Trades always seem to release the most dopamine in my brain of any fantasy football action. The anticipation of finding out whether I made a brilliant move or a big mistake is a reward in itself, and each trade creates a storyline to follow. But what if you are in a league where people are reluctant to make trades? Another fun risk/reward move is the "sabotage drop", a term coined by my friend Paul Charchian.
What is a "Sabotage Drop"?
A Sabotage Drop is a player with:
- Strong name value/ADP
- Fantasy value that is dim/inconsistent enough to make you not want to consider them in any given week
That makes them a drop, but where does the sabotage part come in?
- Another team will spend significant FAAB or waiver priority
- Drop another potentially useful player and clog a roster spot
- Use that player in their lineup and find out why you were willing to drop them
- Maybe even in a matchup against you!
In other words, "sabotage drops" are players who have more value than the lower-end waiver pickups of the week, but are more likely to cause aggravation than help your fantasy team in the long run. The fantasy football conventional wisdom has been to hold this type of player on your bench to see if they come around, but by being decisive, we can create new ways to entertain ourselves in the context of our leagues! Now let's figure out who our sabotage drop of the week will be. We will also track how the previous sabotage drops are going each week as we take on this topic.
"When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time." - Maya Angelou (RIP)
Previous SDotW Picks
Week 2: Marvin Harrison Jr. (WR-HOU) - 12 snaps, 4 targets, 3 catches, 34 yards
Week 3: J.K. Dobbins (RB-DEN) - 17 carries, 41 yards, 1 touchdown, 3 targets, 3 catches, 5 yards
Week 4: Jadarian Price (RB-SEA) - Placed on injured reserve (chest)
Week 5: Jalen Hurts (QB-PHI) - Placed on injured reserve (blood clots)
Week 6: Cam Skattebo (RB-NYG) - Benched
Harrison might be worth an add again in deep leagues as his snap share should grow, but he is still a complementary piece who does more to open up the field for his teammates. Dobbins is the most inefficient starting back in the league, but he has scored in two straight weeks. This is a miss by me, but Jonah Coleman could change that starting this week. After what happened to Hurts, Price, and Skattebo, I'm getting worried about a sabotage drop curse. I don't wish anything bad on anyone in the NFL, not even Deshaun Watson; let's make that clear. Phew.
On Sabotage Drop Watch
Ladd McConkey (WR-LAC) - He left with a concussion, his third injury in six weeks. His ceiling is too high to drop. Don't do it.
Rhamondre Stevenson (RB-NE) - Corey Kiner is threatening to turn into a three-headed backfield, and he might be the better goal-line back than Stevenson.
Michael Wilson (WR-ARI) - Probably too bold, as we saw Wilson go on a league-winning tear with Jacoby Brissett just last year, but it's clear that without the looseness of garbage-time defenses, he and Brissett aren't going to be able to regain their magic. Wilson isn't even a clear WR3/Flex play against Denver this week.
Harold Fannin Jr. (TE-CLE), Denzel Boston (WR-CLE) - Now that Jerry Jeudy is making plays, the Browns pass offense is a small pie split four ways. Fannin and Boston are young talents on the rise, but good luck figuring out which Brown pass-catcher to play, if there even is one worth playing in any given week. The problem with dropping either of these players outside of short bench leagues is that if Shedeur Sanders gets the call later this season, their values could bounce back in a big way.