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.
Let’s get into this week’s breakdown.
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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. |
Jonathan Taylor (RB – IND) | Panic Meter: 0
In Week 9, Jonathan Taylor finished with single-digit PPR points for the first time this season. The Vikings’ defense had Colts QB Joe Flacco on his heels and flipped the game script out of Taylor’s favor. There’s no need to panic. This was nothing more than an anomaly. Taylor remains a set-it-and-forget-it RB1 when making fantasy start sit decisions.
Kyler Murray (QB – ARI) | Panic Meter: 1
Kyler Murray has had his ups and downs this season. This past week (4.76 points) was more bad luck than anything else. The Cardinals happened to score three rushing touchdowns and had this game in the bag early on. Murray did his job managing the game and wasn’t asked to do much more.
To add insult to injury, Emari Demercado fumbled a handoff that went in the stat sheet as a turnover for Murray. Not that it would have saved his fantasy day, but it’s worth mentioning. Nonetheless, Murray has scored 20+ points in three of his last five games and remains QB9 on the season. It’s been a rollercoaster but no new panic has emerged.
Kyle Pitts (TE – ATL) | Panic Meter: 1
After a four-game streak of double-digit PPR points, Kyle Pitts came crashing down to earth with just 2.1 points in Week 9. Does this mean it’s time to panic that Pitts has reverted to his old ways? Can you call it panic if you’re never really comfortable rolling him out there to begin with? Jokes aside, pump the brakes.
After a month of solid production, he deserves some slack. The Falcons dominated this game more than the final score would suggest, so game script became a problem for Pitts. Still, it is a bit concerning he only saw one target. Keep the panic to a minimum for now and hope it doesn’t become a trend.
DJ Moore (WR – CHI) | Panic Meter: 3
In Week 9, DJ Moore finished with fewer than 35 yards and single-digit PPR points for the third game in a row. The panic alarm is officially screaming. You can’t even make a game script excuse as the Bears have either been trailing or competitive in every game during this stretch.
The worst part? Each of those three games was ideal for Moore and Caleb Williams, who just simply haven’t been on the same page. If they can’t produce with cake matchups, all confidence for Moore has gone out the window. At this point, he’s a sketchy fantasy start sit play even at Flex.
Travis Etienne (RB – JAX) | Panic Meter: 3
As expected, the Jaguars’ backfield has become a full-blown committee with Travis Etienne looking like the second option behind Tank Bigsby, who led the way with eight touches and a 51% snap share, while Etienne saw just five touches and 31% of snaps in his return to action.
With the way Bigsby has produced, there’s no reason not to expect a similar timeshare moving forward. If you drafted Etienne anywhere close to the third round, it’s well past the point of panic. He’s become (at best) a low-end Flex option.
Cut List | Panic Meter: 4
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