The Cut List - Players on the Chopping Block (Week 3)

September 17, 2019

NFL players to consider cutting, dropping or benching for Week 3 of the 2019 season. Jason Katz's list of fantasy football busts, injuries, and overrated players.

This is your weekly list of players to drop. I will do my best to limit this list to injured players and players you might consider holding. If you roster pure handcuffs or backups, obviously you can let them go at any time. The players on this list will, ideally, be guys that aren't clearly droppable, but no longer worth owning.

Below are my Week 3 cuts and drops for fantasy football. Each week from now until the end of the season, I’ll be offering my thoughts on players who don’t deserve to keep a roster spot on your fantasy football teams.

Let's get to it.

Players to Consider Dropping or Replacing

Drew Brees and Ben Roethlisberger (QBs, NO and PIT)

I lumped Drew Brees and Ben Roethlisberger together because both of their names appear here purely due to injury. Brees is having thumb surgery and he is tentatively expected back around Week 10, after the Saints' bye. If you drop him, someone will probably pick him up and stash him, but he's not a must hold for that long. Big Ben is done for the season due to his elbow, so there's no sense keeping him around.

Cam Newton (QB, CAR)

The starting quarterback for the Panthers gets his own section because he is not here due to injury. Cam Newton finds himself on this list due to being bad at football. Newton has never been a good passer; his fantasy value stemmed from his ability to run. Newton is not running anymore. At all. His only saving grace would be his downfield passing, but he can't do that either. Newton left over 100 yards on the field Thursday night. He hasn't thrown a touchdown this season. If he can't thrive at home against the Bucs, then when?

Corey Davis (WR, TEN)

It is time to admit the truth. Corey Davis is Devante Parker 2.0. He's not good at football. Davis didn't catch a pass in Week 1 and followed that up with a 3-38 performance Week 2. Marcus Mariota is not a prolific enough quarterback to sustain multiple pass catchers. He can barely sustain one. You don't need any Titans wide receiver on your fantasy team.

Jordan Howard (RB, PHI)

One of the most entertaining preseason hype trains was the notion that Doug Pederson was going to do anything other than the same thing he has done every year coaching the Eagles. All I heard was about how Miles Sanders was going to take over this backfield. Yeah. Sure. Keep thinking that. Once again, no Eagles running back reached the 50% mark in snaps.

With that being said, Sanders is clearly the leader of the committee, which gives him at least some (but not much) fantasy value. Jordan Howard, on the other hand, is at the bottom. He played just 22% of the snaps. Even if Sanders or Darren Sproles were to get hurt, someone else would just step in as the third man. This will always be a three-back committee - the names do not matter. Howard is definitively third. Drop him.

Nyheim Hines (RB, IND)

There is no value in Nyheim Hines without Andrew Luck. The Colts' passing attack is not prolific enough with Jacoby Brissett, who only has eyes for T.Y. Hilton. Even if Marlon Mack were to get hurt, Hines' role would not increase. There is no upside here and no floor.

Kalen Ballage (RB, MIA)

The 2019 Miami Dolphins might be the worst team in NFL history. Kalen Ballage might be the worst running back in NFL history (okay maybe not, but he's really bad at football even aside from team context). That combination is not going to lead to any fantasy success. Ballage has rushed nine times for five yards on the season. Need I say more?

Jared Cook (TE, NO)

Easily the most heavily-owned player I've ever put on this list, Jared Cook was purely a speculation pick to begin with. The hope was Drew Brees would elevate him to a mid to high TE1. Brees is gone until at least Week 10. Without Brees, the only members of this offense that need to be owned are Michael Thomas and Alvin Kamara. Even with Brees, Cook hasn't done much through two weeks. The Saints just don't use the TE position. Jimmy Graham hasn't been around in a long time. There is no "next Jimmy Graham." It's not Jared Cook.

Warning Signals

Latavius Murray (RB, NO)

This is the third Saint to appear in this column in some capacity. Don't drop Latavius Murray just yet, but we may be a week or two away. He's carried the ball just 11 times through two weeks and the entirety of his value stemmed from this being a prolific offense and there being enough scoring to go around. Without Drew Brees, that won't happen. Wait and see on Brees and give Teddy Bridgewater one week as the unquestioned starter. If nothing changes, cut bait.

Sony Michel (RB, NE)

I want to talk about Sony Michel for a second consecutive week. Michel is overrated and this is a real problem. Yes, he dominated carries last week, but Michel is going to finish the season with fewer than 10 targets. He is a complete zero in the passing game. If he does not fall into the end zone, he is a bust on any given week. That is not a particularly appealing fantasy asset. Once again, do not drop him, but beware.

Players You May Be Considering Dropping, But Shouldn't

Marquez Valdes-Scantling (WR, GB)

Through two games, Marquez Valdes-Scantling has done a whole lot of nothing. Just seven catches for 71 yards. However, the Packers have opened the season against the best defense in the league and another really strong pass defense. Better days are ahead for Aaron Rodgers, which means brighter skies for MVS.

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