We all love doing our little waiver wires and getting our new hot toys, the new toys that certainly won’t break the first time we take them out of the box! Unfortunately, you have to sacrifice a player on the altar of free agency with everyone you pick up off of waivers. Let’s figure out who we can leave at a Topeka bus stop with $20 and a pre-paid cell phone. To make this list, a player must be on rosters in at least 50% of Yahoo! leagues.
Quarterbacks
Aaron Rodgers, N.Y. Jets (57% rostered)
The Jets are a disjointed mess, incapable of breaking through good defenses. Aaron Rodgers put up 9.6 fantasy points in week one against the Niners, and 11.6 fantasy points in week four against the Broncos. The net three Jets matchups are a bloodbath: Minnesota, Buffalo, and Pittsburgh, who rank 25th, 26th, and 32nd in fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks.
Matthew Stafford, L.A. Rams (50% rostered)
The thesis behind having Stafford on your roster was him taking advantage of the Death Star offense of Puka Nacua, Cooper Kupp, Kyren Williams, and a healthy line. Through four weeks, he only has Kyren Williams standing. Stafford has under 13 fantasy points for three straight weeks, failing to notch double-digit points in two of the last three games. His matchup against the Raiders in week seven marks his only game against a defense in the top-fifteen in fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks until week seventeen.
Justin Herbert, L.A. Chargers (50% rostered)
It’s a classic Los Angeles traffic jam down here at the bottom of the cuttable quarterbacks! Herbert isn’t healthy and plays on a run-first, grind-it-out team that has seen him top out at 27 passing attempts in a game this year. Because of this, Herbert has zero games over 12 fantasy points.
Wide Receivers
Rashee Rice, Kansas City (97% rostered)
(don’t cry don’t cry don’t cry don’t cry)
Rashee Rice tore his ACL and is out for the season. Given his legal situation, we might not see him again until 2026(!).
Amari Cooper, Cleveland (95% rostered)
Last week’s breakthrough performance proved to be a blip, as he finished week four with 4 catches for 35 yards, the third time in four games that he’s finished with fewer than 5 catches and fewer than 40 yards. He and Deshaun Watson aren’t even in the same book, let alone the same page and the Browns & Cooper are headed for an acrimonious divorce unless they get Jameis Winston under center, and soon.
Keon Coleman, Buffalo (51% rostered)
Coleman had four targets in week four, including an insanely costly catch in the second quarter. Josh Allen went back to him, and he finished with 3 catches for 51 yards. He looked more like himself in week one of this game, but I can’t forget his 1 catch for 24 yards, on two targets in weeks two and three. He’s a rotational player.
Running Backs
Rachaad White, Tampa Bay (95% rostered)
White and erstwhile backup Bucky Irving had a carries split, but Irving had all the team’s carries inside the ten in this one, and he had the lone touchdown between the two. White is headed for a 1b role in Tampa Bay and doesn’t have much use in smaller leagues.
Zamir White, Las Vegas (73% rostered)
This dude is absolute dogwater, finishing week four with 18 opportunities for 50 yards. This brought him down to just three yards per opportunity (carry + target). He’s losing targets and carries to Alexander Mattison (who outgained him by 10 yards on 12 fewer touches). He’s officially reached roster clog status. There’s no upside to be had, here.
Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas (52% rostered)
Zeke is toast. He’s slow and barely effective as a runner, in a three-way time split with Rico Dowdle and Literally A Fullback, and he isn’t getting goal-line carries. But other than that, things are fine.
Tight Ends
Kyle Pitts, Atlanta (98% rostered)
Pitts went 0/3 on the day, which makes it the third-straight game that he’s finished below eight fantasy points. He could boom on a short week against the Buccaneers, but in a shallow league, I wouldn’t bet on it. In a deep league though, you’re stuck. What are you going to do, cut him for Tucker Kraft?
Isaiah Likely, Baltimore (72% rostered)
Likely had 111 yards in week one, he has 56 yards since then. You can move on to spend all your FAB on someone else who will disappoint you, instead!
