There are fantasy news articles that are uplifting and full of excitement. This one isn’t—this article is to chronicle the biggest busts of 2012’s 10 or 11 games. With only two more weeks until standard league playoffs for many of you, the season is three-fourths complete. Here are the top 10 biggest busts this year fantasy wise. Guys like Maurice Jones-Drew, Hakeem Nicks and DeMarco Murray have disappointed you but those guys were, or are, hurt for significant stretches of time.
QUARTERBACK
- Stafford: On Pace For 19 Touchdowns..Ugh
All Bust: Matthew Stafford, Lions
Stafford is ranked 11th in standard league points, a testament to the dysfunctional Detroit Lions ability to suck all year and still put up 400 of offensive yards a game. Stafford’s passing yards are there (a 4,781 yard pace) but a 19.2 touchdown pace isn’t what owners were looking for when they draft you as a suitable replacement for missing out on the 2012’s pre-draft holy trinity of Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, and Drew Brees. If you’ve passed for 5,000 yards and 40 scores in a season there is just a higher standard that needs to be reached. Fantasy football isn’t really about yards as it is about touchdowns and while Stafford is a great talent, he hasn’t put the ball in the end zone, period.
He’ll still be drafted 2nd-3rd round but nowhere near his draft slot this year. Peyton Manning probably slides back in that holy trinity to make it a four-piece act.
He’ll still be drafted 2nd-3rd round but nowhere near his draft slot this year. Peyton Manning probably slides back in that holy trinity to make it a four-piece act.
Also Considered:
Michael Vick, Eagles
Has really morphed into a shell of the 2010 version which looks to be an outlier..or has it? I am not a Vick apologist, but he could definitely regain fantasy prominence in a place like Buffalo, even Jacksonville or Kansas City. Those three teams don’t have the putrid offensive line like the Eagles.
Eli Manning, Giants:
Almost feels sacrilegious to write this, but he hasn’t looked well for a month and has wilted points-wise right when owners need him most. In the last five games Eli Manning has two touchdowns and 39 fantasy points combined. Good Lord. I still say he will be undervalued at the position next year, but buyer beware. He relies on guys, too.
RUNNING BACK
- Where's The Big Plays? 1 Touchdown in 2012..
All Bust: Ryan Matthews, Chargers
What a fraud. On pace for 835 yards rushing and two touchdowns total in 2012. The Chargers offensive line isn’t great but Rivers hasn’t played that horribly. Ryan Matthews was a consensus top-5 pick at running back even with his injury rapsheet and having never actually performed at that level in his career. Ten games later, he’s the 26th ranked running back at the position, and has one game, against the Saints defense, where he broke ten points all season. Never again for this fantasy owner, having thought he was a steal when he dropped in one of my leagues. I’d say his performance is sliding him into the third and fourth rounds next year. He’s still the main guy toting the rock.
Also Considered:
Jonathan Stewart, Panthers
Disappeared all year and the offensive game plan in Carolina is too tied into a college-style offense that limits in best offensive talent. Everyone forgets amid all the hoopla about the 2011 Carolina Panthers, they went 6-10. He’s not a steal in the fifth next year, is always hurt and I heard Carolina signed another running back to a multi-year contract. Give me a break.
Reggie Bush, Dolphins
Had one great game against the Raiders who suck eggs at stopping the run and then he’s be tied to a rookie quarterback and the fighting Hartlines, aka the Dolphins wide receivers. Besides Hartline and Davone Bess, they are who we thought they were, and he is wearing down. Probably won’t see a 1,000 yard season from him again until they add some playmakers on the outsides. Brandon Marshall, was pretty good after all, then huh? Not sure if he will every be viewed as a real RB2 unless he salvages this season.
WIDE RECEIVER
- How Fitzy Owners Feel Looking At Box Scores in 2012
All-Bust: Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals
Perhaps the most painful of all busts because Fitzgerald works at his craft probably harder than anyone recently not named Jerry Rice. But Fitzgerald has disappeared in the quagmire that is the Arizona Cardinals offense. Neither of these quarterbacks, be it Kolb, Skelton or Lindley (whatever his name is) can locate the future hall-of-famer when the Cardinals drop back to pass. He is currently the 29th ranked wideout in fantasy after seemingly ten years consecutive of being a top-5 option. Andre Roberts the second-year wideout has outscored him by one point, adding injury to insult. He’s still on pace for 83 catches, 954 yards and 6 score but Fitzy has four 1,400 yard seasons in his career. Not what we bargained for; maybe he is on permanent decline.
Also Considered:
Mike Wallace, Steelers
Wallace, some would say the fastest wide receiver in the league has only one 100-yard game in 2012 after 11 in the 2010 and 2011 seasons combined, continuing a crappy trend my Steelers people were telling me about towards the end of the 2011 season. He’s a one-trick pony, they said. All he does is run fly routes, they said. Well turns out he can’t catch real good… can’t blame the quarterback for that.
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