Another week and another lineup of disappointments. This is the part of the season when bad performances really start to sting, and with it comes a new group of players to worry about. Are these rookies still on a steady path, or is it time to officially panic?
Quinshon Judkins, RB, Cleveland Browns
Panic Meter: Low(ish)
Quinshon Judkins looked to be a revelation almost immediately once he got onto the field. Even on a bad and low-scoring offense, Judkins ripped off several strong games in a row in his first NFL action. An unlikely fantasy savior, but a needed one for many.
A week after setting a season high in carries and yards against the Vikings, Judkins reversed course in Pittsburgh. Twelve attempts were his fewest since his first game, and just 36 yards was well beneath his average to this point. Without a reception, Judkins laid a dud that hurt a lot of managers who were relying on him.
Unfortunately, this was always the reality of drafting a Browns running back. For them to use Judkins effectively, they must be competitive in games. Their defense ensures that’s the case most weeks, but their offense outside of him will make things difficult. The Steelers quickly got ahead, and Judkins was schemed out.
The Browns’ schedule seems ideal for keeping Judkins involved, but you’ll always be running the risk of them falling behind too quickly to keep him active. I’m not panicked about his long-term outlook, but there’s a low floor weekly.
TreVeyon Henderson, RB, New England Patriots
Panic Meter: High and Rising
This is a player I advocated for heavily in the preseason, so it sucks to be left holding the bag like this. Thankfully for me, I was actually priced out of getting many shares of TreVeyon Henderson. For those who paid the premium, you can officially panic.
Through six weeks, we expected some ups and downs, but if there was a week to show his worth, it was against the Saints. A true committee backfield was down to two after Antonio Gibson’s injury, so a bump in usage was expected. Instead, Henderson saw his lowest snap count of the season at 29.7%.
His usage was effectively no different than if Gibson had still been in the lineup, and that’s with no other running back getting a carry. Nine attempts and one reception for 36 total yards is still a far cry from what managers expected. More worrisome, Rhamondre Stevenson was ineffective as a rusher and had just one target in the passing game, but that still didn’t have the Patriots turning more to Henderson.
This situation remains a mess, and it doesn’t appear to be clearing up anytime soon.
RJ Harvey, RB, Denver Broncos
Panic Meter: High
On the surface, RJ Harvey’s two carries look far more worrisome than they actually are. He maintained his snap count and average workload by hauling in four receptions in a surprisingly close game against the Jets. J.K. Dobbins didn’t get much going on the ground either, making this a weird London game all around.
However, his lack of rushing usage is telling. Sean Payton simply doesn’t trust him as a runner in close games. In their 23-20 loss to the Chargers, Harvey again had only two attempts. In a safe victory over the Titans and a blowout win over the Bengals, he had 20 carries between those games.
Still, there’s room for fantasy relevance if he could just maintain a strong passing-game role. That simply hasn’t happened yet, as he’s deployed only as a change-of-pace back. It’ll take a drastic change for Harvey to become reliable anytime soon.
However, I still prefer him over Henderson for the time being. We’ve seen Harvey rip a few explosive plays and be given chances to see extra work. For now, it’s just that Dobbins does everything the Broncos need, whereas the Patriots’ run game appears fundamentally broken.
Emeka Egbuka, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Panic Meter: Medium
Look no further for proof of this being a cruel game than Emeka Egbuka. He wasn’t just thriving as a rookie — he is currently fourth in the league in receiving yards and tied for third in receiving touchdowns. Egbuka was a revelation and a major boon to the managers who trusted him early.
Now, it’ll be a waiting game as he exited Week 6 with the dreaded hamstring injury. It seems it wasn’t a high-severity injury, but odds are the NFC-leading Buccaneers will play it safe and rest him through their Week 9 bye.
That three-week absence is brutal as we get into the middle of the fantasy season. While he should be good to go for the long haul, many will scramble to replace him. Furthermore, it feels like we’ll see Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Bucky Irving return around the same time. To this point, only one of Evans or Godwin has been in the lineup with Egbuka, leading to a clear workload.
So suddenly, there are questions around one of the league’s emerging stars. How quickly will he return, how soon will he be back to full health, and how crowded will the receiving room be? For an easy set-and-forget to start the season, he’ll now have to wonder what level of play he brings upon his return.
Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Carolina Panthers
Panic Meter: Medium
Those who bet on Tetairoa McMillan were finally rewarded with a good performance in Week 6, hauling in his first and second touchdowns of the season. Yet, it still felt underwhelming. Why? Because against the league’s worst defense, McMillan posted his lowest targets, receptions (tied), and yardage of the season.
The hope was that this could be his coming-out party, dominating a helpless Cowboys defense. Considering the final score was 30-27 in a last-minute victory, the fact that it took touchdowns to salvage his performance is a bit worrisome.
The Panthers have battled to a 3-3 record, but the overall health of this passing offense doesn’t seem ideal. Quarterback Bryce Young has continued to struggle, and it’s become clear that this team wants to be a run-first offense to protect him. Among teams with hyper-mobile quarterbacks (which Young is not), the Panthers rank seventh in rushing attempts per game and 28th in PROE (Pass Rate Over Expected).
This method has worked for Carolina, which is problematic for McMillan’s long-term outlook this season. A run-heavy approach combined with poor quarterback play means he will be scraping by for fantasy points.
If the breakout didn’t occur against the Miami or Dallas defenses in back-to-back weeks, I’m worried it may not happen this season at all. He’s still clearly talented and the top passing option, but his ceiling and floor are lower than hoped.
