In the final installment of Cutting the Cord this season, a broad dynasty-focused list of drop players (with pickup pivots) will be discussed with more of a dynasty focus. In redraft leagues, championship week is about optimizing the starting lineup and (potentially) playing keep-away from your opponent if there is a glaring waiver wire option or weak spot in their lineup.

Dynasty Leagues: This, Not That

Quarterbacks

Kirk Cousins, Atlanta: Still may procure a starting job in 2025, but what is the upside? With no rushing upside and falling flat with quality weapons for a sizeable chunk of the season with Atlanta, Cousins is a likely roster clogger in 1QB formats.

Instead

Try Daniel Jones.

Carr is far younger with more in the proverbial tank. Daniel Jones has the closest profile to Sam Darnold to reclaim his career if he is in a better situation for his next starting opportunity.

Running Backs

Patrick Taylor Jr., San Francisco: A hot waiver pickup later in the season, Taylor was horrific in Week 16 and offers no flip potential in the offseason as a ho-hum veteran boosted by circumstance only. 

Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas: The lone reason to hold Elliott this season was he held the RB2 role in Dallas as he held off Dalvin Cook. Elliott is on his last gasp in the NFL, let alone as a meaningful part of a backfield. Without Dallas, Elliott might have been out of the league in 2024.

Samaje Perine, Kansas City: Perine has morphed into exclusively a pass-catching option with Kansas City and did not challenge the previously-out-of-the-league Kareem Hunt for early-down touches this season.

Jamaal Williams, New Orleans: An older veteran with no name cache, Williams is also trending towards being out of the NFL in 2025 or 2026. He was passed instantly by Kendre Miller on the depth chart.

Israel Abanikanda, San Francisco Another trendy stash player earlier in the season with his signing by San Francisco, Abanikanda stayed buried on the depth chart despite injuries in front of him. Also, Abanikanda has stayed blocked on two different depth charts and is yet to flash in any regular-season action.

Dare Ogunbowale, Houston: The classic older veteran who can function in-season as the RB2 or RB3 on a depth chart, but is not viewed as a true injury-away option with lineup possibilities. Ogunbowale has zero market interest in the offseason mode of dynasty rosters.

Instead

Try Sione Vaki, Kenny McIntosh, AJ Dillon, and Chris Brooks.

Vaki could be in the Craig Reynolds RB3 role in Detroit next season (and could flash in the postseason). McIntosh has performed well despite being blocked most of the season in Seattle. Dillon has Round 2 pedigree and is an upcoming free agent. Brooks has impressed in Green Bay and supplanted Emanuel Wilson as the RB2 (with MarShawn Lloyd out) shortly after his arrival.

Wide Receivers

Demarcus Robinson, LA Rams: A depth wide receiver at heart, Robinson filled in admirably when the avalanche of injuries hit the Rams' depth chart earlier this season. However, Jordan Whittington is the more appealing offseason stash for 2025 on the same depth chart, and Robinson will turn 31 around the start of the season.

Mike Williams, Pittsburgh: The injuries have sapped the upside from the 30-year-old Williams in recent years. Even George Pickens' absence has not boosted Williams in recent weeks with the deep ball maven Russell Wilson under center. Williams is trending closer to being out of the NFL 12 months from now than being fantasy-relevant.

JuJu Smith-Schuster, Kansas City: The former early-career phenom has devolved into soaking up routes and offering more utility for Kansas City as a blocker and almost hybrid wide receiver-tight end than anything else since acquiring DeAndre Hopkins and now with Marquise Brown in the mix.

Instead

Try Malik Washington, Ryan Flournoy.

The Dallas depth chart continues to search for a stabilized WR2 behind CeeDee Lamb for 2025. Washington is a shallower option with interest in Miami and almost an injury-away option to Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle should they miss time. Be selective when stashing wide receivers overall in medium or deeper leagues.

Tight Ends

Juwan Johnson, New Orleans: Even with the litany of injuries for the Saints' wide receiver corps, Johnson has not ticked up in fantasy appeal this season. Fast forward to 2025: Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed will be back, and New Orleans will have had a whole offseason to address the skill positions. It has been multiple seasons since Johnson had the question "Will he take the next step forward?" mentioned regarding his fantasy upside.

Colby Parkinson, LA Rams: A low-level starter in the NFL, at best, Parkinson disappeared with the golden opportunity of Tyler Higbee missing the first 15 weeks of the NFL season. Parkinson logged one game of at least 10 points and topped out at 12 points. Parkinson was at his best as an ancillary option in Seattle. Thrust into a bigger role, Parkinson has been a disaster in 2025.

Instead

Try Stone Smartt, AJ Barner, Erick All Jr., Josh Whyle.

All have been productive on a limited sample size. Noah Fant is a slated free agent in front of Barner in Seattle and Mike Gesicki is a free agent in front of All Jr. in Cincinnati.

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