This is a fun column to write — one of my favorites. And I say that as someone who writes a dozen-plus fantasy columns a week in-season. There’s something cathartic about just being able to say out loud that a player has to go. Four weeks into the season, we’re getting a good idea of who should and shouldn’t be rostered. And some of the players in the latter group are big names — players in whom fantasy managers invested significant draft capital.
Of course, it’s also still only a month into the season. Much can (and will change). Sometimes patience is advisable. Believe me, I want to include Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts here so bad I can taste it (What the actual hell? Is Arthur Smith still calling Atlanta every week to tell them to ignore Pitts? Never mind that even after last week’s goose-egg, he’s still a top-12 tight end in a year where that position has been a waking nightmare.) I may well list him here soon. But jumping the gun can backfire.
Of course, so can holding on too long — every spot occupied by a fantasy scrub is one that can’t be filled with someone who is actually useful. I can’t just scream to drop the same players every week — that would get boring quickly. So would advising dropping guys who are only rostered in a few leagues.
So, I try to walk a tightrope of sorts. I caution that just because a guy is listed here it doesn’t make him a must-drop — only that he’s most assuredly not a must-hold. I mention players who are actually rostered in a fair number of leagues. And then I, tastefully and respectfully, infer it might be time to consider showing them the door.
Yep. That’s me. Tasteful and respectful. Always.
(Waits for lightning strike…)
OK, let’s do this.
(Rostered percentages courtesy of Yahoo!)
QB Caleb Williams, Chicago (65 Percent Rostered – Droppable in Shallow Leagues)
While Jayden Daniels of the Washington Commanders has been re-writing the record books and racking up fantasy points, the player drafted just before him has, um, not. But while Williams hasn’t been piling up stats like Daniels, Bears head coach Matt Eberflus told reporters after last week’s win over the Los Angeles Rams that he’s been impressed by the progress Williams has shown on a weekly basis.
“He was better because I thought he looked down the field for the shots, and when they weren’t there, he took the checkdowns,” Eberflus said. “We got a lot of yards on those. So, I think that was better for him. Again, he’s got to keep improving every single week, but I do think that for him, the operation, honoring the football, taking care of the football is the No. 1 job of the quarterback — he did an excellent job of that today.”
Is Williams getting better as an NFL player? Yes. But he has one decent fantasy outing in four starts, is averaging less than 200 passing yards a game and ranks outside the top-20 quarterbacks in fantasy points. What are the odds that in consecutive drafts the team that picked first would want a mulligan on that pick — and that both selections would involve the Bears?
It could be worse — they could have drafted Bryce Young.
RB Carson Steele, Kansas City (61 Percent Rostered – Droppable in All Leagues)
Remember the good old days of like two weeks ago when Steele was this great story — the undrafted free agent forced into a starting role by the broken leg suffered by Isiah Pacheco? Unfortunately, that all happened a couple of fumbles ago — and Chiefs head coach Andy Reid acknowledged to reporters that Steele’s ball-security issues, while fixable, are a problem.
“Carson’s got to hang onto the ball, that’s the obvious one,” Reid said. “He traditionally hadn’t been a fumbler but – you know, we actually saw this with Kareem (Hunt) when he was young, so if that’s any positive to it. He’s got to figure that part out and make sure that he hangs onto the football.”
After Steele lost a fumble in last week’s win over the Los Angeles Chargers, it was milk carton time — Steele finished the game with three touches, while Kareem Hunt turned 16 touches into 85 total yards. Hunt is a proven pro who led the league in rushing during his first stint with Kansas City. Steele and his pet alligator are officially back to having plenty of time to spend FaceTiming one another while Steele warms Kansas City’s bench.
WR Keenan Allen, Chicago (84 Percent Rostered – Droppable in Shallow Leagues)
After 11 years and over 10,000 receiving yards with the Los Angeles Chargers, Allen was acquired by the Bears in the offseason to be a veteran safety blanket for Caleb Williams. After missing time with a heel injury, Allen was back out there in Week 4, and he told reporters he remains confident that he can be a productive member of the Chicago offense in 2024.
“That’s why we been playing it safe. Just going day-by-day with it, week-by-week, seeing how it feels,” Allen said. “Just all (us) guys, everybody, we’ve just got to find a way to execute better, execute the plays that are being called, and just accept the challenge of making everything right on the offense and just put it on our shoulders.”
The problem is that Allen received all of three targets last week against the Rams, catching them all for 19 yards (I’ll hold for applause here). Right now, Allen is at best the No. 3 option in a passing game that isn’t even averaging 170 yards per game — and that’s not going to get better as we move further into the season and the weather in Chicago gets nasty.
Allen has had a fantastic career. But if you wouldn’t drop him right now for Wan’Dale Robinson of the New York Giants, you’re living in the past.
WR Brandin Cooks, Dallas (29 Percent Rostered — Droppable in All Leagues)
Speaking of living in the past.
There was optimism entering the season that Cooks’ second season in Dallas would be more productive than the first. After all, he was a proven veteran with six 1,000-yard seasons, and the team needed someone to step up opposite CeeDee Lamb. But as Mike Crum wrote for Cowboys Wire, that has most assuredly not happened.
“One of the reasons there was hope for improvement for the 2024 Cowboys offense was that Brandin Cooks was coming into his second year with the offense,” he said. “He only has eight receptions for 75 yards and a touchdown in four games. CeeDee Lamb had a more productive night against the Giants than Cooks has had all season combined. He only had a single reception on four targets versus New York. He isn’t getting separation and isn’t an impactful player in the offense. Jalen Tolbert has outperformed Cooks with 10 receptions for 136 yards and a touchdown.”
It’s hard enough to justify rostering Tolbert, who had three catches for 24 yards against the Giants in Week 4. But unless you are in a ridiculously deep league, it’s impossible to rationalize keeping Cooks on the pretend payroll. He’s not even scoring touchdowns, ala the eight he had last season. Cooks was a valuable fantasy asset once upon a time. But we ain’t living in no fairy tale.
If we were, Kyle Pitts would be a real part of the Atlanta offense!
Deep breaths, Gary. Deep breaths.
TE Mike Gesicki, Cincinnati (49 Percent Rostered – Droppable in All Leagues)
Want to know how jacked up the tight end position has been in fantasy? Managers were actually happy to land Mike freaking Gesicki, who seemed a real part of the Cincinnati offense early in the season. While addressing the media, Bengals tight ends coach James Casey said Gesicki’s catch radius makes him a real threat in the red zone.
“He can still run and he’s an elite jumper with long arms,” he said. “I remember a play from either last season or the year before when he was in the back of the end zone and it was one of those it looked like the quarterback was throwing it away, but he jumps up and catches it. That was impressive. Not a lot of guys out there, even (wide) receivers come up with that play.”
The problems with Gesicki are twofold. First, after missing time earlier in the season, wide receiver Tee Higgins is back in the lineup for the Bengals. Then there’s the matter of rookie Erick All, who out-snapped Gesicki 40 to 22 in last week’s win in Carolina. Gesicki had one reception in that game — for negative-nine yards.
God I hate tight ends this year. All of them. Just on general principle.
Gary Davenport is a two-time Fantasy Sports Writers Association Football Writer of the Year. Yell at him on X at @IDPSharks
(Top photo of Caleb Williams: Tim Warner/Getty Images)
