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Our time in fantasy land is dwindling, and it’s all systems go for postseason play. Squads need to be trimmed of all the fat and what-ifs, so they are streamlined for success over these next few weeks.
Below is a look at some players who can be dropped and sent packing as we head down the stretch of both the NFL and fantasy seasons. (Here’s a list of players I suggested to stash before the playoffs started.)
Kareem Hunt, RB, Browns (81 percent rostered on Yahoo)
The time has finally arrived for Kareem Hunt to become someone else’s headache. Managers have held on hoping the 27-year-old would return to what we’ve known from Hunt over his career, which is two fantasy RB1 finishes in half-PPR points per game in 2017 and 2018 with the Chiefs, followed by an RB3 output in his first year in Cleveland, then back-to-back fantasy RB2 campaigns in 2020 and 2021.
Instead, we’ve seen just 8.2 carries and 2.1 receptions per contest this season, resulting in a meager 7.5 half-PPR points per tilt, which currently sits 48th among RBs. Hunt’s touches per game land as RB49 this season, while his teammate Nick Chubb is averaging 16.5 as the RB5 in that category. It’s clear that Hunt’s role in this offense has diminished, and to pile on, the Browns still face two defensive units that rank among the top five in schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed to the RB position in Weeks 15 (BAL 4th) and Week 17 (WAS 3rd). While it may induce some queasiness to let Hunt go after waiting this entire season, it may be for the betterment of your squad moving forward.
Foster Moreau, TE, Raiders (52% rostered)
I’m sure there won’t be much devastation or heartbreak involved in this drop, but with Darren Waller possibly set to return and touchdown dependency the only thing keeping him partially relevant, Moreau is no longer someone to roster moving forward.
The Vegas TE hasn’t caught more than three balls since Week 8 and has averaged 25 yards per game over his last four contests as the TE1 for the Raiders. To make things worse, Moreau faces the Steelers and 49ers in Weeks 16 and 17, whose defensive units rank 13th and fifth in the NFL, respectively, in TE aFPA this season. I know the position is very sparse, but it’s win-or-go-home time, so we need to find maximum points down the stretch.
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He was on this list just a few weeks ago, but Duvernay is back since he’s still rostered by 49% of Yahoo managers. The QB situation in Baltimore is careening toward a cliff, with Lamar Jackson’s knee injury costing him 1-3 weeks and Tyler Huntley in concussion protocol. This offense is already very run-heavy, and now we could be looking at Anthony Brown under center in Week 15 against the Browns.
Duvernay has just 11 total receptions since Week 9 and has averaged a rough 4.1 half-PPR points per contest in that time frame. With J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards back in the mix, things may get worse for the Baltimore pass-catchers, which isn’t saying much since they already sit 27th in pass attempts as an offense (28.9 per game) and 28th in completions (18.5 per game).
There are 37% of Yahoo managers still rostering Edwards-Helaire despite his not seeing the field since Week 11 and the Chiefs backfield thriving in his absence. Over the last three contests with CEH on the shelf, rookie Isiah Pacheco and Jerick McKinnon have posted an average of 13.7 and 15.3 half-PPR points per tilt, respectively.
The KC RB has an IR designation until Week 17 and is not worth the spot on anyone’s squad at this point in the fantasy season. Make room for someone who has more potential for the remainder of the season, like Zonovan White or Travis Homer.
Injury Drops
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Deebo Samuel, WR, 49ers: You may want to grab a paper bag before hitting that drop button, but Samuel can be let go in leagues with Championship Games in Week 17. Samuel sustained an ankle injury on Sunday and will most likely be out until Week 18 at a minimum, but probably will be sidelined until the real NFL playoffs.
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Kyler Murray, QB, Cardinals: Sadly, Murray reportedly suffered a torn ACL on the third play in Monday night’s game against the Patriots. You’ll have to find a new QB for the fantasy postseason if he’s the one who got you there.
Injured, But Hold
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.