Fantasy football busts: RB - Week 8

October 29, 2009 @ 11:10:18

By Cory J. Bonini and Bryce McRae
Edited by Tim Heaney

Fantasy football busts: QB | RB | WR | TE | PK | DT

In this article KFFL breaks down fantasy football busts of the week. Some high-level players will be included, because you need to know when is time to sit a player even though it may not seem appropriate. Primarily, however, we will address the midrange to low-end fantasy options that you rack your brain over each week. Read on to learn which of these players that you wouldn't want in your lineup.

Note: All statistics are from Week 4 to Week 7, unless otherwise noted.

Fantasy football busts: Running backs

NEW - Tim Hightower, Arizona Cardinals vs. Carolina Panthers

Fantasy value: Midrange No. 2

• Since the team's Week 4 bye, Hightower has carried 23 times for just 58 yards (2.5 yards per carry). He does have a score in each game during that stretch, though.
• Carolina's run D has tightened up with the addition of tackles Hollis Thomas and Tank Tyler. They're allowing only 63.7 rushing yards and 1.00 rushing touchdowns per game to this position over the last month.
• They're also allowing only 2.00 receptions and 12.3 receiving yards per game to this position. That should hurt the more receiving-inclined Hightower than his backfield mate Beanie Wells.
• The long-term forecast for Hightower? When asked if Wells would start this weekend, head coach Ken Whisenhunt said, " it's not going to happen yet." However, Whisenhunt said he wouldn't go away from Wells if the rook gets hot.

Marshawn Lynch, Buffalo Bills vs. Houston Texans

Fantasy value: Low-end No. 2  

• While Lynch is a quality receiver out of the backfield, as is Fred Jackson, the team is trying to get the ball more to their wideouts. After six grabs in Week 5, Beast Mode has just three catches in his last two outings. His 2.9 yards-per-carry average isn't helping fantasy owners, and the Texans' offense could put Buffalo in a big hole early on.
• In a surprising turn of events, the Texans - yes, those Texans - have the best - yep, No. 1 overall - defense against the running back position in the past four weeks. They have allowed a mere 37.8 yards per game on the ground, 17.3 per game through the air and only two offensive scores in this time.

Jonathan Stewart, Carolina Panthers at Arizona Cardinals

Fantasy value: No. 2 or flex

• Cards not lining up for J-Stew

  Inconsistent play is common with Stewart, but it may not necessarily be his fault. The Panthers regularly put their running game in a bad spot, so some weeks Stewart will near 20 touches and others fewer than 10.
• Arizona has been very strong against running backs in their previous three games, yielding only 53.7 rushing yards and 0.67 scores per game to the position. They have given up a healthy amount of receiving yardage (40.3 per game), though, but that's not Stewart's forte, despite catching a career-high four balls last week.

Fantasy football busts: QB | RB | WR | TE | PK | DT

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Cory J. Bonini

Cory J. Bonini is a senior editor at KFFL. In late 2002, Bonini joined the KFFL staff as a research analyst. He vaulted himself into one of the industry's leading fantasy analysts.

Bonini has been involved in fantasy sports since 1996. A member of the Fantasy Sports Trade Association as well as Fantasy Sports Writers Association, he has been featured in print, on the radio and is also a published writer on scores of sites. Bonini co-hosted Big Lead Sports on SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio from 2011 to 2012.

Bonini was recognized with the 2010 Best Article in Print Award from the FSWA and was a finalist for the same award in 2011. In '11, he finished first overall in the FSWA NFL experts challenge that featured 60 of the industry's best competitors.

Follow him on Twitter @CoryKFFL

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Bryce McRae
Bryce McRae is a Managing Editor with KFFL and has been involved in fantasy sports since 1999. He joined KFFL as a volunteer writer in March 2005 before becoming a Hot off the Wire Analyst in March 2006. He began working in his current capacity in September 2008. His work has appeared on fantasy sports sites such as Yahoo! and CBS Sportsline as well as in print. He graduated from the University of British Columbia in 2008 with a B.A. in History and U.S. Studies.

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