Dynasty League Cut List - Top Fantasy Football Drop Candidates for Week 9

Nick's top dynasty fantasy football drop candidates for dynasty leagues heading into Week 9 of 2025. Who is safe to cut in dynasty fantasy football leagues?

It’s time: You have to peek at the standings. We’re halfway home on the NFL regular season, which means fantasy playoffs are nearing and the standings are beginning to solidify.

In the run-up to the postseason, rosters get tested by injuries and bye weeks, meaning every spot a manager is afforded counts. That means occasionally cutting players who, for one reason or another, aren’t playable.

Our weekly series aims to identify players who are safe to go in dynasty leagues. As you prepare for the rest of the season, be sure to check out the RotoBaller mobile app, which is free to download. Thanks for reading. 

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• Running back (RB) fantasy football rankings
• Wide receiver (WR) fantasy football rankings
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• Quarterback (QB) fantasy football rankings
• FLEX fantasy football rankings
• Defense (D/ST) fantasy football rankings
• Kicker (K) fantasy football rankings
• Dynasty fantasy football rankings

Jake Browning, QB, Cincinnati Bengals

Credit where credit is due: Browning vastly outperformed his billing as an undrafted quarterback.

After being cut by Minnesota earlier in his career, Browning latched on in Cincinnati, won the No. 2 job behind Joe Burrow, and looked the part of a capable long-term backup. When Burrow was injured in 2023, Browning went on a run — a 4-3 mark as a starter that kept the Bengals afloat in the race to qualify for the playoffs — that solidified his standing as a quality handcuff who could be started in a crisis.

In 2025, the shine wore off. 

With Burrow (toe) set to miss most of the season, Browning turned over the ball without abandon during a stint as the starter. He threw eight interceptions in only 124 passing attempts, a 6.5% interception rate that is far and away the worst mark of any quarterback to throw a pass in the NFL this season.

Jake Browning is picked off by Isaiah Rodgers for a @Vikings Pick-6!

CINvsMIN on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/4N3OaMpxdA

— NFL (@NFL) September 21, 2025

Predictably, he lost his grasp on the job when the team traded for veteran Joe Flacco in a last-ditch attempt to save the season.

Now, the primary reason to hold Browning — that he would play if Burrow were unavailable — is no longer true. 

At 29 years old, the veteran is probably headed for preseasons in which he will try to make a team rather than being entrenched as a surefire backup. Even in deeper leagues, that’s usually not a player worthy of a roster spot.

Tai Felton, WR, Minnesota Vikings

For managers in deeper dynasty leagues, Felton was a sensible late-round flier who had several green flags in the draft.

A 1,000-yard receiver in the Big Ten, Minnesota drafted Felton in the third round after a solid combine, had an avenue to play him right away, and an offense that has traditionally been good under head coach Kevin O’Connell. 

Maryland WR Tai Felton hit the flip after drills 😅

📺: #NFLCombine on @NFLNetwork
📱: Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/xKTkErGNYf

— NFL (@NFL) March 1, 2025

Jalen Nailor has been a respectable third option in the offense, but not immune to an upgrade, and the Vikings also knew they would be without No. 2 receiver Jordan Addison (suspension) at the beginning of the season.

Through half a season, however, Minnesota hasn’t trusted Felton with any meaningful time on offense whatsoever. They traded for veteran receiver Adam Thielen rather than play Felton at the beginning of the season, and the rookie has only logged offensive snaps exclusively in blowouts.

The Vikings seem likely to move on from Thielen after this season, but that still doesn’t materially help Felton’s fantasy outlook.

Minnesota locked up receiver Justin Jefferson with a lucrative extension and seems very likely, if not certain, to pick up Addison’s fifth-year option this offseason. The team continues to trust Nailor with playing time, and undrafted rookie Myles Price has carved out a regular spot on the 53-man roster as the team’s return man.

That leaves Felton, at best, fighting to be the fourth or fifth receiver.

He'll keep a spot on the 53-man roster through special teams — most visibly as a gunner on the Vikings’ punt team — but fantasy managers aren’t getting any value from this role. 

While Felton may become a difference-making special teamer, he has a ways to go as a pass catcher to even be the team’s third option.

Emari Demercado, RB, Arizona Cardinals

Three years into his career, we already have the play that has defined Demercado’s time in the NFL. Unfortunately, it was the type of blunder that turns a season sideways. 

Demercado’s baffling fumble against Tennessee turned what would have been a game-clinching touchdown run into a lifeline for the league’s worst team, which infuriated Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon so much that he physically lashed out. (He later apologized and was fined $100,000.)

The Cardinals have needed serious help at running back this season, as starter James Conner (ankle) is out for the year, and Trey Benson (knee) needed an injured reserve stint. Despite the opening, Arizona turned to the duo of Michael Carter and Bam Knight, keeping Demercado essentially in the same role he previously held. 

Now facing an ankle injury, Demercado missed the majority of the Cards’ past two games. At 26 years old, the third-year back has played more than 40% of the team’s snaps only once in the past two seasons, suggesting he’s likely to be one of the odd men out, if he isn’t already.

Lil'Jordan Humphrey, WR, New York Giants

Humphrey did well with his first chance at playing time for the Giants by turning a call-up to the active roster into four catches on eight targets for 55 yards in an upset of Philadelphia in Week 6.

Lil'Jordan Humphrey goes up and GETS IT on 3rd down.

PHIvsNYG on Prime Video
Also streaming on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/ni6VyUIIIg

— NFL (@NFL) October 10, 2025

What has followed in the two weeks since has been more in line with his history, as he has never finished among the top-100 fantasy receivers in his previous six full seasons.

The past two weeks have brought two targets, no catches, and dwindling playing time. On Sunday, he was outsnapped by veteran Darius Slayton and had one fewer target than undrafted rookie Beaux Collins. 

Aside from Wan'Dale Robinson, who has been the team’s top target without Malik Nabers (knee), the rest of the Giants’ receiver room has a Last Chance Saloon feel.

For managers, there’s no good reason to rely upon it.

Chris Moore, WR, Washington Commanders

Injuries temporarily thrust Moore into regular playing time, as he played more than half of the Commanders’ offensive snaps five weeks in a row. 

Even so, there wasn’t nearly enough production — 16 targets and eight catches in those five games — to count on for fantasy purposes, and now Washington is closer to full health in its receiver room. 

Terry McLaurin and Deebo Samuel both returned on Monday, during which Moore did not play an offensive snap. Moore may play situationally with Noah Brown (groin) out for the rest of the season, but not in a role worth relying upon. 

TOE-TAP TERRY FOR THE TOUCHDOWN 🔥

Terry McLaurin with his first touchdown of the season to tie it up 👏 pic.twitter.com/EKT6iPCh1w

— ESPN (@espn) October 28, 2025

Given that Moore has finished among the top 75 receivers exactly once in 10 years in the NFL, clocking in as PPR receiver No. 60 on a Houston Texans team that went 3-13-1 in 2022, he’s safe to cut loose.

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