X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Join the Best Live Fantasy Chat Community!

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


LINEUP RESOURCES

Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Player Comparisons
News and Alerts

Biggest Wide Receiver Busts of 2022 - Fantasy Football Year In Review

Courtland Sutton - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

The wide receiver position is always the deepest in fantasy football, but there are always landmines in preseason drafts that can prove to be costly at the season's end. Whether a wideout had poor quarterback play compared to preseason expectations or saw a sharp decline as they aged another year, there were plenty of underwhelming players at wide receiver during the 2022 season.

However, evaluating each player on a case-by-case basis is important because it's a dangerous game to simply fade a player altogether in 2023 fantasy drafts. Some of these "bust" wide receivers will be in a better situation next year, while others could simply get luckier on the injury front. Almost all players who underperform see their ADP (average draft position) drop ahead of the next season, so savvy fantasy managers should consider taking the discount if it's appropriate.

Without further ado, let's dive into the biggest wide receiver busts of 2022.

Editor's Note: Our incredible team of writers received 13 award nominations by the Fantasy Sports Writers Association including Baseball Writer of the Year, Football Writers of the Year, Golf Writer of the Year and many more! Be sure to follow their analysis, rankings and advice all year long, and win big with RotoBaller! Read More!

 

Biggest Wide Receiver Busts of 2022

Note: Listed ADPs are from National Fantasy Championship from Aug. 8 to Sept 8, 2022; WR ranking based on PPR scoring

Deebo Samuel, San Francisco 49ers - ADP: WR7; 2022 Rank: WR35

Samuel missed four games due to injury, but even when he was active, he was far from the top-10 receiver fantasy managers hoped for when they selected him on draft day. In 13 games played, Samuel eclipsed 100 yards just once and scored just five touchdowns all season.

There was some risk going into 2022 with Trey Lance under center, who was expected to take passing attempts out of the offense, but even with Jimmy Garoppolo and Brock Purdy in the lineup, he only turned in three top-24 weekly performances at the position. Ultimately, he's not a true wide receiver and Christian McCaffrey's addition to the lineup hurt his backfield work, so he was not able to turn in big fantasy days with volume or a high touchdown rate. On the year, he averaged just seven touches per game.

In 2023, he's still a player with intrigue, but his ADP must come back to reality for him to be worth a selection. If Lance is the starter in 2023, he'll once again be a threat to poach red-zone running touchdowns and make the Niners even more run-heavy.

 

Michael Pittman Jr., Indianapolis Colts - ADP: WR9; 2022 Rank: WR20

Pittman was still a solid fantasy option, but considering he gained first-round steam in high-stakes fantasy leagues, his season was mighty underwhelming. Ultimately, the Colts' offense fell apart with sub-par offensive line play, Jonathan Taylor's injury woes, and the regression of former MVP quarterback, Matt Ryan. The assumption that Ryan was still even an above-average quarterback led fantasy managers to get too high on Pittman, which ended up being poor process.

Pittman has yet to keep the same starting quarterback two years in a row, as Philip Rivers, Carson Wentz, Matt Ryan, Sam Ehlinger, and Nick Foles have all started games for the Colts in his three-year career. In 2023, Indianapolis might have a rookie quarterback. Rookie signal-callers are historically not great for supporting high-end fantasy wideouts, so he could find himself in the same situation next year.

His attractiveness for 2023 depends entirely on his ADP in the thick of draft season, but after two seasons of nearly 1,000 receiving yards and at least four touchdowns, he'll remain well revered on the fantasy radar and will likely be faded by the masses next season. He might be a player to target next year if the price becomes ultra-cheap.

 

Courtland Sutton, Denver Broncos - ADP: WR15; 2022 Rank: WR45

In Weeks 2-5, Sutton finished as no worse than the WR28 in each of those four weeks. In fact, Sutton averaged 83.4 receiving yards per game through his first five contests, which put him on pace for a 1,400-yard season. However, the rest of the year was an all-out disaster for Sutton and his fantasy managers. After Week 5, Sutton finished outside the top 65 wide receivers four times and did not see a finish higher than the WR28 in all 10 games played.

Almost all Denver Broncos players can be found on 2022 bust lists, but Sutton and quarterback Russell Wilson take the top spots. Wilson had his worst year as a pro, throwing just 16 touchdowns to 11 interceptions, so naturally, Sutton mightily underperformed. It's not fair to blame it all on Wilson, as the Sutton hype was likely exaggerated far too much heading into 2022.

