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.
2021 Fantasy Football Busts for Week 14 - Quarterback
Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons @ Carolina Panthers
Matt Ryan has been a mediocre fantasy QB all year, and that should not change this coming weekend versus the Carolina Panthers. He is QB26 in points per game and facing a Panthers defense that ranks 5th in pass DVOA.
With Calvin Ridley still out of the picture and Kyle Pitts not stepping up despite his pedigree, it is hard to confidently start Ryan, even in a pinch, away from home.
Jimmy Garoppolo, San Francisco 49ers @ Cincinnati Bengals
Jimmy Garoppolo is not much better than Ryan, as mentioned above, but he is slightly higher as this season’s QB22 in PPG.
Garoppolo might be a popular streaming option to some in a potentially high-scoring outing against the Bengals, but beware that even if San Francisco does manage to put up points, Garoppolo can be minimally utilized (see: 2019 playoffs).
The Bengals are run-of-the-mill when it comes to pass defense, yet they are much more respectable than in past years. With Deebo Samuel out and the 49ers’ lack of receiving depth, it is hard to imagine him replicating last week’s solid production of 299 yards and 2 passing TDs (with 2 INTs).
More Week 14 Busts To Avoid:
- Taylor Heinicke, Washington Football Team vs. Dallas Cowboys
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2021 Fantasy Football Busts for Week 14 - Running Back
Joe Mixon, Cincinnati Bengals vs. San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers rank 3rd against the rush and 17th against the pass. Their strong front-seven is still a force for opposing offenses to reckon with, while their secondary struggles to contain talented perimeter receivers.
For Joe Mixon to pay off this week, he will either have to be targeted at a much higher rate than usual (8.3 percent target share) or find himself with multiple goal-line opportunities.
Touchdowns have not been the only way Mixon has produced fantasy points this season, but it is the primary driver of his elite numbers. Mixon sits at RB3 on the year, and while you won’t bench him in any league, don’t set expectations too high.
Chuba Hubbard, Carolina Panthers vs. Atlanta Falcons
Chuba Hubbard is bad and has not out-snapped recent addition Ameer Abdullah once over the past 4 games. The expectation should be that moving forward in Christian McCaffrey’s absence.
Hubbard leads the backfield in carries but does not touch the volume of his mid-season spike after CMC’s initial injury.
This matchup versus Atlanta comes off glorious on paper, but with Cam Newton in the mix stealing goal-line work, it is hard to fathom Hubbard hitting a solid benchmark of points without an injury to Abdullah or a massive early lead.
More Week 14 Busts To Avoid:
- Bills RBs, Buffalo Bills @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2021 Fantasy Football Busts for Week 14 - Wide Receiver
Marquise Brown, Baltimore Ravens @ Cleveland Browns
Marquise “Hollywood" Brown faces off against a Cleveland secondary that is healthy and playing at a high level from the CB spots. Both Denzel Ward and Greedy Williams are talented, fast perimeter corners who can hold Brown to another poor outing.
Despite racking up 8 catches two weeks ago against the Browns, Hollywood only amassed 51 yards on 10 targets. He was essentially utilized as a slot receiver rather than a deep threat, which he is best deployed as.
This game should not be much different especially playing in Cleveland. Maybe Brown can get lucky with one downfield, but that’s what we would need to bank on for production similar to the early season.
Amari Cooper, Dallas Cowboys @ Washington Football Team
After coming down with COVID, Amari Cooper suited up last week and disappointed those who left him in their starting lineups despite reports that he would be heavily limited. Cooper only produced 41 yards on 2 targets after playing 36 percent of the snaps.
He looked fine on the one long play he had but otherwise was a decoy when on the field who had trouble separating.
This week, against a WFT secondary that has improved in the second half of the season, Cooper could still be dealing with complications from COVID and maybe not even play a full share of snaps. He is a risky start in a game that is probably slow and won on the ground.
More Week 14 Busts To Avoid:
- Jamison Crowder, New York Jets vs. New Orleans Saints
Find better Week 14 fantasy football players on the waiver wire with our 2021 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Top Pickups.
2021 Fantasy Football Bust for Week 14 - Tight End
Evan Engram, New York Giants @ Los Angeles Chargers
Evan Engram actually performed like a competent TE with Mike Glennon in charge of quarterbacking the Giants! Unfortunately, Glennon and Daniel Jones are out this weekend, leaving sophomore Jake Fromm to lead New York.
Fromm is an unspectacular prospect whose claim to fame is making Justin Fields transfer away from Georgia. As a QB, Fromm is a weak-armed game-manager who will most likely struggle against the Chargers’ 9th-ranked pass defense.
The Giants will do everything in their power to “establish" Saquon Barkley and even Devontae Booker to keep the ball out of Fromm’s hands, but that will not be enough. By the time Los Angeles takes a lead, Fromm will be tasked with throwing the ball to a hodgepodge of half-healthy receivers behind a struggling OL.
Engram is best left on benches despite recent spikes in fantasy points.
More Week 14 Busts To Avoid:
- Ricky Seals-Jones, Washington Football Team vs. Dallas Cowboys
Find better Week 14 fantasy football players to start with our 2021 Fantasy Football Sleepers Predictions.
2021 Fantasy Football Bust for Week 14 - Defensive Team
49ers D/ST @ Cincinnati Bengals
The 49ers’ defense, while proficient against the run, must account for RB Joe Mixon, given the season he’s having. They just lost starting CB Emmanuel Moseley, and that is the last thing they needed since their perimeter CB room is abhorrent.
We should expect the Bengals’ top receivers Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase to take full advantage of these matchups and make it much easier for Joe Burrow, who has struggled of late.
More Week 14 Busts To Avoid:
- Dallas Cowboys D/ST @ Washington Football Team
