Fantasy Football

It was another year where the NFL landscape was filled with players who failed to meet the lofty expectations placed on them before the season began.

2006 Busts

• Seattle RB Shaun Alexander – the expectations were too high after 2005, when he broke the NFL record for TDs with 28 to go along with his league leading 1,880 rushing yards, but he still disappointed in 2006, as he played only ten games due to a fractured left foot and wound up with only 896 yards rushing along with 7 TDs.

• Washington RB Clinton Portis – after rushing for over 1,500 yards and 11 TDs in 2005, Portis demonstrated his fragile nature in 2006 by separating his shoulder in the first preseason game of 2006. He would break his hand in a game versus the Philadelphia Eagles and only end up making eight appearances that year. His injury-prone nature opened the door for backup RB Ladell Betts to have a successful year and further put into question in 2007 whether or not Portis could return to his form earlier in his career.

• Oakland RB Lamont Jordan – there were some questions marks coming into the 2006 season due to an injury late in 2005, but he was coming off a 1,000 yard, 9 rushing TD year. Granted, the quarterback and offensive line play in Oakland was horrid, but he should have performed better, which makes him a bust.

• Arizona RB Edgerrin James – coming off three consecutive years where he averaged closed to 4.5 yards a carry in Indianapolis, James signed with the Arizona Cardinals before the 2006 season to fill the absence left by RB Emmitt Smith, who retired after the 2005 season. James was out to prove that he was not just a beneficiary of the profilic offensive system in Indianapolis, but he disappointed those who drafted him, as he ended the season with 1,159 yards on 337 carries for at 3.4 yard per rush average. His TD total also dropped from 13 the year before to 6 in 2006. It was not completely his fault as he ran behind one of the worst offensive lines in the league, but his season was nontheless disappointing.

• Oakland WR Randy Moss – Moss disappointed in 2006 after being, on average, drafted as one of the top WRs in fantasy football drafts. once the Raiders began to lose and the problems caused by the poor quarterback and offensive line play affected the amount of passes he was receiving, he began to put out less effort on the field. He did not put up any stats or did not play in 5 games, hurting his owners. He even began to call out his teammates and coaching staff in the media, saying in essence that he did not feel like playing for the Raiders anymore. His final season stats included 42 receptions for 553 yards and 3 receiving TDs.

• Miami WR Chris Chambers – a pro bowl selection in 2005 after a career where he totaled 1,118 yards receiving and tied a career high with 11 TDs, Chambers was a massive disappointment in 2006. Chambers could not find any offensive rhythm with QB Joey Harrington and finished the season with 59 catches for 677 yards and only 4 TDs.

• Seattle QB Matt Hasselbeck – Hasselbeck’s season was a letdown mainly due to injury, as in week 7 Minnesota lineback E.J. Henderson was blocked into Hasselbeck’s right leg, causing an MCL sprain. The injury forced Hasselbeck to miss 4 games. Despite this, he still lead his team to the divisional round of the playoffs. He ended the season passing for 2,442 yards, with 18 TDs versus 15 interceptions.