Fantasy Football Drop Candidates Going into Week 5: Josh Downs, Kaleb Johnson and More

Which widely rostered fantasy players can you drop heading into Week 5? Unfortunately, the obvious answers to that question are players who suffered injuries, notably Tyreek Hill and Malik Nabers. These two WRs join the rapidly growing list of players already done for the 2025 season.

However, Week 4 is also a time when you can start getting bold with non-injury-related drops. Historically, production through four weeks is more predictive of rest-of-season production than preseason rankings; this is the first week where that is the case. With that in mind, it's time to let go of highly-drafted players who just aren't getting it done. Without further ado, here they are. 

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QB Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals (81.8% Rostered)

As mentioned in the intro, I try not to feature injured players in this article. You don't need me to tell you that holding onto a player who won't play again in 2025 isn't a great redraft strategy … except, apparently, 82% of Burrow managers do need to be told this. 

To be fair, Burrow has not officially been ruled out for the season. When he had surgery to address his turf toe injury, his timeline for return was reported as “a minimum of three months.” Do the math from his mid-September surgery, and we are left with a mid-December return, as early as Week 16. 

But that means that, even in a best-case scenario, Burrow's first game back will be the fantasy football semifinals. Will you really want to start him in his return to action? Will the Bengals, who will be lucky to win more than a game or two without him, even want him to return?

If you've got empty IR spots and literally no one else to put there, it can't hurt to stash Burrow. Otherwise, the potential reward of a week or two of rusty Burrow is nowhere near the cost of a roster spot for the entire season. 

Honorable Mentions: J.J. McCarthy, MIN (previously featured); C.J. Stroud, HOU (previously featured twice)

On Thin Ice: Trevor Lawrence, JAC

RB Kaleb Johnson, Pittsburgh Steelers (42.5% Rostered)

Johnson gets the very dubious honor of being the first rookie to appear in this column. After all, rookies are the No. 1 type of player with whom fantasy managers should usually be patient. But there's patience, and then there's stubbornness. Holding out hope for Johnson to be fantasy-relevant this season is quickly becoming the latter.

Heading into Week 4, the third-rounder out of Iowa had a grand total of two carries for negative one yard, to go with an embarrassing special teams error that can't have endeared him to Pittsburgh's coaches. But on Sunday, he was gifted a golden opportunity to break out, as the Steelers' RB1, Jaylen Warren, was a surprise scratch with a knee injury. 

Instead, even with Warren out, Johnson handled just six carries and failed to catch his only target on a 21% snap share. He was the clear backup to former Eagle Kenneth Gainwell.

And it's not like this is a scenario where we can blame Pittsburgh's coaches for stubbornly holding back a clearly talented rookie. Johnson ranks third in the Steelers' backfield in yards per carry, PFF Rush Grade, yards after contact, and success rate … and none of those numbers are even close. He's not getting the opportunity, and he's not even flashing talent — it's time to give up on Johnson in all but very deep redraft leagues. 

Honorable Mentions: Braelon Allen, NYJ; Dylan Sampson, CLE (previously featured)

On Thin Ice: Joe Mixon, HOU; Tyrone Tracy Jr., NYG; Isiah Pacheco, KC

WR Josh Downs, Indianapolis Colts (58.4% Rostered)

Downs' situation is comparable to Johnson's. He started the season seeing disappointing usage, with just a 16% target share on a 54% route participation rate through the Colts' three games. Then, he got a chance to improve in Week 4, as usual starter Alec Pierce was out with a concussion. But, instead of giving Downs more routes, the Colts chose to play Adonai Mitchell, which inevitably resulted in one of the funniest highlights so far this season. 

Meanwhile, Downs was in his usual three-WR-set-only role (he has run literally two routes in 12 personnel all season). He did improve slightly to a 63% route participation rate, but still saw just a 15% target share. Even with the Colts' offensive improvements, this role simply isn't big enough for Downs to be a reliable fantasy option: his 4.8 half-PPR-point average is proof of that. 

Given Indianapolis' clear commitment to keeping him in his current role, there's no realistic path to more upside for Downs at this point in the season. Unlike Johnson, he doesn't even have the excuse of being a rookie. This is his third year being a part-time player, and even the per-route efficiency metrics he used to hang his hat on are falling off now that Tyler Warren is competing for his underneath targets. Downs is still a talented receiver, but he's not a fantasy-relevant one.

Honorable Mentions: Jayden Reed, GB; Tyquan Thornton, KC

On Thin Ice: Travis Hunter, JAC; Marquise Brown, KC

TE David Njoku, Cleveland Browns (82.9% Rostered)

So far, the 2025 Joe Flacco in Cleveland experience has not been anywhere near as fun as the 2023 Joe Flacco in Cleveland experience. The 40-year-old does still rank second in the league in passing attempts, which is something. But his efficiency is awful, with 3.14 adjusted net yards per attempt only barely beating out Cameron Ward for worst among qualified QBs (for context, the league average in this stat is 5.99).

This means that Cleveland's players can't get by with only mediocre usage thanks to massive volume, and Njoku is the first name on that list. So far this season, he has just an 11.6% target share and an 11.3% air yard share in the Browns' offense. His 74% route participation rate is fine, but it's trending in the wrong direction.

He posted a 68% participation rate on Sunday, his worst of the season and only three more routes than rookie TE Harold Fannin Jr., who continues to flash playmaking ability.

Given that tight end is easily the weakest fantasy position in the league, Njoku isn't a must-drop. But he hasn't shown anything this season to merit being rostered ahead of guys like Juwan Johnson, Hunter Henry, Zach Ertz, and even Kyle Pitts Sr. They are all rostered in less than 70% of leagues.

Especially in shallow formats, there's probably a better TE option than Njoku on waivers in your league … maybe even his own teammate. 

Honorable Mentions: Evan Engram, DEN (previously featured twice); Jonnu Smith, PIT (previously featured)

On Thin Ice: Colston Loveland, CHI