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With under a handful of games to go before the fantasy postseason, it’s imperative to trim the fat from our rosters in order to maximize weekly output. While sometimes we get emotional attachments to players or feel like we’ll experience some sort of FOMO after they’re dropped, we have to shake it off and realize it’s for the betterment of the squad.
Here is this week’s list of players who are possibly weighing down your respective rosters as we head down the stretch. If you’re looking for some players to stash for future use, I have you covered there as well.
Chase Claypool, WR, Bears (61 percent rostered on Yahoo)
Staying true to my word from last week’s column, Claypool got one more week to show his fantasy stuff, and now he’s officially droppable after a 2.1 half-PPR performance as WR82 in Week 11. Snap share hasn’t hit 50% in any of Claypool’s three games as a Bear, and he’s averaged just 3.6 targets per contest in that time frame.
With QB Justin Fields dealing with a shoulder injury (non-throwing) and a stout Jets secondary on tap this week, followed by tilts against the Packers, Eagles, and Bills, who sit 12th, fifth, and 19th in WR schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed, or aFPA, Claypool is droppable as he won’t crack WR5 territory.
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Darrell Henderson, RB, Rams (63% rostered)
Frustration and Darrell Henderson are synonymous this season, and it’s time to finally let him go. He has seen double-digit touches just once in the last four games and is averaging an inefficient 5.05 half-PPR points in that time frame. The Rams’ offense is a shell of what it was in 2021, and they’re now without Cooper Kupp and possibly Matthew Stafford for some time, as well.
Cam Akers assumed lead-back duties last week, which now leaves Henderson splitting the scraps with rookie Kyren Williams. There are 63% of Yahoo managers still holding on to the thought of a resurgence, but please feel free to let Henderson and the stress of rostering him go.
Nyheim Hines, RB, Bills (55% rostered)
People have been asking me if Hines is droppable for about nine weeks now, and he’s been a tough one to navigate, particularly because of the team switch after being traded a few weeks ago and his past experience as a PPR darling. It’s finally time to give up on any league-winning upside for Hines in 2022, as the writing appears to be on the wall in Buffalo.
The fifth-year back has just one carry for negative eight yards and one catch for nine yards in his three-game tenure with the Bills for a whopping .6 total half-PPR fantasy points in three contests. Devin Singletary is the clear lead back, with James Cook coming on strong in Week 11 with an 11-86-0 line. The 55% of managers still rostering Hines are better off with Latavius Murray, Cook, or even Akers.
Usually, members of high-powered offenses don’t frequent this article, and I’m bucking the trend by giving you back-to-back Bills. McKenzie has fallen out of fantasy favor at a slow-ish pace, but it’s finally time to swap him out for a more productive WR. The 27-year-old hasn’t found the end zone since Week 4 and has only topped 50 receiving yards once in 2022.
When this Buffalo offense is healthy, he’s not part of the plan, and they appear to not need him as the Bills have scored the second-most points in the NFL thus far with 281. Keep those fantasy playoff hopes alive with a pivot to a more involved wideout like Treylon Burks or Donovan Peoples-Jones.
Jahan Dotson, WR, Commanders (18% rostered)
The breakout for Dotson has been postponed until next season, as it doesn’t appear to be happening in this current iteration of the Washington offense. His early success in 2022 came with Carson Wentz under center, and now he’s up against a much run-heavier game plan, limiting targets for the rookie.
He’s just not a viable fantasy option in regular redraft leagues moving forward, so send Dotson off to lay in a lounger or play golf until the 2023 draft season commences.
Injury drops
Happy Thanksgiving everyone, I hope you all have a wonderful day filled with family, friends, friends that are family, tons of food, and of course, football!
This article was originally published on 4for4.com
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A proud alumna of the UGA Grady College of Journalism, Jennifer Eakins has been working in the sports industry for well over a decade. She has had stints with CNN Sports, the Atlanta Hawks and the Colorado Rockies. Her first fantasy football draft took place in 1996 where she selected Ricky Watters with the first overall pick, and she has been a fantasy degenerate ever since.