X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

Biggest Busts of 2018 - Quarterback

With the 2018 fantasy football season at an end, Dom Petrillo analyzes the biggest busts at the quarterback (QB) position based on ADP and draft cost for the 2018 NFL year.

When it comes to bust candidates there are many ways to look at it. The easiest way is to look at their projected finishing spot compared to where they actually finished. But this is unfair in the case of injuries or other unforeseen circumstances.

Was Jimmy Garoppolo a draft day bust? Well yes, but he was also injured which should exclude him, at least in my book. Therefore, he will not be on this list as it will be reserved for those who played or had the chance to play an entire season and didn’t.

With this said, let us now take a look at some of the quarterbacks who busted in 2018 and also look and see if there is hope of a return to form in 2019.

Editor's Note: Steer clear of costly draft mistakes with RotoBaller’s expert Fantasy Football Bust analysis. We break down overvalued players, potential letdowns, and risky ADPs to avoid, so you can build a smarter, safer roster.

 

Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers

How is it possible a quarterback who had a 62% completion rate, 4,442 pass yards and a 25:2 TD:INT is a bust? Because this is not just any quarterback. This is Aaron Rodgers. A seven-time Pro Bowler with two All-Pro selections and two MVP awards. If this were Nick Foles, Andy Dalton or even Russell Wilson, we would be excited for this season. But when only two seasons ago you had a season of 40 touchdowns and seven interceptions, this seems like a down year. Such is the nature of extremely high expectations which comes with being one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time.

We know the handicaps which faced Rodgers throughout the season. From leg injuries hampering him for the entirety of the season to a litany of injuries to multiple receivers and running backs on the offense. This season was not easy for anyone in Green Bay, save Davante Adams. As the number one quarterback drafted in fantasy,  we wanted to see more from Rodgers. Although he ended up finishing as the sixth-ranked quarterback this was not due to consistency but instead to a huge Week 16 against the Jets, a game where many fantasy owners either were already out of contention or had him benched.

2019 should be a much different season for Rodgers with Matt LaFleur coming in as the new offensive-minded head coach. As long as Adams remains healthy and Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams can provide a needed boost to the run game, the Packers should be fighting once again with the Bears and possibly the Vikings for the division title. Or at least a playoff berth. Rodgers should again elevate to a top-three quarterback, if not #1 overall. With the explosion of Patrick Mahomes and possible fear of a decline for Rodgers, he is possibly a value pick as the fourth or fifth quarterback off the board.

 

Tom Brady, New England Patriots

Is the age finally starting to take a toll on the talented Mr. Brady? Quite possibly yes but there is also a lot more to be concerned about in New England. Namely the early retirement of Rob Gronkowski, which he seemingly forgot to tell anyone about, instead just deciding not to do anything this season, to the failed experiment that was Josh Gordon. The offensive weapons were less than advertised in 2018 and this also contributed to the down season for Tom Brady. It is a true testament to the coaching of Bill Belichick and the incredible toughness of Brady that the Patriots were even able to make it to their eighth straight championship game after winning their 10th straight AFC East title.

The numbers Brady put up were not stellar and should be a sign of his slowing down and quite possibly not being able to make it to his age-45 season, as he has said he wants to.

With 4,355 yards passing and 29 touchdowns compared to 11 interceptions, this would make a great season for a lesser quarterback. But again, like Rodgers, Brady is not a lesser quarterback and expectations are far higher. He is quite truly the G.O.A.T. and to finish as the 14th-ranked QB is not what is expected by a player of his caliber.

2019 does not look to be getting any better for Tom Brady as there is a good chance Rob Gronkowski officially retires this offseason, leaving players like Phillip Dorsett, Chris Hogan and Dwayne Allen to pick up his slack alongside Julian Edelman. This will lead to more of the James White and Sony Michel show from the backfield and will further reduce Brady’s numbers as he continues to wind down his career. While this could be to the benefit of the Patriots, it does not bode well for fantasy players and this could leave Brady to being a lesser player in fantasy.

