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 7:
SHALLOW FORMATS
*15-18 roster spots*
Mitchell Trubisky
Why: The tape has been troubling most weeks for Trubisky, outside of the dream matchup against Tampa Bay and tough to predict rushing yardage. The schedule turns for Chicago in the upcoming weeks with the Jets and Bills and a neutral to negative schedule for the rest of the season. Trubisky is owned in 85% of MFL leagues.
Why: Still rostered in 85% of MFL leagues, Barber is an NFL starter on paper, but has one decent game on the season (Week 6) and minimal receiving involvement. Ronald Jones is emerging by the week, and Barber got dinged up in Week 7. With upside paramount to roster spots in shallow formats, Barber is best on the waiver wire than on the bench.
Why: Agholor is five games removed from his last viable fantasy outing (8-88-1 in Week 2) and has been No.3 at best on the Eagles' passing food chain since Alshon Jeffery returned from injury. Add in a tough slate the next three weeks (Jaguars, bye, Cowboys) and Agholor is a roster clogger until further notice but rostered in 90% of MFL leagues.
Why: Seals-Jones' snaps have been waning ever since Jermaine Gresham returned to the lineup where 60-70% weekly has become the new norm for Seals-Jones. Also, Arizona's schedule lacks any elite tight end matchups remaining to view Seals-Jones as a strong streamer. Finally, Arizona's offense is a tough bet for overall upside in addition to Seals-Jones' single touchdown on the season and yet to log more than 70 yards in a game with three games of less than 20 yards.
MEDIUM DEPTH
*18-22 roster spots*
Why: Washington does not have a go-to wide receiver, they are slow-playing Jordan Reed's snaps, and Adrian Peterson is the lifeblood of the offense. Add in Smith not playing well and a stingy matchup in Week 8 (Giants) and Smith is only worth holding in quarterback-premium formats and deep leagues where all starters are rostered.
Ty Montgomery
Why: Montgomery is behind both Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams, which means even one injury does not push Montgomery up to auto-start fantasy status. This puts Montgomery behind all the primary backups on the landscape for the closing stretch of the season.
Why: In addition to the obvious concerns with investing in the Bills offense and quarterback situation, the schedule is rough for Buffalo receivers the rest of the season with on Chicago (Week 9) a notable positive matchup. Benjamin has a single game of 50+ yards and has zero lineup appeal despite being on 54% of MFL rosters.
Why: Vance McDonald has siphoned any upside for James in recent weeks and James was already a tepid streaming option before McDonald's spike in Week 3. James is still on half of MFL rosters despite 11 targets total over the past four games and a high-mark of 26 yards over the span.
DEEP FORMATS
*25+ roster spots, more dynasty-focused*
Why: His short stint with Jacksonville is over as Carlos Hyde was added and Leonard Fournette should be back soon. Charles was middling in his two-week visit and looks out of chances in the NFL. Charles is on 23% of MFL rosters and should plummet this week.
Why: Rodgers is a low-upside veteran stuck behind Peyton Barber and Ronald Jones on a Tampa Bay depth which has minimal fantasy appeal even if Rodgers were vaulted up by multiple injuries. Rodgers is still on 10% of MFL rosters.
Why: The older veteran has shown nothing since Week 2, totaling four catches in four games. Coming off a bye, Marshall lacks appeal even in deep best ball formats and is likely out of the NFL after the season.
Why: Even with Rob Gronkowski and Jacob Hollister both inactive Week 7, Allen was a blocking option and did not register a target. That says it all for Allen's receiving upside even in an optimal setting. Outside of the deepest of 2TE formats where all remotely-viable tight ends are rostered, Allen is not worth a spot.
