Josh Allen And 4 Other Fantasy Football Playoff Letdowns From NFL Week 16

These are five of the biggest fantasy football bust performances in the playoffs from some of the NFL's biggest stars in Week 16.

Dec 21, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) looks downfield against the Cleveland Browns during the first half at Huntington Bank Field. | Scott Galvin-Imagn Images

Fantasy football is immensely volatile, sometimes leaving managers disappointed after down performances from top players. The same can persist in the fantasy playoffs, over the most crucial weeks of the season. While some players have managed to show out during the fantasy postseason, others have left managers hoping for greater performances over recent weeks. Here are five of fantasy football’s biggest playoff letdowns from Week 16 of the NFL season: 

Josh Allen - Buffalo Bills

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) gets a pass off during the first half of an NFL football game at Huntington Bank Field, Dec. 21, 2025, in Cleveland, Ohio. | Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Buffalo Bills nearly lost their recent win streak during their Week 16 matchup at the hands of the Cleveland Browns, but mustered a 23-20 win to extend their winning stretch to four consecutive games. Quarterback Josh Allen was held in check by a stellar Browns defense, completing 12 of his 19 passes for just 130 passing yards, adding seven carries for 17 yards on the ground. 

Allen posted just 6.9 fantasy points in Week 16 despite leading all fantasy scorers, his lowest scoring margin in fantasy football since the 2019 season, his second year in the league. The star quarterback dealt with a nagging foot issue during the lowly performance, and should bounce back against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 17. 

Amon-Ra St. Brown - Detroit Lions

Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) runs against Pittsburgh Steelers safety Kyle Dugger (29) during the second half at Ford Field in Detroit on Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The road to the playoffs emerged significantly more difficult for the Detroit Lions following a loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 16. Detroit fell 29-24 on Sunday afternoon, due in large part to a lowly performance from the run game. Despite the struggles of the Lions’ rushing attack, it was star wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown who was limited from a production standpoint. While Jameson Williams and Jahmyr Gibbs emerged with notable fantasy performances, St. Brown was limited, hauling in just four of his nine targets for 54 yards without a score through the air. 

St. Brown entered Week 16 coming off a 164-yard, two-touchdown performance against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 15, but couldn’t replicate such success on Sunday, posting just 9.4 points among PPR leagues in fantasy. Week 16 marked just his fourth game of the season scoring under 10.0 PPR points, but the star wideout could rebound quickly, as the Lions gear up to take on the Minnesota Vikings in Week 17. 

Trey McBride - Arizona Cardinals 

Dec 21, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride (85) on the field during warm ups prior to a game against the Atlanta Falcons at State Farm Stadium. | Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

The Arizona Cardinals have endured a plethora of injuries throughout a disappointing campaign, suffering a 26-19 loss at the hands of the Atlanta Falcons in Week 16. In a surprising twist, star tight end Trey McBride was held to a limited performance against Atlanta, posting season-low marks in catches and receiving yards. While Michael Wilson and backup tight end Elijah Higgins emerged with notable production, McBride hauled in four catches for just 27 yards, finishing third among Cardinals pass-catchers in Week 16. 

Despite his quiet performance, McBride remains the top tight end in the NFL this season. He’s sixth among all pass-catchers in yards, third in receptions and receiving touchdowns, and leads all tight ends in fantasy football scoring. A matchup against a struggling Cincinnati Bengals defense in Week 17 helps project a quick bounce-back effort from the All-Pro tight end. 

Bucky Irving - Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Dec 21, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving (7) runs against Carolina Panthers cornerback Chau Smith-Wade (26) during the first half at Bank of America Stadium. | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are in the midst of a brutal stretch, which could cost the team its NFC South crown this season. Tampa Bay fell 23-20 at the hands of the Carolina Panthers in a divisional clash on Sunday, as the offense endured a plethora of struggles in a lackluster performance from the unit. In the run game, Bucky Irving was limited to an inconsistent outing, averaging just 3.7 yards per carry against just the 19th-ranked run defense in the NFL of the Panthers. 

In fantasy football, Irving’s 7.1 points among PPR leagues marked a new season-low despite tying a season-high 71 rushing yards during Sunday’s game. The star running back had previously offered immensely valuable fantasy production throughout the season, posting top-15 finishes among all running backs in six of his previous seven games leading up to Week 16. 

Josh Jacobs - Green Bay Packers

Dec 20, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs (8) runs the ball against Chicago Bears defensive tackle Andrew Billings (97) and safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson (35) during the first quarter at Soldier Field. | David Banks-Imagn Images

The Green Bay Packers endured a crucial loss at the hands of the Chicago Bears on Sunday, suffering a 22-16 defeat in the divisional showdown amid a plethora of injuries. While rookie running back Emmanuel Wilson emerged as the top performer in a paramount Packers rushing attack, veteran Pro Bowler Josh Jacobs was limited to one of his worst performances of the season against an inconsistent Bears front. Jacobs posted just 36 yards over 12 carries, continuing to navigate a lingering leg injury.

Coming off his second-lowest scoring fantasy week of the season in Week 16, Jacobs is slated to suit up against the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday amid his knee injury. The Ravens defense provides an immensely favorable individual matchup for Jacobs, presenting reason to believe in Jacobs’ ability to rebound in Week 17.