Top Players To Cut for Week 17 Lineups - Quinshon Judkins, Lamar Jackson, Rashee Rice, Jayden Reed, Jordan Mason, Dalton Kincaid, Woody Marks, Ricky Pearsall, Colby Parkinson

December 22, 2025

Updated weekend fantasy football cut list rankings for Week 17 of 2025. The top fantasy football players to drop and cut from rosters including Lamar Jackson, Rashee Rice, Jayden Reed, more

Welcome back, RotoBallers, to our Cut List Rankings for fantasy football Week 17 of the 2025 NFL season. In Week 15 of the NFL season, managers saw several players continue to lose fantasy value, including Oronde Gadsden II, Kayshon Boutte, Jayden Reed, Xavier Worthy, and Audric Estime.

In addition, over the past week, several players suffered serious injuries, including Quinshon Judkins, who is slated to miss the remainder of the season, and star QB Lamar Jackson, who could be held out of Week 17.

So, which injured or disappointing players is it time to get rid of for fantasy football lineups? Read about our top players to cut for Week 17 of the NFL season. Good luck, RotoBallers!

Who To Drop for Fantasy Football Week 17?

The top players to consider cutting for fantasy football, in priority order. Players at the top of the list should be dropped first and replaced on the waiver wire:

Fantasy Football Drop Candidates

Read the recent news and fantasy outlooks of some of the top cut candidates:

Lamar Jackson, QB - Baltimore Ravens (Cut List Ranking No. 67)

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (back) is considered day-to-day after sustaining a back bruise in the second quarter of Sunday night's loss to the Patriots. He took a knee to the back from Craig Woodson on a run in the second quarter and was unable to return. He said he hopes to play on Saturday against the Packers, but his status is very uncertain after battling multiple injuries this season.

Jackson and the Ravens are still chasing the Steelers for the top spot in the AFC North, but it isn't clear if they'll have Jackson or Tyler Huntley under center when they take on the Packers on a short week.

Michael Carter, RB - Arizona Cardinals (Cut List Ranking No. 55)

Arizona Cardinals running back Michael Carter filled in as the starter in Week 16 for the team's banged-up backfield, and he had a solid game against the Falcons. He took 11 carries for 65 yards but failed to catch either of his two targets or get into the end zone.

Carter played well ahead of Emari Demercado and Corey Kiner and will likely lead the backfield committee again in Week 17 with James Conner, Trey Benson, and Bam Knight all on the shelf for the rest of the season. Carter and the Cards get a favorable matchup in Week 17 against the Bengals, so if you need some emergency help in the backfield, he's a solid streaming option with touchdown-dependent upside in Week 17.

Jordan Addison, WR - Minnesota Vikings (Cut List Ranking No. 59)

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison caught just two of three targets for 26 yards on Sunday in a 16-13 win at the New York Giants, and the lone missed connection was a costly one. Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy found the third-year receiver in single coverage in the end zone for what appeared to be a touchdown, but Addison lost control of the ball as he attempted to complete the catch, forcing a field goal attempt instead. Even worse for the Vikings, McCarthy (hand) departed the game shortly before halftime and did not return.

Backup Carson Wentz (shoulder) is already out for the year, so Minnesota once again had to turn to undrafted rookie Max Brosmer, dimming the offense's outlook. If McCarthy misses a Christmas Day showdown with the Detroit Lions, trusting anyone on the Minnesota offense would be awfully difficult.

J.J. McCarthy, QB - Minnesota Vikings (Cut List Ranking No. 29)

Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (hand) exit early during their Week 16 matchup against the New York Giants with a hand injury. The 22-year-old took a big shot to his right hand and wrist area from Giants edge rusher Brian Burns right before halftime. It's been an injury-ravaged season for McCarthy, who has also missed time in 2025 with an ankle injury and a concussion.

He will finish Week 16 with nine completions on 14 pass attempts for 108 yards, zero touchdowns, one interception, and one fumble. McCarthy also recorded two rush attempts for 20 yards and a touchdown. In his absence, Minnesota turned to Max Brosmer at quarterback.

Emanuel Wilson, RB - Green Bay Packers (Cut List Ranking No. 39)

Green Bay Packers running back Emanuel Wilson could be a top waiver wire priority this week, as the Packers get ready to host the Ravens on Saturday. The team could be without Jordan Love (concussion) and Josh Jacobs (knee) for that matchup, and Wilson has proven he can be a fantasy factor if he takes over for Jacobs as the primary option. Last week, Wilson ran for 82 yards on 14 carries against the Bears, while Jacobs had just 36 yards on 12 carries.

Wilson also starred in Green Bay's win over the Packers when Jacobs was injured, racking up 107 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 28 carries in that week. The Ravens have been a great matchup for running backs this season, and if Wilson gets the start, he could be a true difference-maker in Week 17.

Nick Chubb, RB - Houston Texans (Cut List Ranking No. 57)

Houston Texans running back Nick Chubb (ribs) was able to play through his questionable tag on Sunday, but his fellow running back Woody Marks (ankle) was ruled out. Even without Marks, though, Chubb's workload was limited as Jawhar Jordan led the way with 15 carries for 53 yards, while Chubb had six carries for 33 yards and one catch for nine more yards.

He remains involved as an early-down option and could get work around the goal line, but he doesn't seem likely to be the featured running back at this point in his career. If Marks is ready to return next week against the Chargers, Chubb could get even less work with Jordan and Marks each looking more effective and explosive than the veteran.

Waiver Wire Articles

After diving into the cut list rankings, read about some waiver wire pickups to consider instead:

• Week 17 waiver wire pickups (all positions)
• Week 17 running back waiver wire pickups
• Week 17 wide receiver waiver wire pickups
• Week 17 defense (D/ST) streamers and pickups
• Week 17 kicker streamers and pickups
• Week 17 FAAB waiver wire bids

Each week, our NFL team puts out a complete array of fantasy football waiver wire articles to compliment our slick Who Should I Pickup? Waiver wire player comparison tool. Bookmark it!

In addition, be on the lookout for our other waiver wire articles all season long. We will be releasing weekly waiver wire articles for each position, FAAB bidding recommendations, streamers and more throughout the week.

More Waiver Wire Analysis