Potential Busts for Week 15: Ranking the Top 10 for Fantasy Football

So you've gotten to this point: The Fantasy Playoffs. You've endured the comebacks, the Monday night losses, the 40 point individual explosions, the weeks where teams approach 200, the weeks where the team playing four injured players ends up winning, the trashtalk, the halted friendships, and the like. And now you're here. Congratulations.

Now quit smiling and get to work. You're going to need a perfect lineup from here on out every week if you are going to make a real run for the 'chip. So I'm about to become your best friend considering how costly a BUST label is on a playoff lineup. Based on matchup ratings, previous performances, Johnny Football-ness, and general hunches that I have, here are ten players who could potentially ruin your fantasy football season (and thus, your life) when they drop the ball this weekend in Week 15 of NFL action.

(On an unrelated note, pardon my absence during the last month as I dealt with the passing of my father. As a tribute to such a good man, I'm going to do the only thing that I can think to do: call out players from his two favorite teams. And considering the circumstances surrounding both teams, it wasn't all that difficult. Thanks Pop.)

 

Top Ten Potential Busts & Disappointments for Week 15

1. Chris Ivory - RB New York Jets

I know that the blogsphere is all over Ivory and his Jets backfeildmate Chris Johnson considering the upcoming matchup against the Tennessee Titans (dead last in the league giving up 141.5 rush yards a game) and how important a random 20 point outing from a player in a good matchup can be. I'm just not convinced on Chris Ivory. There’s too much Rex Ryan involved. Something tells me that Ryan gives Johnson, who spent six years and had a 2000 yard season with the Titans, ample opportunity to stick it to his former organization.

And something tells me that Johnson, who has made a career out of doing what he had to do in order to prove himself, will take advantage. This leaves Ivory in a position of putting up or shutting up when his number does get called (let me you remind you that these are the Jets; shutting up is each one of their middle names). He’ll need a touchdown to pair with his inevitable 70 yards if he wants to keep his fantasy owners off his back. But he doesn’t actually care about getting us off his back. Because all of this is fake to him. (Why is this game fun again? Oh yeah, because sometimes Jordy Nelson wins you a playoff matchup by a single point on Monday night. That's why)

 

2. Colin Kaepernick - QB San Francisco 49ers

I don’t know if you’re on the mailing list so it’s very possible that you’re not actually getting the emails, but one went out this morning reminding all of us that the Legion of Boom, is in fact, back. And probably here to stay as long as everyone stays healthy.

You hear that Kaep? They’re back. And they’re hungrier than ever, considering all the mean things the media was saying about them for the first twelve or so weeks. You didn't realize that two weeks ago and look what happened. The internal issues that you and your team are having are only going to intensify after Seattle does nasty things to you in the process of establishing NFC West dominance. It is going to hurt and it not going to be fun in the least bit.

Please, Kaep please keep yourself composed during your post-game media session. You can make it through all of this alive, dude.

 

3. Johnny Manziel - QB Cleveland Browns

I'll be honest. Johnny Manziel has never been too high on my list of favorite people, and yes that bias is overflowing into my prediction. But that’s not the only bias infiltrating this pick. So is the “Playing a divisional and in-state rival basically a loss away from having any playoff hope” bias. And the “Cleveland’s last six rookie quarterbacks making their NFL debut lost” bias. And the “Cincinatti had a week to plan for a quarterback whose chance of surviving in the league was put to question pre-draft yet now everyone is convinced that he will save the season” bias. And of course the general "God hates Cleveland" bias. But mostly, it’s that first bias. Of course if you like him so much so that you’re willing to risk the whole season on it, then frankly, be my guest

 

4. Eddie Lacy - RB Green Bay Packers

The facts: Green Bay has a top notch offense. Buffalo has a pretty stellar defense, especially their ability to stop the run (8th in the league), and Buffalo kicks it up a notch at home in front of fans cheering for a purpose (imagine how drunk  excited you would be at every game if you found out your team is sticking around after years of rumors that a move was coming).  Something is bound to give.

