Eight weeks of NFL action are in the books, and we are coming across the hardest bye week of the season, with six teams taking a well-needed break from playing in week nine. So, we may need to make some tough decisions to make a legal lineup for this week. Never fear, as always, we hare here to help you decide who you can move on from in your fantasy football leagues, at least for now. To make the list, a player must be on rosters in at least 50% of leagues, as players on less than that… well, the decision’s already been made for you. Let’s dive into week nine’s cut candidates!
Quarterbacks
Derek Carr, Las Vegas (83% rostered)
Carr didn’t have it in him this week without a fully healthy Davante Adams and no Darren Waller, finishing with just 1.94 fantasy points on the week. In fact, Carr didn’t even cross the 50-yard line in this game, en route to 101 passing yards and a pick. This was supposed to be a decent matchup for Carr, but he couldn’t take advantage. Things don’t get any better in the near future, as Carr takes on the Jags, the Colts, and the Broncos. You can move on.
Daniel Jones, N.Y. Giants (71% rostered)
Daniel Jones finished this week with just 196 total yards and zero scores. The Seahawks thoroughly dominated him, and it marked the third time in four games that Danny Dimes failed to pass 14 fantasy points in a game. He has a bye week next week, then Houston and Detroit. So, if you need space for this week’s byes, a guy playing in said bye is probably a good bet. But, keep in mind that Houston and Detroit are both great passing games to rebound against when he gets back.
Russell Wilson, Denver Broncos (64% rostered)
Russell Wilson’s high knees worked to will his team to victory, but not so much if you relied on him in your fantasy league. He now has passed 14 fantasy points once since week one, which came all the way back on October 2. Wilson’s going to be on bye next week, and then he gets the Titans and Raiders, so you can hang onto him and let him stream after week 9, but he might need a break off your roster. Broncos Country, Let’s Hide.
Jimmy Garoppolo, San Francisco (51% rostered)
The King of Vibes™ hasn’t been a very high-ceiling quarterback in recent weeks (or ever) and he’s been pretty good and eminently reliable for the last few weeks (between 17 and 18 fantasy points every week). But, he is on bye next week, and if you’re in a ten-or-twelve-team league, just flip him for Justin Fields.
Wide Receivers
Drake London, Atlanta Falcons (75% rostered)
Drake London once again failed to live up to any reasonable expectations when considering his roster rate. He had 4 catches for 31 yards, and just 5 targets in this game. That marks the third-straight game where he failed to top five targets in a game, and it makes the fifth-straight game where he hasn’t reached double-digit fantasy points. In that span, he’s averaged 4.8 targets, 2.8 receptions, and 26.4 yards per game over the last five weeks.
Robert Woods, Tennessee Titans (59% rostered)
Robert Woods was supposed to get the target boost when Treylon Burks went down. Instead, he’s just been a big wet dud over the last three games. Woods has 14 targets, 9 receptions, and 89 yards across his last three games. This whole passing game is a mess, and it doesn’t matter if it’s Ryan Tannehill or Malik Willis under center, you don’t want to keep pieces of it on your roster if you can help it.
Running Backs
Darrell Henderson, L.A. Rams (86% rostered)
The Rams’ running back room is starting to circle the drain into a big, sludgy mess. With Cam Akers still throwing fits, Ronnie Rivers getting touches, and Kyren Williams coming back soon, nothing feels steady with this backfield. Yet, despite all of the uncertainty surrounding the squad, Hendo had just six touches in week eight, finishing with 30 yards. The Rams are starting to circle the drain, and getting less than ten touches in a three-way backfield on a bad squad is not the path to fantasy football glory. You can move on from Darrell Henderson without major worry that it’s going to bite you in the rear end.
Chase Edmonds, Miami (56% rostered)
In a game where 58 points were scored, and the Dolphins ran 64 plays, Chase Edmonds finished with 4 carries for 14 yards. This marks his fourth-straight game with under 5.5 PPR points, and the third time in the last four games that he failed to hit two PPR points. For reference, two PPR points is a catch for 10 yards. It’s not too much to ask. But, keeping Chase Edmonds on your roster is reaching the point where it’s too much to ask. Move on, you won’t regret it.
Tight Ends
Irv Smith, Jr., Minnesota (62% rostered)
Irv vomited all over himself in what was supposed to be a primo matchup against the Cardinals. So much so that people basically doubled his roster rate over the last week or so. There’s no reason to hang onto him against the Commanders, Bills, Cowboys, and Patriots over the next four weeks. You can move on from him without any worries.
