Biggest Week 5 Busts: Fantasy Football Reactions for A.J. Brown, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jamaal Williams, Jaylen Waddle, A.J. Dillon

October 10, 2022

Several NFL players underwhelmed in Week 5 of the 2022 fantasy football season. Andersen identifies busts at each position and whether they'll bounce back.

The fifth NFL Sunday of the 2022 season has come and gone. Hopefully, you woke up on Monday morning feeling very good about how your week 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 5. These players simply did not meet fantasy expectations, and it cost their managers in a big way. Let's take a look at the biggest busts from Week 5, 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.

Fantasy Football Quarterback Busts

Jared Goff, 8.15 FPTS

Goff averaged 30.48 fantasy points through his first four games, so Sunday's loss in New England certainly represented a rude awakening. Even with Amon-Ra St. Brown back from injury, Goff couldn't get things clicking with his receivers, finishing the day with just 19 completions, 229 yards, zero touchdowns, and one interception. He also fumbled the football once. While Week 5 was far from ideal, the Lions are on bye next week and will look to bounce back against the Cowboys in Week 7.

Cooper Rush, 5.0 FPTS

Rush threw for just 102 yards on Sunday, all while being sacked three times. While his fantasy performance was underwhelming, the 28-year-old did a good job leading the Cowboys to victory and keeping the ball out of the Rams' possession as much as possible. Rush isn't a flashy fantasy name, but he should continue to be a fine streaming option until Dak Prescott (thumb) returns. Dallas takes on the Eagles next week.

Fantasy Football Running Back Busts

Jamaal Williams, 5.6 FPTS

The Lions' offense, which led the NFL in scoring through the first four weeks, ran into a stingy Patriots defense in Week 5. Williams rushed 15 times for just 56 yards, all while failing to get involved in the passing game. This was a major step backward for the 27-year-old after he totaled 216 scrimmage yards and four touchdowns over his previous two games. With the Lions on a bye next week and D'Andre Swift on track to return in Week 7, Williams could fall back into the RB3 tier going forward. Fortunately, he still has some standalone fantasy value even when Swift is healthy.

James Robinson, 5.9 FPTS

Robinson appears on this list for the second consecutive week, this time after registering just 27 rushing yards and 12 receiving yards. After looking like a star through the Jaguars' first three games, Robinson has been noticeably outperformed by Travis Etienne over the last two weeks. Robinson still has the track record to justify starting him in fantasy football, but he is nothing more than a fringe top-24 option for the time being.

A.J. Dillon, 3.4 FPTS

The Packers struggled to do much offensively in London, especially in the second half of the game. Green Bay chose to rely on Aaron Jones more than Dillon as the latter was held to just six rushes for 34 yards. In the past, he has proven that both he and Jones can co-exist, but for now, it's hard to justify starting Dillon in fantasy football. After all, the 24-year-old has been held to single-digits fantasy points in each of his last four games. The Packers take on the Jets in Week 6.

Khalil Herbert, 1.1 FPTS

While it initially seemed like the Bears planned to ease David Montgomery (knee, ankle) back into action by continuing to involve Herbert, that wasn't quite the case. The 24-year-old totaled just 11 yards while Montgomery broke free for 82 scrimmage yards and a score. It appears Herbert has returned to being a handcuff, keeping him off the fantasy radar for the time being.

Cam Akers, 3.3 FPTS

The Rams' offense stalled against the Cowboys in Week 5, and Cam Akers experienced it first-hand. The third-year back was held to just 33 rushing yards while failing to catch a pass. On the other hand, Darrell Henderson logged four receptions but did not amass a single carry. It's far too hard to project the roles for either of these two backs. As a result, they should not be started in fantasy football.

Fantasy Football Wide Receiver Busts

A.J. Brown, 6.2 FPTS

Brown was held to just three catches for 32 yards, his lowest mark since joining the Eagles. It was also the first time he finished with single-digit fantasy points this season. The 25-year-old should have no trouble bouncing back as soon as Week 6 in a divisional clash with the surging Cowboys.

Amon-Ra St. Brown, 5.8 FPTS

St. Brown isn't the first Lion listed here, nor the second, nor will he be the last. The 22-year-old was held to just four catches for 18 yards as the Patriots shut out an offense that, statistically speaking, was the best unit in the NFL through the first four games. Look for him to bounce back on the other side of the bye when the Lions oppose the Cowboys in Week 7.

Christian Kirk, 2.1 FPTS

Kirk had the worst game of his time with the Jaguars, catching just one pass for 11 yards. The 25-year-old has just three catches over his last two games, and while he remains the top wide receiver in Jacksonville's offense, his fantasy value is coming back down to earth. Consider him a mid-to-low WR2 against the Colts in Week 6.

Jaylen Waddle, 5.3 FPTS

Waddle amassed just three catches for 23 yards in an offense led by Skylar Thompson. The rookie took over for Teddy Bridgewater (head) and couldn't seem to get much going in the loss to New York. Waddle has seen his own role decrease in 2022. After all, outside of the big Week 2 victory over Baltimore, Waddle hasn't registered more than four catches or six targets in a single game. As poor quarterback play continues in Miami, Waddle should be viewed in the low-end WR2 tier.

Brandin Cooks, 6.0 FPTS

Cooks racked up four catches for 20 yards in Week 5. Davis Mills has been a burden on the Texans' offense so far, and Cooks is one of the biggest victims. The veteran wideout has proven that he can be a viable fantasy option in the past, but there are still some justified concerns about his ability after a slow start to the 2022 campaign.

Fantasy Football Tight End Busts

T.J. Hockenson, 1.6 FPTS

Remember the hint that there might be one more Lion on this list? Here he is. Hockenson recorded 179 yards and two touchdowns last week before coming back down to earth this Sunday. The 24-year-old saw season-lows in targets, catches, and yards during the loss to New England. Going forward, he is a talented athlete who should be viewed as a mid-range TE1 in fantasy football, but it's fair to have at least some concern about the numerous mouths to feed in Detroit's offense.

Gerald Everett, 1.2 FPTS

Although the Chargers won on Sunday, Everett had his worst game of the season, catching just one pass for two yards. Given the strength and firepower of the Los Angeles offense, he should have no trouble getting back on track in Week 6, especially if Keenan Allen (hamstring) misses more time. Fantasy managers should view Everett as a fringe top-12 fantasy option who could be an intriguing buy-low at the tight end position.

Tyler Conklin, 0.0 FPTS

Sure, the Jets dropped 40 points on Sunday. However, Tyler Conklin, the overall TE9 through the first four weeks, was a non-factor. The 27-year-old was targeted just once and held without a catch in the divisional clash. He'll take on the Packers in Week 6 as his fantasy value continues to diminish.

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