Each week of the 2021 NFL season, I will be listing certain players as potential fantasy football busts for the upcoming week. No, this does not mean I believe these players are trash and should not be rostered.
The players I name in this article each week may have unfavorable matchups, situational changes that negatively impact their value, injury concerns, and other various reasons to avoid having them in your lineups for that specific week.
The adage “stick with your studs" only applies to a few elite fantasy options. You should not be married to all of your starters every week, but instead, pick and choose which players have the best matchups and highest potential of fantasy points each week.
I know that can be a lot of work, but don’t worry, I have you covered with fantasy football tips!
This weekly fantasy football bust article, partnered with my weekly waiver wire article, will assist you in your sit/start decisions every single week for the 2021 season.
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2021 Fantasy Football Busts for Week 7 - Quarterback
Mac Jones, New England Patriots vs New York Jets
Mac Jones has been very underwhelming in his first NFL season. He has decent weapons but just hasn’t been able to get anything going. He’s thrown multiple touchdowns in just 2 games this year.
Given the insane amount of players with a Week 7 bye, you may be tempted to pick up Jones and start him. I’d advise against it.
The New York Jets have given up the fourth-fewest fantasy points to quarterbacks this season. They’ve allowed just 4 touchdown passes through 5 games, 2 of which came from Matt Ryan in Week 5.
Jones is not Ryan. The Jets held Jones to 186 passing yards and zero touchdowns back in Week 2. It would be best to avoid streaming him this week.
Zach Wilson, New York Jets @ New England Patriots
On the other side of the field in this game is Zach Wilson. Bill Belichick is notoriously known for exposing rookie quarterbacks, and the New England Patriots defense already had their way with Wilson in Week 2.
Wilson has thrown an interception in all 5 of his games this season and has thrown multiple interceptions in 2 games. He was picked off twice in Week 3 against the Denver Broncos and 4 times in Week 2 against his Week 7 opponent, the New England Patriots.
Again, I understand your quarterback may have their bye week, but I’d avoid both quarterbacks in this Week 7 matchup.
More Week 7 Busts To Avoid:
- Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks vs New Orleans Saints
Find better Week 7 fantasy football players to start with our 2021 Fantasy Football Sleepers Predictions.
2021 Fantasy Football Busts for Week 7 - Running Back
D’Andre Swift, Detroit Lions @ Los Angeles Rams
D’Andre Swift has been very good for fantasy football. He’s the RB7 on the season. So why fade him this week?
Swift has been touchdown-reliant in recent weeks — his production would be average to below-average without them. He doesn’t accumulate many rushing yards, as he’s topped 50 just once this year (51 rushing yards in Week 5).
Obviously, his touchdowns are a part of his success and shouldn’t be removed, but his matchup this week is cause for concern.
The Los Angeles Rams have given up the 15th-fewest fantasy points to running backs and have allowed just 4 rushing touchdowns to running backs on the year, 2 of which came from Arizona Cardinals’ running back James Conner in Week 4.
I anticipate the Lions to be playing from behind in this game. The only hope for Swift managers is his involvement in the receiving game. As long as he can find success there, he won’t hurt your teams.
I would just be tempering expectations against a difficult defense.
Eli Mitchell, San Francisco 49ers vs Indianapolis Colts
Many of us spent a bunch of our free-agent acquisition budget (FAAB) on Eli Mitchell. We are now beginning to regret that decision.
Since he went for 104 rushing yards and a touchdown in Week 1, Mitchell has been quiet. He’s played in just 2 of the last 4 games for the 49ers and has totaled 85 rushing yards and 0 touchdowns. The volume he saw in Weeks 1 and 2 was cut in half in his return last week.
At this point, he’s difficult to trust in your starting lineup and has a challenging matchup this week. The Colts have given up the fourth-fewest fantasy points to running backs and have faced a few top-tier options this season.
Mitchell is not top-tier and will struggle to produce this week.
More Week 7 Busts To Avoid:
- Latavius Murray, Baltimore Ravens vs Cincinnati Bengals
D’Andre Swift has picked up a couple of rushing touchdowns in recent weeks, but his performance on the ground has otherwise been lackluster. (Image: USA TODAY Sports)
2021 Fantasy Football Busts for Week 7 - Wide Receiver
Robert Woods, Los Angeles Rams vs Detroit Lions
Robert Woods has, for the most part, been disappointing this year. In Week 5, he finally had his huge game that everyone was waiting for. Woods caught a season-high 12 receptions, on a season-high 14 targets, for a season-high 150 receiving yards. Things were looking up!
Unfortunately, Woods came crashing back down to earth in Week 6. He caught just 2 of his 5 targets for 31 yards. Luckily, he caught a touchdown, which saved his fantasy day.
The Lions’ defense has allowed just the sixth-fewest fantasy points to wide receivers. Woods has 4 or fewer receptions in 4 of his 6 games this season.
I’d be surprised to see him exceed 4 receptions this week against the Lions.
Jakobi Meyers, New England Patriots vs New York Jets
Jakobi Meyers has a couple of double-digit target games this season, coming back-to-back in Weeks 3 and 4 against the New Orleans Saints and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Not coincidentally, these two games that marked season-highs in pass attempts for his quarterback, Mac Jones.
This won’t be that type of game. The New York Jets defense is fourth-best against quarterbacks and is even better against wide receivers. They have allowed the second-fewest fantasy points to the position this year.
I expect both offenses to struggle in this division matchup. Jakobi Meyers’ incredible touchdown-less streak is likely to continue against the Jets in Week 7.
More Week 7 Busts To Avoid:
- Corey Davis, New York Jets @ New England Patriots
Find better Week 7 fantasy football players on the waiver wire with our 2021 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Top Pickups.
2021 Fantasy Football Bust for Week 7 - Tight End
Zach Ertz, Arizona Cardinals vs Houston Texans
Zach Ertz is now in a better offense! This could be very good from a fantasy football perspective, especially at the most volatile position for fantasy. Just don’t get too ahead of yourself this week.
Ertz may be on a better offense, but he is new to the system and will need time to adjust. Kyler Murray will also need time with Ertz to build up chemistry. Murray has plenty of other valuable options to target in the meantime.
This week is a difficult one to suggest benching anyone, but if you can help it, try and go with a tight end that has an established role in their offense.
More Week 7 Busts To Avoid:
- Evan Engram, New York Giants vs Carolina Panthers
2021 Fantasy Football Bust for Week 7 - Defensive Team
Chicago Bears, Defense D/ST @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers
It’s easy to pick whichever defense is facing the Buccaneers each week. Tampa Bay has given up the least amount of fantasy points to opposing defenses this year.
That said, you may still feel tempted to play the Chicago Bears this week. Don’t do it.
Although the Bears have been a top-five fantasy football defense through 6 weeks, they have struggled against good offenses. They have given up 24 or more points against the Rams, Browns, and Packers.
The Buccaneers are simply a high-scoring offense with too many weapons to contain.
Tom Brady is the league leader in passing yards and has scored multiple touchdowns in all but 1 game this season, which was his return to Foxborough that turned out to be a rainy mess. I would advise against starting this top-five defense against the best in the game.
More Week 7 Busts To Avoid:
- Cincinnati Bengals, Defense D/ST @ Baltimore Ravens
