Here we are — Week 14 of the fantasy football season. For some, this week is a coronation, one final bow before the playoffs. For others, it’s one last game before the offseason starts. And some need a win to get into the playoffs; lose and go home. No pressure.
For that last group, there’s no margin for error. No room for mistakes. One misstep and the season is over.
A misstep like, say, falling into the (Kyle) Pitts. I will freely admit when I’m wrong. Given how often it happens, I would be rather silly not to. No shortage of readers thought I was a couple of weeks ago when I wrote that Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts was droppable — especially in shallower leagues.
Well, Pitts returned from his week 12 bye last week and did — nothing. Nada. Zilch. Bupkus. No catches for no yards on two targets. Over his last four games, Pitts has six catches for 75 yards — and 55 of them came in one game. His “talent” doesn’t matter. He doesn’t get consistent targets from a quarterback who hasn’t thrown a touchdown pass in his past three games.
The Falcons can say they want to get Pitts more involved until they turn blue and pass out. I don’t care. They have been saying that since approximately 1997. Starting Pitts in a must-win game (even with six teams on bye) is a good way to end your season quickly.
But hey — it would give you more time to go Christmas shopping. Maybe knit some mittens, like the ones Pitts apparently wears during games.
(Rostered percentages courtesy of Yahoo!)
Droppable in shallow leagues
Players to dump in leagues with 10 teams or short benches
QB Kirk Cousins, ATL (59 Percent Rostered)
In technical parlance, for the past month or so, Cousins has sucked — to the point where Falcons fans who are watching their season circle the drain have clamored for rookie Michael Penix Jr. But despite those protestations, Falcons head coach Raheem Morris was quick to tell reporters that Cousins remains Atlanta’s starter.
“That guy has carried us,” Morris said. “That guy has got us to the point where we’re 6-6, and we’re in first place in the division. Still got everything in front of us despite what happened today. It’s up to us to bounce back and find a way to win football games, and there’s no better man than (No.) 18 to go do that for us.”
Apparently, becoming head coach in Atlanta turns your brain to goo. Last week against the Los Angeles Chargers, Cousins threw four interceptions. He hasn’t thrown a touchdown pass since Week 9. At this point, it’s almost impossible to justify starting him in a superflex league. In one QB leagues? It’s difficult to justify keeping him on the roster at all.
RB Gus Edwards, LAC (61 Percent Rostered)
So much for Gus Edwards season. When J.K. Dobbins went down, the presumption was that Edwards would take over as the Chargers lead back. And while no one will confuse Edwards with Ernie Davis, plenty of fantasy pundits were talking up Edwards heading into Week 13.
What fantasy managers got was six carries for 32 yards in a game where the entire Los Angeles offense looked, um, bad. Edwards did catch a pass, too — for one yard. He may do better if only because he can’t do worse, but the Chargers backfield looks like a muddied mess. Fantasy managers can’t afford muddied messes right now.
Other drops
Players to drop for literally anyone
WR Rashod Bateman, BAL (32 Percent Rostered)
Bateman had a nice little run earlier in the season, posting double-digit PPR points in four of five games from Week 3 to Week 7. But of late, Bateman has receded into fantasy irrelevance, and it has nothing to do with the Baltimore Ravens acquiring Diontae Johnson.
Since Week 7, Bateman has logged double-digit fantasy points twice. He has caught more than three passes in a game once. He picked up a knee injury in last week’s loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. And the Ravens are on bye this week. Better players who are healthy and playing this week are available on waivers in the vast majority of leagues.
TE Will Dissly, LAC (42 Percent Rostered)
I’m pretty sure that Dissly’s sole reason for existing is the 4/80/1 stat line he posted against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 11 — a line that cost me a matchup that will keep a team second in its league in points out of the postseason. I am totally not bitter about that, nor do I now have a Will Dissly voodoo doll. That league rather matters to me. And I don’t take disappointment well.
Apparently, said non-existent doll works. Dissly’s four catches for 47 yards the following week were OK. But last week against Atlanta, Dissly was targeted just once and didn’t have a catch. In a six-team bye week, there will be managers who have little recourse but to reach for a tight end, but last week was the fifth time this season that Dissly has had five or fewer PPR points.
WR Wan’Dale Robinson, NYG (43 Percent Rostered)
Remember when Wan’Dale Robinson was a thing? That was fun. It’s also over.
In five of the season’s first six weeks, Robinson topped 10 PPR points. He wasn’t single-handedly winning anyone weeks, but the third-year pro had a place as a low-end WR3 or flex option. Granted, he’s only averaging 7.1 yards per catch, but Robinson’s 63 receptions are already a career-high.
But that PPR goodness has dried up. Last week’s two catches for six yards on two targets were season-lows across the board. It probably has something to do with the uncertain (by which I mean lousy) quarterback situation in the Big Apple, but a wideout getting two grabs and averaging three yards on those receptions won’t be much help in the fantasy playoffs.
Gary Davenport is a two-time Fantasy Sports Writers Association Football Writer of the Year. Yell at him on X at @IDPSharks
(Photo of Kirk Cousins: Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)
