The Byepocalypse is, mercifully, in the books. Unfortunately for those of you looking for clean cuts this week, the NFL isn’t cooperating with that. Through Sunday Night Football, there has been one one-score game in week eight. Also, every single game in the early window included at least one quarterback who wasn’t starting there in week one. I’m willing to give a lot of benefits of a lot of doubts this week, especially since everything was a complete mess. This is a whole Burn the Tape week for the NFL.
That said, there are still some guys who deserve to be moved off your fantasy football roster. Below, I have a handful who are on rosters in more than 50% of Yahoo! leagues and deserve to make their way off your team.
QUARTERBACKS
Kyler Murray, Arizona (62% rostered)
Kyler Murray hasn’t played in two weeks, and the most recent update from head coach Jonathan Gannon isn’t encouraging (it’s “too early to tell” if he will play in week eight). Kyler has as many finishes inside the top fifteen as you and I do, so it’s not like you’re missing out on much not having him in. If you want to hold onto him for the Dallas matchup in week nine, to see if he’s back, that’s fine. Personally, I don’t see the point in 1QB leagues.
Joe Burrow, Cincinnati (61% rostered)
Joe Flacco and the Bengals lost to the New York Jets on Sunday. Every loss makes it less likely that he returns this season. The only hope is that he might make it back in time for the fantasy football playoffs. You have to make it there for this to matter.
C.J. Stroud, Houston (56% rostered)
Stroud had a good game against the 49ers, but it marked just the second time that he topped 18.5 fantasy points this year. He has a tough matchup against Denver’s defense, which demolished Dak Prescott’s fantasy prospects this week.
Justin Fields, N.Y. Jets (52% rostered)
Fields had a great F.U. story to Woody Johnson this week, getting the Jets their first win and coming off the mat to get his fantasy football managers a 20-point day. The Bengals are a top-ten matchup, and he doesn’t get another top-ten matchup until week twelve, with his Bye, Cleveland, and the Patriots on the horizon.
WIDE RECEIVERS
Jerry Jeudy, Cleveland (71% rostered)
Jeudy now has 24 targets across six games in the Dillon Gabriel Era, and he’s turned that into nine catches for 75 yards. The new-look Brownies simply spam targets to their tight ends, leaving very little for Jeudy to do in the passing game. His disgusting catch rate with Gabriel (37.5%) is enough to give him the boot.
Keon Coleman, Buffalo (61% rostered)
Since Keon Coleman had eight catches for 112 yards and a score in week one, he is averaging 4.7 targets, 3.2 catches, and 25.8 yards per game. He has one score in those subsequent six games. He offers zero week-to-week value and has a difficult matchup against Kansas City on the horizon.
Darnell Mooney, Atlanta (52% rostered)
This roster rate likely spiked due to the Mike Evans injury, but it can safely plummet back below half of leagues. His season high is 68 yards, and it was one of two games he has had this year over 20 yards. Just move on.
RUNNING BACKS
Cam Skattebo, N.Y. Giants (96% rostered)
Skattebo suffered a season-ending ankle injury in week eight.
Jordan Mason, Minnesota (92% rostered)
Mason isn’t a universal drop, but in the shallowest of leagues, you can likely move on from him. He doesn’t catch passes and he is now a touchdown-or-bust flex play with Aaron Jones returning to the Vikings’ lineup (and the quarterbacking suppressing the value of every player on that team).
TIGHT ENDS
T.J. Hockenson, Minnesota (79% rostered)
Hockenson has not reached 50 yards receiving this season and simply does not have the touchdown upside of guys like Harold Fannin. The Vikings’ passing game is a mess, and Hockenson can hit the waiver wire in shallower leagues.
Hunter Henry, New England (77% rostered)
Henry scored a touchdown, which salvaged the day for those who started him and his one-catch, seven-yard effort in New England. This marks his fourth-straight game under 8 PPR points.
