Players to Drop Ahead of Week 9: Mark Andrews and More

With bye weeks becoming more and more of a factor, waiver moves are going to be extremely crucial for fantasy rosters. You are going to have to add players to pick up and start to replace players on bye, but it’s important to know which players you can safely drop when making those moves.

Players to Drop Ahead of Week 9

Mark Andrews | TE | Baltimore Ravens

Roster percentage: 66.8% (ESPN), 65% (Yahoo)

Mark Andrews

Mark Andrews found himself in this column a few weeks ago, but he remains rostered in over 65% of leagues. That will (and should) change this week, as the entire Baltimore passing attack is suddenly a major concern. Not only did the Ravens lose Lamar Jackson for possibly the rest of the season, but backup quarterback Tyler Huntley might miss a few weeks with a turf toe injury. Even if Jackson were healthy, Andrews would be a drop candidate, scoring just one touchdown all year long, while averaging just 5.1 targets, 3.6 receptions and 27.2 yards per game.

Andrews was one of my favorite players to draft this summer, but he clearly is far from the player he once was. Meanwhile, the Ravens have to watch Isaiah Likely play like a top-five tight end with the Giants. Swing and a miss by both the Ravens and myself.

Emanuel Wilson | RB | Seattle Seahawks

Roster percentage: 65.5% (ESPN), 60% (Yahoo)

Emanuel Wilson

Emanuel Wilson has filled in admirably for both Zach Charbonnet and Jadarian Price, posting two top-10 fantasy weeks. Since Week 4, Wilson has averaged a respectable 73.5 rushing yards per game. This is being written before Seattle and Chicago kick off on Monday, but Charbonnet and Price are set to return. I imagine both players will see limited usage in their first game back, which could lead to some work from Wilson. But starting in Week 9, Wilson will return to a bench role, especially if the Seahawks add a star running back at the trade deadline.

As long as nothing drastic happens to end Week 8, feel free to move on from Wilson.

Tyler Higbee | TE | Los Angeles Rams

Roster percentage: 14% (ESPN), 25% (Yahoo)

Tyler Higbee

Tyler Higbee was a popular tight end streamer once the Rams lost Davante Adams, and I totally get it. The Rams don’t really throw to their secondary wide receivers, while no team deploys as much 12 and 13 personnel as this offense. But with Adams sidelined over the past two weeks, the offensive philosophy in Los Angeles has been simple—run the ball and when you do throw it, target Puka Nacua.

A lot.

Since Week 7, Nacua has a target share north of 40%, completely dominating the looks from Matthew Stafford. Higbee, meanwhile, has caught a combined three passes for 28 scoreless yards during that span, and that was with Colby Parkinson also missing Week 8. There will certainly be plenty of weeks where the Rams' tight ends are involved, but Terrance Ferguson will eventually be back, too, only furthering this committee. If you don’t have an elite fantasy tight end, you are most likely streaming, and there are simply players who are more consistently involved in their offenses than Higbee.

Xavier Worthy | WR | Kansas City Chiefs

Roster Percentage: 71.9% (ESPN), 70% (Yahoo)

Xavier Worthy

Xavier Worthy isn’t a must-drop player, but if you don’t have anyone else you can move on from, I’m completely fine with it. Rashee Rice returned this past Sunday, and while Worthy saw six targets, he once again did nothing with them, catching three passes for 11 yards. Worthy has now failed to reach 15 receiving yards in each of his last two games, while being held below 30 yards in 5 of 7 games. In his first game back, Rice easily led the Chiefs with a 26% TPRR. And since 2024, Worthy’s TPRR is only 14% with Rice on the field. For reference, Worthy was targeted on 23% of his routes with Rice sidelined from Weeks 4-7.

Worthy really didn’t flash any fantasy upside without Rice, so it’s tough to imagine a world where he possesses a valuable ceiling with him back in the lineup.