👉 TAP TO SAVE 50% WITH CODE SPRING
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
Compare Any Players
24x7 News and Alerts

My Top 10 Potential Busts for Week 5

Welcome back to the Top 10 Busts of the Week column, where I tell you why the early round draft-pick you made is going to stink.

It's OK.  It happens to everyone.

I'm here for you if you drafted C.J. Anderson.  If you want to cry, you can.  Nothing to be ashamed of.

Editor's Note: The FFPC Baby Gorilla Tournament is now open, featuring a $100,000 grand prize and a $675,450 total prize pool! This 12-team, Tight End Premium contest uses a 20-round draft format, with the overall winners determined by total points scored during Weeks 15–17. Get $25 to use toward your first entry by signing up through our link. Grab your team now! Sign Up Now!

 

Top Ten Fantasy Football Busts for Week 5

Bust No. 1 - Jeremy Hill, CIN

DOUBLING DOWN, B*TCHES!

Yeah, this was a poor pick last week, as Hill scored three touchdowns in the Bengals' game against the Chiefs.  That's what I get for trusting Andy Dalton to throw touchdowns.  However, this week's opponent is much more stout defensively - the Seahawks haven't allowed a rushing touchdown at all this season.  For an RB who has been useless - and that's a charitable way to describe it - without scoring a touchdown, this is a nightmare scenario.  If for some reason, you're feeling an overwhelming nostalgia for Week 2 of the 2015 season, Jeremy Hill's stat line will take you back to a time when everything was better.  Maybe you got a job offer.  Maybe you got engaged.  Maybe that was the week when you finally realized that fantasy football has all the control in your relationship and it makes you miserable, so you decided you were just done with it and the whole damn season can hang.  I don't know.  I don't live your life.

I wish I did though, it sounds nice.

Bust No. 2 - C.J. Anderson, DEN

Oh, C.J., how did I forget about you last week?  You were almost certainly someone's RB1, and yet it's entirely possible that Carlos Hyde outscored you in Week 1.  Not for that week - for the whole season.  I'm not entirely sure that's true, but if someone off the street asked me "Hey, has C.J. even put up 30 points in total this season?"  I'd be like "probably not, no."  There's nothing entirely intimidating about the Oakland defense, but come on, man.  The Lions weren't that great either.

Oh hey, I just did the math on C.J. Anderson's scoring totals - he hasn't hit 20 points combined through four weeks yet.  Not even 20!  Through four weeks!  I'd write a list of all the 20-point games that have been scored so far, but no one wants to read a list that's like 100 entries long.

True story: My fantasy draft could have somehow been WAY worse, as one of the guys in my draft tried to get me to pick Gronk in the first and swap first-rounders since he wasn't going to be able to make the draft.  I mean, I shot him down immediately because I'm not a charity. And if you can't make the draft you don't deserve to pick Gronk, but if I had made that pick swap, autopick would have selected C.J. Anderson for me.  I'm 1-3 on the year but I still thank God every day I didn't make that pick.  So just remember: it could always be worse.  Your first-rounder could've been C.J. Anderson.

This platitude doesn't apply if you drafted C.J. Anderson.  If you did, you've hit rock bottom.  I'm sorry.

Bust No. 3 - Calvin Johnson, DET

Poor Calvin Johnson.  Has there ever been a player as dominant whose career was wasted by incompetence quite like his?  If you say LaDainian Tomlinson, I have two counterpoints. 1: the Chargers never went winless, and 2: screw you, dude, Norv Turner still hurts my heart.  Anyway, Johnson was a force of nature as recently as 2013, but the combination of injury and awful quarterback/offensive line/just pretty much all of it play have led to a horrendous nosedive in fantasy production.  That doesn't look to change any time soon, as the Lions match up against the Cardinals this week, whose defense is good enough to force Matt Stafford into a veritable host of mistakes (read: their defense can put 11 people on the field at the same time).

Bust No. 4 - Latavius Murray, OAK

I actually really have nothing mean to say about Latavius Murray.  The Raiders have been a pleasant surprise for fantasy investors, and Murray has played well.  This is just a poor matchup with the Broncos.  If you've got someone else, I'd start them, but Murray should find his way back into your lineup soon enough.

Wait, did I just say something positive about the Raiders?  What year is it?

Bust No. 5 - Carlos Hyde, SF

This makes me sad.  I like Hyde a lot.  However, his 30-point breakout game in Week 1 looks increasingly like an aberration after the last three weeks, in which the 49ers reminded everyone that Jim Harbaugh might have hypothetically maybe been more responsible for their recent success than they'd like.

This goes double for Colin Kaepernick.  Probably triple, if I'm being honest.

