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Andy's top fantasy football drops to consider making before Week 5 of the 2026 fantasy football season. Time to say goodbye to players like Quentin Johnston, Kyle Pitts Sr., and more?
Hey RotoBallers! The full Week 5 slate kicks off in a few days, so most are looking to put the finishing touches on their lineups. However, with so many injuries to high-end fantasy players, managers may need to cut ties with underperformers to fill their lineups.
Below, we will look at four players whose fantasy stock continues to drop and are worth being sent to the waiver wire.
Who should fantasy managers cut before the full Week 5 slate begins? Let's dive in!
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Players to Consider Cutting for Week 5
Jaylen Wright, MIA - 25% Rostered
Following the season-ending injury to Miami running back De'Von Achane (knee), there was some uncertainty in the backfield. While Ollie Gordon II took most of those carries when Achane exited early in their Week 3 contest, Jaylen Wright was inactive that week, which didn't make the situation any clearer.
Last season, Wright was Achane's clear No. 2 option, suggesting he could have overtaken Gordon for the new "lead" role. However, in Week 4, the backfield roles became clear. Wright logged only five carries and tallied just seven yards, while Gordon dominated the backfield, with nine carries and 100 yards.
Gordon saw far more snaps, making Wright a low-end handcuff on one of the league's worst offenses. He is a viable cut in all 12-team standard leagues.
Michael Pittman Jr., PIT - 55% Rostered
Michael Pittman has always been a dependable fantasy WR, especially in PPR formats, given his ability to draw a high target share. In 2025, Pittman was Indianapolis's clear WR1, catching 80 passes for 784 yards and seven touchdowns on 111 targets. This marked the third time in the past three years he has had at least 80 receptions.
However, his time in Pittsburgh has not been as impressive. Since joining the Steelers (three games played), the veteran wideout has caught only half of his 12 targets for just 89 yards. After 58 yards in Week 1, Pittman has managed no more than 20 yards in his last two efforts.
Instead, the team's No. 3 option, Roman Wilson, has seen his role grow, catching touchdowns in back-to-back games and tallying more receptions and yards than the veteran. While Pittman still has value in deeper leagues, he is the clear WR3 on his team and a safe cut in all standard formats.
Quentin Johnston, LAC - 59% Rostered
The other underwhelming WR we will spotlight is in Los Angeles. Quentin Johnston has been a productive FLEX option with upside over the last two seasons but has fallen well short of expectations this season. After posting back-to-back eight-touchdown seasons in 2024 and 2025, Johnston has caught only seven passes through four games.
He has tallied just 108 yards and has yet to find the end zone. Instead, Johnston has seen many of his targets go to second-year wideout Tre' Harris, who has totaled at least 60 yards in the last two games.
In Week 4, Harris also logged more snaps than Johnston for the first time this season, suggesting a possible change of guard at WR2. Given Los Angeles' current offensive production and trajectory, the former first-round pick is a low-end WR4/5 that is a viable cut candidate in all standard leagues.
Kyle Pitts Sr., ATL - 75% Rostered
The final player we will spotlight this week is a tight end. While Kyle Pitts has been productive for fantasy in the past and was coming off the best season of his career in 2025, the former first-round pick has taken a massive step back in 2026.
Through four weeks, Pitts has caught just five passes for 67 yards. Before Week 4, Pitts caught only two passes for 20 yards. While his Week 4 production is a positive sign, he still isn't producing enough for managers to warrant a roster spot in standard leagues.
Instead, managers should consider players like Kenyon Sadiq or T.J. Hockenson, who have shown a higher floor and flashed more upside this season.
