Dead Weight Report: Week 12 Fantasy Football Drop List
With under a handful of games to go before the fake postseason, it’s imperative to trim the fantasy 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.
Editor's Note: Check out the Week 12 Waiver Wire Watch
Chase Claypool, WR - Bears
Staying true to my word from last week’s column, Chase Claypool got one more week to show his fantasy stuff, and now he’s officially deadweight after a 2.1 half-PPR performance as WR71 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, 5th, and 19th in WR schedule-adjusted fantasy points allowed, or aFPA, Claypool is droppable as he won’t crack WR5 territory.
Darrell Henderson, RB - Rams FA
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 6.7 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 64% 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.
*Update: The Rams have released Henderson. I suppose you can hold until we see where he lands but he's still droppable in most formats.
Kyle Pitts, TE - Falcons
There’s no need to twist my arm; it’s finally happening. I've written Kyle Pitts as a guy you’re stuck with a lot this season, but he’s graduated to officially a member of the drop list. Real talk; if his name wasn't Pitts and he wasn’t a third-round pick, based on stats, he would have been dropped many weeks ago. We give him pass after pass based on intended volume and routes run, but the bottom line is he sits as TE20 in half-PPR points per game on the season and now is dealing with a possible MCL sprain or, even worse, a tear.
Tight end is as bare and gross as it’s ever been, but the weekly torture, both mentally and physically (losing due to his lack of production) stops this week. Let him go on to be someone else’s problem and grab yourself Juwan Johnson (TE11) or Hayden Hurst (TE16).
*UPDATE: Pitts was placed on IR due to an MCL tear taking all the fun out of the drop, but it should still be a little satisfying for fantasy managers everywhere.
Nyheim Hines, RB - Bills
People have been asking me if Nyheim Hines is droppable for about nine weeks now, and he’s been a tough one to navigate, particularly because of the team switch 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.
Isaiah McKenzie, WR - Bills
Usually, members of high-powered offenses don’t frequent this article, and I’m bucking the trend by giving you back-to-back Bills. Isaiah 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 their 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
The breakout for Jahan 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!
