Week 13 Busts? Players To Consider Avoiding

November 30, 2019

Keith Hernandez analyzes NFL players to consider sitting or benching for Week 13. These are his top potential fantasy football lineup busts to avoid starting.

While most people will be out trying to score deals of a lifetime at their local stores this weekend, some of us are still trying to find a way to get into the fantasy playoffs. It's do-or-die week for many teams with just one week until the fantasy playoffs begin. With your stomachs full of turkey and stuffing, put your best foot forward towards setting your ideal lineup with everything on the line. It's even tougher in Week 13 with no more teams on bye.

If you're fortunate, you've already wrapped up a playoff spot, and if you're lucky, a first-round bye. If you're in this enviable position, you're essentially just hoping that none of your studs get hurt in Week 13. You're probably also hoping none of them feast and waste a big performance in a meaningless matchup. Whatever the case, there will inevitably be guys that gorge themselves with points this weekend, but which ones are in danger of going hungry?

Below are 10 potential busts for Week 13 of the 2019 fantasy football season.

Potential Quarterback Busts for Week 13

Jimmy Garoppolo - San Francisco 49ers @ Ravens

In the last five weeks (four games) against the likes of Jared Goff, Deshaun Watson, Ryan Finley and Tom Brady, the Ravens Defense has been excellent, limiting those passers to 13.2 fantasy points per game. They've allowed only 833 yards passing and two aerial TDs in that span. Garoppolo had over 400 yards two weeks ago, but that was against the weak Arizona secondary. His wideouts won't be as wide open this Sunday as they were against the Packers last Sunday night.

Deshaun Watson - Houston Texans Vs. Patriots

Watson has the fourth most fantasy points (285.1) after 12 weeks, but he could put up a turkey on Sunday night against the Pats, who have allowed the fewest fantasy points per game (13.6) to QBs all season long. Watson hasn't gone over 300 yards since Oct. 20 against the Colts and hasn't been using his legs much of late either.

Others: Philip Rivers (@ Broncos), Baker Mayfield (@ Steelers)

Potential Running Back Busts for Week 13

Joe Mixon - Cincinnati Bengals Vs. Jets

Mixon has actually been pretty hot in the last three weeks, running for at least 79 yards while scoring a touchdown. He went for his first 100-yard game against Baltimore on Nov. 10. He's essentially Cincy's entire offense at this point, but Gang Green should be able to slow him down. New York's defensive front has allowed a league-low 10.3 fantasy points per game to running backs in the last five games. Mixon hasn't been used much in the passing game either, catching just three balls on six targets the last three games.

Nick Chubb - Cleveland Browns @ Steelers

Most fantasy owners were worried about Chubb's ceiling once Kareem Hunt came off his suspension. In three games with Hunt in the fold, Chubb has gone over 100 yards on the ground twice and has seen at least 20 touches in each game. He had 92 yards and 27 carries in the other game (against Pittsburgh two weeks ago). Chubb is still the man on the ground in Cleveland, but Hunt did vulture a touchdown on the ground in Week 12 and has 20 aerial targets to Chubb's eight.

He's still been effective with Hunt in the fold, but it'll catch up with him eventually, and this could be the week that happens. Don't expect Chubb to be quite as good as he was against the Steelers on Nov. 14. Pittsburgh is one of two teams that haven't allowed a touchdown on the ground to a running back in their last five games and have limited running backs to just 11.0 fantasy points per game in that span.

Leonard Fournette - Jacksonville Jaguars Vs. Buccaneers

With a healthy 4.6 yards per carry on 206 totes through 12 weeks, one would think Fournette would have more than just three total touchdowns on the season -- two of those came last Sunday. His workloads have also been pretty inconsistent on a week-to-week basis based on game flow, as he had 24 carries last week but just eight the week prior. If he can't find the end zone, Fournette will leave his owners out in the cold. Tampa is much better against the run, too, holding opponents to 370 yards and just one TD in the last five weeks.

Others: Derrick Henry (@ Colts), Carlos Hyde (Vs. Patriots), Mark Ingram (Vs. 49ers)

Potential Wide Receiver Busts for Week 13

DeAndre Hopkins - Houston Texans Vs. Patriots

The return of Will Fuller last Thursday helped Hopkins score two touchdowns against the Colts, but he also saw single-digit targets for the first time since Oct. 6. The targets will still be there on Sunday night, but the Patriots secondary has allowed just 32 receptions and no touchdowns to wideouts in their last four games. Stephon Gilmore will shadow Hopkins and could easily shut him down on the perimeter.

Tyrell Williams - Oakland Raiders @ Chiefs

If this game turns into another blowout in favor of the Chiefs, all bets are off, but Williams has been completely unreliable for fantasy owners since he opened the season with five straight games with a touchdown. He hasn't had more than seven targets in a single game in his first year in Oakland and hasn't gone over 100 yards since Week 1. Williams is tied with Diontae Johnson and Demaryius Thomas with 25 targets the last five weeks. That tells you all you need to know.

Keenan Allen - Los Angeles Chargers @ Broncos

Despite seeing 108 targets (fourth in the NFL), Allen has been somewhat of a disappointment in 2019. Both of his 100-yard games and three of his four scores came in the first three weeks of the season. It hasn't helped that Philip Rivers is really starting to show his age. Denver shut down Allen in their first meeting (four catches, 18 yards) by using shutdown cornerback Chris Harris Jr. on him. That should be the game plan yet again.

Others: Courtland Sutton (Vs. Chargers), Marquise Goodwin (Vs. 49ers), Julian Edelman (@ Texans)

Potential Tight End Busts for Week 13

Mark Andrews - Baltimore Ravens Vs. 49ers

Coming off a dud two-catch outing in the blowout win over the Rams, Andrews could put up another stinker against one of the best defenses in the NFL. This game projects to be a low-scoring, defensive-minded affair, which could limit Andrews' chances to find the end zone. San Fran has allowed the second fewest fantasy points per game (3.4) to tight ends in the last five weeks as well.

George Kittle - San Francisco 49ers @ Ravens

There aren't many better than Kittle in terms of athleticism and overall production at his position. He proved that by going for six catches, 129 yards and a touchdown against the Packers last week after missing multiple games with injury. Kittle has scored in his last two games, but he's not 100 percent healthy and will be facing a Ravens defense that has been among the best in the second half of the season. They've allowed just two TDs to tight ends all season long.

Others: Jimmy Graham (@ Giants), Jonnu Smith (@ Colts)

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