Players To Drop In Week 11 Fantasy Football: Geno Smith, DJ Moore and More

I just recently moved (by "recently" I mean this weekend), and it has me fondly remembering how much I loved moving from state to state, country to country when I was just out of college. And I remembered the reason I loved it so was because all I had were two cats and all the Pittsburgh Steelers/Penguins jerseys I had acquired over time. And as much as people complain that cats are less than um, domesticated, all you have to do is put them in a cat carrier and you are off.

This current move included 10+ years of “stuff” and a three-year-old, 45-pound, four-legged hell hound who is currently on Prozac. Not the same.

But you get where I am going with this, right? As fantasy managers, it is easier to move on from players when all you have to do is (mentally) put them in a cat carrier and ship them off. When moving on requires sorting through (metaphorically speaking) years of “stuff” that you, some time ago, were sure was valuable, but on closer inspection realize it’s just junk, it’s hard (made harder by a 45-pound four-legged spawn of Satan popping peanut butter-covered Prozac. I honestly did not know doggie Prozac was a thing, but here we are).

But move on we must. And these are the players we need to move on from (and if it requires dragging a 45-pound demon hound, popping doggie-Prozac, so be it) as we move into Week 11 of the fantasy football season.

Note: All rostership percentages are from Yahoo, to match what rostership Kendall uses for her best Week 11 Waiver Wire Pickups.

Fantasy Football Drops For Week 11

Geno Smith, QB, LV

I know, I didn’t want to write him off either, and it seems the small percentage of you still holding out hope (6% on Yahoo) are in the same boat.

There was that smidgen of optimism that the return of Brock Bowers would be the resurrection of Week 1 Smith. And then they go and get Tyler Lockett, and the optimism jumped up a beat, you know, familiarity to help Smith regain his former form. AND then, as if the signs were all pointing our way, Smith put up 284 passing yards and four passing touchdowns (yeah, he had one interception, but four passing touchdowns!!!) against the Jacksonville Jaguars defense.

And then we remember what it’s like to have a quarterback play a formidable defense (no offense, Jaguars):

The Broncos lead the league in sacks per game, averaging 4.6. The Jaguars are second-to-last in the league, averaging 1.3.
The Broncos were Pro Football Focus’ (if you believe in that sort of thing) 16th-ranked defensive line coming into Week 10. The Jaguars were ranked 24th.
The Broncos’ defense was allowing the third fewest points per game, 17.3. The Jaguars were allowing 23.0.

The Raiders' remaining schedule includes the Dallas Cowboys (so you’re saying there’s a chance), the Cleveland Browns (nope), the Los Angeles Chargers (no thank you) and the Broncos again (we out).

Better options: Marcus Mariota (14% rostered) Jacoby Brissett (20% rostered), Bryce Young (15% rostered)

DJ Moore, WR, CHI

As @Jamgol1 mentioned last week, Moore is not holding up his end of the fantasy draft deal. His fantasy production is as unpredictable as my dog’s behavior when approaching any random stranger.

I mean, this week Moore had zero receptions on four targets for zero fantasy points. Week 9 against the Cincinnati Bengals (when a player crushes it against the Bengals' defense, does it really count?), Moore had six targets, four receptions for 23 fantasy points. But the week prior against the Baltimore Ravens, he had seven targets, four receptions for 11.6 fantasy points.

Seven targets is his high, and five receptions (in Week 2) were the most. Even with the most receptions, he only finished with 9.6 fantasy points.

But what is more annoying is that his 15.2% first-read target share and his 86.1% snap share aren’t even close to splitting with Rome Odunze, who currently has a 23.2% target share and 41 first-read targets on 59 total targets (no one said there would be math!)

This week, Moore was out-targeted by Odunze (10) and running back D’Andre Swift (eight). He tied with rookie tight end Colston Loveland, who managed to snag four receptions on his four targets.

It’s time.

Darnell Mooney, WR, ATL

I feel a trend happening here. Except Mooney isn’t even remotely productive. In his last four games, he has had a total of ONE reception in each game … ONE. This week, that ONE reception was on eight targets. I am beyond words.

Among wide receivers, Mooney is 97th in receptions (12), 87th in receiving yards (173) and 117th in yards after catch (27).

I feel more needs to be said to warrant a spot in this article, but like telling the hellhound to stop whatever bad decisions she is about to make, talking more about Mooney’s bad is futile.

Better Options: Parker Washington (41% rostered), Alec Pierce (42% rostered), Mack Hollins (0% rostered)

Rachaad White, RB, TB

White was the “go-to” choice when Bucky Irving went down. While he has had the opportunity (double-digit carries in his last six games), he has not had more than 65 rushing yards in any of those games. And while his floor was elevated by his receiving chops, he hasn’t had more than 30 receiving yards in the last six games either.

You can hope that he gets that random touchdown, like he did this week, making his touchdown total for the season four. That seems risky.

The Buccaneers run the ball at the eighth-lowest rate in the league (25.0 rushes per game), and that total has dropped to 20.7 in their last three games. So, do we really want to count on a mediocre running back (no disrespect) on a team that is pass-first (11th in pass attempts per game, averaging 39 in their last three games), or just drop him and move on?

Kaleb Johnson, RB, PIT

Are you “stashing” Johnson in redraft leagues? Why? He is currently rostered in 16% of leagues on Yahoo, which feels entirely too high.

That means that a man whose only double-digit carry came in preseason, who hasn’t eclipsed 22 rushing yards yet this season, who is on the field for an average of 9.8% snap share, has eight routes run and zero breakaway runs is sitting on some benches occupying a space that could best be served by someone who might actually make a difference in your fantasy fortunes.

I, too, am hopeful. But my hopes that doggie Prozac will make my girl more Lassie and less Cujo seem a tad bit more realistic than your hopes that Johnson will win you a fantasy week.

Better Options: Tyler Allgeier (33% rostered), Woody Marks (65% rostered)

On The Watch List To Drop

Daniel Jones, QB, IND

Dear Jones Truthers, is this what it feels like to cheer on Jones? Forget moving after having all that baggage, this is like deciding whether to drag the pill poppin hell hound or just leave her in doggie day care hands until it’s all over. I can’t watch.

Anyway, this is what most have been waiting for. After a flaming-hot start, it appears Jones has fallen back to reality while the offense continues to funnel production through Jonathan Taylor.

I may be late to watch for the potential Jones collapse, but here I am.

Hunter Henry, TE, NE

I am a huge fan of Henry, and thus my bias may be showing, because really, a tight end who only has one touchdown in his last four games and only one game with over 50 receiving yards (51 Week 9) should probably be on the drop list.

And who knows, next week he might. But for now, holding out hope that once again, he becomes the sparkle in Drake Maye’s eyes.

Besides Week 11, it’s the ‘surging’ New York Jets on Thursday night who just allowed David Njoku to score a touchdown and Harold Fannin to average 11.1 yards per reception.

Tetairoa McMillan, WR, CAR

McMillan is a talent; there is no denying that. The problem appears to be that his talent and quarterback Bryce Young’s strengths do not appear to be in sync. So maybe this is just a sneaky way of putting Young on watch?

Mr. Right Versus Mr. Right Now

“Welcome to the party, Pal.”

If you knew that was a line from one of the best Christmas movies ever, drop me your Instagram handle so I can follow you.

But it is also a nod to drop candidate last week quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who, to be fair, did not exactly set the Buffalo Bills on fire (De’Von Achane did that), but he also didn’t implode (although he did have two interceptions).

Anyway, remember Mr. Right isn’t always Mr. Right Now, that’s why it’s fantasy football.