Tim Brosnan | Tue, Oct 15th 2024, 8:38am EDT

Fantasy Football Panic Meter: Saquon Barkley, DK Metcalf, Dak Prescott (Week 7)

Welcome to the Panic Meter.

If you’re new here, we feature several underperforming players each week and assign them a 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 broad strategy correlating to that specific grade.

Without further ado, let’s get into this week’s breakdown.

Fantasy Football Panic Meter

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 possibly 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.

Saquon Barkley (RB – PHI) | Panic Meter: 0

Saquon Barkley has a combined 21 PPR points over his last two games. Does his 7.4-point dud in Week 6 mean managers should panic? Not at all. He still saw plenty of volume (20 touches) and while he wasn’t efficient (2.7 yards per touch), it should be viewed as nothing more than an anomaly. Barkley remains a set-it-and-forget-it RB1.

DK Metcalf (WR – SEA) | Panic Meter: 0

In Week 6, DK Metcalf scored single-digit PPR points for the third time this season and the second time in his last two games. With no context, that might be panic-worthy. However, there’s nothing to worry about. Metcalf saw 11 targets and had a would-be 70-yard touchdown wiped out by penalty. If not for that, we wouldn’t be having this discussion. Continue to start him with confidence.

DJ Moore (WR – CHI) | Panic Meter: 1

DJ Moore finished with 6.0 PPR points against a Jaguars defense that came into Week 6 ranked 32nd against opposing wide receivers. Although the flop was poorly timed, it was the first time all season that Moore finished with single-digit fantasy points in a game. Yet, he now has fewer than 40 yards in three games in 2024. How much should you panic? If anything, fantasy managers should be encouraged by how Caleb Williams continues to develop (six touchdowns in the last two games). Moore remains in play as a WR2 with upside, but keep the panic button ready if his lackluster yardage trend continues.

James Conner (RB – ARI) | Panic Meter: 1

James Conner put up a 6.6-point stinker in Week 6. The reason to panic isn’t because he finished with single-digit PPR points for the second time in his last four games. If anything, panic because when his team needed a spark, he wasn’t the preferred back. Despite being fully healthy in a competitive game, Conner didn’t touch the ball in the fourth quarter. Although Emari Demercado and Trey Benson combined for 14 touches in Week 6, they shouldn’t be viewed as a threat to Conner’s hold on the Cardinals backfield. Conner has seen at least 19 touches in four games this season and remains a strong RB2 until further notice.

Dak Prescott (QB – DAL) | Panic Meter: 2.5

Dak Prescott flopped with a season-low 3.22 fantasy points in what should’ve been a shootout against Detroit in Week 6. He has now scored 17 or fewer fantasy points in five games this year. Dallas can’t run the ball, and if we’re being honest, Prescott is making bad decisions. If he can’t come through with gamescript more in his favor than ever before, the word ‘panic’ doesn’t quite do it justice. The real test will come in Week 8 when Prescott takes on a Commanders defense allowing the fifth-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks. If he flops, he’s a borderline waiver wire drop candidate.

Cut List | Panic Meter: 4

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