Here are a list of fantasy players who have underperformed expectations so far in 2009.
Disappointments
QB Tom Brady – its early but he’s not connecting on the big play and doesn’t look right yet. He will likely rebound in the 2nd half of the year but right now he looks more like an average #2 fantasy QB rather than a top five type.
QB Kurt Warner – he’s played alright but has been a huge disappointment for fantasy leaguers (#20 overall fantasy QB scorer) and looks off with his sore hip. As he pushes into his late 30’s, its possible he’s slowing down quickly, more than likely its just the injury that will limit him until he starts to feel better.
QB Trent Edwards – the hype of adding Terrell Owens to the mix outweighed the fact that the Bills were replacing every single starting offensive lineman from their ’08 lineup. Maybe Edwards is the long-term answer in Buffalo but he, the coaching staff and organization may not survive to see that thru.
QB Jake Delhomme – there is no need to continue the obvious, this guys career is pretty much over. Maybe he’ll put up some decent numbers here and there but its over.
RB Chris Johnson – ok, he’s actually a top 4 RB scorer in ’09, so this isn’t technically fair but on a week by week basis he’s been a disappointment as he scored 51 points in week 2 and no more than 6 in any other week.
RB Steven Jackson – he’s becoming the perennial tease who has top 5 fantasy talent but a sub 20 team around him. In ’09 that’s prophetic as he’s the #27 overall RB scorer on a team centered around getting him the ball. Things could get better in the 2nd half of the year but I wouldn’t count on it.
RB Matt Forte – the #28 overall RB was a top 5 fantasy RB choice by every expert heading into this year, he hasn’t played poorly (and its early) but so far he’s off to a slow start after finishing ’08 on a slide.
RB Brandon Jacobs – the #30 overall RB scorer is off to an incredibly slow start, he’s even been out produced by his backup Ahmad Bradshaw. He’ll score but another year of 15 TD’s maybe out of touch in ’09.
RB DeAngelo Williams – the #31 overall RB scorer is back to where he was in every season but ’08. He has insane talent but the Panthers look like one of the bottom third of the NFL teams and that will have its negative impact on Williams.
RB Larry Johnson – once he was one of the top 5 guys but he’s now not even in the top 50 RB scorers. The Chiefs are struggling and that is impacting LJ, so is all the carries he’s had over the years. Herm Edwards overused him with his predictable offensive approach.
RB LaDainian Tomlinson – he’s been injured but he’s lost a step, he’s still one of the top 20 RB’s in the NFL but he’s probably not one of the top 15 fantasy producers.
WR Randy Moss – the NFL’s most talented WR, or at least fantasy leaguers most beloved producer, Moss is currently the 29th overall WR scorer and he & Brady don’t seem like they are on the same page. This will change but it will need to happen fast if he’s going to live up to the investment most fantasy leaguers made in him this year.
WR Greg Jennings – the 30th overall WR scorer was less of a known commodity than Moss but what’s weird is his QB is actually performing up to his expectations. He’s a big play waiting to happen so this will turn around but he may not be a top 10 fantasy guy this year.
WR Calvin Johnson – the 31st overall WR scorer is a beast but the combination of some nagging injuries and a rookie QB have kept him from being the top 5 producer his talent delivers.
WR Roy Williams – the overhyped WR is the perfect fit for overhyped Jerry Jones and his overpriced ode to American abundance, currently known as Cowboys Stadium (I love that Jones can’t find a sponsor for his stadiumJ). Williams likely is no more than an average #2 WR, and a below average starting fantasy wide receiver.
TE Zach Miller – many expected him to be a top 5 fantasy TE but he’s struggling to break the top 25, and with the Raiders current passing attack its unlikely that’s going to change much going forward.
TE Martellus Bennett – we all were duped in the pre-season into thinking he was going to be a productive part of the Cowboys passing attack. To date he has yet to score a SINGLE POINT in the ’09 fantasy season.
You have to include T.O. on this list. He should be #1.
Posted by: Todd | October 14, 2009 at 09:38 PM
true...TO hasn't been the stud he's typically been.
Posted by: Beavercats | October 15, 2009 at 09:03 PM
T.O. hasn't even been a passable WR over the first few weeks. Now he's rumored to land in Chi-town.
Posted by: Todd | October 16, 2009 at 02:55 PM