The Cut List - Time to Let Go? Who to Drop for Fantasy Football Week 9

November 3, 2026

Rob's fantasy football players to drop when making waiver wire moves for Week 9 (2026). He helps fantasy football managers decide on who to cut from rosters.

After weeks of watching players drive us crazy and finally reaching a point where we're comfortable sending them to the waiver wire, we still have to wait until the NFL trade deadline. Several players who have graced this series throughout the year are now subject to trade talks.

Historically speaking, midseason NFL trades rarely mean much for fantasy football, at least from a production standpoint. However, these trades can have a big impact on their name value and increase their fantasy value in the short term. That alone can give us reason to hold

Whenever we cut someone, we do have to add someone. This article will help guide you on who to drop, who to hang onto, and who is on their last legs. If you need help deciding who to add, check out my Week 9 waiver wire article.

Fantasy Football Quarterbacks to Consider Cutting

Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers - 72% Rostered

Young feels more like a strong streamer than an every-week starter despite a torrent start. However, it's fair to wonder just how much of that has had to do with the schedule.

• Week 1 vs Chicago (10th-most fantasy points allowed to QBs; 38.4 points)
• Week 2 vs Atlanta (20th-most fantasy points allowed; 30.0 points)
• Week 3 vs Cleveland (25th-most fantasy points allowed; 16.6 points)
• Week 4 vs Detroit (Most fantasy points allowed; 25.4 points)
• Week 5 - Bye
• Week 6 vs Philadelphia (Eighth-most fantasy points allowed; 23.8 points)
• Week 7 vs Tampa Bay (29th-most fantasy points allowed; 9.4 points)
• Week 8 vs Green Bay (27th-most fantasy points allowed; 13.3 points)

Three of his best four performances this season were against teams in the top-10 in most points allowed to quarterbacks. In the past two weeks, against two of the more difficult fantasy matchups, he has fallen flat on his face. Unfortunately, for Young and fantasy managers, his remaining schedule is quite difficult.

• Week 9 vs Denver (17th-most fantasy points allowed to QBs)
• Week 10 vs New Orleans (23rd-most fantasy points allowed)
• Week 11 vs Baltimore (10th-most fantasy points allowed)
• Week 12 vs Tampa Bay (29th-most fantasy points allowed)
• Week 13 vs Minnesota (Fewest points allowed)
• Week 14 vs New Orleans (23rd-most fantasy points allowed)
• Week 15 vs Cincinnati (11th-most fantasy points allowed)
• Week 16 vs Pittsburgh (30th-most points allowed)
• Week 17 vs Seattle (31st-most points allowed)

That is a brutal fantasy football schedule: he'll face the Steelers in Week 16, often the game to reach the championship, then Seattle in the fantasy football championship. In six out of his remaining nine games, he faces defenses in the top-10 in fewest points allowed to quarterbacks.

The schedule is the biggest problem, but injuries along the offensive line and to Young himself are too. Young is dealing with a knee injury. The offensive line is incredibly beat up, and it's negatively affecting on this offense can operate.

It's hard to imagine cutting the QB11, and before you do, you should definitely look to trade him. However, given his play the last two weeks and the upcoming schedule, interest in him is likely to be extremely minimal, especially in single-quarterback leagues.

Other Quarterbacks to Consider Cutting:

• Jacoby Brissett, Arizona Cardinals - 49% Rostered
• Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers - 44% Rostered
• Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers - 26% Rostered

Fantasy Football Running Backs to Consider Cutting

Omarion Hampton, Los Angeles Chargers - 94% Rostered

I'll admit, I'm late to this party. However, in my defense, in a 12-team league with all the injuries and bye weeks, it's hard to cut a former first-round NFL draft pick who was likely picked in the second or third round of fantasy drafts. It would just take him falling into the end zone in back-to-back weeks to regain some decent trade value.

The #Chargers have gone 27 straight possessions without scoring a TD.

• Last offensive TD: October 11
• 9 straight quarters without a TD
• 15 points since, all field goals
• 0/4 in the red zone
• At least one turnover in every game this season (17 total)

They're now 0-7 on the season.

— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) November 2, 2026

However, given the state of things in Los Angeles, it seems incredibly unlikely he'll, or any other Charger, for that matter, find their way into the end zone in consecutive weeks. Hampton has three touchdowns this season, each in a different game. In those three games, he's averaging 12.3 half-PPR PPG. In his other four games, he's averaging 4.9 half-PPR PPG.

It's been three contests since Hampton finished with more than 40 scrimmage yards. In his last four games, he's averaging just 12 touches per game. Keaton Mitchell and Kimani Vidal continue to mix in, making for an ugly, unproductive three-man backfield. That would be a death sentence for fantasy purposes, all on its own, but the Chargers being a bottom-five offense is the nail in the coffin. It's officially time. It was time two weeks ago.

