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Andy's top fantasy football drops to consider making before Week 9 of the fantasy football season. Time to say goodbye to players like Calvin Ridley, Matthew Golden, and more?
With many players already ruled out, like Terry McLaurin (hip) and Isiah Pacheco (knee), managers may need to cut ties with a few players on their bench to fill their Week 9 starting lineup.
In this piece, we will spotlight four players whom managers can safely cut ties with before Week 9 lineups lock.
Who should fantasy managers cut before the full Week 9 slate begins? Let's dive in!
Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:- 2025 fantasy football rankings
- Running back (RB) rankings
- Wide receiver (WR) rankings
- Quarterback (QB) rankings
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- Defense (D/ST) rankings
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- FLEX rankings
- Dynasty rankings
Players to Consider Cutting for Week 9
Jayden Higgins, Houston Texans - 25% Rostered
Jayden Higgins was a popular streaming option in Week 8 and did not disappoint. During their victory over he 9ers, Higgins caught four of his eight targets for 34 yards and a touchdown. With Christian Kirk (hamstring) and Nico Collins (concussion) both out of action, Higgins operated as a full-time player alongside Xavier Hutchinson and Jaylin Noel.
However, with Kirk and Collins set to return on Sunday, Higgins should see a significant drop in playing time. While he could still operate as the team's No. 3 WR, he will be significantly limited as he will share time with Hutchinson and Noel and likely see fewer targets than Collins and Kirk.
While Higgins is worth stashing in the deeper leagues, managers in shallower 12-team formats should not consider stashing ahead of Week 9, as his floor and ceiling are expected to be much lower.
Matthew Golden, Green Bay Packers - 65% Rostered
Matthew Golden saw his stock climb during draft season as Jayden Reed was dealing with numerous injuries and the Packers lacked a proven No. 1 WR. However, in the first half, Romeo Doubs has taken on that role, and tight end Tucker Kraft has emerged as one of the sport's elite tight ends. As a result, Golden has not seen much production in his debut season.
Through eight weeks, Golden has caught just 21 of his 26 targets for 36.1 yards per game and no touchdowns. He was typically viewed as the team's deep threat, but with Christian Watson back in action, Golden could see even fewer targets downfield.
Managers should feel safe cutting Golden ahead of Week 9 in favor of an injury replacement or an alternate stash option with higher upside.
Marquise Brown, Kansas City Chiefs - 35% Rostered
Marquise Brown saw high value at the start of the season, with Xavier Worthy (shoulder) banged up and Rashee Rice out with a suspension. However, with both wideouts back in action, Brown's stock has plummeted.
Over the last two weeks, Brown has caught just two of his five targets. While one of these receptions was in the back of the end zone, he carries a much lower floor. Rice and Worthy will likely see the majority of the targets while tight end Travis Kelce operates as the No. 3 option.
Brown is a touchdown-dependent high-risk play in all matchups. He is only worth stashing in deeper 14+ team formats in case of injury to either Worthy or Rice this season.
Jerry Jeudy, Cleveland Browns - 60% Rostered
The final player to take a look at this week is Jerry Jeudy of the Cleveland Browns. Jeudy was a league-winner last season as he tallied a season-high 90 receptions with 1,229 yards and four touchdowns. However, through eight games in 2025, Jeudy has caught just 22 passes for a mere 257 yards.
Since scoring 13 targets in Week 6 (but only catching five of them), Jeudy has caught two passes over his last two games for 17 yards. In Week 8, he did not catch either of his two targets.
During this stretch, QB Dillon Gabriel has instead leaned on his tight ends, especially rookie Harold Fannin Jr., which has limited Jeudy's upside. With the Browns expected to remain a run-heavy team during the second half, Jeudy has fallen to fringe WR5 territory. Managers in shallow leagues should cut him in favor of emerging players like Kyle Monangai or Chimere Dike, who carry not only higher short-term upside but also higher long-term upside.
Chimere Dike Ascending as Go-to Option for Tennessee https://t.co/chrZSUtXhj
— RotoBaller NFL (@RotoBallerNFL) October 29, 2025
Who To Drop for Fantasy Football Week 9?
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:
| Rank | Player Name | Pos. | % Ros. | Baller Move |
| 1 | Cam Skattebo | RB | 50 | Drop in All Leagues |
| 2 | Michael Carter | RB | 10 | Drop in All Leagues |
| 3 | Cincinnati Bengals | DST | 20 | Drop in All Leagues |
| 4 | Atlanta Falcons | DST | 25 | Drop in All Leagues |
| 5 | Indianapolis Colts | DST | 70 | Drop in All Leagues |
| 6 | Philadelphia Eagles | DST | 75 | Drop in All Leagues |
| 7 | Jake Elliott | K | 35 | Drop in All Leagues |
| 8 | Chase McLaughlin | K | 60 | Drop in All Leagues |
| 9 | Matt Gay | K | 15 | Drop in Most Leagues |
| 10 | Ollie Gordon II | RB | 15 | Drop in Most Leagues |
| 11 | Kansas City Chiefs | DST | 70 | Drop in Most Leagues |
| 12 | Cleveland Browns | DST | 35 | Drop in Most Leagues |
| 13 | Matt Prater | K | 20 | Drop in Most Leagues |
| 14 | Tez Johnson | WR | 40 | Drop in Most Leagues |
| 15 | Marquise Brown | WR | 35 | Drop in Most Leagues |
| 16 | Dalton Schultz | TE | 30 | Drop in Most Leagues |
| 17 | Jayden Higgins | WR | 20 | Drop in Most Leagues |
| 18 | Jerry Jeudy | WR | 60 | Drop in Most Leagues |
| 19 | Matthew Golden | WR | 65 | Drop in Most Leagues |
| 20 | Cade Otton | TE | 45 | Drop in Most Leagues |
| 23 | Marvin Mims Jr. | WR | 30 | Drop in Most Leagues |
| 21 | Calvin Ridley | WR | 65 | Hold in 12-Team Leagues |
| 22 | Brock Purdy | QB | 65 | Hold in 12-Team Leagues |
| 24 | Joe Flacco | QB | 55 | Hold |
| 25 | Isiah Pacheco | RB | 80 | Hold |
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 2025 fantasy football waiver wire decisions are regarding players like Trey Benson, Kareem Hunt, Woody Marks, Bam Knight, Josh Downs, and Darnell Mooney. 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 pick up... all free! Make the right decisions.
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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.
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Popular Player Comparison Searches - Who To Pickup
Below are some popular searches and comparisons from our Who To Pickup tool for 2025 for Trey Benson, Kareem Hunt, Woody Marks, Bam Knight, Josh Downs, and Darnell Mooney:
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