Fantasy Football Drop Candidates Going into Week 4: C.J. Stroud, Stefon Diggs and More

We are three weeks into the fantasy football season. We haven't quite reached the point of the year where in-season production is more statistically predictive than preseason rankings, but it's just around the corner.

We can't just dismiss slow starts as small-sample variance anymore, especially when they are accompanied by bad underlying numbers. With that in mind, here is one player at every position to cut from your fantasy football roster heading into Week 4.

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QB C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans (70.7% Rostered)

This isn't the first time Stroud has appeared in this article. But, especially at a position with limited options, his roster percentage simply sticks out like such a sore thumb that I have to mention him again.

The thing about Stroud is that his slow start to the season (12.4 points per game, 32nd among QBs) can't be dismissed as a small-sample fluke. He was a useless fantasy asset for his entire sophomore season, too, averaging just 13.7 points per game. He hasn't scored over 20 fantasy points in a fantasy-relevant game (Weeks 1-17 of the regular season) since Week 12 of his rookie year — November 2023. 

Stroud is still rostered in nearly three-quarters of leagues due to leftover hype from when he was prematurely declared the next big thing after an impressive rookie season. And even that rookie season wasn't particularly impressive from a fantasy perspective. He averaged just 18.7 points per game, ranking as the QB10. 

Right now, Stroud is barely even startable in 2-QB formats. If everything goes right and he somehow rediscovers the form he hasn't had in nearly two years, he's still just a backend QB1. Why exactly is he worth holding onto? It beats me. 

Honorable Mentions: J.J. McCarthy, MIN (previously featured); Trevor Lawrence, JAC

On Thin Ice: Justin Fields, NYJ

RB Dylan Sampson, Cleveland Browns (49% Rostered)

It's hard to find drop candidates at the running back position, because any RB with even the barest hint of a role is usually worth rostering. However, this Browns' rookie has officially reached the point where his only value is as a handcuff, meaning he can be dropped in most formats. 

The issue for Sampson is simple: Cleveland's backfield belongs to Quinshon Judkins now. Judkins, also a rookie but drafted in the second round to Sampson's fourth, only officially joined Cleveland's roster just before the season began. But on Sunday, he was the team's clear lead back, handling 18 of 19 RB carries and playing 58% of offensive snaps. He's looked good, too, so his role is only likely to expand going forward.

Of course, 58% of offensive snaps still leaves a solid number (and a potentially valuable fantasy role) unaccounted for. Unfortunately, those snaps did not go to Sampson. They went to Jerome Ford, who played a passing-down role with four targets and eight pass-blocking snaps. Sampson, meanwhile, played just four snaps total. Obviously, four snaps is nowhere near a fantasy-relevant role.  

Sampson does still have some non-injury-related paths to finding fantasy viability again this season. Judkins might still be suspended for a preseason domestic violence incident. Alternatively, Sampson — who has shown promise as a receiver — could take over  Ford's passing-down role. But neither of those scenarios is actually that exciting. Judkins is not likely to be suspended for more than a few games at most, and it's not like Ford's current role is some fantasy gold mine. With no current value and only thin paths to mediocre upside, Sampson is droppable in most leagues.

Honorable Mentions: Tank Bigsby, PHI (previously featured); Jaydon Blue, DAL

On Thin Ice: Braelon Allen, NYJ; Joe Mixon, HOU

WR Stefon Diggs, New England Patriots (87.1% Rostered)

I actually made the tough decision to cut Diggs myself in my longest-running home league (which, to be fair, is disgustingly shallow) prior to Week 3. After checking his numbers from Sunday, I don't regret it, and I recommend you do the same. 

Starting with the obvious, Diggs' fantasy performances in a New England uniform have been lackluster. He has yet to score double-digit half-PPR points, ranking as the WR64 through three weeks with 17.7 points total. 

Unfortunately, there's no reason to predict that these numbers will improve, as Diggs' usage is also uninspiring. He has posted just a 56% route participation rate, a 14% target share, and a 16% air yards share. None of these numbers is even particularly close to what we look for in fantasy-relevant wide receivers. 

In deep formats, Diggs isn't a must-drop. There's a chance he's still recovering from the ACL tear that ended his 2024 season; if he gets back to full health, there is still a role available as the WR1 for this Patriots' offense. But in shallow formats, that possibility simply isn't worth waiting for.

Honorable Mentions: Jayden Reed, GB; Josh Downs, IND

On Thin Ice: Cooper Kupp, SEA 

TE Evan Engram, Denver Broncos (82.9% Rostered)

Like Stroud, this isn't Engram's first rodeo. I actually featured him after Week 1, an at-the-time bold call that has since been proven even more correct than I expected. Through three weeks of the season, Engram has caught a grand total of four passes on six targets for 33 yards and 5.3 half-PPR points. 

To be fair, Engram has dealt with multiple injuries. He missed Week 3 entirely with a back issue that reportedly first appeared in Week 2, and this was after dealing with a calf injury in Week 1. There's a chance that all of his usage and production issues have been injury-related, and if/when he is healthy, we finally see Sean Payton's Joker role in all its glory.

But all we can judge is what we see on the field. Injuries or no, Engram has played two games, and he has hardly been a factor. In those two games, he had just a 34.7% route participation rate, far below the threshold for fantasy relevance. Between his injuries and his apparently lackluster role even when healthy, Engram is a safe drop in most formats. 

Honorable Mentions: Jonnu Smith, PIT (previously featured)

On Thin Ice: Colston Loveland, CHI