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
Jalen Hurts (QB – PHI) | Panic Meter: 0
In Week 14, Hurts failed to account for a TD (through the air/on the ground) for the first time all season. His 8.88 points, although catastrophic in its timing, should be no cause for panic. Aside from this past week, Hurts has just one game this season with less than 18.9 points. Panic shouldn’t be a thought.
Mike Evans (WR – TB) | Panic Meter: 0
Evans is no stranger to the occasional bust game, but one catch for eight yards? Now that hurts. Evans entered Week 14 riding a four-game TD streak, so a 1.8-point bomb on the stat sheet was a fairly stark contrast. Needless to say, better days are ahead. Considering Evans had seven consecutive games with 12+ PPR points before this week, there is no need to panic over a single bad game.
Amon-Ra St. Brown (WR – DET) | Panic Meter: 1
With playoffs on the line for so many managers, St. Brown’s season-low 5.1 PPR points could not have come at a worse time. This was most likely an anomaly, so there SHOULD be no real reason to panic. However, it is worth noting that St. Brown’s only two games this season with fewer than six catches/50 yards have come in each of the last two weeks (averaging 2.5 receptions and 35 yards during this span). It would be ill-advised to panic off such a small sample size, but be aware: a trend has begun to develop.
Stefon Diggs (WR – BUF) | Panic Meter: 2
Diggs’ 6.4-point performance in Week 14 is far from a blip on the radar at this point. He has had fewer than five catches, 35 yards, and 6.8 PPR points in three of his last four games. That is behavior you simply cannot have from your WR1 heading into the fantasy playoffs. With a matchup against Dallas on tap for next week, it’s fair to wonder: how panicked should we be? Diggs has entered the panic Twilight Zone: we all know we can’t bench him, but lately, he has us seriously considering it. Managers will have no choice but to hold strong and hope Diggs pulls out of his slump sooner rather than later.
D’Andre Swift (RB – PHI) | Panic Meter: 3
3.9 PPR points in Week 14 is enough to officially sound the panic alarm for Swift. He has now finished with single-digit PPR points in four of his last five games. He has scored less than 4.5 in each of his last two. He has 59 total yards in that span. He doesn’t have much competition for touches in the Philadelphia backfield, yet he has seen very little volume lately (19 touches over the last two games). With Hurts essentially acting as the Eagles’ goal-line back, volume is essential for Swift since his TD upside is seriously capped. If he’s not getting the TDs or the volume, well… It’s beyond time to panic on Swift. He cannot be trusted in your starting lineup at the moment.
Cut List | Panic Meter: 4
Joshua Dobbs, Noah Brown, Dameon Pierce, Gabe Davis
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