Dead Weight Report: Week 15 Fantasy Football Drop List

Dec 12, 2023

Cara Owsley/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

Our time in fantasy land is dwindling, and it's all systems go for postseason play. Squads need to be trimmed of all the fat and what-ifs, so they are streamlined for success over these next few weeks.

Below is a look at some players who can be dropped and sent packing as we head down the stretch of both the NFL and fantasy seasons. (Here's a list of players I suggested to stash before the playoffs started.)

Gus Edwards, RB - Ravens

This is not a must-drop situation for Gus Edwards, but at this point, he can be let go for more of a reliable option. He’s been relegated to second chair in favor of Keaton Mitchell over the last two contests, as the latter has been on the field for 40% of the snaps compared to 27% for the veteran, with six fewer touches for Edwards in that time frame. The Gus Bus has crossed the pylon 10 times this season which has helped his fantasy value, but touchdown dependency isn’t something to bank on in the postseason.

Tyler Boyd, WR - Bengals

The eight-year veteran is forever the Cincinnati bridesmaid, holding bouquets for A.J. Green, Tee Higgins, and Ja'Marr Chase. Tyler Boyd’s best finish was back in 2018 as a fantasy WR2 (WR19 in half-PPR points per game), with Green sidelined for seven contests. He ended one season as a WR3 (2019), had three finishes as a fantasy WR4 (2020-2022), and two more as a fantasy WR7 or worse.

Once again the Bengals are rolling late in the season but Boyd hasn’t been in on much of the fun. He’s averaged a dismal 26.3 yards over the last four games with no trips to the end zone since Week 8, and with Chase and Higgins both healthy, he’s back to seating wedding guests and planning bachelor parties. Over 50% of Yahoo managers are still rostering Boyd, which is just too high heading into the postseason.

Khalil Herbert, RB - Bears

Khalil Herbert returned to the field from an ankle injury in Week 11 but the Bears seem to have forgotten he’s there or just don’t care. The RB saw 18 touches that first contest back, but since then he’s fallen behind both D'Onta Foreman and Roschon Johnson with a mere 5.5 touches in each of the last three games, resulting in just 2.8 half-PPR points per tilt. With everything to lose, managers can’t risk starting the last guy in a three-headed committee, so set Herbert free to resurface next season when we do this all over again.

Joshua Dobbs, QB - Vikings

It was certainly a fun ride while it lasted, but it’s time to get off the Joshua Dobbs rocketship. He may not even be the starter for Minnesota moving forward which itself warrants a drop, but even if he’s under center, Dobbs can’t be trusted during the most important time of the fantasy season. The 28-year-old has finished outside of fantasy QB1 territory in his last three contests, with two of those games resulting in QB29 or worse.

If you lost Justin Herbert or have been streaming without Joe Burrow or the myriad of injured QBs this season, Gardner Minshew, Jake Browning, or Will Levis are all streamable and rostered by fewer than 40% of Yahoo managers heading into Week 15.

Repeat Offenders and Still Droppable

Jerry Jeudy (Week 13)
Dameon Pierce (Week 10)
Jahan Dotson (Week 14)

Injury Drops

Justin Herbert, QB - Chargers - Per Adam Schefter, the L.A. QB will undergo surgery with the possibility of a return, but the reality of him being back before the end of the fantasy season is slim and seems like a counterproductive move for a 5-8 squad.
Christian Kirk, WR - Jaguars
Rhamondre Stevenson, RB - Patriots