RADIO
Now that we are six weeks deep into the 2023 NFL season, it's safe to say that some players have greatly exceeded our expectations while others have greatly disappointed them. For the purposes of this exercise and for the sake of moral code, we aren't going to put players who have been lost for the year due to injury on this list and it wouldn't be fair to so.
The higher that a player was drafted the more likely they are to find themselves in this article. If you whiffed on your second round pick in your fantasy league that's obviously a lot worse than missing on someone you took in round 10. Some of these players might be busts so far due to the general flukiness of fantasy football, but at the end of the day, the numbers are the numbers.
Let's take a look at the ten biggest busts in fantasy football so far in 2023 and whether or not those players can get on track the rest of the way. Are there certain ones in this list you should be buying low on? Also included will be a brief outlook on each player and what you might be able to expect from them moving forward for fantasy. Let's dive in!
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Fantasy Football Quarterback Busts
Daniel Jones, New York Giants
It's not all his fault, but Jones has been a disaster for fantasy so far this season. His offensive line has been banged up, RB Saquon Barkley missed several games with an ankle injury, and the Giants offense has been out of sync all year. The team currently sits at 1-5, but with how much in guaranteed money they shelled out to Jones it would be difficult for the team to move on before the end of the 2024 season. Jones finished as the overall QB1 in Week 2, but it was against the Cardinals. Otherwise he's been the QB28, QB31, QB24, and QB26. The Giants schedule during the fantasy playoffs too: at New Orleans, at Philadelphia, home versus the Rams. Not great, Bob. This just feels like a lost year for New York no matter how hard they're gonna try to catch up.
Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
Dak shined in Week 6 on MNF and finished as the overall QB1 with 24.9 fantasy points, but he has been disappointing otherwise. The Cowboys offense didn't have to do much in the three games their defense dominated and they were blown out by the 49ers on SNF in Week 5, so the only game we can really say they disappointed in was laying that Week 3 egg in a 28-16 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. Dak losing offensive coordinator Kellen Moore wasn't great, but we should expect more from the Cowboys offense going forward. Dallas is currently on a bye for Week 7 and come back to face the Rams, Eagles, Giants, and Panthers. 3 out of those 4 are favorable matchups so there is a degree of optimism to have for Dak the rest of the way.
Fantasy Football Running Back Busts
Dameon Pierce, Houston Texans
The Texans have exceeded expectations so far this season and currently sit at 3-3. The bad news is that RB Dameon Pierce has not despite the positive game scripts in many of their weekly contests. QB C.J. Stroud has looked like anything but a rookie in his first 6 NFL starts and this team is playing hard each and every week. What's surprising is how bad Pierce has been. He hasn't finished better than the RB16 in any given week and has finished outside the Top 24 in four out of six weeks and is now losing meaningful backfield touches to veteran RB Devin Singletary, who was signed by the team in the offseason. Pierce isn't much of a receiver and needs the lions share of the carries to be solid for fantasy. You have every right to be concerned right now if you're holding him on your roster.
Najee Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers
The truth is that Najee is a very good player in real life. He knows the game, he gets the tough yards, puts his body on the line in pass protection, and is one heck of a teammate. Unfortunately, as far as fantasy football is concerned, he's been the complete opposite. Harris hasn't finished better than the RB17 in any given week and like Pierce above is losing out on valuable touches to another running back in Jaylen Warren. The Steelers offense has been slow to start and even though they are 3-2 it is mainly due to their defense. QB Kenny Pickett has been average and much of the fan base is frustrated with offensive coordinator Matt Canada. Harris doesn't have an explosive running style and needs heavy volume to be an asset for fantasy. With Warren taking nearly half of the workload, it's going to be difficult for Harris to produce for your team.
Dalvin Cook, New York Jets
There is no doubt that the injury to Aaron Rodgers was a crippling blow to the Jets offense, but fellow RB Breece Hall has looked explosive and has contributed for fantasy despite many of the issues the Jets are facing right now. Cook has hardly been a factor at all and has shown why the Vikings moved on from him in the offseason. In fact, you have to wonder if he is at the end and should consider retiring at the end of the season. Cook is droppable in just about all fantasy football formats right now as he's gone over 10 carries just once in a game this year. The outlook does not look great.
Fantasy Football Wide Receiver Busts
Tee Higgins, Cincinnati Bengals
This one is tough. QB Joe Burrow was banged up with a knee injury and couldn't drive the ball downfield in the first few weeks of the season (he should have started on IR) and Tee has had a few minor injuries of his own, but the truth is he's played in 5 of the Bengals first 6 games with just one elite game as the WR3 in Week 2. Otherwise, Tee has been the WR131 (0 points), WR84, WR82, and WR78, that's bad! The good news is that Burrow is healthy and the team found their bye at a good time in Week 7. It's reasonable to be more optimistic about the Bengals offense the rest of the way, but there is still a chance we were over drafting Higgins this whole time. Nonetheless, he's still a decent buy-low candidate and should improve as the season goes on.
DeAndre Hopkins, Tennessee Titans
Hopkins signing in Tennessee was one of the surprises of the offseason and incumbent QB Ryan Tannehill has looked completely washed. The Titans sit at 2-4 in a loaded AFC and have some tough decisions to make regarding their veterans in Tannehill, D-Hop, and RB Derrick Henry. The offense making a switch to Malik Willis or rookie Will Levis could make things even rockier for fantasy purposes, but the team has to start considering the future at some point. Hopkins had a WR8 finish in Week 5, but has been outside the Top 24 in the Titans' five other games. It will be interesting to see what they decide to do coming off their Week 7 bye. We have plenty of reasons to be worried about this offense, in real life and in fantasy.
Jahan Dotson, Washington Commanders
This one has just been tough! Usually where we tend to see the biggest improvement in wide receivers is between Year 1 and Year 2 of their careers, but with Dotson it has been anything but. He is currently being outperformed by fellow WR Curtis Samuel and also has WR Terry McLaurin around him to take away targets. The Commanders currently sit at 3-3 as QB Sam Howell has been inconsistent week to week but has been good enough for fantasy. Dotson is close to droppable in just about all formats right now. His best game came in Week 4 where he finished as the WR28 with 4 receptions for 27 yards and a TD. Dotson hasn't topped 40 yards receiving in a single game this year! Ouch.
Fantasy Football Tight End Busts
Darren Waller, New York Giants
This one has been frustrating to say the least. After 2 injury-plagued seasons slowed him in 2021 and 2022, Waller has been mostly healthy despite a hamstring injury, but the offense hasn't been able establish any kind of a connection between him and Jones. Waller hasn't been a complete bust, but in many leagues he was going as the TE4 off the board in drafts and hasn't lived up to the hype. There are many reasons to be concerned about the Giants and their offense going forward and as mentioned previously, they have a difficult road ahead in the fantasy playoffs. You likely can't get a lot for Waller in fantasy at this time and are mostly just stuck holding him.
David Njoku, Cleveland Browns
The Browns offense has been bad in several games this season, but the team has been bailed out by their historic defense. QB Deshaun Watson has missed several games with a shoulder injury, so there is a chance that the Njoku-Watson connection could develop as the season goes along. Njoku hasn't finished better than the TE17 in any game this season and has yet to post 50+ receiving yards or a TD in any of them. There are reasons to be concerned, but the hope is that Watson gets back on the field soon and rescues this offense. Outside of Amari Cooper there is no established No. 2 option in the passing game, so there is still a chance for Njoku, but right now it doesn't look promising.
Is there anyone you felt was left off the list that should have been on it instead? Stay tuned to us here at RotoBaller for all the season-long coverage and best of luck in all of your leagues this year!
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