 

Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings

Great receivers? Check. Good tight end? Check. Solid run game and elite defense? Check and check. So how then could the Vikings fail to even make the playoffs when they were supposed to be the odds-on favorites to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl? The answer is simple: Kirk Cousins.

4,298 pass yards with 30 touchdowns and 10 interceptions may not seem like a bust season but when you are hyped all preseason as a possible top-five fantasy quarterback and you don’t even finish as a QB1, you are a bust for our purposes.

While it is no shame to finish behind the likes of Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers, when you have an offense as high-powered as the one in Minnesota, it is a sorrow to finish behind the likes of Dak Prescott and Cam Newton in offenses which revolve, at least in 2018, entirely around the run game. Especially when your own run game was lacking due to the recovery of Dalvin Cook from the ACL injury taking far into the season and the only running back of value for most of the season being Latavius Murray.

Coming into 2019, Cousins and the Vikings should be better. With Cook now fully healthy and Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen primed for another bid year, Cousins, much like his NFC North companion Aaron Rodgers should be back to form and in the conversation for a top-five finish.

 

Blake Bortles, Jacksonville Jaguars

On a team which finished 5-11 it is pretty sad to get benched for Cody Kessler for the final month. But this is exactly what happened to Blake Bortles. After what was thought to be a breakout season in 2017, Bortles not only reverted to his previous form, but to a form he has not played at since probably high school or Pop Warner.

In 13 games, Bortles finished with 2,718 yards passing and a completion rate of 60.3%, which on its own is terrible but is actually a full percentage point higher than his career average. Having barely over 200 yards per game passing would be bad enough by itself but, when added to two other factors it becomes even worse.

The first of these factors is the added fact he only threw for 13 touchdowns and compiled 11 interceptions during those 13 games. The other issue which makes his yardage worse is the running game. While Jacksonville wanted to be a ground and pound team the likes of the Titans or Seahawks, this only works if your star running back is not missing half the season with a minor hamstring injury. To exacerbate this was the season-ending injury to backup Corey Grant and the missed games by T.J. Yeldon, leading to the trade for Carlos Hyde.

None of these matters helped Bortles for sure but in previous seasons, even when dealt a bad hand, he was still able to pull off top-12 fantasy seasons due to volume. This season he was unable to do so, and this had more to do with his own terrible play and less to do with the mediocrity of the players around him on the offense.

Looking ahead to 2019, Blake Bortles in undraftable even in two-quarterback leagues. Look for him to be either the backup in Jacksonville behind a player like Nick Foles or off the team entirely as he and the Jags look for a fresh start.

 

Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions

The last of our trio of NFC North quarterbacks, and the biggest bust of them all, Matthew Stafford had just a miserable season. Looking forward to 2019, it is still hard to see it getting much better for the strong-armed Georgia product. If this past year was any indication of what is to come in Detroit, Kerryon Johnson should be a big part of the game plan moving into the future. This means less reliance on the passing game and therefore the 650 to 700 pass attempts we have come to expect from Stafford will be reduced drastically.

Golden Tate being traded away mid-season was bad enough for the offense before it fell apart even further with the injuries to Marvin Jones and Kerryon Johnson, putting them on injured reserve to finish the season. As much as everyone is in love with Kenny Golladay, he could not do anything as the only option left on the offense by the end of the 2018 season. If Jones and Johnson are able to come back in full health in 2019, there might be a bounce back in store for Stafford. Otherwise, he should be avoided like sushi at a remote gas station.

In 16 games in 2018, Stafford finished with only 3,777 passing yards with 21 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. These are his worst numbers since his rookie season and if Matt Patricia cannot get anything more done in 2019, it may be the last year in Detroit for him as well as Stafford. Although my guess is Stafford ain't going nowhere bro. Even though he is not an elite quarterback in the NFL, he is a franchise quarterback and the Lions are not going to give up on a 30-year old quarterback who should be entering the prime of his career.

If you draft him for 2019, I would be a little bit skittish about my situation at quarterback. But if you are in dynasty or super flex leagues, he still should have a bit of value and should for sure be rostered in both. He could be a great dynasty bridge until your younger guns are solidified, or until you can draft some in 2020.

