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 15 - Quarterback
Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks @ Los Angeles Rams
Russell Wilson just hasn’t been himself this year. Although he has thrown multiple touchdown passes in each of his last three games, this matchup scares me.
He hasn’t thrown for over 260 passing yards since Week 3. When I say he’s thrown multiple touchdown passes in each of his last three games, he’s thrown exactly two touchdowns in each. For some reason, this Seattle offense seems broken. Wilson hasn’t been on the same page with D.K. Metcalf for a while and Pete Carroll is obsessed with establishing the run even with significant injuries to their backfield.
The Los Angeles Rams have given up the sixth-fewest fantasy points to quarterbacks. They just held Kyler Murray to zero touchdowns last week. The Rams have allowed a quarterback to throw for multiple touchdowns in just four games this year, and they haven’t allowed a quarterback to throw for more than two all season.
Ryan Tannehill, Tennessee Titans @ Pittsburgh Steelers
The Titans have lost two of their last three games and just beat the Jacksonville Jaguars 20-0 with a “meh" performance from Ryan Tannehill. He completed 20 of 31 attempts for 191 yards and zero touchdowns. Tannehill hasn’t thrown for more than 213 yards in four of his last five games and has thrown multiple touchdowns just twice this season. It’s clear, the passing game isn’t a big part of their game plan.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have given up the 15th-fewest fantasy points to quarterbacks, and they have allowed a quarterback to throw multiple touchdowns in just two of their last eight games. At this point, if you still have Tannehill as your quarterback, you probably didn’t make the playoffs. If for some reason you do have him, you should be looking to stream the position this week.
More Week 15 Busts To Avoid:
- Teddy Bridgewater, Denver Broncos vs Cincinnati Bengals
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2021 Fantasy Football Busts for Week 15 - Running Back
Saquon Barkley, New York Giants vs Dallas Cowboys
Saquon Barkley is showing flashes of his old self, but unfortunately, that’s all they have been. Flashes. The New York Giants have not been playing the best football and for some reason, they haven’t been giving the type of volume to Barkley that we are accustomed to.
Barkley is coming off his best rushing game of the season, and he totaled just 64 rushing yards. Thankfully, for fantasy managers, he was able to catch a garbage-time touchdown pass to salvage his fantasy day. Barkley and the Giants will have a difficult divisional matchup in Week 15 against the Dallas Cowboys.
The Dallas Cowboys’ defense has been on fire, as they have been turnover machines and have been very good against running backs this season. In fact, they have given up the fewest fantasy points to the position. They have allowed just two 100-plus rushing yard performances on the year and have allowed just one running back to rush for more than 63 yards in their last five games.
Chuba Hubbard, Carolina Panthers @ Buffalo Bills
I know there is desperation at the running back position this season, but his one isn’t hard to figure out. Chuba Hubbard has been mediocre at best in relief of Christian McCaffrey. He had a dream matchup last week against the Falcons and was only able to muster 33 rushing yards on 10 carries. He did save his fantasy day with a touchdown, but his matchup this week should scare you off him enough to stream the position if you must.
The Buffalo Bills have given up the 14th-fewest fantasy points to running backs. They had been ranked much better than that before Jonathan Taylor, Damien Harris, and Leonard Fournette all had big days against Buffalo’s defensive line in three of the last four games for the Bills. Prior to Taylor’s monster game in Week 11, the Bills just four rushing touchdowns to running backs, and three of them came from Derrick Henry in Week 6. In their first 10 games, the Bills pretty much silenced the running back position (outside of Henry’s Week 6 performance).
Hubbard isn’t any of the guys I listed above. The Panthers are struggling on offense and don’t know who to keep in at quarterback. Week 15 is going to be a tough one for the Panthers and their run game.
More Week 15 Busts To Avoid:
- AJ Dillon, Green Bay Packers @ Baltimore Ravens
2021 Fantasy Football Busts for Week 15 - Wide Receiver
Cole Beasley, Buffalo Bills vs Carolina Panthers
Cole Beasley is at it again! Fooling all of us into thinking he’s this high-volume target for Josh Allen. Beasley was just targeted 11 times by Allen in Week 14 but was only able to turn it into 64 scoreless receiving yards. Beasley had averaged just 25.6 receiving yards per game in the five games prior to his Week 14 performance.
You want a safe floor from your players in the fantasy playoffs. Beasley is boom or bust and that can be OK to risk sometimes. The problem with Beasley is that his bust is too dangerous and could destroy your chances of advancing.
The Carolina Panthers have given up the third-fewest fantasy points to wide receivers, and Beasley has scored just once this season.
Julio Jones, Tennessee Titans @ Pittsburgh Steelers
Julio Jones has been injured a bunch this year. He’s not jiving with Tannehill the way we all wanted him to. Jones has just one 100-plus receiving yard performance on the season. Outside of that, he hasn’t reached 60 yards in his other six games played, and he hasn’t scored a touchdown on the season. Combine that with how badly Tannehill has played, things are not looking favorable for Jones in Week 15.
The matchup against the Steelers may be tempting as they have allowed the 10th-most fantasy points to wide receivers, but at this point, Jones is just a name and can not be trusted.
More Week 15 Busts To Avoid:
- Marvin Jones Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars vs Houston Texans
Find better Week 15 fantasy football players on the waiver wire with our 2021 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Top Pickups.
2021 Fantasy Football Bust for Week 15 - Tight End
Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons @ San Francisco 49ers
Kyle Pitts has been getting decent volume, especially from a tight-end perspective. That said, he just hasn’t been able to turn his targets into real fantasy production. Pitts hasn’t scored since Week 5 (his only touchdown of the year) and has gone over 62 receiving yards once in his last seven games.
Matt Ryan has been awful. He’s thrown multiple touchdowns in just one of his last seven games and has been held without a touchdown pass in three of his last five games. These are not the type of numbers you are looking for in the quarterback throwing to your fantasy options.
Quarterback woes aside, Pitts doesn’t have a favorable matchup. The San Francisco 49ers have given up the third-fewest fantasy points to tight ends this year. They haven’t allowed a tight end to catch for more than 56 receiving yards since Week 1 and haven’t allowed a touchdown to the position in five of their last six games.
More Week 15 Busts To Avoid:
- Jack Doyle, Indianapolis Colts vs New England Patriots
Find better Week 15 fantasy football players to start with our 2021 Fantasy Football Sleepers Predictions.
2021 Fantasy Football Bust for Week 15 - Defensive Team
Chicago Bears D/ST vs Minnesota Vikings
The Chicago Bears defense has been hot and cold since Week 7. They have multiple sacks in just three of their last seven games and have just two interceptions since Week 3. More recently, the Bears haven’t intercepted the ball in three consecutive games.
The Minnesota Vikings have given up the second-fewest fantasy points to opposing defenses. Kirk Cousins has been on fire, throwing multiple touchdowns in each of his last six games. He has protected the ball as well, throwing just three interceptions since Week 6.
This is the perfect formula for the Bears to leave you disappointed if you are to stick with them this week.
More Week 15 Busts To Avoid:
- Washington Football Team @ Philadelphia Eagles
