Biggest Week 14 Busts: Fantasy Football Reactions for Saquon Barkley, Dalvin Cook, Stefon Diggs, Mike Evans, Mark Andrews

December 12, 2022

Several NFL players underwhelmed in Week 14 of the 2022 fantasy football season. Andersen identifies busts at each position and whether they'll bounce back.

The 14th 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 14. 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 14, 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.

Fantasy Football Quarterback Busts

Derek Carr, 3.95 FPTS

Carr played horribly on Thursday night, completing just 55 percent of his passes for 137 yards, zero touchdowns, and two interceptions. He was also sacked four times in the loss. His job will only get tougher as the Raiders face a stout Patriots defense in Week 15.

Fantasy Football Running Back Busts

Saquon Barkley, 6.8 FPTS

Barkley (neck) entered Sunday's game at less than 100 percent and was ultimately held to 11 touches for 48 total yards. He hasn't eclipsed the 100-yard mark since Week 10 versus Houston, but he should still bounce back against the Commanders next week.

Dalvin Cook, 8.6 FPTS

Cook was held to 36 scrimmage yards and one lost fumble in Week 14. He somewhat salvaged his fantasy performance by scoring a touchdown, but it was a disappointing outing nonetheless from the 27-year-old. Fortunately, his next opponent is the Indianapolis Colts, who have struggled to defend the run but looked solid against the pass. Look for the Vikings to use a heavy dosage of Cook in Week 15.

Travis Etienne Jr., 3.2 FPTS

Etienne rushed 17 times for just 32 yards on Sunday, giving him a woeful 1.88 YPC. He has averaged just 3.7 fantasy points over his last three games, and while it's difficult to bench him, managers should consider all their options ahead of the fantasy playoffs. A Week 15 matchup with the Cowboys certainly won't do Etienne any favors.

Nick Chubb, 8.4 FPTS

The Browns' new offensive scheme, built for Deshaun Watson, has not translated into much success for Chubb. The physical back has just 114 rushing yards and 20 receiving yards over his last two games, good for an average of 8.2 fantasy points. In Week 15, Cleveland will take on a Baltimore defense that just held Najee Harris to 33 yards on the ground.

D'Andre Swift, 6.9 FPTS

The Lions prioritized the passing game on Sunday. As a result, Swift's fantasy production suffered. He finished the day with just 39 scrimmage yards and will rank as a high-end RB3 heading into Week 15 versus the Jets.

Jamaal Williams, 3.7 FPTS

Although Williams rushed 16 times versus the Vikings, he accumulated just 37 yards on the ground, good for an average of 2.31 YPC. It looks like the Lions have subtly started scaling back Williams' role, so his fantasy production might become even more dependent on touchdowns going forward.

Devin Singletary, 5.3 FPTS

Singletary was quiet on Sunday, totaling just 43 scrimmage yards on eight rushes and one reception. He has been a low-end RB2 all season long and should remain in that tier against the Dolphins next week, assuming he holds onto the lead-back role over rookie James Cook.

Latavius Murray, 6.10 FPTS

Sunday's game against the Chiefs forced the Broncos to pass a lot. While they remained competitive for most of the second half, Murray's role shrunk as he registered just 31 scrimmage yards on 11 touches. He'll rank as an RB3 against the Cardinals next week.

Fantasy Football Wide Receiver Busts

Davante Adams, 10.1 FPTS

Adams' struggles ran parallel to Carr's on Thursday night. The alpha wideout turned in an uncharacteristic three-catch, 71-yard finish, but that shouldn't stop anyone from ranking him as a high-end WR1 against the Patriots in Week 15.

Stefon Diggs, 6.7 FPTS

Sloppy weather contributed to a quiet game from numerous Bills players, including Diggs. The talented wideout was held to just three catches for 37 yards in a make-or-break week for many fantasy managers. He'll return to the mid-range WR1 tier against the Dolphins next Saturday.

CeeDee Lamb, 8.3 FPTS

It took 59 minutes, but the Cowboys managed to defeat the Texans in the battle for Texas supremacy on Sunday. Despite playing from behind for a large portion of the game, Dallas did not get Lamb involved at a high frequency. He finished with five catches for 33 yards but will get a chance to bounce back against the Jaguars next week.

Amari Cooper, 6.2 FPTS

Cooper caught two passes for 42 yards on Sunday. Much like was the case with Chubb, it looks like Cooper is facing some adversity as the Browns transition the offense from Jacoby Brissett to Deshaun Watson. Fortunately, there's no better chance to bounce back than in Week 15 against a suspect Ravens secondary.

Mike Evans, 8.4 FPTS

Evans hauled in four of nine targets for 44 yards on Sunday. He came close to catching a touchdown pass but was unable to haul in an underthrown ball from Tom Brady. Averaging just 7.8 points over his last three games, Evans enters Week 15 as nothing more than a mid-range WR2.

Fantasy Football Tight End Busts

Mark Andrews, 3.17 FPTS

Andrews turned six targets into two catches for 17 yards on Sunday. The tight end didn't look great in the Ravens' Tyler Huntley-led offense, and things only got worse when Huntley exited due to injury and was relieved by undrafted rookie Anthony Brown. Fortunately, if anyone can use their talent to overcome poor quarterback play, it's Andrews. He remains a high-end TE1 ahead of Week 15.

Noah Fant, 0.0 FPTS

Fant failed to haul in his lone target on Sunday, finishing with zero fantasy points for the first time in 2022. The Seahawks have enjoyed spreading the ball around to their three tight ends, so while Fant might be the best of the bunch, he should still be viewed as a mid-to-low TE2 going forward.

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