Dead Weight Report: Week 7 Droppables
With bye weeks still a regular thing for the next six weeks and the threat of COVID wreaking havoc on the NFL schedule even more than we’ve seen thus far, the importance of keeping on top of the structure of your roster cannot be stressed enough.
We all have players who have underperformed this season, but it’s tough to know when to let them go. I’m here to help you rip off that proverbial band-aid.
In this weekly article, I comb through the weak and underwhelming performances to see who’s droppable in favor of some waiver wire magic. There are many variables in determining a player’s remaining worth, including their own production, offense and health, to name a few. All will be taken into consideration when determining each week’s dead weight.
T.Y. Hilton, WR – Colts
I understand dropping T.Y. Hilton may come with emotional distress or even a hearty shower cry, but the process leads us here. He has yet to post a double-digit day in half-PPR points. In fact, he is averaging a measly 5.7 points per contest this season. Hilton’s output puts him at the fantasy WR70, among a list of wideouts you would have already dropped.
Even when the Colts got down early in Week 6 against Cincy, Hilton saw just five targets, catching only one for 11 yards. He did have a touchdown called back due to a penalty, but that would have been his first time crossing the pylons in 2020. Hilton just doesn’t seem to have a productive connection with Philip Rivers, nor the explosiveness we saw in his younger days. If you have a deep bench, are winning and want to keep him around then go for it, but if you need checkmarks in the win column now, you may have to say goodbye to Hilton.
Malcolm Brown, RB – Rams
We’ve all been playing multiple rounds of “guess the RB” in L.A. this season. Maybe it’s time to end the game. Malcolm Brown has been in single digits in carries in his past four contests, and that number probably won’t get any larger with Cam Akers back in the mix.
I do understand wanting to hang onto Brown for his handcuff appeal, but the 27-year-old back has no stand-alone value right now. It will take an injury to Darrell Henderson to create fantasy relevance. Even then, he may be on the lesser side of a committee with Akers. Justin Jackson and La'Mical Perine come to mind as worthy replacements here.
N'Keal Harry, WR – Patriots
Coming into this season, N'Keal Harry was being drafted as a WR4/WR5 with the hopes Cam Newton would elevate his production during Harry’s sophomore season. So far, the 22-year-old receiver's output and usage have been underwhelming, with just one contest eclipsing six targets. Harry sits as the fantasy WR83 in half-PPR points per tilt and is seeing less overall usage than Damiere Byrd in their past two matchups.
Harry is currently still rostered by 29% of Yahoo! fantasy managers, who may want to consider sending him packing for a wideout in a better spot for volume, like Travis Fulgham, Mike Williams or Tim Patrick.
Nyheim Hines, RB – Colts
Hines is the guy who tends to linger around rosters for too long, as managers keep waiting for his PPR prowess to bail them out. Well, we’re in Week 7—the halfway point in the fantasy regular season for most—and it’s not looking so hot for Hines in 2020. On the ground, he’s posted just three carries for a total of eight yards in the past two weeks, with Jonathan Taylor handling triple the number of touches as the third-year Colt.
In deep PPR leagues, Hines still has value for his receiving floor, but in standard or even half-PPR leagues with 12 teams or fewer, it may be time to let Hines go.
Anthony Miller, WR – Bears
Miller was on this list earlier this season, but 36% of Yahoo! fantasy managers are still rostering the Chicago wideout, so you guys may need another nudge. He’s been held to under 30 yards in all but two contests this season and is being both out-snapped and out-targeted by fiery rookie Darnell Mooney.
Do your roster a solid and ditch Miller for a receiver who’s getting more reps like Tee Higgins, Chase Claypool or Travis Fulgham.
*One Week Away
Both favorites among the fantasy football community, Marvin Jones and Laviska Shenault were very close to being on this list this week. I left them off for fear of my house being egged or threats made to my family, but they are both teetering on the edge of the droppable cliff. Jones and Shenault each get one more game to prove their fantasy relevance in 2020.
