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Several NFL players underwhelmed in Week 9 of the 2024 fantasy football season. Andersen Pickard identifies busts at each position and if they'll bounce back.
The ninth Sunday of the 2024 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 9. These players simply did not meet fantasy expectations this week, and it cost their managers in a big way.
Let's take a look at the biggest busts from Week 9, 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.
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Fantasy Football Quarterback Busts
Caleb Williams, 3.2 FPTS
Williams threw for 217 yards and took six sacks during Sunday's loss to the Cardinals. He has been inconsistent lately but should bounce back as a high-end fantasy QB2 with upside for Week 10 against the Patriots.
C.J. Stroud, 4.5 FPTS
Stroud struggled to get going on Thursday, completing just over one-third of his passes while taking eight sacks and losing a fumble. Fantasy managers can absolutely justify benching him ahead of Week 10 against a very strong Lions defense.
Houston’s OL knocking the ball out of Stroud’s hands is the perfect symbolism of this season smh pic.twitter.com/pNZ1c1d3Nr
— Jordan Pun (@Texans_Thoughts) November 1, 2024
Gardner Minshew II, 3.0 FPTS
Minshew lost a fumble and failed to record a touchdown prior to his benching Sunday. He and Desmond Ridder will compete for the starting quarterback job in Week 10. Neither signal-caller is a dependable fantasy option.
Jameis Winston, 9.1 FPTS
Winston came back down to earth (and then some) on Sunday as he threw three interceptions and took six sacks. The veteran salvaged his showing with a garbage-time touchdown. He heads into a Week 10 bye and will be tough to trust in fantasy football against the Saints two weeks from now.
Kyler Murray, 2.8 FPTS
The Cardinals dominated the Bears on Sunday, but much of their production came on the ground. Murray himself tallied just 154 passing yards, six rushing yards, zero touchdowns, and one lost fumble. He also took three sacks. The 27-year-old should be able to bounce back as a low-end fantasy QB1 in Week 10 against the Jets.
Joe Flacco, 2.0 FPTS
Flacco's return to the starting job didn't go incredibly well, as he turned over the football twice and failed to tally a touchdown. Next week's matchup against the Bills isn't easy, but it could be a higher-scoring game, leading to more scoring opportunities for the veteran quarterback.
Fantasy Football Running Back Busts
Tank Bigsby, 2.2 FPTS
Bigsby turned in his worst showing since Week 3 on Sunday, rushing eight times for 22 yards. He had to split touches with Travis Etienne Jr., and it didn't go particularly well for either running back. Bigsby will suddenly drop to the low-end RB3 tier for Week 10 against Minnesota.
#Jaguars Week 9 RB Usage
- Tank Bigsby: 55% snaps, 8 carries, 0 targets (22 yds)
- Travis Etienne: 31% snaps, 3 carries, 12 routes, 3 targets (30 yds)
- D'Ernest Johnson: 22% snaps, 2 carries, 8 routes, 1 target (6 yds)— Michael F. Florio (@MichaelFFlorio) November 4, 2024
Nick Chubb, 4.5 FPTS
Chubb's production was limited by the Browns repeatedly stalling on offense. A matchup against the Chargers' terrific run defense didn't bode well for the veteran running back, either. He should get back on track as a mid-to-low fantasy RB2 in Week 11 against the Saints.
Alexander Mattison, 3.6 FPTS
Mattison had his worst game of the season Sunday, rushing for 36 yards on four carries. It was the second time this year that he didn't command a target. The 26-year-old will rank as a low-end RB3 when the Raiders return to the field against the Dolphins in Week 11.
Tyrone Tracy Jr., 7.9 FPTS
Tracy was held in check by Washington on Sunday, rushing 16 times for 66 yards while adding a three-yard reception. Fortunately, he gets a very favorable matchup against the Panthers in Week 10, remaining in the fantasy RB2 tier.
Tyrone Tracy fantasy managers watching Daniel Jones vulture him at the goal line pic.twitter.com/ZQXpPTXqaV
— Yahoo Fantasy Sports (@YahooFantasy) November 3, 2024
Travis Etienne Jr., 5.0 FPTS
Etienne caught two short passes Sunday but finished with fewer touches than Bigsby. Neither running back should be trusted against the Vikings in Week 10.
Jonathan Taylor, 8.9 FPTS
Taylor totaled just 59 scrimmage yards on Sunday as he and the Colts struggled to get things going versus Minnesota. The 25-year-old should bounce back against a suspect Bills defense in Week 10.
