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Who should I start or sit for fantasy football in Wild Card Weekend of the 2025-2026 season? Andrew's potential fantasy football busts to avoid in Wild Card fantasy football lineups.
The fun doesn't stop just because the regular season is over.
There are DFS lineups, playoff challenges, and player props to be filled out. We're here to help.
Below, we sort through the stats and find five fantasy football busts, or players who may disappoint, for Wild Card Weekend of the 2026 NFL season. Good luck, RotoBallers!
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Rico Dowdle (RB, CAR) vs. Los Angeles Rams
The Rico Dowdle hype train has completely derailed.
The Panthers' running back was the talk of the fantasy football community in the middle of the season, rushing for 206 and 183 yards in back-to-back games. He's slowly lost work to Chuba Hubbard through the back half of the season.
Dowdle needed just seven yards last week to hit a major contract incentive, and there was a point in the second half where it looked like he wouldn't get there. Ultimately, he did, but on just 1.4 yards per carry.
The Los Angeles Rams aren't amazing against the run. They're middle-of-the-pack in fantasy points allowed, but have only surrendered six rushing touchdowns. That's the third-fewest in the league this season. In late November against the Rams, a game the Panthers won, Dowdle managed 79 total yards, but did so on 3.2 yards per carry.
NFL oddsmakers aren't expecting a repeat of last time. The Panthers are 10.5-point underdogs and have the lowest implied total of the weekend. That doesn't spell success for Dowdle.
Jaylen Warren (RB, PIT) vs. Houston
If you've watched a Steelers game recently, you know how predictable and boring the Steelers' offense can get. It's Jaylen Warren getting 12-14 carries (and maybe a few catches mixed in), and the other running back, Kenneth Gainwell, leading the team in targets and receiving. It's a lot of dump-offs and swing routes, and his receiving work was only amplified by the absence of DK Metcalf.
Aaron Rodgers finished the year with the lowest air yards/ att (6.0) in the league, but the Steelers led the league in YAC/reception (6.5).
Individually, Jaylen Warren (11.0 YAC/rec) is first. Kenneth Gainwell (7.2 YAC/rec) is 18th and DK Metcalf (7.0 YAC/rec) is 21st.
— Mike DeFabo (@MikeDeFabo) January 8, 2026
Metcalf has returned, but the game plan for the running backs remains the same. Warren handles most of the running downs, and Gainwell commands more targets in the passing game.
That's a problem for Warren, as the Texans have been a stingy run defense (really, one of the best defenses overall) this season. We're talking fourth-fewest rushing yards per game, fourth-fewest rush yards to running backs, four yards per carry (tied for sixth-fewest), and 10th-fewest fantasy points to running backs.
This matchup features the lowest over/under line of the Wild Card slate. It's the only number under 40 points. Because the Texans are road favorites, that gives Pittsburgh an implied total of just over 18 points. Houston, on average, only allows 17.4 points per game (just behind Seattle).
Given that Pittsburgh isn't an explosive offense, the under is definitely in the realm of possibilities. That will limit the scoring opportunities for Warren, who can be very mediocre without a touchdown.
Brock Purdy (QB, SF) at Philadelphia
Ricky Pearsall's injury roulette continues. A reaggravation of his PCL injury that cost him time earlier this season may prevent him from suiting up in San Francisco's playoff game. That would leave Jauan Jennings as the only reliable 49er wide receiver.
The Eagles roster two of the best cornerbacks in the league, Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean. No matter where Jennings lines up, he'll have one of those two looking back at him.
Of course, there's George Kittle and Christian McCaffrey. Unfortunately, Philadelphia has been one of the worst matchups for tight ends all season long. The Eagles and Bills are the only two defenses that held opposing tight ends to under 8.5 fantasy points per game. Take Kittle out of the equation, and the weapons for Brock Purdy are dwindling quickly.
Purdy picked on bad defenses during his league-winning run in Weeks 15-17. He combined for 893 passing yards, 83 rushing yards, and 13 total touchdowns (11 passing and two rushing) in that stretch.
The fun came to a screeching halt when a formidable foe appeared on the schedule. The Seahawks held Purdy to 127 passing yards, and he failed to score a touchdown. The Eagles aren't quite as strong as the Seahawks, so don't expect a line that poor, but Purdy shouldn't be anywhere near his upside.
Omarion Hampton (RB, LAC) at New England
How healthy is Omarion Hampton?
His Week 18 absence was initially dubbed a precaution, as many other Chargers starters, including Justin Herbert, sat out the regular season finale. But the ankle is seemingly more of a problem than we thought, as the rookie opened the practice week with a DNP, before getting in a limited session Thursday.
#Chargers OC Greg Roman said RB Omarion Hampton (ankle) will "involved some today" in practice.
On Hampton's status: "We're going to wait and see on that. He's working through his process with the medical group. He's engaged. He's ready mentally with the game plan."
— Daniel Popper (@danielrpopper) January 8, 2026
It all stems from a fractured ankle he suffered in Week 5. That kept him out until Week 14, and since his return, he's had at least 15 touches, despite splitting work with Kimani Vidal. That's the volume we like to see.
However, let's say he's healthy enough to be active, given it's a playoff game, but not 100 percent. That likely means more work for Vidal and fewer opportunities for Hampton.
Now to the matchup. The Patriots, at the beginning of the season, were one of the most dreaded opponents to see a running back facing. Then, it became one of the best matchups for backfields. Their entire run defense hinged on defensive tackle Milton Williams. In the five games without Williams, all opponents topped 100 yards on the ground, some well over that mark. That only happened three times in the 12 games Williams played.
James Cook (RB, BUF) at Jacksonville
James Cook's inclusion is the bold prediction of the article.
We know that the volume will be there for the league's leading rusher. Removing the Week 18 game when he played just two snaps to rest, Cook has seen at least 15 touches in every game this season. Almost half of the time, he was in the 20-30 range.
Understanding that the Bills are devoid of skill position playmakers, the game plan should include a heavy dose of Cook. However, that's where the Jacksonville defense thrives.
The Jaguars have been one of the best rush defenses for the majority of the season. They've allowed the fewest rushing yards to running backs (the only team under 1,200 rushing yards), saw the fewest attempts (299), and finished second-best in fantasy points per game to the position.
Both teams in this matchup rank inside the top five in time of possession. The Bills' running game helped lead them to the top spot. However, the Jaguars aren't far behind and have Travis Etienne Jr. to deploy against a Buffalo defense that has struggled to stop the run all year.
Also, in a win-or-go-home scenario, how often are the coaches willing to take the ball out of Josh Allen's hands? Even without a reliable receiver, it should be up to the former MVP to lead Buffalo to a win.
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