Fantasy Football 2019: Players You Can Drop Before Week 8
Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
Week 7 is in the books. It is now time for fantasy owners to drop certain players underperforming, especially with all the teams on bye weeks in Week 8. With seven weeks of data, fantasy owners have a large enough sample size to make informed decisions about which rostered players belong on the waiver wire.
The difference between winning a championship or not could be as small as a decision to drop a player that you thought was a sleeper, but turned out to be a bust. It’s been proven that the most dominant fantasy owners understand the importance of foresight. Sometimes, you simply have to move on, just as NFL teams move on from players throughout the season. We have already seen a number of teams do this, including the Giants handing the reigns from veteran Eli Manning to rookie Daniel Jones.
You do not want to overreact to one week of poor statistics (such as Kenny Golladay producing one catch for 21 yards), but at the same time, don’t hold onto a player just because you are afraid to let go. Of course, fantasy owners also have to manage injuries and drop players who may not return in time to contribute to a postseason run. So without further ado, here are some players fantasy owners should not hesitate to drop after seven weeks of NFL action.
Quarterback
Flacco has been dreadful in consecutive games and the Broncos employ a ground-and-pound offense. Fantasy owners should not even consider rostering Flacco as a bye week replacement or as an emergency backup. As we saw with Marcus Mariota's benching for Ryan Tannehill in Tennessee, Flacco could be headed for the same fate. The former Super Bowl winner has failed to top 213 passing yards in four-of-seven games, and has only thrown multiple touchdowns in a game once in 2019.
My model projects Flacco as a quarterback with absolutely no fantasy worth in a pivotal upcoming three-week stretch. Following a Week 10 bye, he has brutal road games at Minnesota in Week 11 and at Buffalo in 12. Owners would be better served by adding New York Jets QB Sam Darnold (owned in less than 46% of leagues). With so many injuries at the position, Darnold can become a fantasy MVP with an outstanding schedule in weeks 9-15 (Dolphins, Giants, Redskins, Raiders, Bengals, Dolphins and Ravens). My model has him as a top-eight QB in all of those weeks. Sign me up. Send the struggling veteran to the wire.
Running Back
RB Kenyan Drake, Miami Dolphins
Drake, owned in over 89% of leagues, has been adequate in PPR formats, thanks to his production out of the backfield in the passing game. However, the veteran has voiced his desire to get out of Miami. Drake was out-snapped by the emerging Mark Walton in Week 7. Walton actually played 52% of Miami’s offensive snaps. He was the most promising player on offense for the Dolphins all day.
Drake has failed to top 44 yards on the ground in any game this season. It doesn’t help that he has failed to score a touchdown after nine trips to the end zone last season. My model projects Walton (owned in less than 22% of leagues) outperforming Drake the rest of the season.
Additionally, while obvious to some, owners should check to see if Cardinals RB Chase Edmonds (owned in less than 46% of leagues) or Lions RB Ty Johnson (owned in less than 3% of leagues) are available on waivers, should David Johnson or Kerryon Johnson continue to miss time with injuries. Ditch Drake now for one of the aforementioned players, all of whom have immense upside.
Wide Receivers
WR Nelson Agholor, Philadelphia Eagles
Many fantasy owners spent a significant portion of their FAAB money on the veteran wideout early in the season. Those owners were rewarded handsomely with 16 catches for 157 yards and two touchdowns in two games against Detroit and Atlanta. However, just like the rest of the Eagles’ offense, Agholor’s production has fallen off a cliff over the last month. The fifth-year wide receiver has just seven receptions for 86 yards and no touchdowns in his last four games. With DeSean Jackson on his way back from an abdomen injury, Agholor likely won’t get the opportunities he needs to flourish.
The Eagles have a brutal upcoming stretch, with a road game at Buffalo this Sunday, followed by home games against Chicago in Week 9 and New England in Week 11. With the strong possibility that Vikings WR Adam Thielen will miss time due to a hamstring injury, go out and grab Bisi Johnson. The rookie hauled in four-of-eight targets for 40 yards and a touchdown in Week 7 after Thielen went down.
WR Antonio Brown, Free Agent
Can someone please tag Antonio Brown on his social media so perhaps he could second this recommendation? How on earth is Brown still owned in over 49% of leagues? He has been an NFL free agent since Week 2. Why are so many fantasy owners wasting a valuable roster spot on a player clearly not destined to return this season? We are now coming into the pivotal weeks of the fantasy season, with the playoffs only six short weeks away. Every rostered player should be viewed as vital to a potential championship run. I understand that Brown is a game-changer, but the speculation about teams gaining interest in him are not merited. No organization wants the drama and baggage that would accompany a potential Brown signing. Move on, folks.
Tight End
TE Delanie Walker, Tennessee Titans
Walker, owned in more than 84% of leagues, started the season with a bang. The veteran hauled in five passes for 55 yards and two touchdowns in the Titans' Week 1 upset of the Browns. However, Walker has just five receptions combined in his last four games, and has failed to find the end zone in six straight games.
In Week 7, Walker was forced to exit early with an ankle injury before even seeing a target. Fantasy owners would be better served cutting Walker and targeting Rams TE Gerald Everett (still available in more than 38% of leagues). In Everett's last three games, he leads all tight ends in targets (26), air yards (240), and ranks 19th among all pass catchers in receiving yards (195). Everett has a favorable matchup Sunday against the Bengals and has become a significant piece of the Rams' aerial attack. Make the move now if you can.
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