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. Panic is not necessary. |
| 1 | Panic is creeping up. It’s not time to sound the alarm yet, but it is something to be aware of. Said player should still be considered a starter but is now under surveillance. |
| 2 | Officially panicked, taking things week by week, considering a Plan B, exploring trade options or benching for a more reliable option. |
| 3 | Fire sale. Actively seeking a trade while the player in question still has value. They are no longer a trustworthy starter. In some cases, a borderline drop-candidate. |
| 4 | Sever all ties. Smash the drop button so hard that the man ends up in the shadow realm. |
Fantasy Football Panic Meter
Derrick Henry (RB – TEN) | Panic Meter: 1
Derrick Henry delivered a catastrophic two-point stinker in Week 3. His 11 carries were the fewest touches he has registered in a game since Week 12 of 2018. It was also his lowest-scoring fantasy game since Week 5 of 2017. In all likelihood, this was nothing more than an anomaly. The Titans fell behind early and abandoned the run. The reason panic has reached a ‘1’ is because of how badly the Titans struggled to generate any offense in Week 3. It raises the concern of whether or not Henry will continue to fall victim to game-script and offensive woes. For now, this will be written off as a bad game. However, if similar events unfold in future weeks, it’ll be time to have a difficult conversation.
DeAndre Hopkins (WR – TEN) | Panic Meter: 2
Speaking of underperforming Titans… DeAndre Hopkins has failed to eclipse double-digit PPR points, four catches or 50 yards in two straight games. He has just 12 targets in that span. The worst part about this rough patch is that the game script was in his favor in both weeks. At his age, volume is crucial for Hopkins. Without that, he is much less appealing than his name would suggest. Hopkins projects as a matchup-dependent flex moving forward.
Najee Harris (RB – PIT)| Panic Meter: 3
Najee Harris has failed to top 6.5 PPR points, register over 65 total yards or finish as a top-35 RB in three consecutive games to begin the 2023 season. He’s barely playing over 50% of snaps. He looks slow, indecisive and overall ineffective. If you had any expectations of him being a reliable contributor to your fantasy team, panic can’t get much higher. He has little value in trade talks, even less value in your starting lineup, and yet, he sees enough volume to where you can’t cut him. If you can move him, you should. Until then, he is banished to the bench, only to return when he has proved he is more than a desperate flex.
Cut List | Panic Meter: 4
Brandin Cooks, Antonio Gibson, Jamaal Williams, Khalil Herbert
-Tim Brosnan
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