October 28 Fantasy Basketball Drop Candidates: Cameron Johnson, Zaccharie Risacher, Bradley Beal and More

After checking out some fantasy basketball waiver wire options on Monday and Tuesday, let's now go over some possible drop candidates.

More drops can be found daily on the FantasySP waiver trends most dropped tab, which can be found on any fantasy basketball page on the site.

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Should You Drop Cameron Johnson?

Johnson has been dropped in 7.3% of leagues, bringing his overall mark to 80%. He's being dropped due to an injury - he suffered a shoulder injury.

He wasn't doing a ton in the early going this season, so fantasy owners are deciding to bail on Johnson with the injury in the mix now.

In the first two games, he had 20 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals, while playing 56 combined minutes. Johnson had five points and two rebounds and assists across nearly 19 minutes of play before leaving with the injury.

He's failed to make a big difference in two of his three games with the team. I'm not sure how serious the injury is, but it's enough to turn fantasy owners off to Johnson.

I usually like to wait until we know the severity of injuries before dropping players. He might be being let go because of his slow start to the season though, so I can't blame fantasy owners for that.

Until we know how long the injury might keep him out, I'd be more inclined to keep rostering Johnson. Just stash him on your bench for a bit.

I see Johnson putting up respectable fantasy numbers most nights in Denver, so I wouldn't want to bail after just three games. A prolonged injury could change my mind, but for now, just hold tight on Johnson.

Should You Drop Isaiah Stewart?

Stewart sits at 44% rostered after getting up to 58% early in the regular season.

He was stellar in the Pistons' first game, tallying 20 points, 10 rebounds, four blocks and two assists over nearly 25 minutes. In the three games since, Stewart has combined for 17 points, 19 rebounds, four assists and blocks and two steals.

Stewart played nearly 26 minutes in the team's last game, and finished with a decent fantasy showing, but well below that first game still - that first game was clearly an outlier. He played 17 and 21 minutes in the other two contests, and that inconsistent role means it's tough to trust Stewart for fantasy purposes.

I don't mind rostering him in some deeper leagues, but he shouldn't be in standard leagues most times. If Detroit is dealing with a ton of injuries, or Stewart is in a groove, then he could be streamed in those leagues, but he's most often just a deep-league asset, and that doesn't include all leagues.

Should You Drop Zaccharie Risacher?

Risacher is down to 52% rostered - he was at 74% early in the regular season.

Risacher has played just two of the first four games for Atlanta. He's started those games, but has played just 20 minutes in each contest.

An ankle injury is what's held him back so far, and it's affected his success in the early going. In his two games combined, the second-year player has just 18 points, two rebounds and a block.

Better days are ahead for the talented youngster, so I'd most want to stash him on my bench until he gets things turned around. I'm not ready to drop him yet, nor am I very close to that point.

I think he'll be a good fantasy asset for all leagues when he gets past this injury, so I wouldn't want to bail already. Tread water for a week or two and hope he gets rolling - if he doesn't by then, that's when I'd start considering a drop.

Should You Drop Sam Merrill?

Merrill was in Monday's waiver story, so you can probably guess that an injury is taking him down. He's at 56% today, after getting to 61% yesterday.

Merrill suffered a hip injury in Monday's game, and it could force him to miss some time. His status will be one to watch going forward.

He only played 18 minutes before leaving Monday's contest, tallying 11 points, two steals and one rebound and assist. In the Cavs' first three games, Merrill had 58 points, seven rebounds and assists and one steal and block.

It's a shame he got injured, because he was gaining fantasy traction in a hurry. Hopefully he's able to take the court again relatively soon, and pick up where he left off.

He can be dropped in all standard leagues for the time being, unless you could stash him on an IR spot. Hopefully you can do the same thing in deeper leagues, where those roster spots are even more valuable.

Keep an eye on his status and add him back if he's not expected to miss much time. If he's out for a couple weeks, or longer, then he can be dropped in all leagues.

Should You Drop Buddy Hield?

Hield is rostered in 37% of fantasy leagues right now - he was at 64% earlier this regular season.

Hield totaled 28 points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals over the first two Warriors' games, but he's struggled over the past two. He has just seven points, five assists, two rebounds and a steal in those contests, while logging just 30 minutes (compared to 44 minutes in the first two games).

His inconsistent role should catch fantasy owner's eyes. Hield is a solid deep-league asset if he's getting 20 or more minutes a game, but if he's not, then he shouldn't be rostered in nearly as many leagues.

I think his season could be an up-and-down one, so it might get frustrating to roster and utilize Hield. You could look to trade him off a deep-league team, but I'd wait until he bounces back to regain a little trade value.

Should You Drop Ace Bailey?

Bailey is down to 47% rostered. He was at 87% when the season started.

He hasn't done much in his first three NBA games for the Jazz. Bailey hasn't started, and has logged 13 minutes in back-to-back games, after playing just 20 in the team's first contest.

The rookie has eight points, seven rebounds and four assists so far. He's made just 3-of-19 shots overall, so that's definitely an early concern.

Things will turn eventually for the talented youngster, but until then, it's hard to roster him in fantasy leagues. I'd definitely move on from him in standard leagues for the time being, but not write him off for good.

I'd keep rostering him in deeper leagues for the time being, but maybe bench him until he picks up his production. In time, I see him finding his groove and being a legit fantasy asset in all leagues.

Should You Drop Bradley Beal?

Beal is owned in 54% of leagues right now - he too was around 87% when the season kicked off. He's dealing with an injury… again.

He's got low back soreness now, and missed Sunday's game. Beal won't play Tuesday either.

Beal logged 20 minutes in each of the first two games he played for the Clippers. He posted 11 points, two rebounds and assists and a steal, so he hasn't exactly been good while on the court either.

He hasn't played 60 games in a season since the 2020-21 season, so availability is a real issue with Beal, and why he's such a risky fantasy player to draft and roster.

If he isn't playing or producing when he's active, then he needs to be dropped in all standard leagues. If he doesn't pick it up soon, he'll be dropped in some deeper leagues as well.

I'd look to trade Beal before his value dropped even more. He's just not worth the fantasy headache.