The Cut List - Time to Let Go? Who to Drop for Fantasy Football Week 5

October 6, 2026

Rob's fantasy football players to drop when making waiver wire moves for Week 5 (2026). He helps fantasy football managers decide on who to cut from rosters.

Last week, there were a high number of big names who graced this article - Justin Herbert, Marvin Harrison Jr., Brian Thomas Jr., Chris Godwin Jr. - and while it was just one week, none of them have me regretting my decision thus far. Yes, Harrison and Thomas both found the end zone, but neither of them did much else, finishing with 12 and 17 yards, respectively.

A number of big names are struggling mightily this season, but with the insane number of injuries and bye weeks around the corner, fantasy managers are likely feeling pressure to hold onto some of these players, who might otherwise have played their way onto the waiver wire.

Cuts shouldn't be emotional; they should be based on utilization. Production can lie; usage tells us the whole story. While we all sometimes want to drop a struggling player, the addition needs to be worthwhile, so before making any cuts, check out my Week 5 waiver wire article.

Quarterbacks to Consider Cutting

Kyler Murray, Minnesota Vikings - 65.0% Rostered

When it comes to quarterbacks, fantasy managers need to understand what kind of league they're playing in. In some leagues, everyone rosters two guys, and the best one available is QB26. In others, only 15 quarterbacks are rostered, so the waiver wire is plentiful. Be cognizant of which league you're in. If 20+ quarterbacks are rostered, you may want to hold onto Murray.

Murray, however, has given fantasy managers few reasons to keep him. He's been downright awful. In the last two weeks, Murray has scored 10.4 and 11.4 points. He's averaging just 6.1 yards per attempt and has just one touchdown this season. There are 33 qualifying quarterbacks, and Murray is 32nd in standard fantasy points per dropback, ahead of only Daniel Jones.

He's simply not playing good football. Unfortunately, this isn't new for Murray. Since 2022, Murray is averaging just 214 passing yards and 1.18 touchdowns a game. Over 17 games, that equates to 3,637 yards and 20 touchdowns. Worse, Murray hasn't used his legs much in the last two games.

Vikings in 2 full games with Kyler Murray

- 23 drives
- 1 TD
- 1 kneel (could be TD)
- 8 field goal attempts

— Michael F. Florio (@MichaelFFlorio) October 4, 2026

He has just 33 rushing yards over the last two games. Last year, he averaged 5.8 carries and 34.6 rushing yards per game. This year, he's averaging four carries and 16.5 rushing yards per game. This is despite facing Tampa Bay and Miami, two 0-4 teams.

Other Quarterbacks to Consider Cutting:

• Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers - 72.7% Rostered (Listed last week)
• Daniel Jones, Indianapolis Colts - 23.1% Rostered
• Malik Willis, Miami Dolphins - 10.9% Rostered

Running Backs to Consider Cutting

Jadarian Price, Seattle Seahawks - 83.1% Rostered 

If your league has IR spots and you have an opening there (some teams with the amount of injuries we've had might have their IR filled up), I'm stashing him there. However, if your league doesn't have an IR spot or your IR is already filled up with A.J. Brown and Jordan Mason, Price is a cuttable player.

Jadarian Price Not Expected to Miss Rest of Season

https://t.co/fGRVNAoCZG

— RotoBaller NFL (@RotoBallerNFL) October 4, 2026

It's a somewhat unbelievable notion, but he scored just 6.8 and 4.5 half-PPR points in his first two games. In those games, Emanuel Wilson and George Holani combined for seven carries inside the 10-yard line. Price had just two. Inside the five-yard line, Wilson and Holani had six carries to Price's one. Inside the three-yard line, Wilson and Holani had five to Price's zero.

Price was nothing more than a between-the-20s running back who wasn't getting any high-value touches. He wasn't being used in the passing game or near the end zone. Zach Charbonnet has begun practicing and could return to action in Week 6. Emanuel Wilson is playing well, and the Seahawks just signed Joe Mixon to their practice squad.

What's the ceiling here? We know this will be a committee. We know Charbonnet will get all the scoring opportunities once he's healthy because that happened last year with Kenneth Walker III. Even if someone gets hurt, Price is still in a committee. I'd rather roster Emmett Johnson and Ray Davis, basically any handcuff on an upper-tier offense. Price seems to be the definition of a roster clogger.

Tyjae Spears, Tennessee Titans - 40.7% Rostered

Going into the season, many thought this would be a split backfield, creating a scenario where Spears could become the 1A. That simply has not been remotely true.

Through four games, Tony Pollard has 54 carries, while Spears has just 15. Pollard actually has more receptions (eight) than Spears has targets (seven). If anything, Pollard is creating even more separation from Spears. His contingency value isn't even anything to get excited about.

Last year, Spears dealt with a few injuries and only played 13 games. Pollard finished with 242 rushes, 41 targets, and 33 receptions. From a touches perspective, he had plenty of upside. Unfortunately, because of the state of the offense, he finished as the RB30, averaging 10.0 half-PPR PPG.

