Fantasy football players to drop: Michael Gallup, Antonio Gibson, Damien Harris
Managing a Fantasy Football team has become increasingly challenging. Recent weeks have seen a surge in injuries to key players, further complicating roster decisions. Adding to the complexity, NFL bye weeks are now upon us, requiring managers to find temporary replacements for absent players. This necessitates strategic roster adjustments and often involves picking up free agents, making it crucial to identify players who can be safely dropped to make room.
Several players have underperformed and can be cut from your roster without hesitation. One such player is Washington Commanders running back, Antonio Gibson. Gibson’s performance has fallen short of early projections, averaging only 5.3 fantasy points per game.
Gibson’s Week 5 performance was particularly concerning. He didn’t receive a single carry, a first in his career. Due to a significant deficit against the Chicago Bears, Washington resorted to a pass-heavy strategy for the majority of the game. While this resulted in four receptions for 64 yards for Gibson, it wasn’t enough to solidify his fantasy relevance, especially considering four teams were on bye in Week 5. With rookie Chris Rodriguez poised to take on a larger role, dropping Gibson is a justifiable move.
Another running back who can be safely dropped is Dalvin Cook of the New York Jets. Despite being a high-profile free agent signing, Cook hasn’t lived up to expectations. His performance has lacked the explosiveness he displayed with the Minnesota Vikings, suggesting the Vikings made the right decision to move on.
With Breece Hall’s return to full health and his ascension to the lead back role, Cook’s value has plummeted. Michael Carter’s presence as a third-down back further diminishes Cook’s relevance. While some managers might consider keeping Cook as a handcuff, there are better options available, even in that capacity, considering the overall struggles of the Jets’ offense.
On the other side of the offensive spectrum are the high-powered Buffalo Bills. However, their running back, Damien Harris, is another player who shouldn’t occupy a spot on your fantasy roster. Harris is firmly behind Latavius Murray on the depth chart, who himself is playing behind James Cook. Harris primarily sees action in blowout games, making him an unreliable fantasy option.
While an injury to Murray or Cook could elevate Harris to a more prominent role in a two-man committee, even then, he would be a risky fantasy asset in a pass-first offense led by the dynamic dual-threat quarterback, Josh Allen.
Wide receiver Michael Gallup of the Dallas Cowboys is another player likely to be on the waiver wire this week. The Cowboys’ offense has underperformed as a whole, with even stars like running back Tony Pollard and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb struggling. This has resulted in mediocre performances from players like Gallup, who has recorded three consecutive games with 15 or fewer receiving yards.
Gallup’s track record indicates he hasn’t been a significant fantasy contributor in recent years. With Brandin Cooks regaining his health and becoming more involved in the offense, there’s little reason to retain Gallup on your roster.
Finally, if you were holding out hope for a Chigoziem Okonkwo breakout, it’s time to move on. The Tennessee Titans tight end flashed potential last season, but his playing time has decreased recently. The Titans are incorporating rookie Josh Whyle and Kevin Rader into the offense, further reducing Okonkwo’s opportunities.
The Titans’ passing attack isn’t potent enough to support multiple fantasy-relevant pass catchers, let alone multiple tight ends. While the tight end position has been challenging for fantasy managers this season, Okonkwo’s performance hasn’t warranted a roster spot, let alone a starting role. Unless he starts producing big plays consistently and his snap count increases, it’s best to seek alternatives at the tight end position.
