finish with fewer than eight fantasy points for the third time this season. However, his nine total targets suggest that Jalen Hurts still looks his way quite often, making him a solid WR2 for Week 5 against Denver.

With that said, a matchup against Patrick Surtain II will lower his floor.

Chris Godwin, 5.6 FPTS

Godwin underwhelmed in his first game back from injury, catching just three passes. Although he didn't look like his old self in terms of production, he certainly did in terms of total targets (10). We'll chalk this up to Godwin needing more time to adjust after a long recovery. He's still a high-end WR3/flex with WR1 upside heading into Week 5 against Seattle.

Tre Tucker, 4.2 FPTS

Tucker didn't exactly replicate his three-touchdown game from last week. The 24-year-old saw his target total drop from nine to two, suggesting that he'll continue to have a very inconsistent role week over week. He can be left on fantasy benches heading into Week 5 in Indianapolis.

Kayshon Boutte, 2.8 FPTS

The Patriots' offense exploded once again, but Boutte wasn't a primary contributor. He was held to just one catch for the second time this season, and he hasn't totaled double-digit fantasy points since the season opener. He can be dropped to waivers in most leagues ahead of Week 5.

Wan'Dale Robinson, 4.4 FPTS

Even with Malik Nabers (knee) exiting in the first half and the Giants winning, Robinson wasn't able to carve out a sizable role on offense. He's been held to fewer than five fantasy points in each of his last two games, but with Nabers done for the season, managers should trust Robinson in their lineups once more in Week 5.

Ladd McConkey, 2.1 FPTS

It's time to talk about McConkey. The second-year receiver has contributed single-digit fantasy points in each of his last three games, and he turned in his worst outing of the season on Sunday. His six targets were solid but not great, and he hasn't been able to establish himself as a preferred option over Omarion Hampton, Quentin Johnston, and Keenan Allen.

Ladd McConkey says the Chargers "shot themselves in the foot a lot" in the 21-18 loss to the Giants:

"There's tons of stuff for us to clean up, and we'll do that. But I don't think anyone gave up."#BoltUp @kcalnews pic.twitter.com/BbETslal17

— Sports Central LA (@SportsCentralLA) September 28, 2025

DeVonta Smith, 4.9 FPTS

Smith was held in check despite the Eagles' strong offensive performance on Sunday. He has been held to single-digit fantasy points in three of four games, but we know that the talent is there. Managers should hold out hope that he can bounce back as a mid-to-low WR2 against the Broncos next week.

Jauan Jennings, 6.4 FPTS

Even with Brock Purdy back and teammate Ricky Pearsall (knee) missing part of Sunday's contest, Jennings wasn't able to produce at a high level. He finished with just two catches, bringing his season total to nine. Even if Pearsall misses time, Jennings is best viewed as a high-end WR3/flex with WR2 upside.

Fantasy Football Tight End Busts

David Njoku, 3.1 FPTS

Njoku had his worst outing of the season on Sunday, catching just two passes for 11 yards. The offseason chatter was that Njoku would thrive with Joe Flacco under center, but now, it seems like the tight end's value will only go up if Cleveland makes a quarterback change. He ranks outside the top 12 tight ends heading into Week 5 against Minnesota.

Sam LaPorta, 6.9 FPTS

LaPorta has plateaued ever since a big Week 1, tying his season-low in receptions (three) on Sunday afternoon. We can't trust his production week over week, but managers should still view him as a matchup-based low-end TE1 going forward.

Juwan Johnson, 5.8 FPTS

Johnson's completely unexpected start to the season took a step backward on Sunday as he delivered a season-low three catches and 28 receptions. The Bills are a tough matchup for tight ends, so we shouldn't exactly be surprised by this outcome. He'll look to bounce back as a mid-to-low TE1 in Week 5 against the Giants.

Harold Fannin Jr., 4.5 FPTS

Much like Njoku, Fannin was held in check on Sunday, partly due to Flacco's poor quarterback play. The rookie has seen his catch and yardage totals decrease every week this season, which isn't a great sign for a player who should ideally be trending upward. He's not a reliable fantasy starter for Week 5 against Minnesota.

The Browns had 3 drops vs. the Lions today. Harold Fannin Jr. and Jerry Jeudy had back-to-back drops early in the fourth quarter that preceded Detroit's punt return TD and made it a 27-10 deficit.

In four games, Cleveland has eight drops, the second most in the NFL.

— Daniel Oyefusi (@DanielOyefusi) September 29, 2025

Chig Okonkwo, 1.4 FPTS

Okonkwo had his worst game of the season in terms of targets, receptions, and yardage. Although he's typically one of Ward's favorite targets, the tight end doesn't have much of a chance to produce when the offense is struggling to move the ball down the field. Okonkwo is a matchup-based fantasy option going forward, but it's hard to imagine him ranking higher than the mid-range TE2 tier in any given week.

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