Week 12 Fantasy Football Drop Candidates: Aaron Rodgers, Jordan Mason, Tyler Lockett and More
It's safe to drop these players to your waiver wire.
Quarterbacks
Aaron Rodgers, New York Jets
As we so often have this season, we start off the drop candidates article by suggesting that you drop Rodgers. Had you listened to us from the start, he would have never been on your roster in the first place, but here we are.
Not only is he now a bad NFL quarterback at the head of a subpar offense, but he is also heading into his bye week. There isn't one reason to believe that he is worth holding onto through his bye week.
The team is a disaster, the offense is a disaster, and the biggest reason is because the quarterback is a disaster. It's time to fully move on from Rodgers forever even if he has an occasional good game.
Running Backs
Jordan Mason, San Francisco 49ers
Mason served his purpose, but his time has come to an end barring another injury to Christian McCaffrey. There was some hope that the Niners would ease CMC back into action and preserve him for the playoffs. That will not be the case, with one of the main reasons being that they are far from a lock to make the playoffs at just 5-5.
CMC is back in his near every-down role which takes away any value fantasy owners were hoping that Mason could potentially retain. Unless you are rostering Mason as a pure handcuff for CMC, it is safe to cast him off to the waiver wire. However, dynasty owners should hold on to him. There is a chance that he has worked himself into a starting job somewhere next season.
Gus Edwards, Los Angeles Chargers
Edwards just isn't seeing enough snaps to warrant keeping him on your roster. J.K. Dobbins is the clear RB1 for the Chargers, and if he were to get injured, it's not a sure thing that Edwards falls into a massive workload.
After playing just 11 snaps on Sunday Night Football, you can make a case that he is merely a third-string option for this Chargers' offense. It made sense to scoop him up after leading the team in rushing upon his return in Week 10. Unfortunately, that now looks like a fluke and he can be sent back to the waiver wire where he belongs.
Raheem Mostert, Miami Dolphins
Things have gone from bad to worse for Mostert in Miami. In Week 11, he rushed three times for -2 yards before leaving with a hip injury. He had already been losing his RB2 job to rookie Jaylen Wright and now he has an injury on top of it to go along with his lack of production.
The 2023 season was a magical year for Mostert, but his time has come and gone as a valuable fantasy asset. De'Von Achane is the clear RB1 in Miami and Wright is now the next man up. It's time to move on from Mostert. The way it's looking now, he won't even be on the roster in Miami in 2025.
Wide Receivers
Tyler Lockett, Seattle Seahawks
Lockett is another former star whose time has come and gone. Even with DK Metcalf injured, he brought very little value to fantasy rosters. He's now 32 years old and hasn't seen more than four targets in three straight games.
Two of those games were with Metcalf sidelined. Jaxon Smith-Njigba has supplanted him as the WR2 in Seattle and even an injury won't turn things around for Lockett as has been proven in recent weeks. It is safe to drop Lockett in all formats.
Diontae Johnson, Baltimore Ravens
Johnson being traded to the Ravens was an extremely unfortunate turn of events for fantasy owners. He had been thriving in Carolina before the team decided to give up on the year and look toward the future.
He has been a complete afterthought in Baltimore and is serving as the WR4 at best. In Week 11 he only played 11 snaps. Four weeks with the team is enough time to get acclimated to the system and at least play some sort of role in the offense. Perhaps they will use him for the NFL playoffs, but it doesn't look like he'll be of any help to you before the end of the fantasy playoffs. This is a tough one but you can let him go.
Mike Williams, Pittsburgh Steelers
Picking Williams up was your first mistake, but it's now clear that a change of scenery has not made him worth rostering. George Pickens is clearly the alpha wideout in Pittsburgh and then there is everybody else.
Russell Wilson isn't prolific enough in this run-heavy attack to maintain two fantasy-viable starters at wide receiver on a weekly basis. You can cut Williams and he should probably never be drafted again. If Pickens were to get injured, there is a chance that Williams would regain some value, although he still wouldn't be a lock for success.
