December 20, 2016

Tony Peters and Ben Hamren's fantasy football busts & overrated NFL players to consider cutting or benching for Week 16 of the 2016 season. These QBs, RBs, TEs and WRs should be cut or benched in both PPR & standard leagues.

Welcome to Week 16's edition of The Cut List, RotoBaller's weekly column filled with advice on who is fat to be trimmed from your roster and who deserves a little more time on your plate. Each player receives both statistical and social media analysis, providing both real and ridiculous reasons why we--Tony Peters and Ben Hamren of the All Stats A Salad weekly fantasy football podcast--feel the way we do. The season's chalk full of angst and anxiety, let us take you beyond the stats to tickle your funny bone and your brain.

All ownership rates are taken from Fleaflicker and opponent ranks are based on the last four weeks. Be sure to check our Week 16 (NSFW) episodes of the All Stats A Salad podcast--out every Wednesday and Friday--by clicking here.

Editor's Note: Once you're done here, be sure to read about even more Week 16 waiver wire recommendations, for all fantasy-relevant positions. Just click on any link: ALL - RB - WR - TE - QB - DEF

Week 16 Players to Consider Cutting or Replacing

Mike Wallace (WR, BAL) - 73% Owned

WK15: 2-of-5 targets for 60 yards, zero TD
WK13-15: 13-of-20 targets for 171 yards, zero TD
WK16 Opponent: Steelers (26th in points allowed to WR)

TONY: Mike Wallace has had a great 2016. With 963 receiving yards on the season, he's set to cross the 1,000 receiving yard marker in Week 16, his first time hitting that milestone since his second-to-last season with the Steelers back in 2011. But for all of that positivity, Wallace draws two very tough matchups to end his season: the Steelers and the Bengals. Both are ranked in the bottom five in points allowed to wide receivers this year. While I'll give credit to Wallace for dropping 124 yards and a touchdown against the Steelers back in Week 9, six weeks of essentially 60 yards each outing tell the story of his ceiling to close out the year, making him a cut in 10-and-12-team standard scoring leagues (assuming your team has the player depth, of course).

All stats a salad...this column doesn't try to be a TMZ-like column despite how silly and personal we are at times. But it's hard to ignore that Wallace's production has curtailed since this article about his possible infidelities was published back on October 23rd. Taking anything from a reality show as real is a dangerous mindset to have, but if I can't trust what the TV says blindly, what kind of terrible world do I live in?

Mohamed Sanu (WR, ATL) - 51% Owned

WK15: 3-of-3 targets for 44 yards, zero TD
WK13-15: 5-of-6 targets for 70 yards, zero TD
WK16 Opponent: Panthers (ninth in points allowed to WR)

TONY: When wide receivers have had a chance to play the 49ers and Panthers this season, they generally have a good time as those two have allowed the second-most and fifth-most points to the position respectively this season. Mohamed Sanu gets them back-to-back for his Week 15 and 16 opponents. Unfortunately for him and his owners, he's been mostly left alone since Week 10, picking up more than three targets only once (Week 12) during that time. With Julio Jones expected back this weekend, there's no reason this situation will change, making Sanu an easy cut in 10-and-12 team non-PPR leagues.

All stats a salad...I was hoping that Sanu's new tattoo would give him the extra push he so clearly needs to bring back his fantasy value. Yet, he failed to excite again, making him more like the Gary Oldman of this team. He has an important role but you aren't going to see a Commissioner Gordon movie hitting theaters, well, ever.

Terrelle Pryor (WR, CLE) - 86% Owned

WK15: 4-of-8 targets for 19 yards, zero TD
WK13-WK15: 5-of-11 targets for 22 yards, zero TD
WK16: Chargers (29th in points allowed to WR)

BEN: There was a time when Terrelle Pryor was the lone bright spot on a progressively more sad season for the Browns. That time is gone. No longer can he be viewed as the man who can do everything. He is now the man who is doing nothing right. Dropping balls, causing false starts, he's become more of a ghost than the Browns' dreams of a single victory. RGIII isn't a rookie anymore and the run game isn't a threat to draw the coverage necessary to allow Pryor more chances at glory. There is no reason to pin any more of your hopes on players from hopeless teams and/or with torn ligaments in their finger. He's a cut in 10-and-12-team leagues of all types.