More NFL Year-in-Review




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Stephen Thompson

Returns At UFC Nashville
Steve Garcia

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Calvin Kattar

In Dire Need Of Victory
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere A Favorite At UFC Nashville
Nate Landwehr

Aims To Bounce Back
MMA

Austen Lane Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Vitor Petrino

Set For His Heavyweight Debut
Tuco Tokkos

Set To Open Up UFC Nashville Main Card
Junior Tafa

Set For Light-Heavyweight Bout
Alex Bregman

Will Return to Red Sox This Weekend
Chris Sale

Braves Won't Consider Trading Chris Sale
Clarke Schmidt

to Undergo Season-Ending Elbow Surgery on Friday
Nick Nash

Unlikely to Make Falcons Active Roster
Lane Johnson

in No Rush To Retire
Jalen Williams

Signs Contract Extension With Thunder
Blake Corum

has "Gotten His Speed Back"
Jarquez Hunter

Picking Up Rams Offense Quickly
Alijah Martin

Agrees to Two-Way Deal With Raptors
Tristan Vukcevic

Set to Return to Washington
Kirk Cousins

Feels Misled by Falcons
Bijan Robinson

Says Falcons Have "Outlandish Goals" for the Running Game
Luther Burden III

Bears Expect Luther Burden III to be Ready for Training Camp
Cole Kmet

an Unlikely Trade Piece
Tony Pollard

Titans Hope to Balance Rushing Attack With Tony Pollard, Tyjae Spears
Byron Buxton

Sitting Thursday
Quentin Johnston

Not Assured of Starting Role
Cordarrelle Patterson

on the Roster Bubble in Pittsburgh?
Shedeur Sanders

Not Assured of Roster Spot in Cleveland?
Wan'Dale Robinson

Hoping For More Downfield Opportunities
Anfernee Simons

Celtics Are "Actively Trying to Trade" Anfernee Simons
NBA

Alex Ducas Heading to Australia
Dominick Barlow

Inks Two-Way Deal With 76ers
Jordan McLaughlin

Spurs Re-Sign Jordan McLaughlin to One-Year Deal
Dylan Harper

Out Thursday, Expected to Play Saturday
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. Homers Twice on Wednesday
Mike Trout

Homers Twice in Win Over Rangers
Jazz Chisholm Jr.

Leads Yankees to Victory
Salvador Perez

Crushes Two Homers in Win
Cleveland Browns

Greg Newsome on the Trade Block?
VJ Edgecombe

Diagnosed with a Sprained Thumb
Zach Tom

An Extension Candidate in Green Bay
Devin Booker

Agrees to Extension with Phoenix
Trevor Williams

to Undergo Season-Ending Elbow Surgery
Kyren Williams

Rams Not Willing to Pay Kyren Williams Top-Market Money?
Byron Buxton

Exits After Hit-by-Pitch, X-Rays Negative
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. Playing on Wednesday
Alex Bregman

has "Really Good Chance" to Return Before All-Star Break
Christian Kirk

the No. 2 WR in Houston?
Teoscar Hernández

Teoscar Hernandez Expected to Return on Friday
Jerome Ford

the Likely Starter for Cleveland to Begin 2025
Chig Okonkwo

"Poised" for Best Season of Career
Xavier Watts

Falcons High on Xavier Watts
Xavier Restrepo

Training With Star Wideouts
Walter Clayton Jr.

