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.
- Waiver Wire Advice
- Weekly Fantasy Football Expert Rankings
- Fantasy Football Start/Sit Advice
- Fantasy Football Trade Tools
Brace yourself and take cover. These six players could blow up in your face in Week 18.
Fantasy Football Lineup Landmines: Week 18
Jordan Love (QB – GB) vs. Chicago Bears
Fantasy players had high hopes for Love earlier this season. The star quarterback scored 25.6 or more fantasy points in two of his first four games. However, he has scored more than 19 fantasy points only once over the past 10 games, including 14.5 or less in three of the past four contests. Last week, Love had only 185 passing yards, one touchdown, and 14 fantasy points despite a fantasy-friendly matchup against the Minnesota Vikings. Unfortunately, his fantasy value has tanked since the Packers started leading on the run.
Green Bay has made Josh Jacobs the focal point of their offense over the past several weeks. The veteran has seen a massive uptick in work, especially in the touchdown department, totaling 11 rushing scores since the team’s Week 10 bye. Meanwhile, the Bears have held quarterbacks to 13.6 fantasy points per game, the second-fewest in the NFL. They’ve given up 11.2 or fewer fantasy points to quarterbacks in two of their past three games, including to Sam Darnold in Week 15. Expect a quiet performance from Love on Sunday.
Zach Charbonnet (RB – SEA) vs. Los Angeles Rams
Unfortunately, the Seahawks were eliminated from the playoffs in Week 17 despite their win over the Chicago Bears. However, it might be poetic justice since many fantasy players lost their playoff matchup because of poor performances from Charbonnet. The second-year pro started with Kenneth Walker III on injured reserve because of an ankle injury. Yet, he struggled despite a fantasy-friendly matchup against an awful Bears run defense. Charbonnet ended the week as the RB21, totaling 15 rushing attempts for 57 yards and 9.1 half-point PPR fantasy points.
Therefore, fantasy players shouldn’t expect much from the former UCLA star against the Rams. Los Angeles has surrendered 19.5 fantasy points per game to running backs this season, slightly above the league average. However, they have shut down opposing running backs lately. The Rams have surrendered only three rushing touchdowns to opposing running backs since their Week 6 bye, with Saquon Barkley scoring all three in Week 12. Furthermore, they’ve held running backs to 55 rushing yards and 13 fantasy points per game over their past four outings.
Tyrone Tracy Jr. (RB – NYG) vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Tracy looked like a league winner earlier this season. He was the RB10 from Week 5 through Week 10, averaging 5.4 yards per rushing attempt and 13.7 half-point PPR fantasy points per game. Unfortunately, the rookie has regressed since the Giants’ Week 11 bye. Tracy has been the RB19 over the past six weeks, averaging 3.3 yards per rushing attempt and 10.8 fantasy points per game, totaling 8.3 or less in half the contests. Furthermore, he has averaged 3.7 or fewer yards per rushing attempt in five consecutive games.
The rookie running back’s unfortunate streak should continue in Week 18. Tracy faces an Eagles defense that will rest some starters in a meaningless game for Philadelphia. However, they have had an elite run defense all season. The Eagles have held running backs to 14.4 fantasy points per game, the second-fewest in the NFL. Running backs have averaged 57.7 rushing yards and 7.8 fantasy points per game against Philadelphia over the past three weeks, totaling zero rushing touchdowns and 10.1 or fewer fantasy points in every matchup.
Marvin Harrison Jr. (WR – ARI) vs. San Francisco 49ers
Many had high hopes for Harrison this year. Unfortunately, he was a massive fantasy bust, with Malik Nabers, Brian Thomas Jr. and Ladd McConkey getting selected significantly later than Harrison in drafts. Yet, all three have been outstanding for fantasy players. Meanwhile, the former Ohio State star has scored fewer than seven half-point PPR fantasy points in 56.3% of the games this season. Last week, he had a solid performance, totaling 12.6 fantasy points. However, the rookie had scored 6.9 or fewer fantasy points in his previous three contests.
More importantly, Harrison was awful in the Week 5 matchup against the 49ers. The former Ohio State star had two receptions on seven targets for 36 receiving yards and 4.6 fantasy points against the division rivals. Meanwhile, San Francisco got obliterated by the Detroit Lions wide receiver core last week. Yet, they had held wide receivers to only 98.4 receiving yards and 19.6 fantasy points per game in their previous seven contests, giving up 15.8 or less in 57.1% of the outings despite facing multiple elite passing attacks.
Jayden Reed (WR – GB) vs. Chicago Bears
So much change can happen over the course of the fantasy season. Reed started the year on fire, totaling 11 receptions on 14 targets for 277 receiving yards, two touchdowns, and 54.7 half-point PPR fantasy points in his first two games with Jordan Love under center, scoring 23.6 or more in both contests. Unfortunately, the second-year pro has been a massive fantasy bust since his hot start. Reed is the WR49 over the past 11 weeks, averaging 7.3 fantasy points per game, scoring 9.7 or more only twice.
Furthermore, the second-year pro is the WR71 over the past month, averaging 4.8 fantasy points per game, totaling 1.1 or less in half the contests. Unfortunately, fantasy players can’t trust Reed in Week 18 against the Bears. He scored only 8.8 fantasy points against the division rivals in Week 11 despite having a receiving touchdown. More importantly, Chicago has held wide receivers to 24.2 fantasy points per game this season, the second-fewest in the NFL. Don’t be surprised if the Bears play spoilers against the Packers in Week 18.
T.J. Hockenson (TE – MIN) vs. Detroit Lions
Hockenson has played well since making his season debut in Week 9, especially for coming off a massive knee injury late last year. Unfortunately, fantasy players have had trouble trusting the star tight end. He has been the TE12 since Week 9, averaging 7.1 half-point PPR fantasy points per game. Hockenson has scored more than 9.3 fantasy points only twice, with the last performance coming in Week 12. The veteran has averaged 6.3 fantasy points per game over the past five weeks despite averaging 5.8 targets per outing.
Fantasy players shouldn’t expect much from Hockenson against his former team on Sunday night. The Lions have held tight ends to seven fantasy points per game, the second-fewest in the NFL this season. Last week, they gave up eight receptions for 112 receiving yards and 15.2 fantasy points to George Kittle. However, Detroit had surrendered 35.4 receiving yards and 6.4 fantasy points per game to tight ends over their previous 11 contests, allowing more than nine only twice, including 3.8 to the Vikings’ unit in the Week 7 matchup.
Subscribe: YouTube | Spotify | Apple Podcasts | iHeart | Castbox | Amazon Music | Podcast Addict | TuneIn
Mike Fanelli is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Mike, check out his archive and follow him @Mike_NFL2.