Sean Payton is now the Broncos coach, but it's important to use caution when assuming a head coach can easily fix an offense. While Payton's New Orleans Saints teams consistently produced top-five offensive attacks during his tenure, there's a chance Wilson is outright washed and Sutton was never going to reach a top-15 wideout ceiling. Sutton will turn 28 in 2023 and will be three years removed from his 1,000-yard season, so if Payton's hiring makes his ADP rise to the WR2 range, he's probably someone to fade.

 

Allen Robinson, Los Angeles Rams - ADP: WR20; 2022 Rank: WR81

Robinson caught just 38 passes for 410 yards and one touchdown in his final season with the Chicago Bears, but the fantasy football community as a whole chalked it up to poor quarterback play and a mere down year for the former Pro Bowler. However, his regression continued in 2022 with the Rams, even when he and Matthew Stafford were healthy. On the season, he finished with 33 receptions on 52 targets for 339 yards, and three touchdowns (10 games)

In nine games with Stafford, Robinson finished as a top-24 weekly finisher at the position just three times. His highest finish came in Week 6, where he caught five passes for 63 yards and one touchdown. However, he scored fewer than 5.5 PPR fantasy points in Weeks 1, 3, 4, 5, and 9. He started as a lock in fantasy lineups, but was completely unplayable after the first couple of weeks. He missed the final seven games of the year on season-ending Injured Reserve and looks to be way past his prime as a fantasy-relevant superstar.

It's one thing to fall off of elite status like Adam Thielen but remain a flex consideration. Robinson's fall from the top is even more dramatic. Entering his age-30 season, there's a good chance he'll be completely off the fantasy radar for the remainder of his career.

 

Gabriel Davis, Buffalo Bills - ADP: WR21; 2022 Rank: WR34

The hype train got off the track after Davis had a monstrous four-touchdown game in the 2021 playoffs, but once again, he failed to convert a high percentage of his targets in 2022. While Davis had a couple of week-winning performances this year suited for Best Ball, he was a liability in traditional fantasy football formats. In 16 games played, Davis produced two WR1 weeks and two WR2 weeks. Otherwise, he posted 10 weeks outside the top 36 wide receivers and six weeks outside the top 60 wideouts.

Catching just 48 of his 93 targets, his boom-or-bust profile doesn't yield enough "boom" to be worth a selection as a hefty price tag in PPR leagues. Despite totaling 836 yards and seven touchdowns, he failed to finish as a high-end WR3 for the third consecutive year.

Buffalo looked depleted at pass-catcher in the AFC Divisional loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, so there's a good chance they make an attempt to bring in a legitimate wide receiver. If that's the case, Davis will be relegated to the WR3 and mere field-stretcher role. He'll still be on the fantasy and DFS radar, but he shouldn't be drafted among the top-25 wideouts again in his current situation.

 

Brandin Cooks, Houston Texans - ADP: WR24; 2022 Rank: WR51

Cooks posted a 90-catch, 1,000 yards season with quarterback Davis Mills in 2021, so most fantasy gamers assumed he'd have a similar or even better season with Mills entering year two of his NFL career. However, that was far from the case. Cooks still led Houston with 93 targets, but he caught just 57 of them for 699 yards and three touchdowns in 13 games. Cooks was rumored to be a trade candidate at the trade deadline and he wasn't happy when he remained a Texan after the deadline passed.

There are rumors he could be on the trade block this offseason, but if he remains a Texan, he might be headed toward another down season. Even if Houston brings in a highly touted rookie in Bryce Young or CJ Stroud, we can't assume either of them will be superstars right away.

If he's traded to a juicy landing spot with a high-end quarterback, his ADP could return to the WR2 range. That said, we just saw Michael Pittman Jr. and Courtland Sutton bust after a projected situation upgrade, so it's important not to get too high on the soon-to-be 30-year-old wide receiver.

 

Elijah Moore, New York Jets - ADP: WR32; 2022 Rank: WR80

Moore's rookie season was cut short by injury, but we saw flashes of fantasy upside in 2021 in his limited action. Heading into 2022, we knew Garrett Wilson could eat into his workload, but no one knew just how much Moore would struggle. In 16 games, Moore totaled 37 catches on 65 targets, 466 yards, and one touchdown. He scored fewer than 6.6 PPR fantasy points in 10 of those 16 games.