J.K. Dobbins, Denver Broncos - 79% Rostered

From Weeks 5-7, Dobbins scored a touchdown. He averaged 11.6 half-PPR PPG. In his five touchdown-less games, Dobbins averaged 3.9 half-PPR PPG. This past weekend, despite R.J. Harvey being placed on IR, Dobbins played only 13 snaps and took a major backseat to rookie Jonah Coleman.

Denver had 11 goal-line snaps this past weekend, and Dobbins was on the field for zero of them. This is probably a good time to remind you of what his PPG average is when he doesn't score. Coleman simply looks like the far better player. That's true of Harvey too; for all his inconsistencies as a runner, he's electric in the passing game.

If the Broncos don't add Jonathon Taylor via trade, look for this backfield to become a two-man show between Harvey and Coleman once Harvey returns. Until then, it'll be the Coleman show. It certainly was this past weekend. He played 41 snaps to Dobbins' 13. The writing is on the wall for Dobbins.

Emanuel Wilson, Seattle Seahawks - 59% Rostered

Wilson had a good run as Seattle's No. 1 running back. However, with Jadarian Price and Zach Charbonnet both active for the first time this season, Wilson did not play a single snap. Price led the backfield with 30 snaps, followed by Charbonnet with 23 and George Holani with 11.

Wilson did not play a single snap on Monday Night and is clearly the team's No. 4 running back on the team's depth chart. His value fell from RB2/3 to irrelevance.

Fantasy Football Wide Receivers to Consider Cutting

Xavier Worthy, Kansas City Chiefs - 69% Rostered

Worthy doesn't have a single game this season with more than 11.0 half-PPR points. That's despite Rashee Rice having missed four games this season, seemingly opening the door for Worthy to operate as the Chiefs' No. 1 receiver. Rice was back this week, and Worthy finished with 13 yards. He has now had back-to-back games with three catches, under 15 yards, and fewer than 3.0 half-PPR points.

The #Chiefs appear to be really only looking at WR before the deadline. They've been looking and will continue to have conversations and I get the sense things will pick up and a move is more likely than not.

— James Palmer (@JamesPalmerTV) November 2, 2026

Reports indicate Kansas City will be very active and aggressive at receiver this season, and there's good reason for that. Reports indicate they've talked to the Jaguars about Brian Thomas Jr. and the Colts about Josh Downs. Once the move is made, Worthy will fall to fourth on the team's target hierarchy or worse.

Fantasy Football Tight Ends to Consider Cutting

Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens - 65% Rostered

Andrews has one game with more than 4.0 half-PPR points in his last six games. He's scored one touchdown this year and scored 11.2 half-PPR points. In his other seven games, he's averaging 4.1 half-PPR PPG.

Lamar Jackson "likely" out for the remainder of the season (@RapSheet)

— RotoBaller NFL (@RotoBallerNFL) November 2, 2026

He doesn't have a single game this season with more than 50 yards. He hasn't eclipsed 30 yards since Week 2. Now, with Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley both out for the foreseeable future, his floor and ceiling are even lower.

Other Tight Ends to Consider Cutting:

• Juwan Johnson, New Orleans Saints - 57% Rostered
• Jake Ferguson, Dallas Cowboys - 46% Rostered
• Tyler Higbee, Los Angeles Rams - 25% Rostered

Hold

A.J. Brown, New England Patriots - 96% Rostered

Brown was sidelined for four weeks with a high-ankle sprain. He returned and has scored 3.2 and 6.3 half-PPR points in two games. This past weekend, he was ruled out due to knee and ankle issues.

In June, Eliot Wolf acknowledged A.J. Brown had a degenerative knee condition but the Patriots medical signed off on the trade.

Fast forward to this week and Brown has a knee issue that's flared up and his status for Sunday is up in the air https://t.co/q7ep30dK6G

— Mark Daniels (@ByMarkDaniels) October 29, 2026

Reports also indicated that the Rams chose not to pursue a Brown trade because of his knee. This is certainly concerning, along with how unproductive he's been this season. While reports say Brown is hopeful to practice this week, fantasy managers should be extremely worried they'll never get even remotely close to the kind of productivity that matches the cost they paid to get him on their team.

Unfortunately for fantasy managers, they have little choice but to keep AJB and hope for a few big games so they can potentially flip him. Even if that doesn't happen, as long as he can get back on the field, fantasy managers should value him as a boom-or-bust WR2.

Still Holding

• Tre Tucker, Las Vegas Raiders - 74% Rostered
• Omar Cooper Jr., New York Jets 73% Rostered
• R.J. Harvey, Denver Broncos - 69% Rostered

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