The Bust Alert: Wasted Money?

We already looked at the injuries that have crippled teams this year, but who spent the most on healthy players who just aren’t producing?

QB – Patrick Mahomes ($81)

Flying Dutchmen – Didn’t have to look too far here. Trigger goes two-for-two taking the highest cost QB and RB, with each of them making a list. Mahomes was having the worst year of his career through nine games, where he ranked third in overall QB points, but just eighth in average among QBs. For weeks 7-9, he put up only 210 per game. Not what you want from the only QB that went for more than $37 in the draft. Week 10, he had a big bounce back with 556 vs the Raiders, pulling his average up to 5th – right between Dak ($10) and Stafford ($17). For a guy that was expected to average 400 ppg, he needs more games like last week to justify costing Trigger over a quarter of his total budget.

Hon. Mentions – A. Rodgers (Sentinels, $37), Jared Goff (Dumbass, $12)

RB – Mike Davis ($19)

The Tim Brady’s – Not the most expensive back out there, but for a guy who was taken to be a RB1, and is now chilling on the waiver wire, that $19 could have been helpful elsewhere. Davis lost his job in Atlanta to Patterson, but even when he DOES get the ball, he is doing nothing with it. He is currently ranked 52nd in RB average.

Hon. Mentions – S. Barkley (Burrito, $83), Miles Sanders (Skippers, $12)

WR – Calvin Ridley ($47)

The Mexico City Quasars – Where to start with Ridley. The Falcons weren’t expected to drop off too much this year, sending out an aging, oft-injured, future HOF WR, but adding the heir-apparent at the TE position through the draft. The main reason that trade-off was supposed to work, is that Calvin Ridley looked ready to take another step forward as one of the top WRs in the NFL – instead, he put up only average numbers and then stepped away from the game for personal reasons. And while Steve was able to turn the 111 ppg Ridley into a 104 ppg Jalen Waddle AND LB9 (183 ppg) Logan Wilson, Ridely was still the 2nd most expensive player on his roster, and one of only three players that cost over $22. Since the trade to the Mallrats, he was flipped to Dave as part of a package for Aaron Jones, and more recently added from waivers by Josh.

WR – Allen Robinson II ($29)

Sc4_Skippers – Targeted in the off-season as a “must draft” by many experts, Robinson is in a contract year, and was expected to flourish with Mitch Trubisky out of town, benefiting from the veteran presence of Dalton and the rookie talent of Fields. He is currently tied for 81st among wideouts in ppg (62), and second place on the Bears to Mooney (97 ppg), who was drafted by Kyle for $1. That 62 ppg ranking puts ARob in such esteemed company with Byron Pringle, Jarvis Landry, and Allen Lazard. (The only reason Landry isn’t also on the list – Tan got him for only $1…)

Hon. Mentions – Brandon Aiyuk (TIMMO – $23), Robby Anderson (Dutchmen – $15), Marquez Callaway (Mallrats, $9), Henry Ruggs III (SECOND DECK, $7)

TE – T.J. Hockenson ($36)

The BF3000s – The third most expensive TE in the draft was Hock, who to this point in the season is averaging only 94 points, including a goose egg in Week 10. Considering McLeod paid $70 for TE1 Kelce, who is only averaging 133 ppg (first among TEs), it would seem this isn’t terrible value (the TE position is a mess this year) – but since Week 3, Hock’s average drops from 94 down to a paltry 66 ppg.

Hon. Mentions – Tyler Higbee (The Tim Bradys, $5)

D – Zach Cunningham ($15)

Flying Dutchmen – Cunningham had been a tackle machine the last few years, so what looked like a steal on draft night, has not panned out that way. Zach is averaging only 90 ppg through nine games – though he has a chance to bounce back with Kirksey now on the IR.

D – Jaylon Smith ($13)

The BF3000s – Smith is another guy who had been an LB1 the last couple of years, but he couldn’t even hold his roster spot in Dallas this season, then he joined the Packers, and has since been cut there too. Smith was tied for 5th most expensive player in Dave’s draft, and hasn’t broken 400 points FOR THE YEAR. In likelihood, his career is over.

Hon. Mentions – Jeremy Chinn (Mallrats, $14), Ndamukong Suh (Quasar, $8), Joe Haden (The Tim Bradys, $6), Chase Young (The Tim Bradys, $6), Jamin Davis (TIMMO, $6)