ClutchPoints
With Week 3 of the NFL and Fantasy Football season behind us, players, fanbases, and fantasy managers are already looking ahead to Week 4. We saw major upsets as the Browns took down the Packers, the Panthers blanked the Falcons, and the Chicago Bears dominated the Cowboys. We also saw an interesting week in terms of Fantasy Football with new names emerging, depth charts changing, and a constant climb to the top of the fantasy rankings.
Before getting into our “drop list” ahead of Week 4, we’ll get obvious injury news out of the way. Arizona Cardinals’ running back James Connor is heading towards foot surgery and will miss the remainder of the season – Trey Benson should be rostered as Connor can be dropped. Los Angeles Chargers’ running back Najee Harris will also be done for the season following a confirmed tear to his achilles – rookie back Omarion Hampton will see his leading role increase even more.
Giants’ RB Tyrone Tracy Jr.(shoulder), Cowboys’ WR CeeDee Lamb (ankle), and Buccaneers’ WR Mike Evans (hamstring) all exited their games early with significant injuries and were ruled out. Each situation will call for close monitoring, but the three players are all expected to miss multiple weeks to err on the side of caution. There isn’t much threat of anyone heading to the IR, so you’ll have to hold onto these players for the time being.
As fantasy managers continue to work through injuries and evolving depth charts, the waiver wire will be paramount to a fantasy football team’s success. However, you’ll need to drop some extra baggage before grabbing a player like Cardinals’ Trey Benson off the waiver wire, so let’s take a look at which players are safe to drop ahead of Week 4.
Dylan Sampson, RB (CLE) – Rostered in 49.9% of ESPN leagues
Since arriving late to the Cleveland Browns’ backfield, rookie Quinshon Judkins has taken over the lead back duties. While Dylan Sampson saw a promising 12 carries and eight targets in his only game without Judkins on the roster, he notched just four carries and three receptions in the following game. Against Green Bay, Judkins carried the ball 18 times to Sampson’s one lone run, effectively passing the torch for the Browns’ backfield. The usage here is unsustainable and if Judkins continues to play the way he has been, Sampson will be a non-factor for fantasy purposes.
Hollywood Brown, WR (KC) – Rostered in 70.7% of ESPN leagues
There’s no reason to hit the panic button on Hollywood Brown just yet, especially if he’s been able to give FLEX upside to select Xavier Worthy managers. Still, Xavier Worthy is set to return in the coming weeks after sitting out their most recent game against the Giants. During that game, receiver Tyquan Thorton emerged as the more reliable target for Mahomes (5 rec/71 yds/1 TD) and could be a name to watch inside this Kansas City offense.
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