Arguably, the most frustrating thing in fantasy football is seeing someone in your starting lineup struggle that week. Therefore, the logic behind this article is simple – identify fantasy football lineup landmines.
These are players you’re leaning towards starting this week but could end up being a landmine that blows up and destroys your starting lineup, potentially costing you your matchup.
Brace yourself and take cover. These six players could blow up in your face this week.
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Fantasy Football Lineup Landmines: Week 12
Tua Tagovailoa (QB – MIA)
We have our first-ever Black Friday game tomorrow between the Miami Dolphins and New York Jets. Unfortunately, the matchup will likely be boring and lack much fantasy upside. Tagovailoa has played well this year but has cooled off lately. After totaling 27 or more fantasy points in two of the first three games, the former Alabama star had fewer than 17.7 in five of the past seven contests. Furthermore, he has scored 30 total fantasy points over the past two games, totaling a 4.1% touchdown rate. By comparison, Tagovailoa had a 6.6% touchdown rate over the first eight games.
The Jets have held quarterbacks to 14.2 fantasy points per game, the 10th-fewest in the NFL. Furthermore, they have shut down opposing superstar quarterbacks. While Josh Allen had 22.3 fantasy points last week against New York, they held him to nine fantasy points in Week 1. Patrick Mahomes had only 203 passing yards, one touchdown, and 13.2 fantasy points in his matchup against the Jets. Lastly, Jalen Hurts and Justin Herbert had one passing touchdown and 27 fantasy points combined against their defense. New York’s offense will struggle, limiting Tagovailoa’s need to throw the ball.
James Conner (RB – ARI)
After starting the year playing well, Conner has struggled since returning from a knee injury. The veteran was the RB8 over the first three weeks, averaging 88.7 rushing yards and 14.9 half-point PPR fantasy points per game. He also averaged 5.35 yards per rushing attempt, an 8.8% explosive run rate, and 2.31 yards before contact per attempt before getting hurt (per Fantasy Points Data). Unfortunately, Conner isn’t healthy. The veteran has averaged 4.5 yards per rushing attempt, a 0.0% explosive run rate, and 1.37 yards before contact per attempt since returning from the knee injury.
More importantly, Conner hasn’t scored more than 7.3 fantasy points in a game since Week 3. He has scored fewer than double-digit fantasy points in over 70% of the games this season, including both since returning from the knee injury. Unfortunately, that trend likely continues this week. The Los Angeles Rams have held running backs to 15.9 fantasy points per game, the ninth-fewest in the NFL. Running backs have scored fewer than 14 fantasy points in 60% of the matchups against Los Angeles. With Kyler Murray back, the Cardinals can afford to limit Conner’s workload.
James Cook (RB – BUF)
A week after firing offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey, the Bills offense got their act together. Cook had 17 rushing attempts, matching his season high. More importantly, he had 17.7 half-point PPR fantasy points against the New York Jets, matching his second-highest fantasy output for the year. However, fantasy players should avoid starting him this week. The second-year player has become part of a committee. After playing fewer than 49% of the snaps only once over the first nine weeks, he has played only 46% of the snaps in back-to-back games.
Furthermore, Cook has an awful matchup on Sunday. The Philadelphia Eagles gave up 89 rushing yards to Isiah Pacheco last week. However, he still only had 9.6 fantasy points. Philadelphia has held running backs to only 11.9 fantasy points per game, the fewest in the NFL. Running backs only have two rushing touchdowns against the Eagles this year, including zero over their past four games. Only the Kansas City Chiefs backfield has had more than 73 rushing yards against Philadelphia this season. Unless Cook has a receiving touchdown, he will struggle on Sunday.
Davante Adams (WR – LV)
Last week, Adams broke out of a seven-week-long slump against the Miami Dolphins. More importantly, he had a strong fantasy performance with Aidan O’Connell under center. The superstar wide receiver averaged only 9.5 half-point PPR fantasy points per game in the first three games the rookie quarterback started despite averaging 11 targets per contest. By comparison, Adams had seven receptions on 13 targets for 82 receiving yards, a touchdown, and 17.7 fantasy points in Week 11. However, fantasy players should avoid starting the veteran wide receiver against the division rivals.
The Kansas City Chiefs have an elite defense. They have held wide receivers to only 23.4 fantasy points per game, the sixth-fewest in the NFL. More importantly, Kansas City has shut down opposing No. 1 wide receivers, thanks to star cornerback L’Jarius Sneed. Last week, A.J. Brown had only 1.3 fantasy points against the Chiefs. Furthermore, Tyreek Hill, Keenan Allen, and Justin Jefferson averaged 7.9 fantasy points per game this year against Kansas City, scoring fewer than 11 in every matchup.
DeAndre Hopkins (WR – TEN)
Fantasy players had high hopes for Hopkins this year. Unfortunately, the veteran wide receiver has turned into a touchdown-or-bust type player. He has four receiving touchdowns in 2023, all coming during the four games Will Levis has started. Yet, Hopkins has found the end zone in only two games, averaging 23.4 half-point PPR fantasy points per game in those matchups. By comparison, he has averaged eight fantasy points per game in the other eight matchups, scoring fewer than 8.6 in 75% of those contests.
Unfortunately, the veteran faces the Carolina Panthers on Sunday. They have held wide receivers to 23.1 fantasy points per game, the fifth-fewest in the league. The Panthers have surrendered fewer than 17 fantasy points to wide receivers in three of four matchups since the bye week. More importantly, Carolina has given up only seven receiving touchdowns to wide receivers, the sixth-fewest in the NFL, including only one over the past month. The Panthers struggle to stop the run. Therefore, expect Tennessee to feature Derrick Henry and the ground game over the passing attack against Carolina.
Courtland Sutton (WR – DEN)
Denver might be the hottest team in the NFL. They have won four straight games and are only two games behind the Kansas City Chiefs for the divisional lead. Yet, their offense hasn’t been a juggernaut. Sutton has been the team’s most consistent player, scoring 9.9 or more half-point PPR fantasy points in all but two games this season. However, the veteran wide receiver has been a touchdown-or-bust player. While he has scored in five straight games and seven of the past eight, Sutton’s touchdown luck likely ends this weekend.
Sutton faces the Cleveland Browns and their elite defense on Sunday. The Browns have held wide receivers to only 20.5 fantasy points per game, the second-fewest in the NFL. Wide receivers have scored fewer than 12 fantasy points against Cleveland in half of the games this season, including two of the past three matchups. Furthermore, they have surrendered only six receiving touchdowns to wide receivers, the fourth-fewest in the league. More importantly, only one of those touchdowns was by the opposing team’s No. 1 wide receiver.
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Mike Fanelli is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Mike, check out his archive and follow him @Mike_NFL2.
