Five weeks isn't enough to build a playoff race -- unless you're talking about fantasy football. With a 14-week schedule the standard for fake rosters across the globe, pressure is beginning to mount for underwhelming teams to make moves that could vault them up the standings or trap them in a prison of last place punishments.
That means taking a look at the highly regarded players or in-season waiver wire darlings who've frustrated with either poor fantasy performances or wildly inconsistent ones. With talented-but-flawed players lingering on the waiver wire, there's room for bold moves to vault teams into the playoffs. There's also massive capacity for the kind of regret that gets brought up for drafts infinitum.
I'm joined by our resident fantasy
expert and Rhode Island Scumbag Mike "Yaj" Boyajian to talk about eight players who've been either uneven or straight up disappointing this fall. And I threw Brenton Strange in there, because I like talking about Brenton Strange. Who should you keep? Who should you bench? And who should you trade or drop?
Hopefully we can clear things up for you.
WR Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Christian: Hold. Ol’ Rod Godwin (Rodwin, as his friends call him) hasn’t broken double-digits in any of his five games this season. But he remains an uber-efficient player (19 catches on 21 targets) with run-after-catch juice – he’s had a positive yards after catch over expected (YACOE) every season as a pro – who has been hamstrung by a low-impact passing game that’s moved his average target to just 3.4 yards downfield. That cannot last. Godwin will bounce back, possibly as soon as Baker Mayfield returns to the lineup (or Jalon Daniels gets good enough to make him a $55 million Wally Pipp).
Yaj: Hold. He’s still good when given the opportunity. I think he needs Baker back more than anyone else on the Bucs roster. The second half of the season could be very interesting for Godwin. Maybe bench him for now if you have better options, but don’t move on yet.
TE Brenton Strange, Jacksonville Jaguars
Christian: Hold. Strange is vital to the Jaguars’ offensive success. Some weeks that will mean four targets as he does most of his work as a blocker. Others will see him break through for seven catches and something approaching or cresting 100 yards. He’s on the field a ton for one of the NFL’s best offenses. He’s got bright Sundays ahead.
Yaj: Hold. Like every season, tight end is very volatile. He just put up seven catches for 68 yards in London and got stopped inside the five-yard line at least twice. He has some lean weeks, but he’s not waiver wire fodder.
RB Emanuel Wilson, Seattle Seahawks
Christian: Drop. I’d say trade, and maybe there’s someone down bad enough to look at Wilson’s ownership numbers and not the Seahawks’ tailback situation. He’s a very useful fill-in back (and the Packers could have really used him!), but Jadarian Price and Zach Charbonnet are coming back soon. Both are better options.
Yaj: Hold. He’s been the only somewhat consistent RB on the roster so far this season. Yes, Charbonnet’s return is imminent, but the Seahawks always utilize more than one back. Price is still a couple weeks away at minimum. He’s a decent hold with a role in his backfield, especially if you’re RB needy.
RB Cam Skattebo, New York Giants
Christian: Trade. Is there someone in your league who mostly consumes the NFL through State Farm commercials? If so, great news! They have no idea Skattebo is being shoehorned into a three-down role he does not fit, and defenses have caught wind of his explosive run style that lacks the top-line speed to be sustainable.
Yaj: Trade. You can’t drop him, but you don’t want to be stuck with him either. Unfortunately, it’s like having a Los Angeles Charger on your roster. No one is going to take the bait, and unless you package him to a manager desperate for RB help, you’re stuck with him. He’s still useful enough to be off the wire, but not enough to make a difference for your team each week.
WR Terry McLaurin, Washington Commanders
Christian: Trade. McLaurin is running a ton of routes (125 in four games) but has seen his catch rate and expected points added (EPA) when targetedboth backslide after 2024 – his last fantasy relevant season. With Washington’s quarterbacks trending downward, you can sell his name value and the chance of a bounce-back, even if he’s 31 years old (this might apply to Stefon Diggs, only at 32 years old, as well.
Yaj: Trade or Hold. The problem with trading him is what you will get for a return (minimal). The targets have been incredibly inconsistent, but he’s still a good, albeit older player. If no one wants to trade for him, there are worse players you could utilize as your WR3/flex.
WR Makai Lemon, Philadelphia Eagles
Christian: Bench, then trade. My predictioncame to life in Week 5; the Eagles, feeling the heat only Philly fans can place on a borderline unwatchable offense, force fed their first round rookie. Lemon, a run-after-catch wizard at USC, turned 36 routes into seven targets and 43 yards. He might be a volume PPR play, but dealing him now based on his Day 1 draft status might bring the best value you’re gonna get from him.
Yaj: Bench. He’s not quite ready for a prime time spot in your starting lineups yet. Maybe he can be startable later in the season as his rapport continues to build with Hurts. For now is mainly a between the 20s security blanket for Nick Sirianni's offense.
WR Courtland Sutton, Denver Broncos
Christian: Trade. The entire Denver receiving corps has fallen out of the circle of trust. Bo Nix has lost the deep ball that defined his early rise as a pro and has regressed to late-stage Oregon Bo. That means fewer deep balls and contested catches downfield, which is where Sutton thrives.
Yaj: Trade. See if someone in your league still values the name brand WR. His target average with Nix has dropped from seven to five per game and he scored his first touchdown of the season only last week. Maybe aKC Concepcion owner is in a pinch and needs someone to throw into their flex this week. Make an upside swing trade for a depreciated but recognizable asset.
WR Josh Downs, Indianapolis Colts
Christian: Drop. He’s getting targeted a ton in man coverage but failing to open gaps in coverage; his2.8 yards of separation per target are a career low and following a downward trend that began last year. His routes are up and his targets are down despite Indy’s dire need for receivers. There’s a modest chance for regret here, but if there’s a young wideout playing on a bad team, that might be your jam.
Yaj: Bench. I don’t want to give up on Downs quite yet, but Indy has to do a better job getting the ball in his hands. The talent is there. Maybe he gets traded, who knows.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Fantasy hold, drop, trade: What to do with Cam Skattebo, Chris Godwin and more?
