RADIO
The third Sunday of the 2024 NFL season has come and gone. Hopefully, you woke up on Monday morning feeling very good about how your matchup went. However, this week's slate of games was certainly stress-inducing for many fantasy football managers.
Part of that stress was caused by a group of players who drastically underachieved in Week 3. These players simply did not meet fantasy expectations coming out of the draft, and it cost their managers in a big way.
Let's take a look at the biggest busts from Week 3, as well as whether or not we can still have some trust in these players moving forward. All point totals are based on the PPR scoring system. Players who missed part of the game due to injury are exempt from being featured.
Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2024:- Quarterback fantasy football rankings
- Running back fantasy football rankings
- Wide receiver fantasy football rankings
- Tight end fantasy football rankings
- Kicker fantasy football rankings
- FLEX fantasy football rankings
- Defense (D/ST) fantasy football rankings
- Superflex fantasy football rankings
- IDP fantasy football rankings
- Dynasty fantasy football rankings
Fantasy Football Quarterback Busts
Anthony Richardson, 6.75 FPTS
Turnover problems continued for Richardson as he threw two interceptions on Sunday. The Colts managed to win, but the second-year quarterback now has six interceptions over three games. He is truly a boom-or-bust fantasy quarterback and could be tough to trust against a strong Steelers pass rush next week.
Bad decision by Anthony Richardson and his pass is picked off by Tremaine Edmunds. pic.twitter.com/bLo2mMwvcg
— JPAFootball (@jasrifootball) September 22, 2024
Fantasy Football Running Back Busts
Josh Jacobs, 5.8 FPTS
The Titans' run defense held Jacobs to just 43 yards on 14 carries. This was a rude awakening for the Pro Bowl running back who had 32 carries for 151 yards just one week ago. Jacobs is still a fringe RB1 going forward, but he might not fare much better against a super impressive Vikings defense in Week 4.
Tony Pollard, 5.9 FPTS
Pollard had his quietest game of the season, rushing for just 14 yards on six carries. He also caught three passes for another 15 yards through the air. Volume is key, and as long as the Titans keep playing from behind, there might not be a whole lot of carries to split between Pollard and Tyjae Spears. However, he's an appealing RB2 for Week 4 against a struggling Dolphins squad.
Rhamondre Stevenson, 0.3 FPTS
Stevenson's great first two weeks were abruptly met by a disappointing performance in Week 3. He rushed just six times for 23 yards, failed to command a target, and lost a fumble. It's hard to trust him as anything more than a low-end RB2 given the poor state of the Patriots' offense.
me looking at Rhamondre in my starting lineup: pic.twitter.com/dYJcgVLDrH
— Sleeper (@SleeperHQ) September 20, 2024
De'Von Achane, 8.8 FPTS
Achane scored more points than anyone else on his list, but he still makes the cut given that his production took an enormous step back on Sunday. The young, speedy running back couldn't get things going in a Dolphins offense led by Skylar Thompson and Tim Boyle. As long as Tua Tagovailoa is off the field, Achane will rank as an RB2 (or worse).
James Conner, 3.5 FPTS
Conner was held in check Sunday, tallying just 17 rushing yards and eight receiving yards. Given that he eclipsed 19 fantasy points in each of his first two games, we can assume that Week 3 was an anomaly. He's still a high-end RB2 for next week's game against the Commanders.
D'Onta Foreman, 0.5 FPTS
Foreman's increased volume in Week 2 prompted many fantasy managers to add (or even start) him in fantasy football this Sunday. That plan backfired as the veteran running back tallied just five yards on two carries. Sunday's loss showed that he's still merely a backup. He can be dropped in most fantasy leagues.
Touches between Jerome Ford and D'Onta Foreman by week
Week 1 - 18/0
Week 2 - 8/15
Weelk 3 - 13/2— Dave Kluge (@DaveKluge) September 22, 2024
Zamir White, 3.4 FPTS
White rushed for just 34 yards on 10 carries while continuing to have no role in the passing game. He was once again out-produced by Alexander Mattison, who found the end zone. White has less than seven fantasy points in all three of his games so far, dropping him outside the top 36 running backs for Week 4. He faces the Cleveland Browns next week.
Ezekiel Elliott, 2.2 FPTS
Not only was Elliott held to just 12 scrimmage yards Sunday, but he only recorded four touches. Quite simply, Rico Dowdle was more productive and efficient. We'll see if this trend continues. For now, fantasy managers should be cautious, viewing Elliott as a low-end RB3. You can absolutely justify benching him next week despite a favorable matchup against the Giants.
