Warning Signals - RB / WR / TE

September 21, 2018

Martin Konstantinov examines skill position players who have been busts or overvalued in 2018 heading into Week 3. These RB, WR, or TE could be cuts, drops or trade candidates in fantasy football leagues.

Every year, certain players are highly drafted in drafts by fantasy owners due to the belief that they will vastly outperform expectations throughout the season. Oftentimes, these players carry a significant amount of hype due to breakout potential, elite status, or lack of alternative options on their teams.

However, with every player that does meet the threshold for good performance, there seem to be several similar players that fail to live up to the lofty expectations placed on them by fantasy owners. Whether the players are drafted at the beginning, middle, or end of drafts, not living up to the draft capital spent on them is one of the weekly dilemmas for fantasy owners.

Because fantasy owners tend to hold on to players that they believe in for too long, it is important to recognize warning signals from players early on so that the players can be removed from lineups and the damage of their poor performances can be mitigated. Let's take a look at some players at each of the skill positions who have shown some worrying signs this week. Fantasy owners should proceed with caution with the following players.

Warning Signals - RB/WR/TE

Peyton Barber (RB, TB)

Peyton Barber started the season well, with 69 rushing yards in the team's surprise Week 1 victory against the New Orleans Saints. However, despite the team winning again in Week 2, Barber had very limited success out of the backfield, amassing 22 rushing yards on 16 carries throughout the game. With the team's passing attack and Ryan Fitzpatrick's superior play (for the time being), the running backs have taken the biggest hit. Even though Barber is the entrenched starter, other backs like Jacquizz Rodgers have begun to eat away at his snap share. Additionally, although Ronald Jones was inactive for the second straight week, he may pose some problems should Barber continue to not get it done on the ground. Consider Barber a low-ceiling player with a worryingly low floor despite his starting position for the Buccaneers.

Rex Burkhead (RB, NE)

Even though Sony Michel was expected to make his regular season debut with the team this past weekend, everybody still assumed that Rex Burkhead would be the lead back and take over the majority of the team's rushing opportunities. Burkhead, however, was only able to receive six rushing attempts on the night (which he converted to 22 rushing yards). Michel, however, had ten rushing attempts for 30 yards and was targeted twice, while James White contributed with four rushes of his own as well as eight targets (which he converted to seven receptions). It seems as if the Patriots backfield will become more of a two-headed monster in the near future, with Michel handling the rushing duties while White serves as the team's receiving back. This leaves Burkhead in a no-man's land - although the Patriots backfield activity is always going to be unpredictable, now may be the time to trade away Burkhead before his value sinks any lower.

Jamison Crowder (WR, WAS)

The Redskins offense got a bump in their Week 1 victory over the Arizona Cardinals; however, even playing a marginally better opponent (Indianapolis Colts) in Week 2 saw the team fail to generate any significant offensive output. This included the performance of Jamison Crowder, who was only able to haul in two catches for eight total yards. Although Crowder also had a 29 yard rushing attempt in the game, his 40 receiving yards through the first two weeks is not enough to justify the flex value that he had going into the season. Crowder is simply not operating on an efficient offense and is not one of quarterback Alex Smith's top targets so far. This greatly decreases his fantasy value and should ensure that he is dropped or stays on the bench for fantasy owners heading into Week 3.

Larry Fitzgerald (WR, ARI)

After recording seven catches for 76 yards, it seemed as if Larry Fitzgerald was going to continue from where he left off in 2017 - high volume role in a struggling offense. However, the Cardinals have performed even worse than expected, causing major backlash from fans and calls to readjust how the team plays. Before exiting the team's second game with a hamstring injury, Fitzgerald only had three receptions for 28 yards. Clearly, despite the presence of Fitzgerald and running back David Johnson, the team is struggling to put results together on the field. This greatly diminishes Fitzgerald's value for the foreseeable future, mitigating any success he may have as a high-volume receiver. However, if rookie quarterback Josh Rosen is thrust into the starting spot, there may be some hope that Fitzgerald is able to continue playing as he did in 2017.

Tyler Eifert (TE, CIN)

Although it is quite surprising that tight end Tyler Eifert has made it through the team's first two games without any injuries, what is less surprising is his disappointing output up to this point. Never one to generate huge receiving totals, Eifert was outproduced by fellow tight end C.J. Uzomah last week as he was only able to secure two of four targets for a paltry 23 yards. What is more worrying is Eifert's inability to find the endzone despite the team scoring four times against the Baltimore Ravens. Although Eifert still has some upside as a redzone tight end, his fantasy prospects have certainly diminished given his relatively ineffective performances through the first two games of the 2018 NFL season.

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