Going back to Hyde, the 49ers play the Giants this week, and the Giants have given up the least rushing yardage in the league.  It's a bad matchup coming off a disastrous two-point effort for Hyde last week.  On the bright side, though, the Giants' D/ST is a pretty solid streaming play, because now that Kaepernick has thrown four picks (two for TDs) in one game, you feel pretty comfortable starting the defense playing against him.

Bust No. 6 - Jimmy Graham, SEA

Well, it turns out taking an elite receiving tight end and stranding him in a power-running WR wasteland is just disappointing for everyone involved.  He has scored in two games this season, but in the other two games, he's scored less than three. Graham put up only 29 yards receiving against Detroit and 11 against the Packers.  This week, he has a matchup against Cincinnati, and it's been almost a calendar year since the Bengals have given up a touchdown to a tight end (Week 7 of 2014).  I'm not optimistic.  Although you probably knew that already considering you're reading a "busts" column.

Bust No. 7 - Joseph Randle, DAL

Can you just imagine what it's like being Bill Belichick right now, game planning against the Cowboys?  He could've had to worry about Tony Romo and Dez Bryant, but instead he has Brandon Weeden and... well let's be honest, the receivers don't matter: it's Brandon Weedon.  He throws a jillion (scientific term) picks and I'm pretty sure half of them are intentional so he can get to the Golden Corral in time for the early bird special.

"Weeden is old" jokes are still funny, right?

More to the point, Randle managed only 26 yards on 11 carries against the Saints, rescuing his day with a touchdown that may have landed him in the doghouse (there was a dive over the pile and an overturned fumble involved).  Belichick is infamous for scheming against his opponents' strengths, and the Cowboys are definitely run-reliant without the two stars in their passing game.  He will load up against the run and dare the Cowboys to air it out, and also the air around him will smell suspiciously of brimstone as he laughs sadistically with every pass.

Bust No. 8 - Andrew Luck, IND

Our second returning player, Luck has a lot going against him this week.  He's hurt, first, so he might not start.  Even if he does, he's been limited in practice and is playing on a short week.  He'll be going up against a Texans defense that has J.J. Watt and Jadeveon Clowney on it, and I'm pretty sure those two guys were grown in a lab by scientists who got shoved into a locker by their high school quarterbacks one too many times.

Of course, I've taken him from the desolate touchdown-free wasteland that is my starting lineup and put him into the magical wonderland of fantasy points and unicorn giggles that is my bench.  So he's got that going for him.  We'll just have to see, won't we?

Bust No. 9 - Andy Dalton, CIN

He wasn't drafted high, but he's found his way into starting lineups on the backs of the Bengals' strong start.  With the emergence of Tyler Eifert and the resurgence of Gio Bernard, Dalton has many fantasy owners believing in him and this high-flying Bengals offense.

Pity them, for they know not the pain of "Big Game Andy Dalton."

Dalton has drawn the Seahawks this week, and Kam Chancellor has returned to the Legion of Boom.  This is how you draw up a "the Bengals win early to give fans false hope" scenario.  The only way it could be better is if it was a night game.  The Legion is still the most fearsome secondary in the league even without Byron Maxwell.  Prime Time Andy choked hard against the Browns last year in a marquee Thursday matchup.  I'm expecting a vintage Prime Time Andy performance.  I'm talking a hoity-toity, monocled, "hmmm, yes, 2015 was a wonderful year for Prime Time Dalton games," style effort.

Bust No. 10 - Marcus Mariota, TEN

Because the Titans are playing the Bills, which means I had to put someone from Tennessee in here. But it's not like anyone is starting the running backs (both unremarkable and stuck in a RBBC) - and "tight end busting" implies every tight end besides Gronk isn't just situationally started in a constant "hope for a touchdown" situation anyway.

I don't like the Titans this week at all, so Mariota wins by default.

 

NFL & Fantasy Football Chat Room

[iflychat_embed id="c-0" hide_user_list="yes" hide_popup_chat="no" height="400px"]

 




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Compare Any Players
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Logan Webb

Dealing With Knee Discomfort
Carlos Correa

Expected to Miss Significant Time With Ankle Injury
Collin Morikawa

Withdraws From Truist Championship
Jakobi Meyers

Is Jakobi Meyers the Most Mispriced Jaguars Receiver in Dynasty Leagues?
Xander Schauffele

