Two weeks of fantasy football action are in the books, and the fantasy gods are furious with us. They took Jayden Daniels from us, gave us a taste of Zay Flowers, Nico Collins and Puka Nacua before shelving them again, and also took Alec Pierce, I guess. Sorry, that plane didn’t quite land. This week, we take a look once again at players on rosters in at least 50% of Yahoo! leagues whose roster rate is not commensurate with reality. While Waleed Ismail gets you set up with your pickups, my blade yearns to slice and dice your fantasy rosters. As always, this isn’t a list to go out and cut all of these guys, but if you’re considering it, pretend I just pinned the permission slip to your shirt (you’re in kindergarten in this metaphor).
Let’s get started.
QUARTERBACKS
Bo Nix, Denver (85% rostered)
The Davis Webb Experience so far in Denver is a disaster. The new play caller for the Broncos has this team a complete mess, and Bo Nix’s volume-based value last season is falling apart before our eyes. Through two games, he has eight rushing yards, which helped to offset his lackluster passing abilities. So, we are left with just lackluster passing abilities. He finished outside of the top-16 in each of his first two games, and you can move on from him in shallower leagues.
Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay (56% rostered)
Mayfield is just broken. Through two games, he has 398 passing yards, one pick, and one touchdown (with a rushing touchdown, as well). Unfortunately, his yards per attempt rank 27th in the league, and this isn’t a matter of the offensive line not protecting him, either. He is tied for seventh in the league with a 2.69-second to pressure. So, all this panicking and bad passing is all on him.
On Thin Ice: Caleb Williams* (99%), Jayden Daniels* (98%), Jaxson Dart* (94%), Drake Maye (98%)
*depending on injury outcomes
RUNNING BACKS
Rico Dowdle, Pittsburgh (90% rostered)
Dowdle was on thin ice after Week 1’s ten-touch, 21-yard performance. Week two wasn’t much better, as a toe injury limited him to nine touches, though he did finish with 44 yards. Still, he’s the #2 in a split backfield in an offense that scored 23 points over two games, dealing with a toe injury, and taking on a suddenly good Bengals’ defense.
Jonathon Brooks, Carolina (86% rostered)
The offense has been firing on all cylinders through two games, scoring 71 points to start the season. Brooks has, woefully, not boarded the train. He’s dealing with a groin injury, which cost him time in the preseason, and had six touches for eleven yards on Sunday. Chuba is increasing his distance between himself and Brooks, and he’s getting relegated to unstartable status.
MarShawn Lloyd, Green Bay (85% rostered)
Kaleb Johnson led the team in rushing yards Sunday, and he and Lloyd split the team lead with eight touches. He caught two passes, scored a touchdown, and still managed to not crack double-digit fantasy points thanks to being a terrible runner and a fumble. He is low-ceiling and splitting touches three ways with Johnson and Chris Brooks.
Kenny Gainwell, Tampa Bay (74% rostered)
Bucky Irving threw Gainwell down a hole last week, and this week, he built a gazebo on top. So nobody knows Gainwell is down there. The perfect crime. Gainwell has eleven touches through two games to Bucky’s 36. There’s no reason to roster Gainwell, unless you like already knowing who you will cut next week.
On Thin Ice: Chris Rodriguez (50%), Kaelon Black (55%)
WIDE RECEIVERS
Marvin Harrison Jr., Arizona (90% rostered)
Mitsubishi Marv has one catch for 33 yards through two games, and has just four targets in those games; he ranks sixth on the team in targets. By the time you read this, it will be 695 days since Marvin Harrison Jr. last had a 100-yard game.
Courtland Sutton, Denver (83% rostered)
I didn’t understand drafting Sutton, so I don’t understand keeping him around after I was proven right. The case against Sutton this year was that he was a necessity-based WR1 on Denver, and they spent a first-round pick trading for Jaylen Waddle. Sutton’s five catches for 36 yards across two games have proven my greatest fears right.
Quentin Johnston, LA Chargers (81% rostered)
Johnston has eleven targets, three catches, and 24 yards across his first two games. The Chargers are a disaster, and they get Buffalo, Seattle, Denver, Kansas City and their bye week between now and week seven.
Jakobi Meyers, Jacksonville (51% rostered)
Meyers is an afterthought in the Jacksonville passing game. We’ve seen them humming, and we’ve seen them struggling. Meyers has just three targets across two games, in both game states. You can move on from him.
On Thin Ice: Alec Pierce* (86%), Carnell Tate (86%), Jordan Addison (78%), Makai Lemon (59% rostered)
*depending on injury outcome
TIGHT ENDS
Dallas Goedert, Philadelphia (93% rostered)
The Eagles already announced that Goedert is set to miss some time with an MCL sprain, and already signed Zach Ertz off the scrap heap to fortify their tight end corps.
Hunter Henry, New England (55% rostered)
Eight targets, six catches, and 66 yards across two games. While this isn’t bad, this also is someone you jettison the second you have something better available. He’s a literal fantasy football replacement-level tight end.
On Thin Ice: Colston Loveland (99%), Kyle Pitts (93%)