All stats a salad...according to Adam "Pac-Man" Jones, Pryor is garbage. But I don't think that's a fair statement. This man is iron like a lion in Zion. Just look at his Twitter: two consecutive posts that have little to do with lions but prominently feature pictures of lion faces. 'Cause we all have scars, folks. Side note: big fan of the eye emoji.

Jordan Reed (TE, WAS) - 98% Owned

WK15: 1-of-1 target for six yards, zero TD; one punch
WK13-WK15: 2-of-2 targets for 16 yards, zero TD
WK16: Bears (21st in points allowed to TE)

BEN: Jordan Reed spent his three quarters in Week 15's Monday night game being invisible, nabbing a single target before he was ejected for throwing a punch at an opponent's helmet. He was a failure as a blocker and made zero impact as a receiving threat, hurting him in both real life and fantasy. With an injured shoulder and apparently bad attitude, all Reed can do is help fantasy teams not make the playoffs, the same way he is helping the Redskins. Cut in all formats where a better option exists, which should be quite a few.

All stats a salad...Reed being injury prone makes me feel better for alternate reality Ben who didn't draft Rob Gronkowski and waited to get Reed. Either way, we would have been screwed in the playoffs, so I have that going for me. Otherwise, I would have to share this sentiment from Sports Illustrated's football and soccer editor Adam Duerson. I can at least empathize with you, sir.

Hot Seat - Sending Warning Signals

Derek Carr (QB, OAK) - 93% Owned

WK15: 19-of-30 for 213 yards, one TD, one INT
WK13-WK15: 55-of-106 for 590 yards, three TD, one INT
WK16: Colts (24th in points allowed to QB)

BEN: The Raiders are going to the playoffs, yes! This is exactly what we needed as football fans and society. All those years of failure and now the team stares at success while their man-child owner tries to move them to Las Vegas now that they don't suck. Speaking of suck, Derek Carr has not been bumping since he hurt his finger a few weeks back. Following the injury, he hasn't taken a snap under center, instead going all shotgun and pistol, which has hurt the run game in the process. His team may be in the playoffs but seeding and the division aren't set in stone so the Raiders still need him to produce. And so do you, Carr. Get it together, homie.

All stats a salad...Carr is a believer! He makes a lot of references to 'Him' and the 'One,' but doesn't always specify what he means. I'm narrowing down my assumption to either Neo or Joboo. Considering that if Major League's Pedro Cerrano played football, he would likely be a Raider, I'm going with Joboo. Also, there are a lot of skull emojis being thrown around and the ole Jolly Roger and Jobu could share some rum together.

Jay Ajayi (RB, MIA) - 97% Owned

WK15: 19 rushes for 51 yards, zero TD
WK13-WK15: 51 rushes for 160 yards, zero TD; 7-of-10 targets for 41 yards, zero TD
WK16: Bills (NUMBER ONE STUNNA against RB)

BEN: Jay Ajayi had some fantastic weeks in the middle of the season and some solid production since then. Sadly, the fall of Ryan Tannehill means Matt Moore and everybody on the defense in the box. I'm willing to disregard Moore's four TD game because, well, it was against the Jets. Granted, the Bills are in a full implosion swing...but Matt Moore is still himself. Can Ajayi rise up and produce when it counts most for his actual team and yours? Buffalo playing like an empty trash can being kicked down a hill against the run the last few weeks, there's hope. Here's looking at you, kid!

All stats a salad...Mike Pouncey is hurt, the Dolphins' run blocking is questionable and Ajayi is not breaking tackles like he had been earlier this season. With all that under consideration, let us take a moment to remember when Bryce Petty didn't die. My chest hurts just watching it. So no matter the issues Ajayi and the Dolphins have, they still aren't the Jets and that's reason enough for optimism for me. Props to Petty for completing the pass.