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Should I drop Calvin Ridley for fantasy football Week 4? Is Calvin Ridley a safe player to cut? Read the fantasy football waivers outlook.
Few things frustrate fantasy managers more than spending early draft capital on a wide receiver who disappears in the box score. That’s exactly the case with Calvin Ridley, who has stumbled out of the gate in his first season with the Tennessee Titans.
After three weeks of inefficiency, drops, and disappointing fantasy finishes, frustrated managers are asking the question: is it time to drop Ridley, or should you stay patient and ride out the slump?
Let's take a look at the fantasy football outlook for Ridley heading into Week 4.
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Should I Drop Calvin Ridley in Fantasy Football?
Ridley has gotten off to an incredibly slow start to his 2025 season. Through three games, he has caught eight of 21 passes for 111 yards and no touchdowns.
Out of 183 receivers that have caught a pass in 2025, Ridley currently ranks 177th in reception percentage (24%), 134th in yards per target (5.3), and leads the NFL in drops (4). Ridley currently ranks as the WR71 in half-PPR formats, and while he should be out of starting lineups for now, he’s definitely a player who should improve.
Among 61 wide receivers with at least 15 targets so far this year, Calvin Ridley is 3rd worst with a -23.0% catch rate over expected: https://t.co/rj1RCX11Kx pic.twitter.com/wMFUV70me0
— Sam Hoppen (@SamHoppen) September 22, 2025
This isn’t new territory for Ridley. He stumbled out of the gate in 2024 as well, catching nine of 27 targets for 141 yards and a touchdown over his first five games, averaging just 4.9 half-PPR points per game. From Week 6 on, however, he flipped the script, posting 73 yards per game, 10.4 half-PPR points on average, and finishing as the WR20 during that stretch.
Despite the poor results, Ridley’s usage remains elite. He currently ranks 18th in snap share (89%), 23rd in target share (24%), and 15th in total routes run (108), all of which are team highs. Simply put, he’s still the focal point of Tennessee’s passing game ahead of rookie receivers Elic Ayomanor and Chimere Dike.
Good answer from Brian Callahan when asked what happens if teams try to take away Calvin Ridley. "It's my job to get the ball to the guys that can help us win... We're in prove it mode." pic.twitter.com/2zufimSTuO
— TURRON DAVENPORT (@TDavenport_NFL) September 1, 2025
The bigger issue lies under center. Rookie quarterback Cam Ward is experiencing the expected growing pains, with the league’s lowest completion rate (54.5%), the second-lowest yards per attempt (5.1), and a bottom-five QBR (71.4).
Whether it’s shaky play-calling, offensive line struggles, or just Ward adjusting to the NFL, the Titans’ passing game needs to improve before Ridley’s production can catch up to his usage.
For fantasy managers, the frustration is real, but the opportunity is still something to be excited about. Ridley is a classic buy-low candidate, not a drop. If Ward can settle in and the offense finds some rhythm, Ridley’s heavy usage makes him a strong bet to bounce back in the coming weeks.
Who Should I Pickup Tool
Trying to decide who to pickup off the waiver wire instead? Check the Who Should I Pickup tool here:
Compare up to four players and we'll tell you who to pickup...
Who Should I Pickup? Looking for a replacement? Some common 2025 fantasy football waiver wire decisions are regarding players like Calvin Austin, Tre Tucker, Jeremy McNichols, Kayshon Boutte, Kareem Hunt, Rashod Bateman. But not to worry, we are here to help make these waiver wire decisions and build winning teams in 2025. Set your optimal fantasy football lineups in 2025. Our free Who Should I Pickup? tool will help make your fantasy football waiver wire decisions. Compare up to four NFL players, and we tell you who to pickup... all free! Make the right decisions.
2025 Player Decisions. Today's focus is on players like Calvin Austin, Tre Tucker, Jeremy McNichols, Kayshon Boutte, Kareem Hunt, Rashod Bateman. They are some of the most common searches for 2025 fantasy football waiver wire pickups.
Using The Tool. This is a simple tool but very powerful. The first step is to enter the player names that you want to compare. In the first box, search for the first player name. In the second box, search for the second player name. Compare up to four NFL players at once, and then click the Who To Pickup? button to see who the recommended waiver wire pickups are based on fantasy football rankings, projections, and more.
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How It Works. Our RotoBaller staff puts together their weekly fantasy football waiver wire rankings and projections based on their research, and updates them constantly throughout the week. That information is the core data that is powering the decision-making in this tool. When you search for player names, you will only see those players who are ranked.
Popular Player Comparison Searches - Who To Pickup
Looking for a replacement? Below are some popular searches and comparisons from our Who To Pickup tool for 2025 for Calvin Austin, Tre Tucker, Jeremy McNichols, Kayshon Boutte, Kareem Hunt, Rashod Bateman:
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