20 Biggest Disappointments of the 2013 Fantasy Football Season So Far
20 Biggest Disappointments of the 2013 Fantasy Football Season So Far
Heading into Week 4 of the NFL season, there are people already giving up on their fantasy football teams. There are some teams that are floundering because of injuries and others because of lackluster performances by some high-round draft picks. It may be too soon to give up on your team, but it's the right time to begin to panic if you have an 0-3 team. Last season, there were a few players that got off to a slow start but were able to turn it around and help their owners compete in the fantasy football playoffs.
In Weeks 2-5 of last season, Andre Johnson had a combined nine catches and one TD. Those are numbers that owners expect Johnson to put up weekly, so they started putting him on the block and selling him low. Anyone that stuck with Johnson got a huge reward at the end of the year as he finished the season with 112 catches for 1,598 yards.
At running back, Chris Johnson started off the season with 33 carries and only 45 yards and zero TDs. Coming off a subpar 2011, fantasy owners were quick to place him on the trade block and get rid of him by this point in the season. Chris Johnson ended up ninth in the NFL in rushing with 1,243 yards and six TDs.
Aaron Rodgers also started 2012 off slowly. He was commonly the first quarterback taken in fantasy drafts and sometimes being taken in Round 1. Through the first three weeks of 2012, Rodgers had only three TDs and threw two interceptions. These numbers weren't good enough for any starting QB in fantasy leagues. Although most people held onto Rodgers, who ended up throwing 39 TDs and only eight Interceptions, he would have been considered a fantasy football disappointment through Week 3 of last year.
These 20 players have let down their fantasy owners so far and are probably on the block in all leagues.
20. Chris Ivory
Nobody thought Chris Ivory would be a 1,000-yard back for the New York Jets this season. However, he was announced as the starting running back coming out of the preseason, which lasted one entire half. Through three games, he has only 72 yards rushing and has been replaced by Bilal Powell.
19. Kenny Britt
According to Yahoo! Fantasy Football, Kenny Britt was projected to be the 107th best player in PPR leagues. So far, the Tennessee Titans receiver has only five catches for 43 yards and zero scores, and has been good for 9.3 points in PPR leagues.
18. Brandon Pettigrew
Brandon Pettigrew is one of the most frustrating players every year in fantasy football. He plays in a pass-heavy offense and is a big athletic tight end that can stretch the field. After his 2011 season where he had 83 catches and five TDs, he was drafted early the following season. His numbers were a disappointment in 2012, but with the tremendous upside, he was drafted as a TE2 option. Through three games, he has five catches and 38 yards.
17. Tom Brady
Over the last three seasons, Tom Brady has averaged 36.3 TDs and only eight interceptions. This year, he only has five TDs through three games, which puts him in a tie for 13th in the NFL. He is on pace to have 26 TDs and throw 11 interceptions this year.
16. T.Y. Hilton
When the Indianapolis Colts let Donnie Avery leave, fantasy owners reached to grab second-year pro T.Y. Hilton early in drafts. Being promoted to the no. 2 receiver and still being a punt returner would increase his value from last season when he had 50 catches and eight total TDs. So far this year, Hilton only has 11 receptions and has failed to reach the end zone. Six of those 11 catches came in one half against Miami.
15. Fred Davis
Fred Davis was going to be a big part of the Washington Redskins' offense last year before he suffered a season-ending injury in Week 7. So far this year, he has only three catches for 25 yards and has been replaced by Jordan Reed as the no. 1 tight end in the passing game.
14. Montee Ball
Montee Ball came out of college as a touchdown machine in Wisconsin. He set the NCAA Division 1 record for total TDs and rushing TDs. The thought was he would get a lot of goal line carries and score a bunch of TDs with defenses geared up to stop Peyton Manning. So far, he has been unable to win the starting RB duties and is stuck in a three-player committee. He hasn't scored a TD and has fumbled twice in critical situations.
13. Trent Richardson
In most drafts, Trent Richardson was selected in round one or early on in round two. So far this season, he has been traded as many times as he has found the end zone. His value in Indianapolis has decreased with Andrew Luck and Ahmad Bradshaw on the team. He was the only weapon in Cleveland, and now he will share the load in the backfield.
