Just when you think you cannot get enough turkey this Thanksgiving weekend, we have more. This week’s special edition of Sizzle/Fizzle focuses on the biggest turkeys of the fantasy season. We spread the wealth, with quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, and even a tight end on the list. But one player, in particular, stands out as the turkey of the year. Here are some fantasy football flops so far!
Before we talk turkey, I want to give thanks to everyone who has enjoyed Sizzle/Fizzle throughout the season. And I want to give thanks for my Create-A-Rank teammates and the man who puts it all together, Alex Johnson. Our regular column will return next week. But for now, gobble gobble!
Bad Birds:
Jared Goff, QB, Los Angeles Rams – Most often, unique players set the tone for sensational seasons. Unfortunately, in 2019, Goff’s unique “skill set” sabotages the entire Los Angeles offense. Having Cooper Kupp, Brandin Cooks, or Robert Woods on your roster no longer looks so great. In his last three games, Goff accounts for zero touchdowns and five interceptions. Overall, he has 11 touchdown passes, no more than two in a single game, and has tossed 12 interceptions. In the modern NFL, those numbers are a disgrace. Goff gets a favorable draw with Arizona Sunday, but who knows if this modern Humpty Dumpty can be put together again.
Aaron Rodgers, QB, Green Bay Packers – At times, “Classic Aaron Rodgers” appears. In Weeks 7 and 8, Rodgers threw eight touchdown passes. Unfortunately, in the other nine games Green Bay has played, Aaron’s touchdown total equals ten. The touchdown prowess of Aaron Jones hampers Rodgers, but do not tell that to owners who went out of their way to take Rodgers. They have every right to expect more. And salvation looks possible with the Giants and Redskins ahead in the next couple of weeks. But even if Rodgers rebounds, it may be too late for many squads.
Carson Wentz, QB, Philadelphia Eagles – Wentz fans will make a case he should not be on a list like this. And I want to say I like Wentz and greatly believed in him to start the season. The Philadelphia offense has been undermined by injuries. Nelson Agholor should offer training videos on how to drop passes. But if people want to consider Wentz a star, he needs to make others better. Surely he could have developed a connection with someone outside of Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert. Carson can make a comeback with Miami, the Giants, and Washington on tap. But he will need to go bonkers to make up for a disappointing campaign.
Kalen Ballage, RB, Miami Dolphins – In terms of wrecking seasons, Ballage will not earn the ire of many owners. Ballage represents a trip to the convenience store where you buy a soda and a lottery ticket. You know the beverage will be a hit and you do not expect much out of the ticket. Owners could draft Ballage in the “lottery ticket” portion of drafts, hoping he would be Miami’s lead back. Thanks to Kenyan Drake’s departure via trade and Mark Walton being a scumbag, the Miami backfield belongs to Ballage. And he averages 1.9 yard per carry! When you compile that stat line, you make this list. And you produce a flock of Patrick Laird truthers. Ballage’s long touchdown run last season against Minnesota looks crazy in hindsight. Yes, it actually happened!
Royce Freeman, RB, Denver Broncos – Last year, Philip Lindsay performs better than Freeman. However, going into the season, the news centers around Denver limiting Lindsay’s workload. Freeman gets an opening to make amends for an uneventful rookie season. Why draft Lindsay when you can draft Freeman in a later round? Well, because Lindsay just simply happens to be the better player. Despite being the bigger back in Denver’s duo, Freeman possesses three fewer touchdowns than Lindsay. Lindsay also averages more yards per carry and shows more burst. With a reduced workload, Freeman goes from flex to handcuff the rest of the way. Not an ideal situation for those thinking they potentially had Denver’s top runner.
Odell Beckham, WR, Cleveland Browns – Fans investing a high pick in Beckham seek superstar numbers. They believe Baker Mayfield and Beckham will have sensational chemistry. Well, 54 receptions for 776 yards and two touchdowns falls short of sensational. If you were desperate to get in on Cleveland’s passing game, and many were, you could have gotten Jarvis Landry at a much lower price. Landry has outproduced Beckham with 59 catches, 843 yards, and five scores. Perhaps Beckham makes a major splash down the stretch. Cleveland’s offense looks better of late. In Weeks 14 and 15, they will play Cincinnati and Arizona. So there is reason for hope. But so much more was expected.
Sammy Watkins, WR, Kansas City Chiefs – On opening day, Watkins, one of fantasy’s perennial disappointments, torches Jacksonville. Sammy snags nine passes for 198 yards and three touchdowns! Scores of fantasy fanatics suddenly believe Watkins is the steal of the season. He looks healthy and has a partnership with Patrick Mahomes. But anyone who has witnessed Lucy pulling the ball away from Charlie Brown knows what happens next. Sammy’s highest yardage total since Week 1 is 64 yards. And he obviously did not like visiting the end zone, since it has not happened since. Those factoids are even worse considering Tyreek Hill missed time earlier in the season. Thanks for yet another tease, Sammy.
Dante Pettis, WR, San Francisco 49ers – As a rookie out of Washington last year, Pettis surges to a strong finish. One game in particular against Seattle points to his potential. Pettis hauled in five passes for 129 yards and a pair of touchdowns. With Jimmy Garoppolo coming back, a good portion of the fantasy world sees an inferno from Dante. Or, at least they saw a WR3 with upside during the offseason. As it turns out, the inferno was a false alarm. Dante has been a very small part of San Francisco’s sensational season. With 11 receptions in 11 games, Pettis gives owners the WR333, not a WR3.
O.J. Howard, TE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Heading into the season, Travis Kelce, Zach Ertz, and George Kittle are regarded as fantasy’s top three tight ends. And owners need to pay high-end draft capital to get a member of that trio. The next tier of talent was widely regarded to be Evan Engram, Hunter Henry, and Howard. Currently injured, Engram at least had a pair of 100-yard games early in the season. Henry also missed time with injuries but remains a steady play with upside. His best game took place against Pittsburgh with eight receptions for 100 yards and two touchdowns.
Meanwhile, Howard hits waiver wires with an unbelievably abysmal average of 25.8 yards per game and only one touchdown. At this point, you would be better off investing in Sears. The infamous play against New Orleans where he bats the ball into the air, leading to a Saints interception, summarizes his season perfectly.
As bad as O.J. has been, he falls short of being the biggest turkey. I know the suspense has been building…here you go!
The Worst Bird:
Antonio Brown, WR from the past – Going into draft season, Brown generates enough red flags to stock a flag superstore. Nevertheless, that does not stop owners from buying into his name value. In two of my leagues, Brown gets drafted in the second round. Those owners are gasping when Oakland cuts Brown. All looks right in their world when Brown lands in New England. Vindication happens when Antonio notches 56 yards and a touchdown in his Patriots debut. Then, the Patriots tell Brown to scram in the wake of trouble off the field. So if you picked Brown, that one stat line is all you got this season. Congratulations Antonio, you are the top turkey of the season!
See you again next week, when less turkey will be on the menu!
