Week 15 Fantasy Football Drop Candidates: Russell Wilson, Alexander Mattison, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and More
You can consider dropping these players to your waiver wire this week.
Quarterbacks
Russell Wilson, Pittsburgh Steelers
This may be the end of the road for Wilson as a viable fantasy option. He's come back down to earth and his top wideout George Pickens is now sidelined with a hamstring injury that at best will leave him limited and a high-injury risk heading into the playoffs.
His fantasy playoff schedule is brutal as well as he faces off with the Philadelphia Eagles, Baltimore Ravens, and Kansas City Chiefs over the next three weeks. The Eagles and Chiefs are among the worst possible matchups in the league, while the Ravens should be a great matchup, however, Wilson couldn't get anything done against them at home just a few weeks back. This time, he has to head on the road to face Baltimore on the official start of winter December 21. Weather becomes a real issue in the northeast this time of year.
Kirk Cousins, Atlanta Falcons
Cousins looks washed and has for a while now. Over the past four games, he's thrown eight interceptions and zero TDs, You don't need us to tell you how bad that is. The last time he threw a TD pass was November 3.
This is no longer a question of whether or not Cousins will bounce back, but when will we see Michael Penix take over? Under no circumstance can you start Cousins in your fantasy playoffs.
Running Backs
Jonathon Brooks, Carolina Panthers
Unfortunately, Brooks tore his ACL again on Sunday. It was the same ACL that cost him almost all of his rookie season. His 2024 season is obviously over and so is his 2025 season. We don't care what reports you hear this summer about how he is ahead of schedule, we heard that this summer when he was expected back in Week 5.
A second tear of the same ACL is more than a 12-month recovery period and we will not see him again until 2026. Sadly, there is a real chance that we never get to see come close to his full potential in the NFL after this injury. Drop him in all re-draft and keeper leagues and if you can get anything for him in dynasty, you should take what you can get now.
Alexander Mattison, Las Vegas Raiders
Even with Zamir White landing on injured reserve, it's safe to drop Mattison. Ameer Abdullah can be cast aside as well. Sincere McCormick is the back-to-own in Vegas and makes all the sense in the world for them to get a look at their young running back with their season all but over.
McCormick isn't a strong option either - no one is on this offense moving forward. Regardless, he's still the best option and should see the most volume. Nevertheless, with Desmond Ridder under center, all fantasy options will suffer.
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Tyjae Spears, Tennessee Titans
Pollard is the workhorse back in Tennessee and it's safe to give up on any hopes of Spears' emergence you may have been holding on to since training camp. He is simply a backup and injuries have hindered his ability to do that.
There is no reason to hold on to him any longer. Odds are you wouldn't even want to start him if Pollard were to suffer some sort of an injury that cost him time so what are we doing here? Let him go.
Wide Receivers
Marquez Valdes-Scantling, New Orleans Saints
The only thing that was giving MVS any value was Derek Carr's ability and desire to chuck the ball up and throw it deep. With Carr out indefinitely with a broken hand, MVS' value will be completely sunk.
Jake Haener is the next man up in New Orleans and you don't want to own pieces of that passing attack as long as he's the starting quarterback. This drop suggestion applies to any other Saints' wide receivers you may be holding on to as well.
Joshua Palmer, Los Angeles Charger
If you picked up Palmer last week when Ladd McConkey was ruled out it was a good move. He did well enough and served his purpose. All you could have hoped for was for him to catch a few passes and not kill you, and that's exactly what he did.
Now it's time to cut bait. Don't go back to this well again because you will end up getting burned. There are no bye weeks this week and McConkey will not be a surprise inactive on Sunday Night Football leaving you with limited options. Plan better this week and find a suitable pivot in case McConkey is once again inactive.
