Projecting These 5 Early Fantasy Football Busts Hiding in Plain Sight
The NFL offseason storylines are swirling like a mad hurricane at this very moment. Jalen Hurts is (allegedly) in turmoil with feedback for the organization, up and down. Puka Nacua is entering rehab, where we wish him all the best. Storylines linger all over the place post-owne meetings. Much will change between now and late August, but we can telegraph these 5 fantasy football busts early on, given multiple abstract factors at play.
QB, Drake Maye
Is Maye falling off the planet? Absolutely not. However, the quarterback position is stacked very deep with Jayden Daniels priming a comeback, as is Pat Mahomes, and Justin Herbert gaining Mike McDaniel. For Maye to uphold his current QB3 ranking will be a tall task. The Patriots have lost Stefon Diggs, and while they bring in Romeo Doubs, it is not the same.
The odds that Maye falls back down to QB10 status are high compared to those of being a top-3, or even top-1, player at his position. The law of averages shall bring Maye back down as he trends way too high.
QB, Jalen Hurts
We will panic with the recent news in the stratosphere. Hurts is reportedly not being glanced at for any contract extension while the offensive frustration lingers from a poor, title-defending 2025 season. Will Hurts be booted from town like Carson Wentz? Unlikely. However, the chemistry doesn't look great at the moment, including the issues with AJ Brown. I would rather avoid any risk here and thus label Hurts a "bust" candidate. Not for nothing — Hurts is not an elite pure-passer. He is all legs and blocking.
RB, Cam Skattebo
Brian Daboll adored Skattebo. Does Matt Nagy adore him? Maybe he will, but he very well may not. The Giants roster Tyrone Tracy Jr. and Devin Singletary, who may be deemed better pure running backs on a neutral new slate. Even then, the Giants may go on to draft Jeremiyah Love. As a top-20 running back, the ADP is optimistic with great risk in the Harbaugh era.
WR, Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Smith-Njigba will remain the Seahawks WR1, and the Seahawks' large volume. However, we flashback to the 2025 Detroit Lions. Much concern was raised about Ben Johnson leaving town, and it proved to matter greatly. In Seattle, they lose the next offensive wizard in Klint Kubiak. Brian Fleury is bound to be a downgrade, and as a result, Smith-Njigba shall fall well below his WR3 ranking.
Players such as Drake London, Nico Collins, and Chris Olave lurk behind him, primed to send Smith-Njigba down closer to WR2 status.
TE, Harold Fannin Jr.
The coaching shift must not be underestimated. Yes, Todd Monken uses the tight end, but that should not be the sole determinant. Fannin Jr., despite racking up plenty of yards, was ranked lowly by PFF player grades. He is not a top-5 tight end on pure talent. With a new coach comes risk, and Fannin Jr. very well may have reached his peak as a rookie. I would be concerned about a big fall-off, being a very possible worst-case scenario.
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Thomas Carelli is a sportswriter based on Northern New Jersey. He is a massive New York Jets and Mets fan, but that is not where is sports fandom stops. He loves to watch and play golf, all things football, baseball, and much more. If he can watch it, he will. Thomas graduated from William Paterson University in 2018 with a Bachelor's Degree in Sport Management. He spent 4 years working at a local golf course, volunteered past PGA events, and spent some part-time experience with the New York Jets events team. His passions for sport runs deep and his articles show for it.