Underperforming Fantasy Players: Panic Or Patience?
The Create-A-Rank team is at it again. This week we are looking at three players who have been underwhelming through the first month of the season. Based on the available evidence, we declare whether we are ready to hit the panic button or are remaining patient.
O.J. Howard, TE, Buccaneers: Panic
O.J. Howard was my favorite tight end breakout candidate coming into the 2019 season. I was sure he was going to finish among the top-three at the position. I was so sure that I took him in the fourth and fifth round of a bunch of drafts this summer. It hasn’t quite gone as expected. Howard is averaging just three targets per game and ranks outside the top-10 in receptions, yards, completed air yards, and target distance.
I’ve been patient with OJ Howard but I after today I am ready to hit that panic button.
3-3-33-0 on a day when Winston throws 41 times and the #Bucs put up 55 points. pic.twitter.com/pVjcc6Yjsp
— Alex Johnson (@a_johnsonFF) September 30, 2019
I was patient through the first three weeks, even enduring the infamous zero target performance in Week 2. However, Week 4 was my breaking point. Not because he put up yet another dud performance, but because he was so uninvolved in such an offensive-friendly game. Jameis Winston attempted 41 passes and threw for nearly 400 yards and four touchdowns. The Bucs scored a whopping 55 points. Yet, only three of those throws went in Howard’s direction. The question becomes, if Howard isn’t going to be involved in a game like that, when will he? I am not ready to drop him, outside of smallest leagues, but I am now officially in panic mode.
Adam Thielen, WR, Vikings: Panic
Forget 2018. Way back then, Adam Thielen was incredible. He broke onto the scene with eight 100-yard games to open the season, and rode that to a WR7 finish. Thielen finished the season averaging nine targets per game. However, all of this success for Thielen (and his counterpart Stefon Diggs) was far too much for the Vikings, who wanted to run the ball. Thielen has been targeted just 22 times in four games. That is 34 fewer targets than he had through the first four games of 2019.
Aaron Jones, RB, Packers: Not Panicking
There was plenty of off-season tilting when it came to Aaron Jones’ upcoming 2019 season. As the lead RB in an explosive offense led by Aaron Rodgers and new head coach Matt LeFleur, the ceiling could be easily imagined. That is, until LeFleur continued to reiterate a timeshare of the Green Bay backfield. Through Weeks 1-4, that fear for Jones owners became a reality as Jamaal Williams split time and eventually lead the RB touches in Week 3 against Denver.
Jones still was able to produce more for fantasy owners with his ability to find the end zone and his utilization in the passing game. With an unfortunate and devastating injury to Williams that occurred last Thursday night against Philadelphia, Jones’ snap share more than doubled from 39-percent in Week 3, to 84-percent in Week 4. Many owners will want to panic seeing that Jones had an atrocious 1.6 yards per carry on 13 attempts against the Eagles, but don’t panic just yet. The Eagles front was able to make the running game extremely inefficient, which led Rodgers to throw for 422 yards in the loss. Although the running game had stalled, Jones played a key role in the passing game, receiving 7 targets. With a likely extended absence from Williams, expect to see Jones continue to have a large snap count and be heavily involvement in the passing game. Don’t panic on Jones as a strong RB play for the rest of the season either. There is plenty of time for Jones to stake claim of a dominant role in this offense and produce RB1 numbers moving forward.
