Week 6 Fantasy Busts: Beware Bucky Irving, DK Metcalf

Week 6: Sleepers | Busts | Buy-Low, Sell-High players

Superstars are difficult to keep out of your fantasy lineups, but a stretch of poor games or a bad matchup warrants doing just that (or at least thinking about it). Here are five potential busts who fit that bill. For all of your final lineup decisions, be sure to check out Start ’Em, Sit ’Em and my weekly fantasy football player rankings, which are updated daily throughout the season.

Note: Starting percentages are from Sleeper. 

Fantasy Starters Who Could Bust In Week 6

Bucky Irving vs. Steelers (93%): Irving will be active in most fantasy leagues with four teams off, and after he scored 31.5 points against the Cowboys. I wouldn’t be shocked if he had just a modest line this week, however, as he had combined for 26.9 points in his previous three games. Irving also has a matchup against the Steelers, who can be rough on opposing backs. Last week, Pittsburgh held Jonathan Taylor to just 45 rushing yards on three yards per rush.

Jeremiyah Love vs. Rams (87%): Love has gone in the statistical tank in the last two weeks, scoring a combined 8.7 PPR points. He also has been held to fewer than eight points in three of his last four games, and his yards-per-carry average is a modest 3.7. Love is also losing snaps and touches to Tyler Allgeier, and the Rams can be tough on backs. Other than James Cook, no back has scored more than 13.8 points against them (Christian McCaffrey).

Bhayshul Tuten vs. Texans (82%): Tuten is getting plenty of volume, therefore he has had a decent floor as the lead back in Jacksonville. That makes him worth a start in most leagues, especially with four teams on a bye. However, keep in mind that aside from Javonte Williams, no running back has put up more than 11.2 fantasy points against the Texans. If you need to start Tuten, I would temper your statistical expectations.

DK Metcalf at Buccaneers (73%): Listed as a sit last week, Metcalf scored just 5.3 fantasy points despite the Steelers being without Michael Pittman Jr. He has now scored in single digits in three of five games, and a matchup against the Buccaneers isn’t as favorable as you might think. Their defense hasn’t been consistent, but it has held stud wideouts such as Ja’Marr Chase, CeeDee Lamb, Justin Jefferson and Christian Watson to fewer than eight points. 

Emeka Egbuka vs. Steelers (69%): Egbuka had his best stat line of the season in Week 5, scoring 17.2 fantasy points. But that was against a bad Dallas defense, and his touchdown came as a rusher. Rookie QB Jalon Daniels struggles to push the ball downfield, which limits Egbuka to more screens and short passes in the offense. The Bucs also have a tough matchup, as the Steelers have allowed the sixth-most fantasy points to opposing wideouts this season.

More Players To Beware

• Justin Herbert at Chiefs (25%): Herbert has more name value than fantasy value at this point, and he’s tough to justify starting in an offense that ranks among the league's worst.
• Omarion Hampton at Chiefs (69%): Hampton has fallen into a three-headed backfield committee and has averaged a meager 9.1 fantasy points over his last two games. 
• Kyle Pitts vs. Bears (32%): Pitts had a good stat line last week, but the Bears haven’t allowed a tight end to score more than 11.6 points against them this season.