Carries Elite Form Into Quail Hollow
Hideki Matsuyama

Looks to Bounce Back at Truist Championship
Matt Fitzpatrick

Secures Third Win of 2026 Season
Patrick Cantlay

Continues Playing Well Heading to Truist Championship
Ludvig Aberg

Returns to Action For Truist Championship
Jayden Higgins

How Much Growth Can be Expected of Jayden Higgins in Year 2?
Justin Thomas

Searching for Consistency at Quail Hollow
Jordan Spieth

Looks to Break Through at Quail Hollow
D'Andre Swift

an Underrated Dynasty Buy for Contending Managers
Adam Scott

Brings Strong Form to Quail Hollow
Woody Marks

A Role Change Could Be Key to Salvaging Woody Marks' Dynasty Value
Robert MacIntyre

a Steady Option at Truist Championship
Ray Davis

Offers Almost No Standalone Value as a Fading Dynasty Asset
Jason Day

Looks to Overcome Approach Struggles at Quail Hollow
Akshay Bhatia

Looks for Complete Game at Truist Championship
Chet Holmgren

Leads Thunder to Victory in Game 1 Against Lakers
LeBron James

Scores Game-High 27 Points in Tuesday's Loss
James Harden

Finishes Game 1 Loss With 22 Points
Cade Cunningham

Posts 23 Points in Game 1 Win
Jalen Duren

Records Second Consecutive Double-Double
Sam Merrill

Status Unclear for Game 2
Jarred Vanderbilt

Dislocates Finger in Game 1 Loss
Mats Zuccarello

Extends Point Streak to Five Games
Kirill Kaprizov

Nets Third Playoff Goal
Scott Wedgewood

Returns to Form in Game 2 Against Wild
Gabriel Landeskog

Picks Up Two Power-Play Points Tuesday
Martin Necas

Has Second Straight Multi-Point Outing
Nathan MacKinnon

Joins Exclusive List With Another Three-Point Performance
TOR

Maple Leafs Win Draft Lottery
Emilio Pagán

Emilio Pagan Headed for Injured List With Hamstring Injury
Stefon Diggs

Found Not Guilty of Assault, Strangulation
Emilio Pagán

Emilio Pagan Carted Off With Apparent Hamstring Injury on Tuesday
Justin Rose

to Continue Mid-Season Club Change at Truist Championship
Si Woo Kim

is Back to Peak Form Ahead of Truist Championship
Sam Merrill

Heads to Locker Room in Game 1
Sam Burns

to Bounce Back at Truist Championship
Cameron Young

Looks to Carry Dominance to Quail Hollow
Anthony Edwards

Iffy for Game 2
Rory McIlroy

Returns to Familiar Stomping Grounds This Week at Quail Hollow
Ayo Dosunmu

Listed as Questionable Wednesday
Kevin Huerter

Remains Out for Series Opener
Carter Bryant

Questionable for Game 2
Chris Gotterup

Looking to Bounce Back at Quail Hollow
MLB

Cardinals-Brewers Game Postponed on Tuesday
Joel Embiid

Expected to Play Wednesday
Roman Anthony

Day-to-Day With Wrist Sprain
Radko Gudas

to Remain Sidelined Wednesday
Sam Carrick

Upgraded to Day-to-Day
Noah Cates

Considered Day-to-Day
Alexander Nikishin

Cleared to Play in Game 3 Against Flyers
Josh Manson

Expected to Remain Out Tuesday
Filip Gustavsson

Starting Game 2 Against Avalanche
Victor Hedman

Reveals Reason for Absence
Travis Kelce

Dynasty Value Fading Entering 2026
DJ Moore

a Prime Bounce-Back Candidate Following Offseason Trade
Derrick Henry

Dynasty Value Holding Steady Following NFL Draft
Ladd McConkey

Can Ladd McConkey Re-Establish His Dynasty Value in 2026?
Ryan Flournoy

Is Ryan Flournoy a Dynasty Stash Candidate Due to Long-Term Upside in Dallas?
Dante Fowler Jr.

Signing with Seahawks
Jacob Misiorowski

"All Things Look Good" for Jacob Misiorowski to Start on Wednesday
Tommy Fleetwood

