Fantasy Football Panic Meter: Justin Herbert, Kyler Murray, Austin Ekeler, Breece Hall, Terry McLaurin

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

Justin Herbert (QB – LAC) | Panic Meter: 0

Week 13 wasn’t exactly the bounce-back performance Herbert managers were hoping for after he scored just 7.98 points. Despite entering the week averaging 20.8 PPG, he has managed to score just 21.36 combined points in his past two games. In all likelihood, this is nothing more than an unlucky coincidence. Inclement weather and a stout Patriots defense can be blamed for this Week 13 dud. To panic on Herbert, who has scored at least 20 points in 54% of his games this season, would be ill-advised. He should remain locked in as a high-end QB1 moving forward.

Kyler Murray (QB – ARI) | Panic Meter: 0

Murray delivered a lackluster fantasy performance in Week 13, finishing with just 11.8 points. However, there’s no cause for panic. The truth is, Murray played a clean game and the Cardinals won handily on the back of the run game. Before this dud, Murray was averaging 19.8 PPG this season. We can chalk this one up as an anomaly.

Breece Hall (RB – NYJ) | Panic Meter: 1

After another mediocre performance in Week 13 (10.5 PPR points) panic is on the rise for Hall. He’s had less than 30 rushing yards in five of his past six games, including each of his past four. He has also scored less than 12 PPR points in four of his past five games. On the bright side, his receiving usage is keeping him afloat (at least three receptions in every game since week three). As a result, he has established a stable floor (at least 10.0 PPR points in every game since week four). Still, from a player with as much explosive potential as Hall, managers expect explosive results. The fact he is, at best, delivering RB3/flex numbers is enough to induce panic.

Austin Ekeler (RB – LAC) | Panic Meter: 2

Ekeler’s slump continued in Week 13 as he flopped for a third consecutive week, finishing with a season-low 4.7 PPR points. He has now failed to score a touchdown in three consecutive games. He has been held out of the end-zone in five of nine (55%) games this season. In 2023, when Ekeler doesn’t score a touchdown he averages 7.38 PPR PPG.

Regardless of touchdown production, he has always provided value via his receiving usage. Yet, he has less than 10 receiving yards in three games this season. Prior to this season, you would need to go back to week 1 of 2020 to find a single game where he fit that criteria.

Ekeler’s nightmare-stretch is the sum of several glaring red flags that are becoming harder to ignore by the week. Panic is the highest it has been in years. If he can’t deliver an RB1 performance against Denver in week 14, all hope may be lost.

Terry McLaurin (WR – WAS) | Panic Meter: 3

McLaurin hit rock-bottom in Week 13, as he was held without a catch and finished with a devastating 0.0 points. After a three-week stretch of single-digit PPR points that had managers thinking things couldn’t possibly get much worse, they did. The panic meter has shattered the glass ceiling. There is no longer any room for the benefit of the doubt when it comes to McLaurin. The simple fact is: He cannot be trusted as a starter right now. Name-value is the only thing currently keeping him on fantasy rosters.