Fantasy Football Wide Receiver Busts
Keon Coleman, 5.1 FPTS
Coleman came back down to earth on Sunday, catching just one pass. He did convert a two-point conversion, but it wasn't enough to please his fantasy managers. The rookie is a fringe top-36 fantasy receiver for Week 10 against the Colts.
Jaylen Waddle, 7.6 FPTS
Waddle got off to an incredibly slow start Sunday. He came on strong late in the game, grabbing a touchdown pass, but then erased a lot of his progress by losing 24 yards on the final play from scrimmage. The 25-year-old is a high-end fantasy WR3 in Week 10 against the Rams.
Tua had 254 yards with 5 seconds left in the game…
Waddle ran BACKWARDS for -23 yards. Tua finished with 231 yards.
His passing yards O/U was 243.5 🫠
pic.twitter.com/LgJRGguBXJ— br_betting (@br_betting) November 4, 2024
Wan'Dale Robinson, 4.0 FPTS
Robinson caught just three passes for 10 yards on Sunday, finishing with worse numbers than Malik Nabers and Darius Slayton. He's nothing more than a deep FLEX play against the Panthers in Week 10.
Marvin Harrison Jr., 4.4 FPTS
Harrison had another tough game on Sunday, totaling just 34 yards and losing a fumble. The No. 4 overall pick has finished with fewer than six fantasy points (PPR) in more than half of his games this year, dropping him to the WR3 tier for Week 10 against a solid Jets secondary.
DJ Moore, 7.3 FPTS
Moore caught just four of his nine targets Sunday, totaling 33 yards through the air. The Bears' top pass-catcher ranks as a fringe top-24 fantasy receiver next week versus New England.
Michael Pittman Jr., 2.4 FPTS
It was another tough week for Pittman, who has caught just one pass in his last two games. The Colts' 27-year-old receiver is no longer a trustworthy fantasy option heading into Week 10 against the Bills.
Brian Thomas Jr., 6.2 FPTS
Thomas was a candidate to earn more opportunities Sunday with Christian Kirk (collarbone) and Gabe Davis (shoulder) sidelined. Instead, the rookie turned in a quiet performance, catching just two passes for 22 yards against the Eagles. He also caught a two-point conversion pass.
The #Jaguars down multiple WRs:
Brian Thomas Jr: 4 Tgts, 2 Recs, 22 Yards
— Daniel Griffis (@DanDGriffis) November 4, 2024
Fantasy Football Tight End Busts
Cole Kmet, 0.0 FPTS
Kmet was not involved Sunday, failing to log a single target in the loss to Arizona. He has been a non-factor since his big game against the Jaguars in London. The 25-year-old is not a TE1 option heading into Week 10 against the Patriots.
Zach Ertz, 1.5 FPTS
Ertz had his quietest game of the season as he converted his lone target into a five-yard reception. The veteran tight end saw his double-digit fantasy point streak (PPR) end at three games on Sunday. He's a fine streaming option for Week 10 against Pittsburgh.
Kyle Pitts, 2.1 FPTS
Pitts caught just one pass for 11 yards Sunday, aggravating fantasy managers once again. With that said, he could be headed for increased opportunities in Week 10 if Drake London (hip, oblique) can't suit up.
the Kyle Pitts experience: pic.twitter.com/Ob0NwV953q
— NFL Fantasy Football (@NFLFantasy) November 3, 2024
Tyler Conklin, 0.7 FPTS
Conklin had a dud game on Thursday night, catching just one pass for a loss of three yards. The 29-year-old ranks as a high-end fantasy TE2 for Week 10 against the Cardinals.
Mark Andrews, 4.6 FPTS
Andrews had four touchdowns through three games prior to Week 9, but he was held to just two catches, 26 yards, and zero scores on Sunday against Denver. He ranks as a low-end fantasy TE1 heading into next week's game against the Bengals.
Isaiah Likely, 0.0 FPTS
Likely was unable to haul in his lone target on Sunday afternoon. The Ravens' No. 2 tight end is not a top-12 fantasy option at his position heading into Week 10.
Sam LaPorta, 4.8 FPTS
LaPorta caught two passes for 28 yards on Sunday. He's been underwhelming this season but will enter Week 10 ranking as a fringe top-12 fantasy tight end. LaPorta's Lions will face the Texans on Sunday Night Football.
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