Dead Weight Report: Week 3 Droppables

Evaluating who to drop and when to pull that trigger is never easy, especially after just two weeks of play. However, we need to evolve and make roster improvements, especially after some of the soul-crushing performances of Week 2. In the last column, a few of my suggestions may have been a bit premature and you guys certainly let me know on Twitter, but with just one game it was a difficult task.

Here are my recommendations for some players to cut loose ahead of Week 3, or at least keep a short leash on moving forward. You won’t find any monster names on here yet since two weeks is just not enough time to bail on a high draft pick, but there will be bigger names in the weeks to come. If you're looking for players to stash, I've got you covered there as well.

Marquez Callaway, WR – Saints

This is a difficult one, and perhaps a drop you may not be ready for, and that’s alright. Marquez Callaway was the fantasy darling of the preseason with a final ADP of 112 (WR48). Through two contests, he’s seen six total targets, of which he caught three for 22 yards. That has translated to a grand total of 3.7 half-PPR points as the WR105. Jameis Winston doesn’t seem to be seeking out the 23-year-old receiver with any sort of consistency which could be a problem for fantasy purposes.

Sadly, his woes may not get better any time soon as Callaway faces the Patriots this week, plus the Saints also get a tilt against the Football Team in Week 5 before their Week 6 bye. If you have a deeper bench and want to ride him out for another week or so feel free, but he could be someone to let go of in favor of a WR with more steady volume thus far like Sterling Shepard, Marvin Jones Jr. or Rondale Moore.

Giovani Bernard, RB – Buccaneers

Pour one out for Giovani Bernard and his Zero RB appeal this offseason. With Bruce Arians, you never know how things could change, but for now, this backfield is too much of a mess to count on anyone, and Bernard appears to be the lowest in the pecking order. His usage and output in Weeks 1 and 2 were almost identical, with zero rushes and two catches for 12 and 16 yards, respectively.

The Bucs seem to be going with Leonard Fournette in passing-down situations where we’d expect Bernard to get the work, and while it’s only a two-week sample size, it is indeed concerning. If you need points now, consider dropping Bernard for someone like Tony Pollard or James White.

Tevin Coleman, RB – Jets

I get it, Tevin Coleman was technically the starting back heading into the season and he did have the most touches (9) in Week 1, but he’s not worth a roster spot for several reasons. First, the Jets' offensive line is without left tackle Mekhi Becton for at least a month and they don’t seem to be holding it together without him, as evidenced by Zach Wilson’s four sacks and the Jets’ ability to only put up two field goals last week against New England.

Another factor here is Coleman’s downward turn in usage from Week 1 to Week 2. After nine rushes for 24 yards against Carolina, he had just five carries for 24 yards last week while teammates Michael Carter and Ty Johnson saw 13 and 12 touches, respectively. Give up the Jets’ backfield headache and grab an RB with a bit more consistency and upside.

Zach Ertz, TE – Eagles

Getting Zach Ertz for really cheap was a rush after he wasn’t traded late this offseason, but it appears the 30-year-old tight end is still in whatever dog house he occupied at the end of 2020, plus he’s now on the reserve/COVID-19 list. Ertz has seen just two targets in each of the first two tilts and has been out-snapped by fellow TE Dallas Goedert in both games.

It’s time to move on from Ertz in all formats unless you’re in a league that starts two TEs and it’s larger than 12 teams. The TE position is perenially pretty gross, but there are pickups to be had like Jared Cook or Dawson Knox, who are getting more work in their respective offenses.

Le'Veon Bell, RB – Ravens

While I do understand the desire to keep gamble guys rostered just in case they actually pan out, Le'Veon Bell is just not that guy, especially in 2021. He’s currently on the practice squad on a team with a recently crowded backfield, led by a QB who can double as a rusher any day of the week.

There are 26% of Yahoo! managers holding onto the dream and while I can appreciate it, you’re depriving yourself of fantasy points now, which is something we all need. If you’re wanting an older player with a second or even third chance, grab Cordarrelle Patterson who’s been given new life in Atlanta.