RADIO
This is your weekly list of players to drop. I will do my best to limit this list to injured players and players you might consider holding. If you roster pure handcuffs or backups, obviously you can let them go at any time. The players on this list will, ideally, be guys that aren't clearly droppable, but no longer worth owning.
Below are my Week 4 cuts and drops for fantasy football. Each week from now until the end of the season, I’ll be offering my thoughts on players who don’t deserve to keep a roster spot on your fantasy football teams.
Let's get to it.
Editor's Note: Identify fantasy football draft busts, overvalued ADPs, and key players to avoid so you can draft with confidence this season.
Players to Consider Dropping or Replacing
Jimmy Garoppolo (QB, SF)
Let's just start with the obvious - Jimmy Garoppolo tore his ACL on Sunday so there is no need to keep him on your roster in redraft leagues. C.J. Beathard will take over and things will be...not as good. This is a very upsetting development.
Jamison Crowder (WR, WAS)
Maybe you can trade him off his touchdown last week, but don't get sucked into thinking Jamison Crowder is somehow back because he posted double digit fantasy points. Crowder is on a low volume passing attack having seen exactly four targets each of his first three games. Many fantasy gamers anticipated a golden connection between slot man Crowder and checkdown artist Alex Smith. Through three weeks, we've seen nothing of the sort. The Redskins are not an offense you need to go out of your way to have a piece of so if you need to cut someone to try and add Calvin Ridley (or anyone with actual upside), feel free to let go of Crowder.
Tarik Cohen (RB, CHI)
I still love the kid's talent and am hoping he makes this look very stupid. I'm not optimistic, though. It's not just that Tarik Cohen isn't touching the ball enough (21 touches through three games), it's that this Bears offense is absolutely not the 2017 Rams. Everyone was excited about the new head coach and new offensive weapons, myself included. Jordan Howard looks like the only member of this offense that has any shot at living up to his draft stock.
Latavius Murray (RB, MIN)
To be fair, many people only owned him because Dalvin Cook was out. However, given what we saw from the Vikings and Latavius Murray's usage, there's no reason to ever roster him again. Even if Cook were to miss time in the future, you don't want Murray. He played just 58% of the snaps. I know the game was a blowout (just like we all expected!) but Murray wasn't doing anything productive at any point in the game.
Jamaal Williams (RB, GB)
I've always considered Jamaal Williams to be the third most talented RB on the Packers. The advantage he had was two weeks of a two man backfield between him and Ty Montgomery. Williams did nothing to stake his claim to the starting job and now Aaron Jones is back and, unsurprisingly, playing better than Williams. The Packers are not right with a hobbled Aaron Rodgers. I am worried about this offense in general. The "Packers starting RB" isn't what it used to be and, truthfully, there really isn't one. Williams still led the team with 43% of the snaps, but it was Jones' first game back and he had Montgomery still saw 25% and 29% respectively. Williams touched the ball just seven times last week. He does not need to be owned.
Rex Burkhead (RB, NE)
I was all aboard the Rex Burkhead train in 2017. I thought he was underutilized in Cincinnati and would finally get a chance to showcase his abilities. And he was useful. In 2018, I was a bit more weary given the addition of Sony Michel, but I never would've expected Burkhead to be droppable at this point in the season. Burkhead touched the ball 19 times in Week 1 so things were looking promising even if he didn't produce much (69 empty yards). In Week 2, Michel returned from injury and Burkhead saw just six carries and zero targets. In Week 3, Burkhead saw three targets and zero carries before departing with a neck injury. The Burkhead story is over.
Peyton Barber (RB, TB)
Alright, you can drop him now. Peyton Barber just isn't good at football and now he's not even getting volume, losing touches to the likes of Jacquizz Rodgers and snaps to UDFA Shaun Wilson. The most hilarious part of this all is that the Bucs lit a first round pick on fire in Ronald Jones, but that's neither here nor there. RoJo is barely an NFL caliber player, yet Barber has done nothing with all his opportunity.
Players You May Be Considering Dropping, But Shouldn't
David Njoku (TE, CLE)
For the second consecutive week, I've considered putting David Njoku on the cut list, but, once again, something has kept me from doing so. If you've stuck with him this far, you have to at least see what he looks like with Baker Mayfield. That's the entirety of my argument. If Njoku can't produce this week, I will throw in the towel.
Chris Hogan (WR, NE)
I just want to see what happens if Josh Gordon can get on the field. He didn't play last week and Tom Brady just hasn't had anyone to throw to. This offense looks anemic, but I don't think Brady is done. What is he supposed to do when his only three active WRs are Hogan, Phillip Dorsett, and Cordarrelle Patterson? Hogan's lack of targeting is concerning, but we're still talking about the Patriots. Hang on for another week or two if possible.
