Much of fantasy football's 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 6:
Roster Rate references data collected from myfantasyleague.com leagues
Shallow Formats
*15-18 roster spots*
RB Zamir White, Las Vegas
Why: RB48 in Roster Rate, White is rostered in entirely too many leagues (72%). White's high-water mark in PPR scoring was 6.6 points through the opening month, and now he has missed two games with injury. The Raiders are an avoid offense in general for running back production, and Alexander Mattison is, at a minimum, a significant hindrance to White's receiving work and, at maximum, the reason why White should be rostered in deeper leagues only.
RB Khalil Herbert, Chicago
Why: Rostered in 46% of leagues, mostly due to name cache, Herbert has slumped to the RB3 role, solidly behind Roschon Johnson in Chicago's backfield. Even if wanting to stash Herbert for a future rise up the depth chart, use this week to float Herbert to the waiver wire as Chicago enters their bye week, and few teams would consider picking up Herbert, the team's RB3, to retain through the bye. At a minimum, pick Herbert back up next week if believing in the talent.
Medium Depth
*18-22 roster spots*
RB Carson Steele, Kansas City
Why: Last week was the optimal time to drop or trade Steele, as the Chiefs had a Week 6 bye. Nevertheless, Steele is firmly behind Kareem Hunt and Samaje Perine in the rotation for now. In the short term, Clyde Edwards-Helaire could be returning to push Steele further from a relevant role. Even more pressing is that within a few weeks, Isiah Pacheco is projected back to render the entire depth chart's current dialogue, including Hunt, irrelevant.
RB Ty Johnson, Buffalo
Why: James Cook missing the Week 6 game against the Jets was a surprise, but Johnson playing so distantly behind Ray Davis was also a surprise. Cook should be back soon to squeeze Johnson's window of a clarified start, even if Davis were to be injured in the next game. Johnson's Roster Rate of RB78 is too high, considering he devolved from the RB2 to now the RB3 in Buffalo.