As fantasy managers, we often face difficult decisions. To sit, or not to sit? In an age where data is coming at us more frequently than ever, it’s easy for information to become over-saturated or lost in translation. This article series will be here each week to help you filter through the jungle of statistics so you can make more educated lineup decisions. Welcome to the “Panic Meter.”
Each week, we’ll feature several underperforming players with an assigned grade corresponding to the appropriate level of panic for the respective player/performance. Below is a scale with grades between 0 and 4, as well as a strategy that correlates to the specific grade.
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- Fantasy Football Week 6 Usage Report: Waiver Wire & Trade Advice
- Fantasy Football Trade Advice: Players to Buy & Sell
- Fantasy Football Waiver Wire: Quarterback Streamers
- Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups: Tight End Streamers
- Let’s Stream Defenses: Week 7
- Fantasy Football Kicker Guide, Rankings & Waiver Wire Advice
- Week 7 IDP Waiver Wire Pickups
- NFL DFS Pricing Exploitation: Week 7
- Erickson’s Week 6 Rapid Reactions & Top Performers
- Fantasy Football Week 6 Takeaways: Surprises & Disappointments
- Fantasy Football Heat Index
| PANIC METER GRADE | STRATEGY/PLAN OF ACTION |
| 0 | This past week was not ideal, but it can be chalked up as an anomaly. Don’t even think about benching them. |
| 1 | Panic is setting in. The leash becomes shorter but said player is still in consideration as a starter. Make sure a plan B is in place. |
| 2 | Officially panicked, exploring trade options, and possibly benching for a more proven/reliable option. |
| 3 | Fire sale. Get rid of them for whatever you can before it’s too late. They can no longer be trusted as a starter. A borderline drop-candidate. |
| 4 | Sever all ties. Smash the drop button so hard that man ends up in the shadow realm. |
Tyler Lockett/DK Metcalf | Panic Meter: 0
After a week where Lockett and Metcalf combined for just four catches and 51 yards in a cake matchup with Arizona, it’s fair for some eyebrows to be raised. This is likely nothing but an anomaly and a product of a negative game script. Unless they make a consistent habit of performances like this or Geno Smith regresses back to his Jets days there is no real need to panic. You can continue starting them with confidence.
Najee Harris | Panic Meter: 2
Panic remains constant at Najee Harris incorporated. Sure, he scored a TD in Week 6 which helped keep him afloat. But he once again delivered a majorly inefficient day. In Week 6, Harris finished with less than 50 total yards for the third time this season. He’s not performing like the first-round RB you drafted him to be. He’s hardly delivering flex numbers. He continues to do just enough to get by and avoid a three on the panic meter. But at this point, sitting him would be justified.
Christian Kirk | Panic Meter: 2
Luckily Kirk secured a fourth-quarter TD to save his fantasy day in Week 6, otherwise, the panic meter would have reached a crescendo. Kirk’s first three games compared to his most recent three have been a tale of two receivers. He has a combined seven catches for 95 yards over the past three weeks, and without that TD it would have been three consecutive single-digit performances. Definitely don’t cut him, but the leash is getting shorter by the week. If you can find a buyer, moving Kirk for a high-upside flex might not be a terrible idea.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire | Panic Meter: 2
It turns out that you can’t sustain RB1 production while touching the ball less than 13 times a game. Who knew? The writing has been on the wall for CEH for weeks now. His point totals have finally caught up with his usage. Week 6 was the fifth time this season he saw less than 10 carries. Edwards-Helaire has now delivered back-to-back duds, most recently finishing with a season-low 3.3 points. Your window to sell him as an RB1 has closed, but if you act fast you might still find someone who is interested. If you wait any longer, there are no such guarantees.
Aaron Jones | Panic Meter: 3
After another dud in Week 6, the panic alarm on Aaron Jones has officially been sounded. He was enjoying the benefit of the doubt for the past month, but no longer. As a fantasy RB1, there’s plenty to worry about. Jones has yet to record 20+ touches in any game, he has 15+ in just two. He has scored more than 10.6 PPR points just twice and has now finished with 7.4 points or less twice. Aside from a 32-point performance in week two, Jones has been largely disappointing this season. There’s no point in trading him because his value is at an all-time low. You definitely can’t drop him. So what can you do? Pray that he goes off next week against Washington and sell like you’ve never sold before.
DJ Moore | Panic Meter: 3
Through six games, Moore has zero games with more than 60 yards, just one game with over 12.2 PPR points and two games with less than 10 yards. He has as many games this season with single-digit PPR points as he does with double-digits. It’s puzzling that someone as talented as Moore who has seen six or more targets in every game can produce so little. Optimism for Moore is at an all-time low, while panic is at an all-time high. Your only hope at this point is *checks notes* Sam Darnold. Moore has little to no value in trade negotiations and should be nowhere near a starting lineup. If he can’t deliver with Darnold, it’s Dumpsville for Moore.
Cut list | Panic Meter: 4
Chase Edmonds, Greg Dortch, Russell Gage/Julio Jones, Dalton Schultz
If you want to dive deeper into fantasy football, be sure to check out our award-winning slate of Fantasy Football Tools as you navigate your season. From our Start/Sit Assistant – which provides your optimal lineup, based on accurate consensus projections – to our Waiver Wire Assistant – that allows you to quickly see which available players will improve your team and by how much – we’ve got you covered this fantasy football season.
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