I am still on a high from the Packers win (drubbing) of the Cowboys in Jerry’s World, but I am still here to provide some fantasy content for the faithful @RazzballNFL readers. Did I mention the Green Bay Packers went into Big D and absolutely boat-raced the home favorite ‘Boys? Interesting stat from Super Wild Card Weekend: every team that scored first won the game. OK, OK, OK, enough about how the Packers won the coin flip and elected to take the ball and subsequently march down the field to score first, never looking back as they trounced Dem Boys.
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Thank you for allowing my rant. I am back and focused on covering the biggest 2023 WR busts. Our work may be done for 2023, but that only means we are looking forward to winning our leagues in 2024. Stay tuned for rankings, probably in early February, with updates to follow throughout the offseason. The Quadfathers of Razzball NFL are here with you throughout the football offseason!
Remember to check in with the @Razzball NFL team of writers as we host our Tuesday evening show, where we hit on all things offseason fantasy football. Join Bobby LaMarco @BobbyLaMarco, Sky Guasco @SkyGuasco, The Lineup Builder @Derek_Favret, and me, Matt Stiles @stiles08 at 9 pm EST/6 pm PST for the show as we answer all your questions thus keeping you engaged for the 2024 season while looking back at what coulda, shoulda, woulda been in 2023. Come for the analysis, and stay for the laughs!
*Positional Finish indicates the player’s fantasy finish at the position in PPR. The average draft position (ADP) that is inside the () is the positional ADP the player was drafted based on the Razzball consensus ADP this preseason.
Wide Receiver Busts
#1 Bust
- Player: Cooper Kupp
- Team: Los Angeles Rams
- Positional Finish (ADP): WR4 (WR41)
Check out my article from last week that discussed my rationale for placing Kupp at the top of this list. You can find it and all of our free football content at Wide Receiver Busts (razzball.com)
#2 Bust
- Player: Jaylen Waddle
- Team: Miami Dolphins
- Positional Finish (ADP): WR30 (WR11)
Oh how I was disappointed in Waddle this season. He broke my fantasy heart, and he, along with Kupp, were two reasons I did not win the overall RazzBowl title. My 1-2 punch at WR looked more punch-drunk than anything else throughout the season. It was my later-round WRs that carried my squad (Nico Collins, Mike Evans, & Puka Nacua). Waddle ended the season with a respectable 9.0 points per game and eclipsed the 1K receiving yards mark (1,014) and was a full 40 points outside the Top 11 where he was being drafted. He missed some time due to injury but still saw the field in 14 games, so this was not a lost season to be written off as injury-ridden. His major regression came in the TD column as he dropped from eight to four. His stats in 2023 were virtually identical to his rookie campaign, where he matched his 9.0 points per game. The question to be asked rolling into 2024 draft season is ‘was his sophomore season a blip or the norm we should expect?’ If you are good with 75-1,015-5, then look to draft Waddle somewhere in the late 20s or early 30s versus paying up for him in the Top 15.
#3 Bust
- Player: Tee Higgins
- Team: Cincinnati Bengals
- Positional Finish (ADP): WR46 (WR14)
Can Higgins stay healthy? That is the question that appears linked to this potential stud WR. I will be targeting Higgins as a Round 7-9 selection in 2024 versus paying up for him in the Top 15. I think his stock has and will continue to drop as we head into draft season based on his wasted 2023 and the injuries to Joe Burrow. Other team owners will most likely subscribe to recency bias and drop Higgins far down their draft list, considering his line of 42-656-5 is less than attractive. The key for Higgins, as mentioned above, is both his and Joe Burrow’s health. If both roll into training camp fully healthy, then I surmise Higgins will be a draft day discount. With that being said, draft him with caution and temper your expectations just in case he turns out to be made of glass.
#4 Bust
- Player: Jerry Jeudy
- Team: Denver Broncos
- Positional Finish (ADP): WR50 (WR28)
For some reason I really wanted Jeudy to be a stud in 2023. Maybe it is because he wrapped up 2022 with a bang, and I wanted to see that continue into 2023. Jeudy’s 54-758-2 line is far from WR1 numbers and is probably closer to WR3. With the emergence of Courtland Sutton, Jeudy is currently nothing more than WR2 for the Broncos. The scary thing is we have no idea today who will be under center for Denver. We are confident it will not be Russell Wilson unless the QB, and team come to some agreement on deferred or reduced salary. My gut says Wilson will not budge and will probably be wearing a different uniform in 2024. I am passing on Jeudy unless I see a viable QB ready and able to provide significant passing stats to a few WRs. For now, I am out on all Denver WRs. Maybe the draft will change my mind. Maybe an off-season trade or free-agent signing will help. We shall see. For now, it’s a no for me.
#5 Bust
- Player: Christian Watson
- Team: Green Bay Packers
- Positional Finish (ADP): WR61 (WR22)
To show/prove I am fair and balanced when it comes to my Packers, see the name rounding out my Top 5 WR busts. Watson was, once again, hyped up on the draft board, undoubtedly due to the four-game, seven-TD run he had late in 2022. I was not sold and watched as other teams drafted him in the early-20s. I was happy to pass, though my heart wanted him to take the next step and become the alpha WR for the Packers. The injury bug bit Watson again, and he was only able to play in nine games in 2023. His 8.1 fantasy points per game was the top for WR between #36-61 overall, so he is being productive when on the field. With the emergence of Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks, Romeo Doubs, and even Bo Melton, look for Watson to have to work his way back into the fold to gain playing time with this young offense. I do not think the Packers will entertain a trade, but I can support such a move if we can move up in the draft for OL help.
Follow me @stiles08 on Twitter/X and send questions and comments at the bottom of this article. Make sure you jump around the Razzball site for all your fantasy football needs.
-Matt-
