Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Watch Week 2: Feelin' Puka-ish

Sep 12, 2023

Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Spor

As a refresher, The Drop List consists of players who are rostered in at least 50% of Yahoo leagues and are no longer must-have assets, recommended additions are available in over 50% of Yahoo leagues, the Watch List contains in-depth notes on fringe waiver adds, and Deep Cuts includes player notes on those rostered in 5% or fewer of Yahoo and FFPC leagues.

The Drop List

QB: Aaron Rodgers
RB: Jerick McKinnon, J.K. Dobbins
WR: JuJu Smith-Schuster, Skyy Moore, Adam Thielen
TE: Kyle Pitts, Gerald Everett

Jerick McKinnon ran four fewer routes than Isiah Pacheco (21-17) in a game Pacheco was clearly limited for (48% snaps) with his shoulder injury. McKinnon's career-high 8.3 fantasy points per game in his age-30 season last year can stop being chased immediately.

Bill Belichick has apparently already soured on JuJu Smith-Schuster, deploying him for the seventh-most routes (13) on the team in the second half of a one-score game.

Even with Travis Kelce (knee) ruled out, Kadarius Toney (knee) limited to 11 routes (23%), and both Justyn Ross (five routes) and Rashee Rice (12) deployed as role players, Skyy Moore was held without a catch and earned a target on only 12.9% of his routes. The top-six wide receivers listed among the priority adds below are stronger FLEX options than Moore in the interim.

33-year-old Adam Thielen earned just two targets from Bryce Young on the team's third-most routes (89%) as Carolina's defacto slot receiver. You would never start him over the available options on this week's waiver wire.

Kyle Pitts ranked 28th in routes run (20) and recorded the fifth-highest depth of target (16.3 yards) among all tight ends—another example of Arthur Smith failing to prioritize him underneath (for those sweet free reception points). I'm not dropping Pitts in TE-Premium leagues—only in half-PPR formats—but I'm not starting him either.

Kellen Moore's first game in Los Angeles included Gerald Everett (52% rate) splitting routes with teammate Donald Parham (43%). Except it was Parham who led the Chargers with three targets inside the 10-yard line including their only target inside the five. There are too many better options than Everett on the waiver wire to continue rostering him.