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Fanademy

Bust

A bust is a highly drafted player who underperforms his average draft position, returning far less value than the pick spent on him.

A bust is not just a player who scores poorly; it is one who scores poorly relative to how early he was taken, because the cost of the pick is what makes the miss expensive. A late-round flier who fails is barely felt; an early-round pick who fails can sink a season.

Avoiding busts is about matching a player's draft cost to his real edge over replacement, and being wary of names whose average draft position is built on reputation rather than a current path to production.

Common questions

What is a bust in fantasy football?

A player who returns far less than his draft cost — highly drafted but underperforming his average draft position. Early-round busts are the most damaging because the pick spent on them was expensive.

Related terms

Fanademy ranks every player by value over replacement under your league's scoring. The free top five at each position is public; the full board is $5 a month or $40 a year.

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