Six weeks of NFL action are in the books, and this past week left us with some tough decisions to make. We had some massive breakouts, some teams bottomed out, and some middling players solidified their ranks in the fantasy football landscape. To make room for the new hotness, we need to make a corresponding move to drop someone off the roster. This is a list of players available in at least 50% of leagues that might make for good waiver wire fodder. These players do not apply to all league depths, but I will let you know if I’m looking at dropping players in shallower leagues.
QUARTERBACKS
Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City (99% rostered)
Everything I said about Mahomes in shallow leagues last week still stands. But, if you didn’t drop him for his Bye week, then you probably shouldn’t do it now.
Kyler Murray, Arizona (97% rostered)
This is a shallow league play only, as the next five weeks for Kyler Murray are going to be B R U T A L. He finished this week with only 11.96 fantasy points against the Packers, who allow the 21st-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks. That makes two times in the last three games that he’s failed to top 12 fantasy points while playing against Washington (7th-most fantasy points to quarterbacks), San Francisco (19th), and Green Bay (21st). Things get really nasty the next five weeks, as he gets the bye in week eleven after facing the Chargers, Dolphins, Bears, and Jets, who rank 28th, 30th, 32nd, and 31st in fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks.
Kirk Cousins, Atlanta (72% rostered)
Captain Kirk had a massive week five against the Buccaneers, but that took overtime to pull off his 509-yard, four-touchdown performance. That marks the only time this season he surpassed 250 passing yards and one of two times he passed one passing touchdown. The Falcons get Tampa Bay again in two weeks, so if you want to hold onto Kirk, go for it. But that’s the last plus matchup he has until week fifteen (at Vegas, twelfth in fantasy points allowed to QBs).
WIDE RECEIVERS
Amari Cooper, Cleveland (94% rostered)
Cooper had 27.6 fantasy points back in week three, but he’s yet to pass 10 PPR fantasy points in a game since then, notching tight end numbers (4/35, 4/60, and 4/42) in the three games since then. The Browns are starting to circle the drain, and they have Cincinnati, Baltimore, and the Chargers on the docket. Things aren’t going to get better anytime soon. If you’re in anything deeper than an 8-team league, then you can ignore this, but in shallow leagues… unless he gets traded, the path to usefulness is long and harrowing.
HE’S FREE!!!
Calvin Ridley, Tennessee (76% rostered)
This is a universal drop notice for Ridley. Outside of his 24.7 points back in week two, he has 13.3 PPR points. That’s 3.33 PPR points per game, making him completely unusable in all formats. There’s a shootout on the horizon with a suddenly Aidan Hutchinson-less Lions, but I doubt Will Levis will take advantage of that matchup.
Jauan Jennings, San Francisco (69% rostered)
We’ll always have week three. But, with the 49ers returning to full strength, he’s returning to “Third and Jauan”, a rotational receiver coming in on third-and-long plays. The Niners don’t need him to get targets, so you can get him off of your fantasy football roster.
Rashee Rice, Kansas City (52% rostered)
He’s still out for the season, folks.
RUNNING BACKS
Rachaad White, Tampa Bay (88% rostered)
With the Sean Tucker Breakout Game this week (14 carries for 136 yards and a touchdown, 3 catches for 56 yards), there are now two backs on this roster better than Rachaad White. If you want to keep him around to remember the good times, go for it. I can only see his value decreasing from here as he has been double Wally Pipped.
Tyjae Spears, Tennessee (63% rostered)
He’s the clear backup to Tony Pollard in a dysfunctional offense and has just one game with double-digit touches (when they blew out the Dolphins).
Trey Sermon, Indianapolis (50% rostered)
Through two starts, Trey Sermon boasts 28 carries for 67 yards, or a sweet 2.39 yards per carry. A touchdown and six receptions saved him in week five, but not so much in week six. If you’re desperate in week seven, then he gets the Dolphins (third-most fantasy points to quarterbacks), but maybe trade him to the Jonathan Taylor manager and rid yourself of this menace once and for all.
Antonio Gibson, New England (50% rostered)
With no Rhamondre Stevenson, it’s been Antonio Gibson’s time to shine. Unfortunately, that shine is 19 carries for 71 yards, and 4 catches for 28 yards across two games. The Patriots offense looks better with Drake Maye, but it didn’t trickle down to Antonio Gibson.
TIGHT ENDS
Isaiah Likely, Baltimore (59% rostered)
The touchdowns last week masked the fact that Likely has four or fewer targets in every game except week one, and doesn’t have more than 26 yards in a game since week one.
