Ah, yes. The Droppables. You don’t want to be a “droppable.” It’s less of a strange family name from the 1800s and more of a beacon of doom in the fantasy football community. These are players who are no longer worthy of a roster spot. For reasons that vary, you should consider cutting bait on the following players:

NOTE: Players listed below are owned in more than 40% of leagues and advice is typically geared toward 12-team leagues.

Rob Gronkowski (TE - TB) | Rostered in 70% of leagues

There’s a chance that Gronkowski wasn’t even the second-most talented tight end on the Bucs’ roster prior to O.J. Howard’s injury. He saw fewer targets than Howard, despite playing nearly double the snaps. We knew Gronkowski had some risk entering the season; he’s 31, often injured, and coming off a year away from football. A weekly average of 4.5 points is abysmal for a player who was taken in the seventh or eighth round of fantasy drafts. There are better options available, as I mentioned yesterday.

Kerryon Johnson (RB - DET) | Rostered in 51% of leagues

One rushing touchdown hasn’t been enough to salvage Johnson’s fantasy status. He was already on limited time when the Lions spent a second-round pick on D’Andre Swift. Then, Detroit signed 35-year-old Adrian Peterson. Both players are seeing more snaps and more targets than Johnson. It would also be nice if Johnson averaged more than 3.4 yards per carry and 4.2 fantasy points per game, but alas, that is not the case. It’s time for Johnson to carry on. (I’ll see myself out.)

Jordan Howard (RB - MIA) | Rostered in 41% of leagues

Considering the draft capital some fantasy owners spent on Howard, I’m not too surprised he’s still on this many rosters. Wait, no, I am. Howard is strictly a goal-line back, which would be good if he didn’t average just five points a game. He’s on pace for 72 carries, 56 yards, and 12 touchdowns. There’s plenty of guys with higher upside available, especially in PPR leagues.

Looking Ahead

A.J. Green (WR - CIN) | Rostered in 90% of leagues

Target volume is the only thing keeping Green relevant, as he’s two weeks removed from a 13-target game. Of those 13 passes, though, he only caught three of them. He’s averaging a measly 6.5 points and is getting outplayed by rookie Tee Higgins. Another week of this and I’d happily move on from the former star receiver. Not to mention his concerning injury history…

Evan Engram (TE - NYG) | Rostered in 89% of leagues

Like with Green, Engram’s 7.5 targets a game make him somewhat relevant in fantasy. That’s a sturdy floor, and it should be enough to make Engram a viable starter. However, he just hasn’t been able to capitalize. If Engram continues on this path, he will be droppable sooner rather than later.