Fantasy Football Wide Receiver Busts
CeeDee Lamb, 8.7 FPTS
Lamb's showing could have been worse, but managers will still feel burnt by his single-digit outing. This was his first game of the year with fewer than 13 fantasy points, and he could have scored a little more if he hadn't lost a fumble. Fortunately, he plays the Giants next week and could end up being the overall WR1.
ceedee lamb fumble pic.twitter.com/AHZQA3mOd3
— ◇ (@HOODH3RO) September 22, 2024
Tyreek Hill, 7.0 FPTS
Hill was another victim of the Thompson and Boyle effect in Miami. The two quarterbacks simply don't throw the deep ball like Tagovailoa. Hill will fall to the WR2 tier going forward. His upside is still relatively high, but his floor has taken a major hit.
Jaylen Waddle, 6.6 FPTS
Let's round out the list with a third Dolphin. Waddle had his worst game of the season, catching four passes for 26 yards. Given that he doesn't run as many deep routes as Hill, there's a chance that Waddle could still theoretically form a rapport with Thompson or Boyle. Nevertheless, this offense is trending in the wrong direction and Waddle will suffer as a result.
Zay Flowers, 5.3 FPTS
The Ravens won on Sunday, but Flowers was held in check by the Cowboys' defense. This was his first game of the year with less than 11 fantasy points, and he should have no trouble bouncing back in a potential shootout with the Bills in Week 4.
Mike Evans, 3.7 FPTS
The Buccaneers surprised many with their loss to the Broncos on Sunday. Mike Evans was quiet in the effort, catching just two of three targets for 17 yards. Evans appears in this article often because of his boom-or-bust style of play. He could tally just a few points against the Eagles next week, but he could also explode for over 100 yards and one or two touchdowns.
Rashid Shaheed, 0.0 FPTS
Speaking of boom-or-bust players, let's talk about Shaheed. The Saints' pass-catcher was averaging 85 yards and one touchdown per game entering Week 3, but he finished Sunday's game with zero catches on five targets. Shaheed thrives when he can get open deep downfield, and that simply didn't happen against the Eagles. Moving forward, he's still a WR3 with a high ceiling and low floor.
Every who fired up Rashid Shaheed in fantasy after back-to-back top-15 performances pic.twitter.com/2OgqLqG0GQ
— Dave Kluge (@DaveKluge) September 22, 2024
Jameson Williams, 1.2 FPTS
Williams' production has steadily declined ever since his enormous showing back in Week 1. It seems as though he should continue to be viewed as a high-ceiling, low-floor receiver who isn't immune to quiet showings. He's still worth deploying as a WR3/FLEX in hopes that he can bounce back versus Seattle in Week 4.
Calvin Ridley, 1.9 FPTS
Ridley had his quietest game of the season, catching just one pass for nine yards. Quarterback Will Levis seems to be holding the Titans back, and Ridley will be hard to trust in fantasy football as long as Levis is under center. He's a low-end WR3/FLEX heading into Week 4 against Miami.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, 6.9 FPTS
Fantasy managers had high hopes for Smith-Njigba after he commanded 16 targets and caught 12 passes a week earlier. The Seahawks put more of a focus on DK Metcalf and Zach Charbonnet this Sunday, leaving just three catches and 39 yards for Smith-Njigba. He's still a very appealing WR3/FLEX play heading into Week 4 against the Lions.
Fantasy Football Tight End Busts
Mark Andrews, 0.0 FPTS
If fantasy managers were sour after Andrews underwhelmed in Week 1, their reaction to Week 3 must have been exponentially worse. Andrews was unable to haul in his only target, finishing with zero fantasy points for the first time since Week 14 of his rookie campaign in 2018. It may sound crazy, but managers can justify benching him against the Bills next week.
Oh crap did I forget to start a TE today? Nope, it’s just Mark Andrews pic.twitter.com/7nRZbajk90
— Ryan Gandee (@MrNice_Ry) September 22, 2024
Isaiah Likely, 1.4 FPTS
Andrews wasn't the only Ravens tight end held in check Sunday. Likely caught just one pass for four yards, which was his worst outing of the year. He has just three catches over the two games since his Week 1 explosion. He can be benched in leagues with 14 teams or fewer in Week 4.
Hunter Henry, 2.9 FPTS
Henry's big Week 2 showing prompted many fantasy managers to add him off waivers, but he failed to live up to his streaming appeal on Thursday Night Football. The veteran caught just two passes for nine yards and will rank as a low-end TE2 next week against the 49ers.
Dalton Schultz, 3.1 FPTS
There are simply too many mouths to feed in Houston, and Schultz is the odd man out. Despite commanding a season-high five targets on Sunday, he turned in his lowest fantasy total of the young season. The 28-year-old falls outside the top 12 tight ends for Week 4.
Greg Dulcich, 0.0 FPTS
Dulcich commanded eight targets last week, leading to a swarm of interest on the waiver wire. He responded with a zero-target effort in Sunday's win over Tampa Bay. He's not reliable enough to warrant a roster spot in fantasy football.
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