Yahoo Fantasy's Top Week 3 Drops Including Kaleb Johnson And Colston Loveland

Cleansing for fantasy football teams is sometimes a good thing, as it allows game managers to cut dead weight and claim the best available talent in the free agent pool. Unfortunately, at Yahoo Fantasy, three of the top 10 drops were quarterbacks, with Joe Burrow being the most challenging decision in deep formats.

The most dropped players on Yahoo this week 😬 pic.twitter.com/DkRYVwLY33
— Yahoo Fantasy Sports (@YahooFantasy) September 17, 2025

J.J. McCarthy, Minnesota Vikings

In short roster formats, like Yahoo and ESPN, the quality of the free agent quarterback pool is much stronger than in 20 roster slot formats in the high-stakes market. The Vikings have a bye in Week 6, which may lead to Minnesota's young quarterback missing three games instead of his projected two weeks. He remains unproven on the field, and McCarthy can only get better by making plays. I agree with this cut, and I believe I have to release him in some of my deeper leagues tonight.

McCarthy is expected to be sidelined for 2-4 weeks.

Kaleb Johnson, Pittsburgh Steelers

Two games into his rookie season, Johnson has two measly rushes for minus two yards. The Steelers have only had him on the field for four plays. The running back position can change on a dime in the NFL, so I would be running to the window to add Johnson in leagues with more roster slots. Tell me again why you play in short-roster formats, because Yahoo wants you to be more active on their fantasy site.

Dial-up internet is long gone, and the general fantasy football public shouldn’t play in leagues where injuries force you to drop players that still have future value.

Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals

Losing Burrow is a kick in the jimmies in two ways. First, your team loses an impact quarterback, never mind the decrease in value to Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Chase Brown. If you are focused to cut him due to limited roster space or other injuries with players with quicker return dates, your fantasy team takes a double hit.

The first challenge for any fantasy game manager is making the postseason, which now requires an upgrade at quarterback with Burrow out. If a fantasy team survives this devastating injury, could the Bengals’ starting quarterback be a difference-maker in the fantasy postseason? Cincinnati plays Baltimore, Arizona, and @Miami from Week 15 to 17. I’m holding in 20-man rosters.

Evan Engram, Denver Broncos

Over 43 games for the Jaguars from 2022 to 2024, Engram caught 234 passes for 2,107 yards and 21 touchdowns, resulting in 570.40 fantasy points (13.27 per game in PPR formats). His playing time has been lower than expected over the first two weeks for two different reasons. Denver played from the lead in Week 1, and Engram came into last week with a calf issue. He has been out-snapped by Adam Trautman 80 to 51. I’m buying and saying thank you, waiver wire friends, can I have another?

Hollywood Brown, Kansas City Chiefs

Week 3 Fantasy Football Drop Candidate: Hollywood Brown, Kansas City Chief — Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Marquise Brown (5) against the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX at Ceasars Superdome. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

So I play against a good defense with WR1 snaps, suggesting a WR2 role when Xavier Worthy returns, but I’m no longer viable in shallow leagues. Wait, isn’t Patrick Mahomes still my quarterback? And how many snaps will Worthy play this week? I’m going to light up the Giants this week, just for you to say my name over and over.

Austin Ekeler, Washington Commanders

Last Thursday night was a bad day for Ekeler. He is done for the year, and he may never play another down in the NFL. Sorry for your loss, but the fantasy market must move on, along with the Commanders. Be well, my friend, and the fantasy market is your new home.

Colston Loveland, Chicago Bears

Loveland is a hold in deeper formats, but the shallow Yahoo/ESPN universe must ride a top 12 tight end options to compete. Their formats don’t allow many teams to hold two tight ends. Colston wishes farewell to his former drafters while pledging, “I’ll be back!”

Justin Fields, New York Jets

After a great Week 1, the writing was already on the wall to dump Fields. Can you list how many good receivers are on the Jets? Two, Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall, the second player was walking around with a Draft Me sign in late August, while many “so-called sharp drafters” ran to the Braelon Allen window. Guess what, Fields and Allen now live in the fantasy free agent pool, offering hope down the road.

Due to a concussion, Fields has been ruled out for New York's Week 3 matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Tank Bigsby, Philadelphia Eagles

Bigsby’s fantasy launch party started last week, while others hoped he would jump A.J. Dillon on the Eagles’ running back depth chart in Week 2. Unfortunately, there is only room for one productive running back in Philadelphia, and he goes by the name of Superman.

Braelon Allen, New York Jets

Week 3 Fantasy Football Drop Candidate: Braelon Allen, New York Jet — New York Jets running back Braelon Allen (0) before the game against the Buffalo Bills at MetLife Stadium. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

For any fantasy team rostering Breece Hall, I would try to add Allen if he is in the free agent pool. He is an upside talented back, but his ceiling is lower on the passing catching side. When the Jets rip off six straight losses, Hall will be playing for the Commanders while Allen takes the Lion’s share of the Jets running back opportunity.