The Cut List - Players on the Chopping Block (Week 5)

October 2, 2018

NFL players to consider cutting, dropping or benching for Week 5 of the 2018 season. Jason's list of fantasy football busts, injuries, and overrated players.

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 5 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.

Players to Consider Dropping or Replacing

Corey Clement (RB, PHI)

It's not just the nagging quad injury that finds Corey Clement without any fantasy value, but the fact that he's been passed on the depth chart by Wendell Smallwood. Even if and when Jay Ajayi misses more time, Smallwood is the primary beneficiary, not Clement. There's just no plausible upside here anymore. Time to let go.

Chris Hogan (WR, NE)

There's an argument to be made for Chris Hogan in the fourth round as the single worst pick in fantasy football. It would probably lose, but it's a consideration. Drop him. Everywhere. Hogan saw just one target last week despite playing 86% of the snaps and has just 15 targets on the season. That's mindboggling considering up until last week, the Steelers only dressed three receivers each week, two of which were Phillip Dorsett and Cordarrelle Patterson. Josh Gordon's snaps are only going to rise and Julian Edelman returns this week. Hogan is useless.

Rashaad Penny (RB, SEA)

Honestly, shame on me for not having him here sooner. The Seahawks wasted a first round pick on a player they are going out of their way to avoid playing. Even in a game where Chris Carson was inactive, Rashaad Penny barely saw the field, ceding snaps to Mike Davis. Penny played all of 16 names in a game with neutral-positive game script and the workhorse starter not playing. I still like Penny long term, but not until at least 2019 or after Pete Carroll is fired.

Ryan Fitzpatrick (QB, TB)

You don't need to see his name here, but obviously go ahead and drop him. Dirk Koetter was looking for excuses to bench Ryan Fitzpatrick and got one just about as soon as possible. Jameis Winston was predictably awful, but he is not going to lose his job. Fitzmagic is over.

Latavius Murray (RB, MIN)

Even in a shootout where Dalvin Cook didn't touch the ball in the second half, Latavius Murray got nothing going. If Cook misses time, Murray is not going to have the backfield to himself. Mike Boone and Roc Thomas are going to be involved. Murray simply isn't good enough to warrant burning a roster spot, hoping for an injury so he can be part of a timeshare.

Alfred Morris (RB, SF)

I'm really not sure why anyone thought Alfred Morris would be more valuable than Matt Breida after Jerick McKinnon went down. However, I don't fault people for thinking Morris would at least have some value. He played just 23% of the snaps last week and failed spectacularly on his only goal line carry, after which he was quickly pulled from the field. This is Breida's backfield.

Jamaal Williams (RB, GB)

It is only a matter of time before Aaron Jones takes over as the lead back. Jamaal Williams is the third most talented running back on this team and played just 37% of the snaps in a blowout over the Bills. Aaron Jones led the team with 38%, a number I expect to continue to rise. With the Packers offense not as prolific as in previous years, the Packers RB doesn't automatically have value. Williams is not even the Packers RB you want.

Players You May Be Considering Dropping, But Shouldn't

Isaiah Crowell (RB, NYJ)

The other half of the Jets duo of running backs had been useful this season up until last week. I won't hold his dreadful performance against the Jaguars against him. Isaiah Crowell needs touchdowns to survive and he was never getting them last week. He should fare much better in the back to back to back home games coming up and is a viable fill in for your players on bye.

Any Useful Tight End

Seriously. If you have a TE that is even remotely useful, do not drop him. I cannot remember a time in my fantasy career where the TE position was such a wasteland. Guys that are catching two or three balls for 30-40 yards are actually useful.

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