Top Players To Cut for Week 18 Lineups - Taysom Hill, Alec Pierce, Xavier Worthy, Kyle Monangai, Luther Burden III, Jordan Mason, Sam Darnold, Harold Fannin Jr., Lamar Jackson, George Kittle

December 29, 2025

Updated weekend fantasy football cut list rankings for Week 18 of 2025. The top fantasy football players to drop and cut from rosters including Taysom Hill, Luther Burden III, George Kittle, Lamar Jackson, more

Welcome back, RotoBallers, to our Cut List Rankings for fantasy football Week 18 of the 2025 NFL season. In Week 17 of the NFL season, managers saw several players continue to lose fantasy value, including Taysom Hill, Alec Pierce, and Xavier Worthy.

In addition, over the past week, several players are dealing with injuries, including Rashid Shaheed, Jordan Mason, and Luther Burden III, who could be held out of Week 18.

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 18 of the NFL season. Good luck, RotoBallers!

Who To Drop for Fantasy Football Week 18?

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:

Harold Fannin Jr., TE - Cleveland Browns (Cut List Ranking No. 64)

Cleveland Browns rookie tight end Harold Fannin Jr. (groin) aggravated a pre-existing injury during Sunday's Week 17 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. He exited mid-game and later told Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon Journal that he will undergo additional testing on Monday. The results of those medical tests should determine Fannin's exact diagnosis and whether he'll be able to play in next weekend's regular-season finale against the Cincinnati Bengals.

While it's a relatively meaningless game for both eliminated teams, Fannin noted that he played through the injury to start in Week 17, so it's fair to speculate that he might try to do the same in Week 18. His availability this Sunday, albeit short-lived, was useful for the Browns in their quest to take down Pittsburgh. Fannin maintained a larger role with David Njoku (knee) still sidelined, catching two passes for 30 yards and a touchdown.

If active in Week 18, he'll rank as a mid-range TE1 with high-end upside.

Luther Burden III, WR - Chicago Bears (Cut List Ranking No. 62)

Chicago Bears rookie wide receiver Luther Burden III (quad), who was carted off the field after Sunday night's game, suffered a quad injury that is not thought to be serious. He will undergo additional testing today, ESPN's NFL Insider Adam Schefter reports. The very last play of the game, with the Bears down 42-38, they had the ball inside the red zone, and while quarterback Caleb Williams was scrambling, trying to find an open receiver in the end zone to win the game, Burden was crunched between a few defenders and was down on the field.

After the incomplete pass, the game ended so abruptly, and the 49ers team stormed the field. We saw a quick mention of Burden being down on the field; however, on television, it was never further discussed. The additional testing on Monday morning will provide further clarity into the severity of his injury. Fantasy managers who are still competing in Week 18 will want to keep their eyes on this, as Rome Odunze(foot) has missed the last few games and Burden has taken advantage of his opportunities.

Olamide Zaccheaus and Jahdae Walker would likely see an increased amount of playing time should Burden miss any time. At the same time, DJ Moore and Colston Loveland would likely be the biggest beneficiaries.

Lamar Jackson, QB - Baltimore Ravens (Cut List Ranking No. 63)

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports that Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (back) is likely to return in Week 18 next Sunday against the division-rival Pittsburgh Steelers. Jackson suffered a back bruise in the Week 16 loss to the New England Patriots and was held out of Saturday night's blowout win over the Green Bay Packers. The two-time MVP's back injury doesn't seem too serious, but the Ravens will probably only start him next weekend if the Steelers lose to the Cleveland Browns on Sunday to force a winner-take-all division battle in the Week 18 regular-season finale next weekend.

If Jackson does return next weekend to face the Steelers, expect the Ravens to continue to lean heavily on running back Derrick Henry, who went over 200 rushing yards with four touchdowns against Green Bay. Jackson has been a big disappointment in 2025 for fantasy managers while battling through various injuries. He'll be viewed as a low-end QB1 if cleared to suit up.

Jordan Addison, WR - Minnesota Vikings (Cut List Ranking No. 48)

A beleaguered Minnesota Vikings offense did very little for most of a Christmas Day showdown against the Detroit Lions, but wide receiver Jordan Addison provided a late-game spark with a 65-yard touchdown run that changed the game in a 23-10 victory. Missing three offensive line starters, their top two quarterbacks, and their starting tight end, the Vikings threw for a miserable 51 yards passing behind undrafted rookie quarterback Max Brosmer, which led to one target and no catches for the third-year receiver.

The Minnesota defense played an outstanding game by forcing six turnovers, and the offense finally came to life late in the fourth quarter with an end-around to Addison that clinched the game. Routinely a risky fantasy option, Addison came through with one big play this week. He and the Vikings will finish the season by playing host to the Green Bay Packers in Week 18.

Tre Tucker, WR - Las Vegas Raiders (Cut List Ranking No. 50)

Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Tre Tucker was primed to emerge as the Raiders' lead pass catcher in Week 17, but was held to five receptions for 49 yards off his six targets in a 34-10 loss to the New York Giants. Tight end Brock Bowers (knee) was placed on IR following Week 16, and rookie wide receiver Jack Bech (back) was ruled out Sunday afternoon, which should have opened the path for more opportunities for Tucker. However, quarterback Geno Smith (ankle) was under pressure all afternoon, and the passing attack primarily went through tight end Michael Mayer.

Still, Tucker earned the most targets out of the Raiders' wide receiver room and is solidly the team's WR1. Tucker has a bottom-10 matchup ahead of him in Week 18 against AFC West rivals the Kansas City Chiefs. The third-year wide-out is firmly in WR3/Flex territory as the 2025 season draws to a close.

Devin Singletary, RB - New York Giants (Cut List Ranking No. 37)

New York Giants running back Devin Singletary rushed eight times for 45 yards and a touchdown and hauled in four receptions for 25 yards in his team's 34-10 Week 17 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. Singletary was out-touched by fellow Giants running back Tyrone Tracy Jr., 15 to 12. However, Singletary still played a role in all phases of the Giants' offense and has now logged double-digit touches in seven out of eight games since New York lost running back Cam Skattebo (ankle) to a season-ending ankle injury.

For the season overall, Singletary has recorded 562 yards from scrimmage and four touchdowns on 128 touches across 16 games. He maintains deep-league flex appeal heading into the Giants' Week 18 matchup against the Dallas Cowboys.

Waiver Wire Articles

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

• Week 18 waiver wire express (all positions)
• Week 18 defense (D/ST) streamers and pickups
• Week 18 kicker streamers and pickups
• Week 18 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.

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