ClutchPoints
Fantasy football managers looking for an early edge must know when to cut bait on players who no longer justify a roster spot. After Week 1 of the 2025 NFL season, poor performances, muddled depth charts, and underwhelming opportunity all point to a few big names deserving a drop. Here are the top five fantasy assets worth dropping ahead of Week 2, backed by their opening week stats and situations.
Tua Tagovailoa entered 2025 as a popular late-round QB for fantasy managers hoping to capture stackable upside in Miami’s passing game. However, his Week 1 numbers were severely underwhelming. Tua completed only 14 of 23 passes for a paltry 114 yards, adding 1 touchdown and 2 interceptions in a blowout loss to the Colts. His QBR was an abysmal 2.7, and he ranked just 28th in yardage among quarterbacks.
Worse, Tagovailoa failed to complete a pass under pressure, and both of his picks came with a clean pocket, suggesting decision-making rather than pass protection as a cause for concern. Miami managed just 8 points as an offense and faced little hope against a vulnerable secondary, highlighting how far his fantasy stock has fallen. Fantasy managers in single-QB leagues should confidently seek better upside on waivers.
Jerome Ford was a late-draft speculative pick for running back depth, but Week 1 made clear his fantasy value is essentially nil in most leagues. Ford carried the ball only 6 times for a mere 8 rushing yards—an average of just 1.3 yards per attempt. He added one reception for -3 yards, bringing his total touches to 7 for 5 total yards, with no scores or red-zone opportunities.
Ford sits trapped in a timeshare in Cleveland, and his 1.3 yards per carry underscores the inefficiency that’s now led to a demotion on many expert rankings. No touchdowns, long runs, or PPR value make Ford a clear drop for managers hunting for breakout RB opportunities emerging from Week 1.
Following preseason chatter, some managers stashed Chris Rodriguez Jr. as a possible deep sleeper running back. Instead, the Commanders listed him as a healthy scratch in their season opener against the New York Giants in an easy 21-6 win over. After a promising preseason Rodriguez was the odd-man out in the Commanders backfield and it will be tough for him to see playing time ahead of surging rookie Jacoy Croskey-Merritt and veteran Austin Ekeler.
With no known path to immediate touches and zero presence in a positive game script, Rodriguez offers nothing for fantasy benches. There are better lottery tickets on waivers, especially with so many running backs emerging from injury or carving larger roles elsewhere.
Despite hopes for a breakout season, Rashod Bateman failed to impress in Week 1. Bateman caught just 2 of 4 targets for 10 yards and no scores as Baltimore’s...