Leads Jazz to Summer League Win
Carter Bryant

Struggles in Summer League Loss
Kyle Filipowski

Drops a Double-Double in Summer League Action on Tuesday
Oklahoma City Thunder

Malevy Leons Logs Impressive Summer League Outing on Tuesday
Dalton Knecht

Collects 25 Points in Lakers Summer League Win
Los Angeles Lakers

Darius Bazley Drops 27 Points in Summer League on Tuesday
Gary Woodland

Looking to Find Rhythm at Scottish Open
Aaron Rai

Brings Consistent Play to Scottish Open
Maverick McNealy

a Solid Value Play at Scottish Open
Aldrich Potgieter

Making Scottish Open Debut
Tom Kim

Looks to Rebound at Scottish Open
Brian Harman

a Safe Option at Scottish Open
Luke Clanton

a Sneaky Value Play at Scottish Open
Sam Burns

Looking to Stay Hot at Scottish Open
Chet Holmgren

Agrees to Rookie Max Extension
Alex Bregman

Not Returning Wednesday
Jhoan Duran

Unavailable Due to Illness
Shane McClanahan

Tosses Clean Frame in First Rehab Appearance
Jacob Wilson

Day-to-Day After HBP
Nicolai Hojgaard

May Feel More at Home in Europe
Harry Hall

Showing Fine Form Heading to Scotland
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. to be Reassessed Wednesday
Ryan Fox

Playing Well Since Early Spring Struggles
Malaki Branham

Traded to Washington
Max Greyserman

has Solid History at the Genesis Scottish Open
Blake Wesley

Moves to Washington
Harris English

Aims High for Scotland Next
Corey Conners

Primed for the Genesis Scottish Open
Kelly Olynyk

on the Move Again
Daniel Brown

Attempts the Scottish Swing Again
Anthony Davis

Recovering From Eye Surgery
Jacob Bridgeman

Needs Putter to Work at Genesis Scottish Open
Cal Raleigh

Continues Historic Homer Pace Tuesday
Jacob Wilson

Exits Early On Tuesday With Left Hand Contusion
Scottie Scheffler

Headlines Field at Genesis Scottish Open
Rory McIlroy

a Smart Play for Scottish Open
Adam Scott

Looking to Build on History at The Renaissance Club
NASCAR

Sepp Straka Not Likely to Find Momentum at Scottish Open
Justin Rose

Hopes Month Hiatus Helps Him Bounce Back at Scottish Open
Luis Garcia

Fans Four in Rehab Outing
NHL

Tyler Johnson Retires After 13 NHL Seasons
Jack McBain

Inks New Five-Year Deal with Mammoth
Cam York

Re-Signs with Flyers for Five Years
Jake Knapp

Fits the Mold for Success at The Renaissance Club
Ty Gibbs

Finishes Second at Chicago and Advances in In-Season Challenge
Alex Bowman

Defeats Bubba Wallace in In-Season Challenge, but Not Without Controversy
Alex Bowman

Bubba Wallace Wrecked by Alex Bowman Again, Putting Playoffs in Doubt
Michael McDowell

Throttle Failure Ends Michael McDowell's Chances to Win at Chicago
Austin Hill

Earns First NASCAR Cup Series Top Ten at Chicago
Tyler Reddick

Scores a Strong Third-Place Run at Chicago
Kyle Busch

Matches his Best Career Finish At Chicago on Sunday
Denny Hamlin

Fights his Way to a Top-5 Finish at Chicago
William Byron

has his Worst Weekend of the Season at Chicago
Sonny Milano

on Track to Be Ready for Training Camp
Jakub Dobes

Signs Two-Year Deal with Canadiens
NHL

Hendrix Lapierre Signs One-Year Deal with Capitals
Carson Hocevar

Should DFS Players Consider Carson Hocevar for Chicago Lineups?
Tye Kartye

Kraken Re-Sign Tye Kartye for Two Years
Ross Chastain

May be A Decent DFS Option for Chicago Lineups
Dmitri Voronkov

Signs Two-Year, $8.35 Million Extension with Blue Jackets
Ryan Preece

Should DFS Players Roster Ryan Preece at Chicago?
Austin Dillon

Is Too Great of A Risk to Add to Chicago Lineups
Zane Smith

Is A Value Play Worth Rostering At Chicago
Austin Hill

is A Favorable Value Option for Chicago DFS Lineups
Ty Dillon

Is Ty Dillon A Decent Driver to Add For NASCAR DFS At Chicago?
William Byron

Qualifying Crash Makes William Byron a Likely DFS Must-Have
Alex Bowman

Should Finish Well, but Probably Costs Too Much for Serious DFS Consideration
Joey Logano

Has Been Relatively Mediocre on Road Courses Lately
Ryan Blaney

Doesn't Really Fit Neatly into Optimal DFS Lineups
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF