I can only assume that if you're still keeping up with Warning Signals into Week 11 that you're well within reach of the playoffs. That's exactly the reason why this is going to be a very "cut bait" heavy edition of our weekly piece. The fact of the matter is, there isn't really a benefit to carrying dead weight at this point. You'd be better off trimming the fat for handcuffs with the playoffs getting closer by the day.
That being said, understand that no one listed is a "must drop." In fact, you'll notice that one player in particular isn't so much of a drop as he is a "must bench." Whatever the case may be, the time for hoping players turn it around is well behind us. Now is the time to lock up your roster with sure things and security blankets rather than dead weight. Here's hoping this results in a strong playoff performance.
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Heed the Warning Signs
Randall Cobb - (WR, GB)
Let's address the strongest player of this week's bunch shall we? Like I just said, there is one guy on this list that isn't a drop but rather a bench and that guy is Randall Cobb. Cobb was showing flashes of the receiver we used to love as a WR2 in fantasy, but has since slowed down considerably. Not only has he been surpassed by Davante Adams in terms of production but he's also been fairly banged up in recent weeks. With just six receptions over the last two weeks, it's impossible to trust Randall Cobb this late in the season.
I should reiterate that Cobb has been dealing with a host of ailments since mid-season so his recent regression isn't entirely his fault. Still, blame doesn't really get you anywhere when analyzing fantasy potential. He's essentially the third wide receiver on a team that has had a surprisingly inconsistent offense in 2016. As far as fantasy is concerned, he's a WR3 with upside. If you've managed your team well to this point, there's a good chance you've acquired enough depth to justify benching him. For reference, I for one would start the likes of Terrelle Pryor, Mike Wallace, and Michael Thomas over Randall Cobb.
Ty Montgomery - (WR/RB, GB)
Depending on what site you're playing on, Ty Montgomery is either purely a wide receiver or has been granted running back eligibility. Even if he's a dual threat player for you, his role in the offenses is diminishing by the week. The aforementioned Davante Adams had already surpassed him on the depth chart and Green Bay's newfound depth at the running back position has caused Montgomery's value to dwindle even further. Not only is James Starks back and healthy, but the team also claimed Christine Michael on waivers. Knowing head coach Mike McCarthy's preference for a traditional running attack, Montgomery is likely to be the third option once all three are ready to take the field.
All of that being said, I wouldn't be totally shocked to see Montgomery have another productive week against Washington on Sunday. After all, Starks has only been back for a week and Michael is likely to be inactive. I would understand if you're willing to give Montgomery one last chance to prove his worth but in general he's very much safe to drop for the playoff push.
Quincy Enunwa - (WR, NYJ)
Would you hold it against me if I addressed the fantasy value of Quincy Enunwa in one sentence? Does "the New York Jets are a bad football team" suffice? No? Fine, I'll elaborate a tad.
It's possibly the New York Jets have the worst quarterback situation in the entire NFL. Last I checked, you need at least a decent thrower to maintain fantasy value out of your wide receivers. Forget about the fact that Brandon Marshall is still racking up a massive target share, do you really want your fantasy championship hopes to be hitched to the number two receiver on the Jets? Over the last two weeks Enunwa has a grand total of two receptions for 32 yards and no touchdowns. Yes, one of those games had Bryce Petty as the starter but at this point it doesn't really matter. The Jets offense is just far too terrible to rely on for fantasy production. If your league-mates managed to pass on the likes of Robert Woods or Eli Rogers on the waiver, send Enunwa packing for someone with much more upside.
Coby Fleener - (TE, NO)
I can't possibly imagine that any fantasy team that has been relying on Coby Fleener over the past four weeks has been doing particularly well. Fleener hasn't exceeded 44 yards in a game over that span and hasn't found the endzone since week six. It's not even like he's racking up PPR value as he hasn't had more than four receptions in a game either.
Admittedly, the tight end position is as rough as it gets for fantasy so there's always the chance that Fleener just so happens to be the best you can do in your league. It's a touchdown dependent position but since Fleener isn't doing that either, he's been droppable for quite some time. Give me Cameron Brate, Eric Ebron, or Austin Hooper at this point. In fact, I would even go as far as to prefer Ladarius Green. You can't tell me that Fleener has any more upside than Green going forward. We've already seen Fleener disappoint, I would much rather deal with the devil that I don't know than the one that has been teasing me for 10 weeks.
Updates From Last Week
Brandon Marshall - (WR, NYJ)
See: Enunwa, Quincy. I kid but I'm also somewhat serious. You're obviously not dropping Brandon Marshall but if you have someone like Pryor or even Stefon Diggs hanging around on your bench, there's no reason to keep holding out hope on Marshall. He had four receptions for 15 yards in week 10. Barring a huge change of events over the team's bye week, it just isn't happening for Brandon Marshall this year.
Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders - (WRs, DEN)
This was the tale of two receivers in week 10 with Demaryius Thomas having a much more productive outing than Emmanuel Sanders. Thomas finished the week with eight receptions for 87 yards and a score while Sanders went just five for 54. For as bad as the Broncos passing game has been, Thomas has still managed to maintain WR2 status so it could most certainly be worse. Sanders, on the other hand, is much more inconsistent and using him will depend entirely on how deep you are at wide receiver. You know what helps neither guy? Trevor Siemian. He is not a good quarterback.