Droppable fantasy football players for your Week 5 waivers

Now that we have four games under our belt, it’s time to reassess some of our draft picks for this season. Four weeks should be enough to give us a good picture of where players and offenses are positioned as we head to the heart of the fantasy season. Below, we’ll take a look at some players who are worth dropping for some fresh fantasy football prospects.

Quarterbacks

Baker Mayfield, Browns (44 percent)

Mayfield has topped 200 yards just once in his four starts of the 2020 NFL Season. When he’s playing his best, he’s functioning as a game manager while the defense and running game take over. When he is truly needed to win with his arm, he’s been unable to rise up to the occasion. Mayfield will have some useful fantasy games this season, but they’ll likely be in perfect game script scenarios, at which times he should be available on the waiver wire during bye weeks.

Daniel Jones, Giants (34 percent)

Last season, Jones put up a handful of huge fantasy games, giving us some hope that he could improve in year two and push those numbers consistently. Unfortunately, that hasn’t come close to happening yet. He’s now thrown zero touchdowns and three interceptions and fumbled twice in his last three games. The matchups have been tough, but with no Saquon Barkley to bail him out, his upside isn’t going to hit that often this season.

Philip Rivers, Chargers (21 percent)

Rivers hasn’t been much of an upgrade from Jacoby Brisett. He has middling passing numbers and doesn’t have a single multi-touchdown game. He has four touchdown passes and three interceptions. Indianapolis has become a run-first team and ranks third in rushing attempts (131). Only very deep leagues should have use for this year’s QB28.

Running backs

Frank Gore, Jets (20 percent)

Gore has been getting a ton of carries with RB Le’Veon Bell out, but the 37-year-old hasn’t done much to make the most of his touches. He’s averaging a measly 3.2 yards per carry on 55 rushing attempts and has yet to score a touchdown. The Jets’ offensive line makes it hard for him to be productive as a workhorse.

Jordan Howard, Dolphins (42 percent)

Howard is an obvious drop, but for some reason, people are stashing him in over 40 percent of Yahoo! leagues. Those goal line touches can be enticing, but he has touched the ball just 18 times through for 14 yards and three touchdowns through four games. Even with the touchdowns, he’s not bringing home enough fantasy points.

Devonta Freeman, Giants (68 percent)

Freeman has received some love from the fantasy community due to his name, but he’s washed. In two games, he has 16 carries for 43 yards and four receptions for 35 yards. His receiving numbers might push him into occasional flex consideration in PPR formats, but not often enough to hold onto him in most leagues.

Wide receivers

Anthony Miller, Bears (46 percent)

Miller has plenty of ability, and in another offense, he would likely be a consistent source of fantasy points. Unfortunately, the Bears are lacking at quarterback, and they aren’t getting him enough work to get the job done. Miller has two touchdowns this season but just nine receptions for 133 yards through four games. Miller isn’t getting a full complement of snaps, either, as he’s yet to top 57 percent compared to Allen Robinson, who averages 80 percent.

A.J. Green, Bengals (84 percent)

Green has been one of the most targeted players in the NFL through four weeks and has little to show for his opportunities. He ranks third on the Bengals in receiving yards and has yet to find the end zone. He’s caught just 16 of the 33 passes thrown his way and hasn’t looked like the star he was before he got hurt. Stop rostering him and wasting a spot when there are so many other great options out there.

Tight ends

Austin Hooper, Browns (53 percent)

Hooper’s best game came last week, as he had his most receptions, yards and found the end zone for the first time. But, with that game, he still has just 96 total yards through four weeks. That’s not pretty. Other than Odell Beckham Jr. right now, the Browns receivers aren’t going to get us where we want to be in fantasy as touchdown or bust options.

Chris Herndon, Jets, (26 percent)

Herndon is just outside the top-10 tight ends with 19 targets, yet ranks outside of the top-50 in fantasy points. He can’t get much chunk yardage because of his 3.9 yards per target. Jamison Crowder appears to be Sam Darnold’s only consistent target through the air.