Starting, sitting, trading, waiting, and replacing are decisions every fantasy football player makes all season long. Unfortunately, information comes at us fast and furious, making it difficult to decipher when to change our lineups. This article series will be here weekly to help you make those pivotal calls. Welcome to the Panic Meter.
Each week, we will give you several players who underperformed and how panicked you should feel about that letdown. The scale (as seen below) will tell you exactly what to do with last week’s busts, whether it means running them back out there this week or sending them packing for the waiver wire.
Every player will get a Panic Meter grade between 0 and 4 and a strategy to employ at that graded level.
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| PANIC METER GRADE | ACTION PLAN/STRATEGY |
| 0 | This week wasn’t great, but panic, not my friend. Start him again next week. |
| 1 | Wait and see mode activated. If you have a replacement, it may be a smart move. |
| 2 | That was ugly. Something is wrong here. To the bench, he goes. |
| 3 | Hold at your own risk. This player isn’t reliable right now. Consider moving on. |
| 4 | Stop. DROP. Shut ’em down. Open up shop! He gone. |
Now that you understand the system bring on the panic!
Week 8 Panic Meter
Jalen Hurts | Panic Meter: 0
No one has been more consistent across our entire game in 2021 than the Philadelphia QB until Week 8. The Eagles dominated Detroit, essentially eliminating the need for Hurts to make big plays. His quiet afternoon was the first fantasy dud of his young career. Despite the negative publicity surrounding his real-life capability, fantasy managers should keep faith that his rushing ability will build a solid weekly floor.
Leonard Fournette | Panic Meter: 0
Start your Bucs. That’s the mantra I have used all season. Ordinarily, it is the receivers this phrase is saved for, but Lenny is locked in as the lead ball carrier in an elite offensive scheme. There is only a handful of RBs you can truthfully say that about in the NFL today. Chalk up this lull to facing New Orleans’ stout rush defense, which has stymied NFL rushing games for years now.
Terry McLaurin | Panic Meter: 0
The Football Team’s top wideout is at or near the top of my Air Yards article each week. For a good reason. Washington has no other option than to funnel the offense his way. The QB situation isn’t ideal, and lowered expectations are advised. But, McLaurin has the volume that matters.
Chase Claypool | Panic Meter: 1
Claypool’s talent and upside are undoubted, but he is plagued with a dead-arm QB and system that isn’t built for explosive routes. As a result, he’s falling quickly down weekly rankings, but there’s still time to get ahead of the full panic. Perhaps dangling him out as trade bait this week is the best course for your fantasy hopes.
Antonio Gibson | Panic Meter: 1
Washington’s running back is attempting to play through a leg injury, but it may be too much to overcome. He has struggled mightily of late. WFT is either saving him for their playoff push (this is a joke), or his leg cannot carry the full load. This week’s snap count was a terrible omen.
We knew Antonio Gibson lost pass-down work to Jd Mckissic thanks to preseason usage. Now Gibson losing base work as well. WAS RB snaps yesterday:
* JD McKissic 32
* Antonio Gibson 23
* Jaret Patterson 16Patterson out-carried Gibson 11-8.
– Adam Levitan (@adamlevitan) November 1, 2021
Calvin Ridley | Panic Meter: 1 800 232 TALK (8255)
Life is bigger than fantasy football. Use this brave act of the Falcon’s star receiver as a reason to take action. If you need someone to listen or find out how you can help those struggling with their mental health, here is some information for you.
Cut List | Panic Meter: 4 – Odell Beckham, Allen Robinson, Laviska Shenault, David Johnson, & Henry Ruggs.
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Aaron Pags is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Aaron, check out his archive and follow him @FantasyTriage.
