Fantasy football busts are a sad, but important aspect of fielding a consistent winning team across the length of the long and sometimes arduous season.
Week 1 of the NFL season is always full of surprises, and it’s important to move with the tide of the season, but with only one week in the books, it’s equally important not to overreact.
*More from Fantasy Football Week 1: Sneaky Starts & Sleepers*
On the other hand, there’s no reason to continue rolling out players who are underperforming only to watch the score sit close to zero while he continues seeing nominal utilization. Below, we are going to run through every fantasy roster position and find some Week 1 Fantasy Football Busts that should remain on your bench or find themselves on the waiver wire.
*More from Fantasy Football Week 1: Good Vibes, Bad Vibes*
Week 1 Fantasy Football Busts: Quarterbacks
Brock Purdy vs. Jets
He finally has his full weaponry on board, but Brock Purdy starts with a brutal matchup against New York in Week 1. The Jets surrendered the fewest aFPA to his position last season, with opposing QBs posting a meager 9.5 fantasy points per tilt. Purdy is more of a 2QB or superflex option this week and not advisable in 1QB formats.
Aaron Rodgers @ 49ers
On the other side of the ball, Aaron Rodgers is coming off that season-ending Achilles injury and could need some real NFL time to ease back in. It doesn’t help that the 40-year-old faces a stout 49ers defensive unit that sat seventh in QB aFPA in 2023.
Get the full Week 1 Fantasy Football QB Rankings!
Week 1 Fantasy Football Busts: Running Backs
Jaylen Warren @ Falcons
Jaylen Warren isn’t necessarily a matchup-based sit but is more of a vibes-oriented bad play. He’s dealing with a hamstring strain from the second week of the preseason and while he’s cleared to play in Week 1 they may limit his snaps. We also can’t dismiss the Arthur Smith/Cordarrelle Patterson double-revenge narrative.
Bengals RBs vs. Patriots
Until we know how this backfield volume shakes out in real NFL action, it’s tough to recommend starting Zack Moss or Chase Brown. Their matchup is a rough one too as they face a New England defense that allowed the eighth fewest half-PPR points to enemy rushers in 2023.
Get the full Week 1 Fantasy Football RB Rankings!
Week 1 Fantasy Football Busts: Wide Receivers
Brandon Aiyuk vs. Jets
We’re dealing with a player who held out during the offseason program and preseason against arguably one of the best corners in the league in Sauce Gardner. We don’t know if Brandon Aiyuk’s workload will be affected by the summer’s events but it’s a possibility and the Jets defense is no joke. They ranked first in WR aFPA last year, yielding just 14.1 in half-PPR aFPA per game. I know you want to start him, but Aiyuk comes with risk.
Rome Odunze vs, Titans
While I think Rome Odunze is going to be a decent fantasy asset at some point this season, Week 1 is not the time to start the rookie. New Bears OC Shane Waldron is a slow burn when it comes to his third WR (see Jaxon Smith-Njigba in 2023) and Odunze also has a rookie QB under center who has to get acclimated to the NFL. I’d find another WR to roll with this week and keep Odunze on ice for later.
Get the full Week 1 Fantasy Football WR Rankings!
Week 1 Fantasy Football Busts: Tight Ends
Cole Kmet vs. Titans
Dalton Schultz @ Colts
Taysom Hill vs. Panthers
Get the full Week 1 Fantasy Football TE Rankings!
Get the full Week 1 Fantasy Football Defense Rankings!