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 and a strategy that correlates to the specific grade.
| 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. |
Jaylen Waddle (WR – MIA) | Panic Meter: 1
One catch for nine yards wasn’t exactly what Waddle managers were looking for in Week 13. He missed most of the first half with an apparent leg injury, which likely affected his playing time as a whole. However, in a contest where the game script could not have been more in his favor, this performance was concerning. He has now delivered 13.5 PPR points or less in his last three games. He remains a must-start but after his worst game of the season, and no WR1 performances since Week 9, a close eye should be kept on him.
Mark Andrews (TE – BAL) | Panic Meter: 1
After another disappointing performance from Andrews (9.4 PPR points) panic is beginning to creep in. He has no more than 12.3 points in any of his last five games and has finished with single-digit PPR totals three times during that span. To add insult to injury, Lamar Jackson got hurt this week and could possibly miss some time. If the TE landscape was bountiful in any capacity, the panic alarm would be screaming. Yet, considering the volatility of the position, Andrews remains one of the top options despite his recent cold streak.
Travis Etienne Jr. (RB – JAX) | Panic Meter: 2
Speaking of a cold streak… Etienne failed to capitalize on a juicy matchup with the Lions in Week 13, mustering just 7.6 PPR points. He now has a combined 18.2 PPR points in his last three games. Albeit he left one of those games early due to injury. Nonetheless, being an Etienne manager has been frustrating recently. If he failed to manage RB2 numbers in one of his best matchups of the season, it’s fair to be worried about his upcoming difficult matchups with the Titans, Cowboys, and Jets. He remains a must-start, but one more dud performance and that statement gets harder to justify.
Jamaal Williams (RB – DET) | Panic Meter: 2
Williams was the first player to score a TD on Sunday. Yet, he finished with just 9.5 PPR points. It was the fifth time in his last seven games he delivered less than 12.0 PPR points and the fourth time he finished outside the top-22 fantasy RBs. Due to the fact he is a non-factor in the passing game (five consecutive games without a target), he is entirely reliant on TDs for his fantasy value. It doesn’t bode well that, for the first time since Week 1, D’Andre Swift led the charge, finishing with more touches, total yards, and fantasy points than Williams. His usage is trending in the wrong direction entering the fantasy playoffs, and if his TDs dry up so will his points. If you’ve been relying on him as your RB2, it may be time to panic.
Jeff Wilson Jr. (RB – MIA) | Panic Meter: 3
One carry for three yards. That is the complete list of Wilson’s stats for Week 13. After disappointing in a slam dunk matchup with the Texans (12.2 PPR points) in Week 12, Wilson followed it up by being out-snapped, out-touched, and out-produced by Raheem Mostert in Week 13. To be fair, the 49ers are the worst possible matchup an RB can ask for. Yet, this appears to be a full-blown committee seemingly intent on riding the hot hand. As a result, Wilson will be extremely difficult to trust as anything more than an upside flex moving forward.
JuJu Smith-Schuster (WR – KC) | Panic Meter: 3
For the third consecutive game, JuJu has failed to top four targets, three catches, 40 yards, or 7.0 PPR points. His three-game stretch where he finished as a top-eight WR or better is beginning to feel like a distant memory. If he is your WR2 there is plenty of reason to panic. He has four consecutive bottom-seven matchups approaching (Denver twice, Houston, and Seattle) and after finishing outside the top-68 WRs in his last three games, he has crashed his way into low-end WR3 territory.
Cut list | Panic Meter: 4
Tyler Higbee, Dawson Knox, James Robinson, Marcus Mariota, Kyren Williams
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