Roster management is the single most crucial in-season task for fantasy football managers. Knowing which players to let go is as important as adding the right guys.
Which wide receivers find themselves on our Week 15 fantasy football cut list based on roster percentages from Yahoo? We take a closer look below.
If you’re looking for all other positions, head over to our Week 15 Fantasy Cut List, which covers quarterback, running back, wide receiver, and tight end.
Deebo Samuel Sr. | SF (96%)
For this one, I am going to copy exactly what I said in last week’s cut list.
“Every week, I get a bunch of questions in the PFN Discord about whether to start Deebo Samuel Sr. or [insert player here]. My answer, every time without fail, is the exact same: ‘Never Deebo.’ It doesn’t matter who the other player is. All that matters is that the player you start isn’t Samuel.
One of the most difficult aspects of fantasy football is accepting that a brand name no longer has value. Samuel has been one of the most dynamic players in the NFL for the past half-decade. He was a second-round pick in 2024 fantasy drafts. But it’s over.”
Samuel hasn’t scored since Week 6. Over that span, he’s scored 12.6 fantasy points twice. That represents the best he can do for fantasy managers — high WR4 value. His absolute, best-case scenario, if-everything-breaks-right upside is maybe he gives you a WR4 outing.
To his credit, Samuel has been remarkably consistent over the past four weeks. You know exactly what you will get. He’s amassed between 20 and 22 receiving yards in four consecutive games. It’s as impressive as it is sad.
Normally, I would say there’s no harm in leaving Samuel on your bench out of fear he could pop a big game. In this case, there’s a strategic advantage to dropping him. Samuel has name value. What if your opponent picks him up and starts him? That’s a guaranteed hole in your opponent’s lineup.
Drop him. Let someone else pick him up and start him, and then hope you play that team while Samuel gives them his usual four fantasy points, contributing to your victory.
Tank Dell | HOU (82%)
This is a repeat of last week’s cut list. Since the Texans were on bye in Week 14, the analysis hasn’t changed. Below is what I wrote in last week’s cut list:
“Is Tank Dell a good football player? I thought so. After this year, I’m really not sure. What I am sure about is he no longer belongs on fantasy rosters and really hasn’t all season.
Even while Nico Collins was out, Dell didn’t exactly do much. He was better but averaged only 11.8 fantasy points per game. Those numbers are good enough to stash on your bench in case you need a desperation start but nothing more. With Collins on the field, though, it’s been a disaster. Dell is averaging 8.3 ppg with Collins active. What exactly are we supposed to do with that?”
Tyler Lockett | SEA (46%)
Heading into this season, I was quite high on Jaxon Smith-Njigba, but the jury was still out on him as a talent. The thesis was pretty simple. If a 22-year-old JSN could not unseat a 32-year-old Tyler Lockett as the Seahawks’ clear WR2, we could shut the door on Smith-Njigba as anything more than “just a guy.”
Since Week 8, Lockett has not seen more than four targets in a game. He hasn’t caught more than three passes in a game. He’s amassed more than 20 receiving yards just once over that span.
Tyler Lockett
Weeks 1-7: 18% target share
Weeks 8-14: 9.5%Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Weeks 1-7: 19.5% target share
Weeks 8-14: 25.9%DK Metcalf's has only dropped by two percent. JSN's rise has come purely at Lockett's expense.
— Tom Strachan (@NFL_TStrack) December 9, 2024
Last week, Lockett saw one target and did not catch it. I think it’s safe to say JSN has answered the call.
Geno Smith cannot support three fantasy-relevant WRs. Smith-Njigba appears to now be the No. 1; DK Metcalf is the No. 2; an aging Lockett looks to be nearing the end.
Diontae Johnson | BAL (38%)
The situation with Diontae Johnson and the Baltimore Ravens has to be one of the strangest in recent memory. From Weeks 3-6, while still with the Panthers, Johnson legitimately was a WR1 in fantasy. Somehow, he’s gone from an every-week must-start to a guy who actively refused to enter the game when his coaches told him to.
Since Week 8, Johnson has had one reception on five total targets. The Ravens suspended him for their next game (Week 15 following the bye) due to conduct detrimental to the team. I still think he’s a talented player, but it’s quite clear there is nothing here for fantasy anymore in 2024.