Week 8 Fantasy Football Droppables: Time to Let Chris Hogan Go?

Chris Hogan is the fourth option, at best, in New England's passing game. He can be let go in most fantasy leagues.

Early in the week, the fantasy football community is focused on the waiver wire. Of course, to pick up one player, you must drop another. This column covers the other side of that transaction. Get acquainted with our Week 8 Droppables.

As always, remember that these are not players you must drop. Specific league parameters, such as starting lineup requirements, roster size, and number of teams, will go a long way toward determining who should be dropped, and who should be kept. Droppables, then, can still be roster-worthy, but no longer deserve a guaranteed spot on a roster in most leagues.

Chris Hogan, WR, Patriots

Hogan caught six of seven targets for 63 yards in New England’s 38-31 win over Chicago in Week 7. While he appears to be trending in the right direction, it’s a concern that the six catches and seven targets represented new season-highs for him. Remember, too, that the Patriots were playing without Rob Gronkowski, which certainly added to Hogan’s volume. Hogan once again trailed Julian Edelman and Josh Gordon in snap rate, and not only because he dealt with a minor leg issue early in the game. They both played 95% of the team’s snaps, while Hogan was down at two-thirds of the plays. His role simply isn’t large enough to warrant keeping him around if there’s a move you need to make elsewhere.

Marshawn Lynch, RB, Raiders

Lynch is expected to miss at least three weeks with a groin injury, which takes us to Week 11. At that point, there will be two weeks remaining in the typical fantasy regular season, and that assumes the rosiest possible timetable for a 32-year-old running back recovering from a soft-tissue injury. I’m skeptical that will be the case. Unless you’re sitting at 7-0 or 6-1 and are all but assured of a playoff spot, making Lynch’s dodgy prospects for the rest of the future a risk worth taking, you can feel free to let him go.

Keke Coutee, WR, Texans

Coutee in Week 7 aggravated the hamstring injury that cost him three games earlier this year, and is already a longshot to play against the Dolphins in Week 8, partially because it’s the Thursday night game. Still. Coutee is third in the pecking order for targets behind DeAndre Hopkins and Will Fuller, he’ll almost certainly miss this week’s game, and the Texans still haven’t had their bye, which arrives in Week 10. In other words, Coutee will be available in two of the weeks remaining before Thanksgiving in a best-case scenario, and he’ll still be scrounging for targets in those games. That’s not someone you need to keep on your roster.

Peyton Barber, RB, Buccaneers

Barber predictably reverted to his fantasy valueless ways when facing a defense other than Atlanta’s in Week 7, running for 30 yards on 11 carries in the win over the Browns. He failed to catch either of his two targets, and watched as Ronald Jones scored his first touchdown of the season on a two-yard run. Outside of his big game against the Falcons’ terrible defense, Barber has 230 yards on 61 carries and two receptions for 13 yards this season. Week 6 was nothing more than a mirage.

Notable Omissions

Derrick Henry, RB, Titans

Henry was on the other side of this column last week, but a few important developments have staved off the Droppable treatment for him since then. First, he scored a touchdown and showed up in the passing game in the Titans’ Week 7 loss to the Chargers. Second, Marcus Mariota had one of his better games of the season, throwing for 237 yards and 7.41 yards per attempt. I still don’t want to be in a position where I have to start Henry, but I’m happy to have him as a depth option when the Titans return from their Week 8 bye.

Nelson Agholor, WR, Eagles

Agholor was a non-factor again in Week 7, catching six passes for 20 yards. Since Alshon Jeffery returned in Week 4, Agholor has 18 catches for 176 yards, taking a backset to both Jeffery and Zach Ertz. Agholor is a boom-or-bust player, but the booms can be loud enough to keep him on a roster in most leagues. The Eagles are one of the six teams on bye in Week 9, though, so Agholor could easily be on the other side of this column if he doesn’t deliver in Week 8.

Duke Johnson, RB, Browns

Nick Chubb is clearly in command of Cleveland’s backfield, getting 18 carries and two targets, compared with five touches for Johnson, in the team’s first game since trading Carlos Hyde to Jacksonville. Still, it would be hasty to drop Johnson immediately in light of that performance. Chubb ran the ball well, totaling 80 yards and a touchdown, but the Browns offense didn’t have the success expected of it in a great matchup with the soft Buccaneers’ defense. Baker Mayfield threw for just 6.32 YPA, and the team totaled 4.92 yards per play. Those struggles could help Johnson earn a larger role in the offense going forward.