Fantasy Football: 3 Players You Can Drop After Week 9

Every week, basically every fantasy website in the industry puts out a waiver wire column -- here's ours for this week. But in some instances, the real problem isn't deciding who to pick up; it's figuring out which players to part ways with.

Knowing when to drop an under-performing player is a tough call, but I'm here to help you out.

These are tough decisions to make -- if they weren't, I wouldn't need to write this article. But it doesn't have to be so hard. After this past week, here are some players you can drop and why.

All NFL projections via our numbers at FanDuel Research, and NFL odds references are to FanDuel Sportsbook. Statistics via NFL Next-Gen Stats and Pro Football Focus unless otherwise stated.

Fantasy Football Players to Drop After Week 9

Chuba Hubbard, RB, Panthers

Rico Dowdle is the clear-cut RB1 for the Carolina Panthers. Chuba Hubbard was absent in Weeks 5 and 6, and Dowdle took advantage of increased usage by averaging an absurd 236.5 scrimmage yards and 31.4 fantasy points per game. After finishing as RB1 and RB2 in back-to-back weeks, this looked to be Dowdle's backfield with Hubbard returning from injury.

Over Weeks 7 and 8, Hubbard still took the majority of snaps with a 56.6% snap rate compared to Dowdle's 40.3%. The touches were nearly even, though, as Hubbard averaged 17.0 adjusted opportunities per game (carries plus 2x targets) while Dowdle posted 14.5 per contest. Dowdle was the more efficient back during the two-game stretch by a landslide, averaging 1.22 rushing yards over expectation per carry (RYOE/c) compared to Hubbard's -1.40 (via NFL Next Gen Stats).

Dowdle's excellent play paid off in Week 9, for he enjoyed a 74.1% snap share while Hubbard took a backseat with a 20.4% snap rate. There's little reason to believe this will change going forward as Dowdle took full advantage of the opportunity by posting 25 carries for 130 rushing yards (5.2 yards per carry), two touchdowns, and 27.1 fantasy points (RB2). Once again, Dowdle sported elite efficiency with 1.75 RYOE/c while Hubbard logged -1.42 RYOE/c on five rushing attempts.

Carolina has found its RB1, and Hubbard is the odd man out. It shouldn't be difficult to cut ties either as Hubbard is averaging only 6.9 fantasy points per game over his previous five games. Since posting 16.3 fantasy points per game in the first two appearances of the season, Hubbard has become a nonfactor on the Panthers offense. His 88% roster percentage at Yahoo Sports is bound to drop.

Matthew Golden, WR, Packers

The Green Bay Packers' wide receiving corps is always a headache. Most figured it'd be more of the same for first-round rookie Matthew Golden. He saw his volume increase from Weeks 3 to 6 with a 17.2% target share, 39.4% air yards share, 36.8% downfield target share, and 15.4% red zone target share. After averaging only 2.1 fantasy points per game in his first two games, Golden recorded 9.5 fantasy points per contest from Weeks 3 to 6.

However, trajectory has quickly dipped since Week 7. Over the last three games, Golden carries a 10.2% target share, 8.6% air yards share, 3.8% downfield target share, and 0.0% red zone target share. Some of this is due to playing only 34.9% of snaps in Week 9 as Golden left with a shoulder injury.

While it's a small sample size of one game, Golden posted only three targets and receptions for four receiving yards in Christian Watson's first game back from injury in Week 8. Golden's downfield work disappeared as he carried a 0.8% air yards share paired with zero downfield targets. Meanwhile, Watson posted a 37.5% downfield target share in Week 8. This carried over to Week 9 with Watson sporting a 34.9% air yards share.

With Watson quickly taking on a large role for Green Bay while Golden is dealing with a shoulder injury, it may be time to drop the rookie. We can't overlook Romeo Doubs enjoying a large workload since Week 4, too, posting a 25.6% target share and 46.9% air yards share during the span.

Tight end Tucker Kraft sustained a season-ending knee injury in Week 9, opening up more targets in this offense. Perhaps we should wait another week as Golden's role could change with Kraft out for the season. Either way, Golden's 62% roster percentage could begin to slide after posting only 3.2 fantasy points per game over the last three.

Alvin Kamara, RB, Saints

Dropping any player with a 96% roster percentage seems foolish. Alvin Kamara is recording only 7.6 fantasy points per game (RB41), though. Since Week 3, he's posted double-digit fantasy points once while averaging only 6.1 fantasy points per contest during the seven-game span.

Of course, the New Orleans Saints ranking as the third-worst schedule-adjusted offense while averaging 15.3 points per game (second-fewest) and 4.7 yards per play (third-fewest) is a part of the equation. Kamara has virtually zero scoring chances, with one touchdown through nine games. Consistent negative game scripts are taking away from Kamara's rushing attempts, as well. He's averaged 8.2 carries per game over the previous five compared to 16.3 rushing attempts per contest over the first four weeks of 2025.

This offense is simply a sell across the board. The offensive line has the lowest pass block win rate and second-lowest run block win rate. Plus, wide receiver Rashid Shaheed was traded to the Seattle Seahawks on Tuesday afternoon.

Fantasy managers could begin to lose patience with Kamara's stock. His snap share has fallen to 54.1% over the last two weeks. The Saints losing the last two contests by an average margin of -20.0 points per game is likely apart of the fall in snaps, but this is still something to keep an eye on with rookie Devin Neal emerging in the backfield.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.