His best performance of the season came in Week 12, where he finished as the WR28 with two catches for 64 yards and a touchdown. Ultimately, he was arguably the biggest fantasy bust wideout of the year, since he wasn't even roster-able at the end of the season and was a complete waste of a draft pick. Moore demanded a trade near the deadline but New York's front office did not fulfill his request. However, the team fired offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur, who Moore reportedly had a major problem with.

Additionally, the Jets are rumored to be interested in Aaron Rodgers or Derek Carr, so Moore has a chance to bounce back at a discounted price in 2023. If Zach Wilson remains the Jets' signal-caller, his fantasy outlook is bleak once again.

 

Honorable Mentions

Diontae Johnson, Pittsburgh Steelers - ADP: WR18; 2022 Rank: WR29

Johnson finished the year with 147 targets (T-eighth most) but hauled in just 87 receptions for 882 yards and no touchdowns. While he underperformed ADP, he was still a flex-worthy option, so he's worth a mention here.

Johnson is a buy-low candidate in dynasty leagues and should carry plenty of fantasy intrigue in 2023. As Kenny Pickett and the Steelers' offense grows and improves together, Johnson should see an uptick in fantasy scoring.

 

Treylon Burks, Tennessee Titans - ADP: WR47; 2022 Rank: WR85

Burks battled a turf toe injury that caused him to miss four games on Injured Reserve and he missed one and three-quarters of a game after being knocked out on his first career touchdown reception. There were some promising signs from the first-round pick, but he ultimately finished far below his ADP.

However, his quarterback situation was murky after Ryan Tannehill suffered a high-ankle sprain, so it was tough to fully evaluate him. If Tennessee's offense can add offensive line help and Burks can stay healthy, he still has top-24 upside.

His best performance came against the Green Bay Packers, where he hauled in seven of his eight targets for 111 yards and caught a deep ball on Jaire Alexander.

 

Chase Claypool, Chicago Bears - ADP: WR48; 2022 Rank: WR70

Claypool is a mere honorable mention selection because he wasn't expected to do much this season. However, he got the chance to be the Bears' clear No. 1 wideout after a midseason trade and was ultimately a worse fantasy option after the change of scenery.

In seven games with Chicago, Claypool caught just 14 passes for 140 yards and no touchdowns. Claypool's 2020 rookie season in which he totaled nearly 900 yards and 11 touchdowns seems more and more like an outlier season the further away it becomes. Surely, Chicago will add more weapons at wideout this offseason, so Claypool's fantasy value could be as low as ever.



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!




Win Big With RotoBaller

Be sure to also check out all of our other daily fantasy football articles and analysis to help you set those winning lineups, including this new RotoBaller YouTube video:

More Fantasy Football Analysis




LINEUP RESOURCES

Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Player Comparisons
News and Alerts

ROTOBALLER PLAYER NEWS

Bobby Miller21 mins ago

Carries On Scintillating Start
Josh Hader1 hour ago

Fires Perfect Ninth Inning
Brandon Belt1 hour ago

Exits Early On Saturday
Andrew Abbott2 hours ago

Extends Scoreless Streak
J.D. Davis2 hours ago

Back In The Lineup On Saturday
Carlos Correa2 hours ago

Hits Go-Ahead Grand Slam
Jarren Duran2 hours ago

Sitting Out On Saturday
Seiya Suzuki2 hours ago

Absent On Saturday
Josh Fleming3 hours ago

To Visit Specialist Next Week
Andrés Giménez3 hours ago

Andres Gimenez Absent On Saturday
Vinnie Pasquantino3 hours ago

Placed On Injured List
Anthony Rizzo4 hours ago

Out Of The Lineup On Saturday
Andrew Painter4 hours ago

To Throw Bullpen Session On Saturday
James Karinchak4 hours ago

Optioned To Minors
Damon Severson4 hours ago

Traded To Columbus
Adin Hill4 hours ago

Likely Between The Pipes In Game 4
Cedric Mullins6 hours ago

Has Resumed Baseball Activities
Garrett Cooper6 hours ago

Has Clean MRI On His Arm
Aaron Judge6 hours ago

Has Swelling Decrease In His Injured Toe
Tommy Hunter7 hours ago

Designated For Assignment
Vinnie Pasquantino7 hours ago

Lands On The Injured List
Ryan Mountcastle7 hours ago

Still Out Of The Lineup
Royce Lewis7 hours ago

Not In The Lineup On Saturday
Trey Lance8 hours ago

Spring Stats Weren't Very Impressive
C.J. Uzomah8 hours ago

Injured In Friday's Practice
Hunter Renfrow8 hours ago

Is Healthy
Las Vegas Raiders9 hours ago

Bilal Nichols Separating Himself This Offseason
Kyle Lowry9 hours ago

Posts 13 Points, Seven Assists In Friday's Loss
Aaron Rodgers9 hours ago

Takes Part In Friday's Practice
Ty Chandler9 hours ago

Looking At Increased Role
Bam Adebayo9 hours ago

Endures Another Rough Shooting Night
Seattle Seahawks9 hours ago

Mike Jackson Has Strong Minicamp
Jimmy Butler9 hours ago

Improves Efficiency In Game 4 Loss
DK Metcalf9 hours ago

Jaxon Smith-Njigba Impressing DK Metcalf
Bruce Brown9 hours ago

Comes Up Big In Fourth Quarter Friday
Jamal Murray9 hours ago

Continues Spectacular Playmaking In Finals
Nikola Jokic9 hours ago

Battles Through Ankle Sprain And Foul Trouble
Aaron Gordon10 hours ago

Scores Playoff Career-High 27 Points
Jared Goff23 hours ago

Has Complete Command Of Offense
Dalvin Cook1 day ago

Jets Would Consider Adding Dalvin Cook
Courtland Sutton1 day ago

Studying "Ways To Get Open"
DJ Moore1 day ago

"Developing Rapport" With Justin Fields
Dallas Cowboys1 day ago

Cowboys Part Ways With Takk McKinley
Los Angeles Chargers1 day ago

J.C. Jackson Doing Individual Drills
Dallas Mavericks1 day ago

Mavericks Have High Praise For Anthony Black After Workout
Atlanta Hawks1 day ago

GG Jackson, Julian Strawther Work Out With Hawks
Karl-Anthony Towns1 day ago

Executives Believe Karl-Anthony Towns Could Be Traded
Charlotte Hornets1 day ago

Ausar, Amen Thompson Work Out With The Hornets
Grant Williams1 day ago

Undergoes Successful Surgery On Hand
Jerami Grant1 day ago

Cameron Johnson On The Pistons' Offseason Radar
Chris Paul1 day ago

Spurs, Clippers, Lakers Are Possible Landing Spots For Chris Paul
Carter Verhaeghe1 day ago

Score Overtime Winner In Game 3
Matthew Tkachuk1 day ago

Scores Late Goal In Game 3 Victory
Damian Lillard1 day ago

Nets, Heat On Damian Lillard's Trade List
Milwaukee Bucks1 day ago

Joe Prunty, Patrick Mutombo Join Bucks Coaching Staff
Sergei Bobrovsky1 day ago

Has Bounce Back Performance In Game 3 Victory
Denver Nuggets1 day ago

Thunder, Nuggets Trade Various Picks
Charles Oliveira1 day ago

Returns To Action In Co-Main Event
Beneil Dariush1 day ago

Set For Huge Showdown
Adam Fugitt1 day ago

Looking For A Victory On Saturday
Mike Malott1 day ago

On The Hunt For Sixth Straight Victory Saturday
Brandon Montour1 day ago

Scores Opening Goal In Game 3 Victory
Jack Eichel1 day ago

Picks Up Assist In Game 3 Loss
Jonathan Marchessault1 day ago

Extends Scoring Streak In Game 3
Mark Stone1 day ago

Collects Two Points In Game 3 Loss
Sam LaPorta1 day ago

Jahmyr Gibbs, Sam LaPorta Have Been Impressive
DJ Chark Jr.1 day ago

Does Team Drills Thursday
Tua Tagovailoa1 day ago

Has Bulked Up This Offseason
Zach Charbonnet1 day ago

Could Have Big Role In Rookie Season
Seattle Seahawks1 day ago

Devon Witherspoon Sees Work In Slot
Justin Fields1 day ago

Bears Won't Make Justin Fields Robotic
Alexander Mattison1 day ago

Vikings Plan To Use Alexander Mattison As Starter
Irene Aldana1 day ago

Can Irene Aldana Challenge The Champion?
Amanda Nunes1 day ago

A Heavy Favorite Again
Sacramento Kings2 days ago

Dwight Howard Wants To Play For Kings
MarJon Beauchamp2 days ago

To Play In Summer League
Tyler Herro2 days ago

To Remain Out For Game 4
Jamal Murray2 days ago

Dealing With Minor Injury
Noah Gragson2 days ago

To Miss Sonoma With Concussion-Like Symptoms
Eryk Anders2 days ago

Set For Middleweight Showdown On Enemy Turf
Marc-Andre Barriault2 days ago

Looks To Remain Undefeated In The UFC
Nate Landwehr2 days ago

Set For First UFC-Numbered Event
Dan Ige2 days ago

Looking To Start Another Streak At UFC 289
Jani Hakanpaa2 days ago

Will Have Offseason Knee Surgery
Adin Hill2 days ago

The Game 3 Starter For Vegas
Sergei Bobrovsky2 days ago

Named Panthers Game 3 Starter
Radko Gudas3 days ago

Expected To Play In Game 3
Andreas Athanasiou3 days ago

Signs Two-Year Extension With Blackhawks
Vladislav Gavrikov3 days ago

Kings Extend Vladislav Gavrikov For Two Years
Alex DeBrincat3 days ago

Senators Exploring Trade Options Involving Alex DeBrincat
Timo Meier3 days ago

Set To Begin Contract Talks With Devils This Week
Ivan Provorov3 days ago

Traded To Columbus
Adam Hadwin3 days ago

Looks To Bounce Back In Home Country
Matt Kuchar3 days ago

A Fade At RBC Canadian Open
PGA3 days ago

Matthew Fitzpatrick A Favorite In Canada
Dylan Wu3 days ago

Struggling To Find Form Heading To Oakdale
Doug Ghim3 days ago

Playing Well Heading To Oakdale
Robby Shelton3 days ago

Struggling With Consistency Heading To Oakdale
Eric Cole3 days ago

Making Debut At RBC Canadian Open
Brendon Todd3 days ago

To Play Through Shoulder Injury
Taylor Pendrith3 days ago

Making First Appearance At RBC Canadian Open Since 2015
Aaron Wise3 days ago

Returns To RBC Canadian Open
Alex Smalley3 days ago

Could Repeat Performance At RBC Canadian Open
Nick Taylor3 days ago

Hoping To Find Early Season Form Heading To Oakdale
Nicolai Hojgaard3 days ago

Looks To Bounce Back After Missed Cut Last Week
Keith Mitchell3 days ago

Looks To Continue Strong Play At Oakdale
Rory McIlroy3 days ago

To Defend Title At RBC Canadian Open
Cameron Champ3 days ago

Playing Better Into Canada
Will Gordon3 days ago

A Solid Sleeper In Canada
Corey Conners3 days ago

Looking To Rebound In Canada
Tyrrell Hatton3 days ago

An Elite Option At RBC Canadian Open
Cameron Young3 days ago

Will Struggle In Canada
PGA3 days ago

Approach Play Holding S.H. Kim Back
Jonathan Marchessault5 days ago

Scores Two Goals In Game 2 Victory
Adin Hill5 days ago

Makes 29 Saves In Game 2 Victory
Sergei Bobrovsky5 days ago

Pulled In Game 2 Of Stanley Cup Final
Amir Albazi5 days ago

Extends His Winning Streak
Daniel Pineda5 days ago

Unable To Earn A Victory Saturday
Jesse Butler5 days ago

Suffers Knockout Loss
Victor Altamirano5 days ago

Unable To Earn A Victory Saturday
Ketlen Souza5 days ago

Takes Submission Loss
Muhammad Naimov5 days ago

Shines With Second-Round TKO Win
Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos5 days ago

Defeats Abubakar Nurmagomedov
Kevin Harvick5 days ago

Rounds Out The Top 10 At Gateway
Michael McDowell5 days ago

Scores Best Finish In Two Months
Carson Hocevar5 days ago

Strong Start Ends Early
Daniel Suarez5 days ago

Runs A Strong Race At Gateway
Ryan Blaney5 days ago

Building Momentum
Martin Truex Jr6 days ago

. Finishes Where He Began Sunday
Kyle Larson6 days ago

Eventually Moved Up To Fourth On Sunday
Joey Logano6 days ago

Finds Way To Third Place On Sunday
Denny Hamlin6 days ago

Takes Second Place At Gateway
Kyle Busch6 days ago

Wins At Gateway For Third Win Of Season
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF