Fantasy Football Cut Candidates: Week 3

Injury-Related Drops

James Conner — Arizona Cardinals (Rostered ~97%)

This one is straightforward. Conner’s season-ending ankle injury eliminates any redraft value. There’s no “wait and see” with a player who won’t be back; keeping him blocks a roster spot you need for a streamer or an upside stash who can impact lineups now. In every 12-team redraft without IR, Conner should be released immediately.

Najee Harris — Los Angeles Chargers (Rostered ~50%)

Harris suffered an Achilles injury and is expected to miss the rest of the season. Even the most optimistic recovery timelines land well beyond the window that matters in redraft formats. Accordingly, free the space today and put it to work on a player who can actually contribute the next several weeks.

Colston Loveland — Chicago Bears (Rostered ~51%)

Loveland left Week 3 with a hip issue after a quiet start to the year, and the depth-chart reality hasn’t changed—Cole Kmet remains the Bears’ TE1 in routes and design. A secondary tight end with uncertain availability is rarely worth the hold in standard 1-TE, 12-team leagues. In short, unless your format is unusually deep or tight-end-premium, Loveland belongs on waivers while you chase a player with a clearer weekly role.

Opportunity / Role-Related Drops

Michael Penix Jr. — Atlanta Falcons (Rostered ~40%)

The trend over three weeks points in one direction. Penix strung together another difficult outing in Week 3 and finished the game on the sideline as Kirk Cousins closed it out. That choice from the staff says plenty about what they need right now: stability. Penix hasn’t offered rushing production to buffer the low passing efficiency, and with a veteran ready to step in whenever game script tightens, the leash is short. In 12-team, 1-QB formats—where viable streamers exist every week—Penix is an expendable roster spot.

Marvin Mims — Denver Broncos (Rostered ~38%)

The breakout never materialized. Through three games Mims has only six receptions, and nothing in his usage suggests a jump is imminent. Routes and snaps have stayed modest, the target share is thin, and there has been little to no red-zone involvement. With other receivers ahead of him in the pecking order, you’re effectively holding a long-odds lottery ticket at the expense of players who can help sooner. In typical 12-team redraft, that’s a cut.

Conclusion

September is where contenders separate: the managers who churn the bottom of the roster and act on what the league has already shown gain a weekly edge. James Conner, Najee Harris, Colston Loveland, Michael Penix Jr., and Marvin Mims either can’t help you because of injury or don’t have a realistic pathway to short-term relevance based on how they’re being used. Move on now and keep your roster flexible for the next wave of opportunity.