Given that the coaching staff clearly thinks Pollard is better than Spears, even if Pollard misses time, RB30 seems like the realistic ceiling. That's assuming rookie Nicholas Singleton doesn't get involved, which should be the expectation.

Spears is nothing more than a handcuff, and a very boring one, with a minimal ceiling at that. Other players on the waiver wire likely have more season-long potential.

Other Running Backs to Consider Cutting: 

• George Holani, Seattle Seahawks - 16.6% Rostered

Wide Receivers to Consider Cutting

Courtland Sutton, Denver Broncos - 82.5% Rostered 

Bo Nix has been terrible through four weeks, and while he deserves plenty of the blame, Sutton hasn't done much to help. Sutton has just one game with more than 25 yards. His high score so far is 6.1 half-PPR points. He's averaging 3.3 half-PPR PPG.

I'm aware Pat Bryant suffered a high-ankle sprain and will likely miss a few weeks, but nothing Sutton has done this year has given anyone confidence that he'll be able to take advantage of the lack of target competition. That's because running back R.J. Harvey currently leads the team in targets, so target competition isn't the problem.

74 receivers have run 80 routes. Sutton is 44th in target share, 47th in target rate, and 69th in yards per route run. He's also 69th in fantasy points per route run and 69th in half-PPR PPG in that sample.

Since he's a full-time starter, if you're ransacked by injuries or the waiver wire is desolate, don't feel obligated to cut him, but Sutton has absolutely played himself on the waiver wire.

Michael Pittman Jr., Pittsburgh Steelers - 78.2% Rostered

Pittman was inactive for Week 2, but has played in the team's other three games. In those three contests, Pittman is fourth with 12, just one more than No. 2 tight end Darnell Washington. He's fifth among Pittsburgh pass-catchers with at least 10 routes in yards per route run.

He had 58 yards in Week 1, but in Weeks 3 and 4, Pittman had just 16 and 15 yards, respectively. Pittman's skill set is not conducive to fantasy scoring without a lot of volume. He's not one to rip off a 60-yard touchdown. He needs a bunch of targets to rack up multiple catches.

Pittman and Aaron Rodgers simply do not seem to be on the same page. Rodgers seems to have taken to D.K. Metcalf, Roman Wilson, and Pat Freiermuth. Unfortunately for Pittman, once you're in Rodgers' doghouse, there's not much you can do.

I'd rather have Adonai Mitchell, Tre' Harris, Caleb Douglas, Antonio Williams, Jaylin Noel, Tre Tucker, Malik Washington, and Roman Wilson, all of whom could potentially be on your league's waiver wire.

Other Receivers to Consider Cutting:

• Marvin Harrison Jr., Arizona Cardinals - 72.4% Rostered
• Brian Thomas Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars - 66.9% Rostered
• Chris Godwin Jr., Tampa Bay Buccaneers - 60.1% Rostered
• Quentin Johnston, Los Angeles Chargers - 52.4% Rostered

Tight Ends to Consider Cutting

Jake Ferguson, Dallas Cowboys - 78.8% Rostered

In Weeks 2 and 3, Ferguson found the end zone three times. That's 18 points right there, just from touchdowns. No points for yards and receptions. He finished with 26.1 half-PPR points in those two games. That is the very definition of a touchdown-dependent tight end. In the other two games where he didn't score, he finished with a combined 4.2 half-PPR points.

In three games this season, he has finished with fewer than five targets. He has less than 15 receiving yards in two of them, and under 25 in three. Through four games, CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, and Ryan Flournoy all have more targets than Ferguson.

40 tight ends have at least 40 routes run through four weeks. Ferguson is 34th in target share, 38th in target rate, 38th in yards per route run, and 35th in fantasy points per route run.

Other Tight Ends to Consider Cutting:

• Kyle Pitts Sr., Atlanta Falcons - 77.1% Rostered

On the Hot Seat

Bo Nix, Denver Broncos - 76.4% Rostered

Through four weeks, Nix is currently last in intended air yards per attempt among all qualifying quarterbacks. Despite averaging just 5.4 intended air yards per attempt, Nix is completing just 60% of his passes. This offense just looks off, and it all starts with Nix.

"I think great play-callers have a rare ability to figure out a way to get QBs in rhythm..

There's a disconnect right now early on in games with this Broncos offense and that's the biggest issue..

Yesterday was more on Bo Nix not pulling the trigger" ~ @danorlovsky7 #PMSLive https://t.co/jiB0rMcAiT

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) October 5, 2026

He's been held to under 15 points in three out of four games this season. He scored 24.1 points in Week 3 against the Rams after a rushing touchdown. This was the only game in which he scored more than one touchdown. He's been held to under 215 passing yards in three out of four games.

Nix is going to get a few more weeks because he was a top-12 quarterback last year, and he showed he can score points with his legs. That really hasn't happened this year, but I'm holding out hope Sean Payton takes over play-calling duties soon, which could give the offense a solid boost.

More Waiver Wire Analysis