Kyle Pitts Sr. May No Longer Be Worth Rostering in Shallower Leagues
https://t.co/vBsxlXsrZZ
— RotoBaller NFL (@RotoBallerNFL) October 7, 2026
Who To Drop for Fantasy Football Week 5?
| Rank | Player Name | Position | Ros% | Baller Move |
| 1 | De'Von Achane | RB | 43 | Drop in All Leagues |
| 2 | Jayden Reed | WR | 36 | Drop in All Leagues |
| 3 | Tyquan Thornton | WR | 3 | Drop in All Leagues |
| 4 | Marcus Mariota | QB | 10 | Drop in All Leagues |
| 5 | Jauan Jennings | WR | 14 | Drop in All Leagues |
| 6 | George Holani | RB | 15 | Drop in All Leagues |
| 7 | Buffalo Bills | DEF | 51 | Drop in Most Leagues |
| 8 | Green Bay Packers | DEF | 52 | Drop in Most Leagues |
| 9 | Kansas City Chiefs | DEF | 49 | Drop in Most Leagues |
| 10 | Pittsburgh Steelers | DEF | 84 | Drop in Most Leagues |
| 11 | Jaylen Wright | RB | 31 | Drop in Most Leagues |
| 12 | Makai Lemon | WR | 49 | Drop in Most Leagues |
| 13 | Kalif Raymond | WR | 37 | Drop in Most Leagues |
| 14 | Quentin Johnston | WR | 63 | Drop in Most Leagues |
| 15 | Kyler Murray | QB | 67 | Drop in Most Leagues |
| 16 | Baker Mayfield | QB | 35 | IR / Injury Stash in Deep Leagues |
| 17 | Keenan Allen | WR | 37 | IR / Injury Stash in Deep Leagues |
| 18 | Mike Washington Jr. | RB | 35 | Hold in 12+Team Leagues / Upside Handcuff |
| 19 | Emmett Johnson | RB | 31 | Hold in 12+Team Leagues / Upside Handcuff |
| 20 | Kaelon Black | RB | 42 | Hold in 12+Team Leagues / Upside Handcuff |
| 21 | Rachaad White | RB | 58 | IR / Injury Stash in 12-Team Leagues |
| 22 | Jadarian Price | RB | 85 | IR / Injury Stash in 12-Team Leagues |
| 23 | Travis Etienne Jr. | RB | 91 | IR / Injury Stash in 12-Team Leagues |
| 24 | Courtland Sutton | WR | 78 | Hold and Bench / Drop in Shallow Leagues |
| 25 | Justin Herbert | QB | 80 | Hold and Bench / Drop in Shallow Leagues |
| 26 | Dontayvion Wicks | WR | 60 | Hold and Bench / Drop in Shallow Leagues |
| 27 | Darren Waller | TE | 33 | Hold and Bench / Drop in Shallow Leagues |
| 28 | Kenyon Sadiq | TE | 56 | Hold and Bench / Drop in Shallow Leagues |
| 29 | Dalton Schultz | TE | 72 | Hold in All Leagues |
| 30 | Braelon Allen | RB | 81 | Hold in All Leagues |
| 31 | Jalen Coker | WR | 90 | Hold in All Leagues |
| 32 | Blake Corum | RB | 83 | Hold in All Leagues |
Who Should I Pickup Tool
Trying to decide who to pick up off the waiver wire? 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? Some common 2026 fantasy football waiver wire decisions are regarding players like Emanuel Wilson, Ollie Gordon II, and Tyreek Hill. But not to worry, we are here to help make these waiver wire decisions and build winning teams in 2026. Set your optimal fantasy football lineups in 2026. 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 pick up... all free! Make the right decisions.
2026 Player Decisions. Today's focus is on specific players - Emanuel Wilson, Ollie Gordon II, Tyreek Hill. These are some common searches for 2026 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's name. In the second box, search for the second player's 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.
Recent Improvements For Who Should I Pickup? You may have noticed our Who Should I Pickup? tool has gotten an overhaul. We've added lots of great features for you to give you as much information as possible to win on the waiver wire in 2026. You'll see NFL player tiles with headshots and bye weeks, stats, projections, strength of schedule, enhanced search results with data to compare, and a slick new interface. We hope you enjoy!
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
Below are some popular searches and comparisons from our Who To Pickup tool for 2026 for Emanuel Wilson, Ollie Gordon II, and Tyreek Hill:
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