I expect Buffalo to focus on stopping Lacy and James Starks and then drop to their knees and pray that Aaron Rodgers, Randall Cobb and Jordy Nelson don’t end up beating them instead. Buffalo has allowed only a single 100 yard rusher this season and that was back in Week 7. Lacy may be on fire in recent weeks but we’ll see a hiccup from the 22 year old this Sunday, not that it should ultimately cost Green Bay in the end though.

 

5. Andre Williams - RB New York Giants

The Giants’ rookie had the luxury of running against Tennessee’s putrid run defense on Sunday to the tune of 134 yards, saving many fantasy seasons along the way. In a game that was a blowout early, the Giants had no issue giving Williams extra touches (24 while he was averaging just 9 in the 5 games before) while they allowed Rashad Jennings to get some extra rest. This trend will not continue against a divisional foe like Washington which actually boasts one of the better rush defenses in the league (11th in the league)

 

6. Roddy White - WR Atlanta Falcons

It seems an offense like Atlanta, which absolutely mystified everyone this year as they struggled to even generate a fraction of the numbers Matt Ryan and Co. were accustomed to in years passed, are set to make an imprint on the history books after all. The yardage that Julio Jones gains in the next three weeks may not break Calvin Johnson’s 2012 record of 1,964 receiving record, but barring injury or other catastrophic event, his performance could end up being one of the wackiest streaks that we've seen in a long time.

Considering he’ll need to AVERAGE 179 yards over the final three games (and the fact that we are even considering this to be a possibility speaks volumes to how good Julio Jones actually is), this does not bode well for Roddy White. White, who is clearly on the downslope of his career, will probably play third fiddle to Julio Jones and Julio Jones as the season wraps up- which makes him very touchdown dependent. The Steelers come to town this weekend and they’re fighting for their lives in the dreaded AFC North. Jones is looking to be a game time decision at this point, and if he doesn't play, Roddy is a no brainer start. But if Jones does indeed play, it is not good for Roddy.

 

7. Mychal Rivera - TE Oakland Raiders

This second year former Tennessee Volunteers has a bright future and the Raiders should be exciting about his and Derek Carr’s development and it’s potential to help steady an improving culture in Oakland. So they’ll be able to bring a talented and semihealthy core of a team to Los Angeles whenever they decide to up and leave.

Unfortunately, right now the team is not there. So don’t put too many chips onto the prospect of his 109 yard game from last week carrying over to their game against Kansas City on Sunday. The Cheifs are beasts at home and have the speed to keep Rivera at bay. Don’t forget the emotional boost of Eric Berry’s cancer diagnosis on the rest of Kansas City’s defense, as well. You can find better value elsewhere at tight end.

 

8. Emmanuel Sanders - WR Denver Broncos

We've officially gotten to the point of the season where Peyton Manning abandons his prolific passing abilities to prove that his team can actually run the ball during the playoffs when they need to. So C.J. Anderson and Juwan Thompson owners should be amped but Emmanuel Sanders and Wes Welker owners should be a little frustrated.

The Broncos travel to San Diego to face a battered Chargers team looking to redeem a Week 8 loss in Denver. That game Sanders had 120 yards and I’d imagine the San Diegians remember the performance. The Charger defense is the 8th best in the league at stopping the pass and, save last weeks game against New England, have a habit of slowing down opposing teams who travel to them out on the coast.

 

9. Charles Johnson - WR Minnesota Vikings

Since Cordarelle Patterson retired a few weeks back (What? He didn’t retire?) fantasy enthusiast have been wondering who would take over as the primary pass catcher for Teddy Bridgewater. Charles Johnson seems poised to take the reigns. Not this week though. He’ll be going up against Rashean Mathis and Darius Slay and the rest of Detroit’s top notch defense this weekend at Ford Field. Considering he is no longer unknown, the Lions are going to be all over Johnson (assuming they don’t get to Bridgewater first). Keep an eye out for these Lions if they do end up surging here at the end of the season. With their defense, their two back system, and basically an automatic reception with Calvin Johnson, it would not be surprising if they end up making some noise in the playoffs.

 

10. Cam Newton - QB Carolina Panthers

Thanks for keeping two of my teams in the playoffs with that massive game last Sunday. Stop flipping your truck.