Much of fantasy football in-season owner strategy centers around which players to pick up from the waiver wire or to target in the trade market. However, roster spots are a premium resource. Cutting a player - or adding them to a trade - opens a roster spot for a key waiver wire addition or flexibility to keep a currently injured player through a missed game or two. Here are the key players to cut or trade after Week 11:
SHALLOW FORMATS
*15-18 roster spots*
Why: The Bills have largely been one of the least clarified backfields in the NFL this season on a week-to-week basis in 2021. While a strong offense, their running backs have been tepid producers and, more importantly, lacking predictability for lineups. Matt Breida has infused the depth chart with overt burst and speed, a trait not overly present with Moss or Devin Singletary. Moss, at his best this year, was the preferred red zone option with the attached mantra 'if a Bills back scores a touchdown, it is most likely Moss'. That cannot be said with confidence heading into the stretch run of the season.
Why: RB37 in Roster Rate, Davis has run out of chances to prove he is even an injury-away option since Atlanta's Week 6 bye. Davis has yet to produce more than 13 PPR points in a game this season and totaled just six touches in Week 11 despite Cordarrelle Patterson and Calvin Ridley being out of the lineup. Davis has minimal competition for touches in the backfield or in the passing game and yet continues to disappoint. Davis is a fantasy road to nowhere.
Why: Howard sagged to a distant RB3 for the Eagles in snaps Week 11. Miles Sanders is back in the lineup and the most glaring limitation for Howard's upside is his zero targets through four games active with the team. Howard is touchdown-or-bust for even a starting-caliber fantasy performance. Howard is a hold in non-PPR formats, but PPR points towards a shallow-roster cut candidate.
Robby Anderson
Why: Anderson continues to be rostered more on name value than substance this season. Despite rookie Terrace Marshall not challenging Anderson's WR2 standing on the depth chart at all through 11 weeks, Anderson has a game-high of 57 yards and has not surpassed 40 yards in a game since Week 4. This despite averaging nearly six targets per game. Cam Newton adds a rushing wrinkle to the quarterback position and Christian McCaffrey is back to his higher volume usage, both squeezing potential 'squint with rose-colored glasses' optimism from Anderson for the closing weeks of the fantasy season.
MEDIUM DEPTH
*18-22 roster spots*
Why: QB22 in Roster Rate, Mayfield has a mere 10 passing touchdowns in 10 games this season plus is averaging fewer than 10 yards per game on the ground. Mayfield was a massive disappointment in Week 11 against the exploitable Detroit defense to the tune of 185 total yards and two interceptions. The next three weeks include the Ravens twice and a bye week, likely three unstartable fantasy games outside of being in a difficult spot for Superflex lineups.
Why: After optimism with McNichols' potential role following Derrick Henry's injury, McNichols has shown zero signs of establishing a meaningful role. The team has added Adrian Peterson and D'Onta Foreman of note, and given expanded playing time to Dontrell Hilliard in recent weeks. McNichols is also working back from a concussion injury himself. McNichols projects as a roster clogger more than a viable shot at upside for the rest of the season.
Why: The subtraction of Mark Ingram on the depth chart in recent weeks has not aided Lindsay's chances at an impact. David Johnson and Rex Burkhead are the clear RB1/2 options on the Houston depth chart. Lindsay has not been used in the passing game much at all this season (four total targets) as an added concern. Stashing running backs is a strong bench utilization strategy, but Lindsay is not in the subset of optimized player choices with a clear story (beyond multiple injuries) for a late-season run.
Why: Uzomah, TE18 in Roster Rate, is four weeks removed from his run as a high-producing streamer, collecting five touchdowns over a 13-reception span. Uzomah is behind three quality wide receivers in the Cincinnati passing game pecking order, plus an entrenched Joe Mixon. Uzomah also has an aSOS (adjusted strength of schedule) shift beginning in Week 12 with the next month one of the more difficult in the NFL for opposing tight ends, which includes the first week of most fantasy playoffs (Week 15).
DEEP FORMATS
*25+ roster spots, more dynasty-focused*
Why: Ahmed has some athleticism to his game, but his profile also includes a lack of pedigree (UDFA) and a 196-pound frame which points to a lack of heavy usage even at his NFL best. Ahmed was a healthy scratch in Week 11 as Patrick Laird and the newly activated Duke Johnson Jr (remember him?) posted ancillary duties to starter Myles Gaskin in Miami. Ahmed had weeks of being a quality hold this season as the clarified backup based on the pecking order and usage, but Ahmed is drifting into the opportunities woods where even one injury will not clarify his projected usage for the following week.
Why: Gallman has been a trendy pickup twice this season - once with his addition to Atlanta's depth chart leading up to Week 1 as the presumed injury-away option and now with Cordarrelle Patterson's Week 10 injury and Gallman's workload late in the game. Week 11 turned into a house of horrors for Gallman. Even with Patterson inactive and Mike Davis disappointing (being kind), Gallman saw minimal snaps and one touch. Gallman can be safely dropped with Patterson, who saw limited practices a week ago, is closer to a return even if Gallman was higher in the pecking order at present.
Why: The move to the Raiders has not supplied much promise for the almost 35-year-old speed merchant wide receiver. Jackson faded from consciousness with the Rams after a pop 3-120-1 performance in Week 3, devolving to an invisible role before exiting the team. The Raiders lost Henry Ruggs and had a minimal impact (being kind) from Zay Jones and Bryan Edwards as outside receivers in Week 11 and Jackson still logged zero targets with a token rushing attempt as his lone contribution.
Why: Firkser continues to trend lower on the threshold required to keep him on fantasy rosters. Geoff Swaim was impinging on Firkser's tight end depth chart market share, but Week 11 was a relief as Swaim was inactive. The result? A 5-26-0 stat line for Firkser and this with Julio Jones out and A.J. Brown in and out of the lineup with in-game injuries. Firkser is a deeper 2TE special and any other format is a roster clogger for the preseason breakout candidate who has a season-high of 33 yards in a game and averaging 7.3 yards per reception.
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