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 9 of the NFL season is always full of surprises, and it’s important to move with the tide of the season, but with only a few weeks in the books, it’s equally important not to overreact.
*More from Fantasy Football Week 9: 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 9 Fantasy Football Busts that should remain on your bench or find themselves on the waiver wire.
*More from Fantasy Football Week 9: Good Vibes, Bad Vibes (Who Should I Start)*
Week 9 Fantasy Football Busts: Quarterbacks
C.J. Stroud @ Jets
The vibes surrounding C.J. Stroud this week aren’t the best, as they are missing Nico Collins for one more week and are down Stefon Diggs for the rest of the season. Stroud has scored below 16 fantasy points in three of his last four games, and the Jets are fairly stout against enemy signal callers, with an average surrender of just 13.7 per game. The Houston QB gives off fantasy QB2 vibes this week.
Tua Tagovailoa @ Bills
Seeing Tua Tagovailoa back on the field last week was some serious good vibes, but a tough matchup in Buffalo will halt the feels for at least a week.
The Bills just seem to have his number, as Tagovailoa has averaged just 9.0 fantasy points in each of the last four games against them. And it’s not just the Miami QB, either. So far this season Buffalo is allowing just 13.2 in QB aFPA which sits fifth among NFL defensive units.
Get the full Week 9 Fantasy Football QB Rankings!
Week 9 Fantasy Football Busts: Running Backs
Bucky Irving @ Chiefs
The vibes for Bucky Irving have been pretty high in recent weeks considering he’s part of a three-headed monster at RB for the Bucs. The rookie has averaged 14.9 in half-PPR scoring in his last three games but gets a tough ask this week in Kansas City. The Chiefs have allowed just two rushing touchdowns from his position all season and only 10.1 in RB aFPA through eight weeks.
Nick Chubb vs. Chargers
Since returning from a brutal knee injury he suffered in 2023, Nick Chubb has posted just 14.9 half-PPR points total in two contests. He will continue to improve with more volume but this week should be some tough sledding for the 28-year-old, as he faces a stout Chargers run defense that is surrendering just 84.3 yards per tilt to opposing backfields and only one rushing touchdown in 2024.
Get the full Week 9 Fantasy Football RB Rankings!
Week 9 Fantasy Football Busts: Wide Receivers
Zay Flowers vs. Broncos
The negative vibes for Zay Flowers are high this week for two reasons. Denver is a tough secondary and Patrick Surtain ll is no joke. No team’s WR1 has had success against this unit, including DK Metcalf (4.4 half-PPR), George Pickens (3.9), and Garrett Wilson (4.6). Of course, there’s also the addition of Diontae Johnson, which happened via trade on Tuesday.
We won’t know how the target distribution will shake out, but things look dicey for Flowers as anything more than a flex in Week 9.
Jaylen Waddle @ Bills
Sadly, the return of Tua Tagovailoa didn’t elevate Jaylen Waddle’s output, as he posted just four receptions for 45 yards in Week 8.
On Sunday, he’ll face a Buffalo team on the road that has held him to under seven points in half-PPR scoring in their last two contests. Hopefully, Waddle does bounce back in 2024 but this may not be the week.
Get the full Week 9 Fantasy Football WR Rankings!
Week 9 Fantasy Football Busts: Tight Ends
Cole Kmet @ Cardinals
Zach Ertz @ Giants
Jonnu Smith @ Bills
Get the full Week 9 Fantasy Football TE Rankings!
Get the full Week 9 Fantasy Football Defense Rankings!