Biggest Fantasy Football Busts of the Week - Fantasy Outlooks for A.J. Brown, Justin Herbert, Josh Jacobs, Jakobi Meyers, Ladd McConkey

January 12, 2026

Several NFL players underwhelmed during Wild Card Weekend of the 2025 fantasy football season and NFL playoffs. Andersen Pickard identifies busts at each position and whether they'll bounce back.

Fantasy football leagues are done by now, but that doesn't mean NFL fans were immune to watching their favorite players underperform this weekend.

Many NFL players drastically underperformed during Wild Card Weekend. These "busts" put managers, bettors, and DFS players at a disadvantage during the first week of the NFL playoffs.

Let's take a look at the biggest busts from Wild Card Weekend. 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

Justin Herbert, 9.1 FPTS

It was an ugly game for Herbert, who only partially salvaged his fantasy performance with 57 rushing yards. He was limited to just 159 passing yards while taking six sacks and losing a fumble. Herbert's league-worst offensive line hindered his fantasy value for most of the season, but if the unit gets reinforced during free agency, he can be a top-eight fantasy quarterback in 2026.

Milton Williams with the exclamation point!

LACvsNE on NBC
Stream on @NFLPlus + Peacock pic.twitter.com/3AdWbXrtax

— NFL (@NFL) January 12, 2026

Fantasy Football Running Back Busts

Josh Jacobs, 6.8 FPTS

The Packers went pass-heavy on Saturday as Jordan Love threw a touchdown pass to four different receivers. Jacobs still handled 20 touches, but he averaged just 2.9 yards per carry and wasn't very productive as a receiver. An injury and inefficiency limited Jacobs to an average of 4.6 fantasy points over his final three games.

TreVeyon Henderson, 4.6 FPTS

Henderson had nine carries for 27 yards, and he also added a nine-yard catch. Rhamondre Stevenson stole the show out of the backfield, leaving Henderson with fewer touches than usual. The rookie still has a chance to produce heading into a battle with Houston or Pittsburgh, but Stevenson is the safer play.

Kyle Monangai, 5.9 FPTS

Monangai remained the clear No. 2 option behind D'Andre Swift on Saturday, rushing for 27 yards on eight carries. We saw earlier this season that Swift and Monangai can co-exist as fantasy-relevant running backs, but only when Chicago goes run-heavy. Monangai will be a strong RB3/flex entering 2026 fantasy drafts.

Rico Dowdle, 2.5 FPTS

Dowdle was an afterthought on Saturday, rushing for just nine yards on five carries. He also caught one pass for an additional six receiving yards. Dowdle, who flashed league-winning upside during the middle of the fantasy season, lost his grasp on the lead-back role just as fast as he gained it. The veteran running back hinted that he'll test the open market during free agency.

Rico Dowdle says his decreased carries at the end of the season will impact his thinking in free agency. Says he wants to go somewhere where he can get bulk of the carries. pic.twitter.com/48v2892fZS

— Joe Person (@josephperson) January 11, 2026

James Cook, 7.1 FPTS

A 7.1-point performance is nothing to scoff at, but it was an uncharacteristic performance for Cook. The 2025 rushing champion was held to just 46 rushing yards on 15 carries, and he caught two passes. Interestingly, he hasn't posted double-digit fantasy points since Week 16. He'll look to bounce back against the Broncos in the Divisional Round.

Omarion Hampton, -0.1 FPTS

Hampton entered this weekend with an ankle injury, but it seemed like he was good to go after the Chargers announced he was active. Instead, he had just one carry for a loss of one yard. He'll now have a full offseason to get healthy, and he should be a top-15 running back in 2026 fantasy drafts.

Fantasy Football Wide Receiver Busts

A.J. Brown, 5.5 FPTS

Brown finished his tumultuous season with a modest three catches for 25 yards on Sunday. His Wild Card performance was full of drama, as cameras showed him getting into a shouting match with head coach Nick Sirianni on the sideline. It's possible that Brown, who is a top trade candidate, has played his final snap with Philadelphia.

Another look at the exchange between AJ Brown and HC Nick Sirianni on the sideline. pic.twitter.com/Syn0hr0MFK

— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) January 11, 2026

Quentin Johnston, 5.0 FPTS

Johnston caught three of his six targets for 20 yards on Sunday night. None of the Chargers' pass-catchers were very productive, and Johnston was no exception. His big-play upside disappeared as he snapped his streak of two consecutive games with at least 98 yards.

Xavier Legette, 1.8 FPTS

Legette had four targets on Saturday, but he caught just one pass for eight yards. The 24-year-old finished the year on an underwhelming note with just one catch in three of his last four games. He'll enter 2026 as the Panthers' No. 3 receiver behind Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker, and he could slip further down the depth chart if Carolina adds additional pass-catchers.

Stefon Diggs, 3.6 FPTS

The Patriots won on Sunday, but Diggs wasn't a primary factor. He caught just two of five targets for 15 yards, taking a backseat to Kayshon Boutte and Hunter Henry in the passing game. The veteran receiver is an intriguing bounce-back candidate for next week, especially if the Patriots play against Pittsburgh rather than Houston.

Keenan Allen, 5.5 FPTS

Allen was targeted eight times on Sunday, but he caught just three passes for 25 yards. Although some of the incompletions weren't his fault, it's fair to say that Allen didn't have a very good game on Sunday night. He'll now hit free agency with rumors of retirement starting to swirl.

Jakobi Meyers, 2.2 FPTS

Meyers was targeted four times on Sunday, but he was only able to catch one pass for 12 yards. Jaguars' prized mid-season addition wasn't a major factor as the Jaguars tried — and failed — to defeat the Bills. He has low-end WR2 appeal for 2026, but Jacksonville could have a crowded room with Meyers alongside Brian Thomas Jr., Travis Hunter, and Parker Washington.

CHECKMATE BISHOP.

BILLS SEAL THE WIN ON THE INTERCEPTION. pic.twitter.com/cLqLvUYjlX

— NFL (@NFL) January 11, 2026

Ladd McConkey, 6.2 FPTS

McConkey's inconsistent season continued with a subpar showing against the Patriots. He caught three of his four targets for 32 yards, failing to establish himself as one of the league's true alpha receivers. He could have a higher ceiling in 2026 if Keenan Allen departs during free agency.

Kendrick Bourne, 0.0 FPTS

Bourne was not targeted in the 49ers' win over the Eagles. There was plenty of speculation that he would step up as the No. 2 receiver with Ricky Pearsall (knee, ankle) sidelined, but instead, Demarcus Robinson filled that role. Bourne lacks DFS appeal heading into the Divisional Round against Seattle.

Fantasy Football Tight End Busts

Luke Musgrave, 1.9 FPTS

Musgrave continued to operate as the Packers' No. 1 tight end on Saturday, but he finished with just one catch for nine yards. He failed to step up as a fantasy-relevant replacement for Tucker Kraft (knee) during the back half of the season, and he'll remain off the fantasy radar in most leagues ahead of 2026 drafts.

Brenton Strange, 2.9 FPTS

Strange caught two of five targets for nine yards on Sunday. He finished the 2025 season with at least five targets in each of his last four games. He should remain a fringe top-12 fantasy tight end heading into next summer's drafts.

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