Dead Weight Report: Week 9 Fantasy Football Drop List

We have six teams watching from home or a restful vacation spot this week, along with a myriad of injuries plaguing the league, but there are still drops to be had and moves to be made.

We should always be looking for roster improvements, so cutting players who aren’t producing is a necessary evil. 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 9 Waiver Wire Watch!

Hunter Renfrow, WR - Raiders

Last season’s surprise fantasy wunderkind is now just a weekly headache for those who drafted Hunter Renfrow. After an impressive line of 103-1,038-9 in 2021, so far Renfrow has posted just 166 yards on 18 catches with zero trips to the end zone.

The addition of Davante Adams and the re-emergence of Josh Jacobs through a run-heavier scheme has made Renfrow non-useful in the fantasy football realm. This drop may be painful for the 63% of Yahoo managers still holding out hope, but the Las Vegas offense is not the juggernaut we had hoped for, and Renfrow is failing to produce, even with Darren Waller on the shelf.

Josh Reynolds, WR - Lions

We had a good run with Josh Reynolds while members of the Lions' receiving corps were sidelined for a few weeks, but it appears he’s on his way back to non-relevancy for fantasy purposes. In the last two weeks, he’s been fourth on the offense in targets with eight, which isn’t awful, but Reynolds translated that volume to just 3.7 total half-PPR points in those two contests combined.

With a tough stretch of defenses ahead, Amon-Ra St. Brown healthy, and other players gaining momentum on the Detroit offense like Kalif Raymond, Reynolds seems to be fading away, so if you need wins now, it may be time to swap the WR out for someone in a space for increased volume.

Chase Edmonds, RB - Dolphins Broncos

*UPDATE - Edmonds has been traded to the Broncos and is now a hold!

This is Chase Edmonds' second time in this column - which is something I rarely do - so you know it’s really on my mind. I wrote the Miami RB up as a drop in Week 6, and I do understand holding onto him since the RB landscape has been very difficult to navigate this season. However, we’re now beyond the halfway point in the fantasy season, and Edmonds’ role has not changed while Raheem Mostert is proving not only durable but an efficient runner for the Dolphins.

Edmonds has averaged just 3.5 carries for 8.75 yards over the last four contests, with a total of six targets which he turned into a mere two catches for 28 yards in that four-game span. Even in a game where Miami’s offensive pieces teed off on the Lions with the QB1, WR3 and WR4, and TE7 in half-PPR scoring, Edmonds had no role and posted just 1.4 fantasy points. There are 55% of Yahoo managers still rostering the 26-year-old, but there are better options out there, even as backfield insurance.

Jeff Wilson, RB - 49ers Dolphins

*UPDATE - Jeff Wilson has been traded to Miami so he's a hold until we see how the backfield shakes out.

Last week Jeff Wilson was a drop-if-you-can-and-hold-for-insurance guy in this column, but we clearly saw what Christian McCaffrey could and will do in the 49ers' offense on Sunday afternoon. For now, Wilson is the backup to CMC, and he saw six and seven touches in that role in Weeks 7 and 8, but he’ll be relegated to RB3 soon when Elijah Mitchell returns from a sprained MCL.

There are RBs, even in backup land, that are in better spots to produce, like Latavius Murray, Rachaad White, and even Caleb Huntley, so the 35% of Yahoo managers still rostering Wilson feel free to let him go this week.

Irv Smith Jr., TE - Vikings

*UPDATE - Irv Smith Jr. has been placed on IR

I know the TE tree has lost its leaves and is quite bare for the winter, but Irv Smith Jr. just isn’t cutting it for fantasy purposes. He has yet to post more than 42 receiving yards in a game in 2022 and is sitting as TE23 in half-PPR points per tilt as we head into Week 9.

There’s also an ankle injury Smith sustained last week to navigate, so at this point, it’s time to start streaming if you’re one of the 60% of managers who’ve been rolling with the Minnesota TE. If streaming does not interest you, grab Greg Dulcich or Evan Engram, if available, and ride them out for the remainder of the season.

On Thin Ice

• Courtland Sutton, WR - Broncos - With only six receptions for 50 yards and zero touchdowns over the last three weeks, Sutton is regressing in the wrong direction after a decent start to the year in a bad offense. Denver has a bye this week after a win, then a tilt with the Titans, so let's see if he can bounce back. There's also the chance Jerry Jeudy gets traded, which could help his cause, so keep an eye out for that.
• Michael Thomas, WR - Saints - I'm sure you're sick of waiting for Thomas to play again, but if he is indeed suffering from turf toe, he should be returning very soon. According to 4for4 injury expert Adam Hutchison, typical recovery is 3.6 weeks for WRs so let's hope there isn't more going on for Thomas. Hang tight for at least one more week.