How long is too long to hang on to a top fantasy draft pick who’s been decidedly underwhelming. When does name value merely represent sunk costs? And, most importantly, how do you chase away the regret that comes with watching one of your guys thrive on someone else’s roster as you sink to the bottom of the league?
We can’t really help with that last one, but we can try and shed some light on the first two questions. In this week’s hold, drop, trade we’ll break down some players you might have invested a high value draft pick or pricey waiver wire bid in, only to be let down by inconsistent performances and single-digit scores.
And, this week, that means taking a closer look at a certain Kansas City Chiefs quarterback.
I'm joined by our resident
fantasy expert and Rhode Island Scumbag Mike "Yaj" Boyajian to talk about six players who've been either uneven or straight up disappointing this fall. Who should you keep? Who should you bench? And who should you trade or drop?
Hopefully we can clear things up for you.
RB Chase Brown, Cincinnati Bengals
Christian: Trade. Brown hasn’t averaged more than 3.5 yards per carry since Week 3. He’s responsible for negative-38 rush yards over expected (RYOE) in his last three games. He’s turned nine catches the last two weeks into 40 yards. Is there someone in your league who is a sucker for lowkey name value or the Bengals’ offense? Dealing Brown for pretty much anyone who fits as a reliable starter seems like a safe investment.
Yaj: Trade. Even though you won’t get full value for him at this point, at least try to move him to a RB needy manager before he completely craters. You really don’t want to drop him, because there is still some name brand value there. However, it looks like a collective whiff from the fantasy experts that were talking him up all preseason.
RB Aaron Jones, Minnesota Vikings
Christian: Trade, but you know what? Jones is dealing with a knee injury. Even if he was getting outsnapped by Jordan Mason before he left the game, his place in limbo makes this tough to rule on. Instead, let’s give Yaj a chance to talk about his rookie man-crush again.
Actually, RB Jonah Coleman, Denver Broncos
Christian: Hold. Coleman’s nine carries led the Broncos in Week 7, even if he was the only tailback not to find the end zone against the Arizona Cardinals. That’ll change; he averaged nearly five yards per rush after contact in Arizona. He also turned six routes into two catches and 15 yards through the air. Even if he’s stuck in a timeshare, he’s explosive enough to maximize limited touches.
Yaj: HOOOOLD! It was awesome to see my faith rewarded after drafting and holding Coleman through his IR stretch. His first game back was very promising, earning half of the running back snaps and clearly looking more explosive than his main competition, JK Dobbins.
Sean Payton (for what it’s worth) was very complimentary of Coleman after the game. Dobbins sulked through the sideline like a coach’s kid that was promised a role he clearly didn’t deserve and Dad got caught up using his best players instead. Things may be a little frustrating with three tailbacks involved, but you have your starter in Coleman. Get him in those lineups people!
WR Jalen Coker, Carolina Panthers
Christian: Hold. He’s an injury risk. He’s had fewer than four points in two of his last three games. But as a card-carrying Coke-head, I cannot suggest letting him go – in fact, see if someone out there is willing to trade him for cheap. The Panthers offense is unpredictable (what the hell happened in Tampa?!?), but while Coker has seen his separation decline this season he remains a useful option for a team that works best when Bryce Young is throwing the hell out of the ball. He’s got a nearly plus-25 percent catch rate over expected (CROE) on throws between 11 and 20 yards downfield this fall. His 2.1 yards per route run (YPRR) ranks 20th among qualified wideouts, tucked neatly between Nico Collins and Davante Adams.
Yaj: Trade. Unless you are really attached to him, or the WR position is bleak in your league, you could really take advantage and upgrade another position with what was most likely your 12th (or so) round pick from this year’s draft. He’s certainly serviceable, and if you want to hold him I wouldn’t blame you. But, odds are, you likely have other options at WR due to how late he was taken in drafts.
QB Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
Christian: Trade. If his name wasn’t Patrick Mahomes, you might have dropped him by now. We saw Sunday night what happens when Kenneth Walker III can’t unclog this offseason. Mahomes’ receivers still stink and he’s forcing throws into bad situations, scoring fewer touchdowns and throwing shorter passes than any other time in his career. His 5.8 air yards per attempt rank 32nd out of 33 starting quarterbacks, a fraction ahead of… Bo Nix. Ooooof.
Yaj: Trade. If you have him, he’s most likely your second QB. With the bye weeks in full swing, you could probably move him to a team that isn’t excited about starting JJ McCarthy or Kirk Cousins as a fill in.
Other than that, he doesn’t have much use. Drop him if you really need the roster space, but at least try to make a deal first to avoid having to sift through the waiver wire.
WR Jordan Addison, Minnesota Vikings
Christian: Trade. I’m not touching the “should the Vikings have kept J.J. McCarthy?” discourse. That might as well be an invitation to get tweeted by Cold Takes Exposed. But Addison only has two games so far in 2026 where he’s scored more than 4.1 fantasy points. His 1.18 yards per route run make him the 60th best wideout out there, but he can probably bring back top 40 value from someone hoping to buy the dip. Only, with Kyler Murray out there being the football equivalent of a replacement player, that dip might last until 2027.
Yaj: Hold. Although he and every other Viking pass catcher has struggled this season, his schedule the next two weeks gives me a reason to hold off on exile. Kyler locked onto him at times during the preseason, showcasing the potential he has yet to reach in this offense. With nice matchups on tap against inept Detroit and Buffalo defenses, I’m okay with seeing if Murray starts to lock back onto his favorite pre-season target.
TE Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens
Christian: Drop. Mandrews’ 1.21 YPRR is exactly the same as it was last year – when he finished the season with only 422 receiving yards. He’s not finding the end zone like he used to and, at 31 years old, isn’t likely to rebound effectively or efficiently. Go cast your lot with an efficient, young, more volatile tight end like Eli Raridon or Kenyon Sadiq instead.
Yaj: Drop. He’s clearly cashed. He has been on a downward trend for a couple seasons now. Like many once efficient TEs that came before him, his time as a difference maker in fantasy is over. Managers need to stop paying attention to the name and instead concede that he can’t help you anymore. Go chase production elsewhere.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Fantasy keep, drop or trade: What to do with Patrick Mahomes, Chase Brown and more