12. Danny Amendola
Every season, fantasy owners get teased by the prospect of Danny Amendola playing a full season. This year more than any, owners reached to get him knowing the he would be the no. 1 option for Tom Brady. He had a great game in Week 1 with 10 catches, but has missed the last two games and is questionable for Week 4.
11. Dwayne Bowe
In 2010, Dwayne Bowe scored 15 TDs and had 1162 yards receiving. In the two years since then, his numbers have gone down drastically, but he was still ranked as the no. 37 player in PPR leagues. With Andy Reid and Alex Smith coming to town, fantasy owners grabbed Bowe in the first six rounds in most drafts. Through three weeks, he has caught only nine passes and has one TD. His 24 fantasy points is good for 71st amongst receivers.
10. Steven Jackson
Steven Jackson was an early second-round pick in most leagues. His rushing yards has decreased each of the last four seasons, but he has been relatively healthy, playing in at least 15 games in those years. So far through three weeks, he has only 77 yards rushing in two games, and is expected to be out until Week 7 with an injury.
9. Hakeem Nicks
At this point, it seems dangerous to start anyone on the New York Giants not named Victor Cruz. Eli Manning leads the league in interceptions, and they have been unable to run the ball as a team. Hakeem Nicks may be struggling more than anyone on the team though with only nine catches, and he has yet to reach the end zone.
8. Greg Jennings
With the departure of Percy Harvin, the Minnesota Vikings brought in high-priced receiver Greg Jennings from the division rival Green Bay Packers. Jennings has only 11 catches and zero TDs this season for the 0-3 Vikings.
7. Maurice Jones-Drew
Nobody expected Maurice Jones-Drew to light the world on fire in Jacksonville this year. They have the biggest quarterback mess in the NFL and are missing their no. 1 receiver for the first four weeks. Still, owners expected Jones-Drew to contribute more than 115 yards and one TD through the first three games.
6. Stevan Ridley
Over the past couple of seasons, the New England Patriots have begun to run the ball more often and more effectively. After a breakout year in 2012 with 1,263 yards and 12 TDs, fantasy owners were hoping for the same productivity from Stevan Ridley. So far through three weeks, Ridley only has 121 yards and zero TDs, and appeared to have lost his starting role to Shane Vereen in Week 1 before Vereen was injured.
5. C.J. Spiller
C.J. Spiller was ranked no. 4 overall in PPR leagues before the season began. In 2012, he ran the ball for 1,244 yards and had 43 receptions and eight Touchdowns. In 2013, he ranks no. 167 overall and has yet to taste the end zone. He and Fred Jackson have been splitting carries, and Jackson has put up the better numbers.
4. Roddy White
Roddy White has never missed a game in his NFL career, and that may be the only reason why he is playing at all. He has averaged 96 catches and almost nine TDs per game over the last five seasons, and has been a steady WR1 option in most leagues. So far through three weeks, he only has seven catches for 56 yards and no TDs. His ankle injury seems to be something that may linger for the entire season and perhaps keep him out of the lineup at some point.
3. Ray Rice
Ray Rice suffered an injury early in Week 2 against the Cleveland Browns. He was having a slow start before he got hurt and he may see less carries when he gets back. He is doubtful for Week 4 and with Bernard Pierce showing he can handle the duties, Rice won't have close to the numbers he usually puts up.
2. Colin Kaepernick
A lot of fantasy owners were drooling over the thought of having Colin Kaepernick for an entire season. His ability to throw the ball down the field and pick up large chunks of yardage running the ball made him the no. 1 duel threat QB going into the draft. So far this season, he had one elite game and two terrible ones. Most owners that drafted Kaepernick didn't think they would need a backup plan at QB, so they are probably stuck with him for the duration of the season. He's definitely not the QB that threw for 412 yards and three TDs in Week 1, but he's also much better than the zero TDs and four Interceptions since then.
1. David Wilson
The New York Giants let Ahmad Bradshaw go after 2012 to allow first-round pick David Wilson to take over the lead running back duties. So far, he has 75 yards and two fumbles lost in three games, and has yet to score a touchdown. He was ranked no. 17 in PPR leagues, but his lack of productivity has dropped his ranking to number 2,598. There aren't even 2,598 players in the NFL, so it would be better to not play him at all than to start him.
