Much of fantasy football in-season team 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 (and finite) resource. Cutting a player - or adding them to a trade - opens a roster spot for a key waiver wire addition or the flexibility to keep a currently injured player through a missed game or two. Here are the key players to cut or trade after Week 3:
*Roster Rate references data collected from myfantasyleague.com leagues*
SHALLOW FORMATS
*15-18 roster spots*
QB Matt Ryan, Indianapolis Colts
Why: Ryan rebounded from a poor season start in Week 3, with his full complement of weapons, and yet still was a shoulder shrug fantasy-wise with 222 yards and a couple of touchdowns. Ryan is a mere placeholder, at best, in 1QB formats who has struggled to prevent turnovers and potential turnovers. In addition to actual turnovers and potential turnovers, Ryan has logged the third-most sacks in the NFL Unless starting Ryan as your clear best option in Week 4 specifically, cut Ryan before the tough matchups against Denver and Jacksonville in Weeks 5-6 make him a roster albatross.
RB D'Onta Foreman, Carolina Panthers
Why: Foreman is inside the top-60 running backs in Roster Rate but does not have clarity of a role. Even if Christian McCaffrey were to miss time, there has been a near-even split between Foreman and Chuba Hubbard in relief through three weeks. Plus, the Panthers are a struggling offense and limiting even McCaffrey as a receiving option as they are tied for 19th in running back receptions through Week 3. The 49ers, Rams, and Buccaneers also loom with a stingy string of matchups after the Cardinals in Week 4.
WR Chase Claypool, Pittsburgh Steelers
Why: One of the higher Roster Rate receivers nominated to date in this 2022 article series, Claypool is averaging a running back-like 7.2 yards-per-reception, supported by an aDOT (average depth of target) outside the top-70 wide receivers and tight ends seeing at least 10 targets. In short, Claypool is not the big-play threat he once was within this offense. George Pickens, by comparison, is seeing one of the highest aDOT marks in the NFL, and Diontae Johnson is a target hog within the same depth chart. Claypool is struggling to find his pathway to quality fantasy production, and the schedule is not overly kind in the upcoming weeks either (Jets, Bills, Buccaneers).
TE Albert Okwuegbunam, Denver Broncos
Why: After flashing in 2021, Okwuegbunam was a breakout pick in the fantasy space for 2022. Despite running the fourth-most routes on the Broncos, Okwuegbunam has struggled mightily with an anemic 6-45-0 stat line. The Denver offense is searching for answers. Should they find them in future weeks, Courtland Sutton, Javonte Williams, and Jerry Jeudy are far more likely to be at the forefront of elevated production. At best, Okwuegbunam is on the streaming radar later in the season, far from validation of his TE24 Roster Rate and burning a shallow format roster spot waiting for that to occur.
MEDIUM DEPTH
*18-22 roster spots*
QB Davis Mills, Houston Texans
Why: Mills has eroded after a passable Week 1 to "Is it 2023 yet?" status for the Texans. Mills is barely completing half of his passes over the past two weeks with more interceptions than touchdowns. The team is still in search of dependable production beyond Brandin Cooks, and Mills has yet to elevate beyond his situation with high-level throws. The Chargers and Jaguars have held most of their opposing quarterbacks in check, the Texans' matchups the next two weeks, followed by a bye in Week 6.
RB Hassan Haskins, Tennessee Titans
Why: Dontrell Hilliard returned to the lineup in Week 3, and as a result, Haskins barely saw the field behind Derrick Henry. Haskins had a mere three snaps to Hilliard's 14. In a moderate-depth format, there must be extreme selectivity in rostering running backs who are not a clarified primary backup or in a potent offense where a true speculation play is warranted. Haskins and the Titans are not those exceptions.
Why: After flashing in the intermediate game in Week 1 (6-60-0 on 11 targets), Peoples-Jones has been a shadow within the Browns' passing game with four targets and a single catch over the past two weeks. This is without being challenged by Anthony Schwartz or David Bell for the WR2. Instead, Amari Cooper has consolidated more of the passing game pie, and David Njoku rose from the fantasy ashes for a high-level Week 3 effort. Peoples-Jones, at best, is a hold until Deshaun Watson is under center for more macro upside for Cleveland offense, but that clogs the fantasy bench with still more than two months of wait remaining.
TE Juwan Johnson, New Orleans Saints
Why: After an intriguing route share to open the season, Johnson devolved to barely half of the team's routes in Week 3. Adam Trautman rose from the ashes as did Tre'Quan Smith with Jarvis Landry and Michael Thomas missing part of the game. Taysom Hill was also inactive. Johnson is, at a minimum, behind the three notable wide receivers in the pecking order, and a needle-through-a-keyhole type upside bet for a predictable weekly role.
DEEP FORMATS
*25+ roster spots, more dynasty-focused*
RB Chris Evans, Cincinnati Bengals
Why: Evans has made zero headway towards passing Samaje Perine for the Bengals' RB2 role this season. In fact, Perine has a 63-to-3 edge in snaps. Even if Joe Mixon were to miss time, expect Evans to be firmly on the lesser side of a slanted committee with Perine affixed as the starter. Outside of 30 or more roster spots in an offense-only (and 1QB) league, Evans is a monitor-from-the-waiver-wire player more than a roster now option.
WR Bryon Pringle, Chicago Bears
Why: Pringle had buzz in the offseason of a relevant WR2 role within the Chicago offense. In addition to exiting Week 3 with a calf injury, Pringle has a mere three targets on the season, and even Darnell Mooney, the clear WR1 in utilization, has been a fantasy afterthought on the struggling (being kind) Bears' passing game. Pringle is fourth on the team in wide receiver snaps and has blocked more than run routes. Even in deeper dynasty formats, Pringle is a cut candidate.
TE Kyle Rudolph, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Why: Rudolph is TE47 in Roster Rate, a quizzical stature considering his ancillary role projection and inactive status in Weeks 1-2. Week 3 was his optimal opportunity with Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, and Julio Jones all out. The result? One target on a mere four pass routes and nine snaps total as Cameron Brate had his best game of the season. If Rudolph cannot carve a meaningful role under those settings, his deep redraft (or dynasty) value is on life support at best.
TE Pharaoh Brown, Houston Texans
Why: Brown has been a tepid starter for Houston in terms of his route share through three weeks. Without Brevin Jordan in Week 3, Jordan Akins was back in the mix and looked better than Brown has at any point this season. If taking a shot on a Houston tight end, consider Akins as a streamer and not the more blocking-minded Pharaoh Brown, who has 10 targets on the season.
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