Looking For Better Iron Play at Quail Hollow
Micah Parsons

Packers Expect Micah Parsons to be Ready "Early in the Season"
Tucker Kraft

Expected Back "Early in the Season"
Calvin Ridley

Brian Daboll Says it's "Good to Have" Calvin Ridley on Roster
Isaac Guerendo

Buried on Depth Chart, Looking for New Team?
Jalen Nailor

Raiders Expect Jalen Nailor to Take "Big Leap" in "Featured Role"
MLB

Rockies-Mets Game Postponed Due to Inclement Weather
CFB

Mario Craver Enters No. 1 Wide Receiver Role for Marcel Reed
Raisel Iglesias

Braves Officially Reinstate Raisel Iglesias From Injured List on Tuesday
CFB

LaNorris Sellers a Strong Rebound Candidate in 2026
CFB

Cam Coleman Poised for Monster Year at Texas?
Cedric Tillman

on the Trade Block?
CFB

Will Hammond Pushing to Be Ready for Week 1
Alex Fitzpatrick

Looking to Keep Up Ball-Striking Output at Quail Hollow
Emmett Johnson

Andy Reid Compares Emmett Johnson to LeSean McCoy
CFB

Notre Dame Leads College Football in Returning Snaps
Ty Simpson

a Great Fit With the Rams?
CFB

Two Ole Miss Football Players Arrested, Charged with DUI
Alvin Kamara

"Excited" to Share the Backfield With New RB Addition
Tyrese Maxey

Limited to 13 Points in Second-Round Opener
Joel Embiid

Stays Quiet in Game 1 Against Knicks
Jalen Brunson

Torches 76ers With 35 Points Monday
Dylan Harper

Leads Spurs With 18 Points Monday
Julius Randle

Collects First Double-Double of Postseason
Anthony Edwards

Tallies 18 Points in Comeback Game
Victor Wembanyama

Posts Unique Triple-Double
Jackson LaCombe

Sets New Record With Another Assist
Mikael Granlund

Continues Postseason Success With Third Goal
Mitchell Marner

Notches Two Points in Series-Opening Win
Ben Griffin

Looks Solid on the Surface Heading to Charlotte
Taylor Hall

Makes History With Overtime Winner
Nikolaj Ehlers

Collects Two Points in Comeback Win
Cale Makar

Good to Go for Game 2 Against Wild
Ridly Greig

Suspended for Two Games
Dallas Mavericks

Masai Ujiri Hired as Mavericks Team President
Roman Anthony

Pulled Early on Monday After Tweaking his Wrist
Jhoan Duran

to Come Off the Injured List on Tuesday
Jackson Chourio

Brewers Reinstate Jackson Chourio From the Injured List
Tarik Skubal

to Undergo Elbow Surgery
Chase Elliott

Earns his Second Texas Motor Speedway Victory
Denny Hamlin

Misses Out on Winning at Texas
Alex Bowman

Finishes Third for the Second Week in a Row at Texas
Tyler Reddick

Earns Seventh Top-Five Finish of the Season at Texas
Chris Buescher

Scores his First Career Texas Finish in the Top Five
CFB

Bryce Underwood in Better Situation Entering Sophomore Season
CFB

Nico Iamaleava Emerging as Leader, Playmaker for UCLA
Raisel Iglesias

to be Activated on Tuesday
Jack Della Maddalena

Gets Dominated At UFC Perth
Carlos Prates

Shines At UFC Perth
Beneil Dariush

Suffers A First-Round TKO Loss
Quillan Salkilld

Remains Unbeaten In The UFC
Tim Elliott

Drops Decision At UFC Perth
Steve Erceg

Wins Back-To-Back Fights
Ollie Schmid

Suffers First-Round TKO Loss
Marwan Rahiki

Remains Unbeaten
Bryce Eldridge

Giants to Promote No. 1-Ranked Prospect Bryce Eldridge to MLB Roster
Anthony Volpe

Reinstated From Injured List, Optioned to Triple-A
Ranger Suarez

Exits Sunday's Start With Hamstring Tightness
Agustín Ramírez

Marlins Demote Agustin Ramirez to Triple-A
Ben Rice

Exits Sunday's Contest With Left-Hand Contusion
Christopher Bell

Is Christopher Bell Worth Rostering for Texas Lineups?
Cal Raleigh

Considered Day-to-Day With Soreness in his Side
William Byron

Might have the Speed to Compete for the Win at Texas
Joey Logano

Provides Solid Upside for Texas DFS Lineups
Joe Ryan

Exits Early From Start on Sunday Due to Elbow Soreness
Chase Briscoe

Could Chase Briscoe be A Sneaky Pick for Texas Lineups?
Ty Gibbs

Should DFS Managers Roster Ty Gibbs at Texas?
Daniel Suarez

Is Daniel Suarez Worth Rostering After Career-Best Starting Position at Texas?
Kyle Busch

Is a DFS Risk Starting in the Top 10 at Texas
Tyler Reddick

One of the Favorites to Win at Texas
Chase Elliott

Could Contend for Another Win at Texas
Carson Hocevar

on Pole at Texas
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Wrecks in Practice at Texas
Chris Buescher

Looking to Continue Strong Run at Texas
Austin Dillon

Blows Engine in Practice at Texas
Jack Della Maddalena

Returns At UFC Perth
Carlos Prates

Set For UFC Perth Main Event
Quillan Salkilld

Set For Co-Main Event
Beneil Dariush

An Underdog At UFC Perth
Steve Erceg

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Tim Elliott

Looks For His Third Consecutive Win
Ollie Schmid

Set For His UFC Debut
Marwan Rahiki

Looks To Remain Undefeated
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF