Biggest Week 12 Busts: Fantasy Football Reactions for Tua Tagovailoa, Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel, Mike Evans, George Kittle

Several NFL players underwhelmed in Week 12 of the 2022 fantasy football season. Andersen identifies busts at each position and whether they'll bounce back.

The 12th NFL Sunday of the 2022 season has come and gone. Hopefully, you woke up on Monday morning feeling very good about how your week 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 12. These players simply did not meet fantasy expectations, and it cost their managers in a big way. Let's take a look at the biggest busts from Week 12, 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.

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.

Fantasy Football Quarterback Busts

Tua Tagovailoa, 13.96 FPTS

From a football perspective, Tagovailoa impressed in Week 12, completing 22 passes for 299 yards, one touchdown, and zero interceptions while beating the Texans. However, his fantasy production was relatively underwhelming. He runs the risk of falling beyond the top-12 range during tough matchups versus the 49ers, Chargers, Bills, Packers, and Patriots.

Fantasy Football Running Back Busts

Christian McCaffrey, 8.9 FPTS

McCaffrey was bottled up on Sunday, totaling 32 rushing yards and 17 receiving yards. It was one of his worst outings this season but is more likely an anomaly rather than a sign of future struggles. Look for him to get back on track as an RB1 against the Dolphins in Week 13.

Dalvin Cook, 9.6 FPTS

Cook was wildly inefficient on Thursday, rushing 22 times for just 42 yards. He got involved in the passing game by adding 14 receiving yards, but his overall production was still a disappointment. Fortunately, he should bounce back against the Jets next week.

Dameon Pierce, 4.6 FPTS

Pierce turned eight touches into just 16 scrimmage yards on Sunday. The rookie is averaging just 4.2 fantasy points over his last two games and should be benched in most leagues heading into Week 13.

Alvin Kamara, 9.0 FPTS

Kamara produced 13 rushing and 37 receiving yards on Sunday. While his role in the passing game was impressive, the 27-year-old lost two fumbles along the way, including one at the goal line. He has to get through a Week 13 clash with the Buccaneers and a Week 14 bye before his schedule gets a whole lot easier.

Tony Pollard, 8.1 FPTS

After producing 464 scrimmage yards and six touchdowns over his last three games, Pollard's production declined against the Giants on Thanksgiving. The 25-year-old still registered a solid 20 touches, but his efficiency was down and he failed to find the end zone. With Ezekiel Elliott back in the mix, Pollard should be viewed as a low-end RB2 going forward.

Fantasy Football Wide Receiver Busts

Deebo Samuel, 7.3 FPTS

Samuel briefly exited with a hamstring injury on Sunday. Although he quickly returned, he still finished with just 43 yards on three catches. The 26-year-old has taken a significant step back this season and is no longer a must-start in fantasy football. He ranks as a fringe top-24 receiver heading into a clash versus the Miami Dolphins.

Mike Evans, 5.1 FPTS

Evans got involved late on Sunday, and even when he did see his role increase, his production faltered. The veteran finished with just two catches on nine targets, tallying 31 yards along the way. The 29-year-old has gone seven games without a touchdown but still ranks as a high-end WR2 ahead of Week 13.

Terry McLaurin, 9.3 FPTS

Despite his favorable matchup against the Falcons, McLaurin didn't go crazy on Sunday. In the end, he caught four passes for 48 yards in addition to adding a five-yard rush. The 27-year-old's four-game streak of double-digit fantasy points ended last week, and he now has two single-digit finishes since then. He falls back into the WR2 tier against the Giants in Week 13.

Christian Kirk, 8.1 FPTS

Kirk turned nine targets into four catches for 46 yards on Sunday. He got involved on the Jaguars' game-winning drive near the end of regulation, but even then, he wasn't as reliable as Zay Jones (11 catches for 145 yards). Look for Kirk to bounce back in a favorable matchup against the Lions next Sunday.

Gabe Davis, 7.8 FPTS

Davis underwhelmed on Thanksgiving, failing to take advantage of a juicy matchup versus the Detroit secondary. The 23-year-old has the makings of your standard boom-or-bust player and will drop into the WR3 tier against the Patriots next week.

JuJu Smith-Schuster, 6.8 FPTS

Smith-Schuster returned from his concussion on Sunday but produced just three catches for 38 yards along the way. The Chiefs didn't have much incentive to throw the football against the Rams, and as a result, players like Smith-Schuster and Travis Kelce failed to meet their projections. Look for this entire passing offense to trend up against the Bengals in Week 13.

Tyler Boyd, 3.6 FPTS

Boyd hauled in two of four targets for just 16 yards on Sunday. Despite operating as the No. 2 receiver with Ja'Marr Chase and Joe Mixon out, Boyd was unable to carve out a significant role in the win. His value will likely decline when Chase and Mixon make their expected returns next Sunday.

Fantasy Football Tight End Busts

George Kittle, 5.6 FPTS

Kittle returned from Mexico City on a high note, but his surge crumbled in Week 12 when the 29-year-old registered just three catches and 26 yards. Thanks to his talent, he still belongs in the mid-to-high TE1 tier going forward.

Tyler Higbee, 0.0 FPTS

Rather than operating as a security blanket for Bryce Perkins, Higbee went untargeted on Sunday. While the absence of Cooper Kupp (ankle) should, in theory, boost Higbee's value, his value is capped with Perkins quarterbacking in place of Matthew Stafford (neck).

Dawson Knox, 3.7 FPTS

Knox was unable to earn a turkey leg on Thursday. Instead, he caught two passes for just 17 while posting his worst fantasy output since Week 1. He'll rank as a fringe top-12 tight end against the Patriots in Week 13.

Cole Kmet, 5.7 FPTS

Not only has Kmet come back down to earth after a strong surge, but Justin Fields' new shoulder injury has also caused the 23-year-old's fantasy value to decline. He caught just three passes for 27 yards on Sunday, fumbling once along the way.

Juwan Johnson, 0.0 FPTS

Entering Week 12, Johnson had five touchdowns over his last five games, including one touchdown in each of his last three contests. However, on Sunday, he was shut down by the 49ers, who held the 26-year-old to zero catches on two targets. Largely touchdown-dependent, Johnson will drop to the TE2 tier against Tampa Bay next Monday night.

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