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*
Why: While Mayfield as a dynasty investment is a clearly different proposition, Mayfield is a tough hold and start in redraft format. Coming off a bye, Mayfield found rest for his hip injury but the schedule is downright brutal over the next three weeks with the Patriots, Broncos, and Bills suffocating opposing quarterbacks this season in adjusted strength of schedule. Add to the schedule Mayfield's streak of six straight games with an interception and yet to post a multiple passing touchdowns performance, Mayfield is a longer hold in redraft for hopeful better days late in the season where shallow redraft is a week-to-week mindset for those sprinting towards a hopeful playoff run.
Why: Still 85% owned on MFL (myfantasyleague.com), Barber is coming off a bye and heading towards a brutal season in terms of adjusted SOS for running backs with Tennessee, Seattle, Arizona, and New Orleans over the next month. Add to that the ambiguity of the Tampa Bay backfield (and acumen) with Ronald Jones in the mix and Dare Ogunbowale the clear receiving-centric option and Barber's upside is squeezed to a high degree. Barber is a marginal streamer during bye weeks with minimal upside outside of an injury on the depth chart (or more) until further notice.
Will Fuller
Why: Fuller is a tough hold now likely out until at least after Houston's Week 10 bye. Fuller had a monster Week 5 performance (14-217-3) but quiet otherwise in 2019 with Kenny Stills added as a quality WR3 and Fuller's own nagging injuries. Fuller will be near impossible to hold with bye weeks, injuries, and now his own missed games until (ideally) a later-season impact. Monitor Fuller from the waiver wire and possibly pick him up in Weeks 10-11 instead of burning the roster spot in shallow redraft leagues.
Why: McDonald comes off a bye and the snaps since Nick Vannett has joined the depth chart have not been positive for McDonald, who has sagged to 62% and 65% over the past two games. McDonald gets a positive matchup against Miami in Week 8, but his margin for error as a streamer is razor-thin with four targets over two games since Vannett's arrival and no games with more than 40 yards on the season.
MEDIUM DEPTH
*18-22 roster spots*
Why: Drew Brees is inching close to a return where Week 8 is a possible and Week 10 (after their Week 9 bye) seems like a certainty. Other than needing Bridgewater to stream this week against Arizona, Bridgewater is a tough hold in this depth of league where injury-away running backs are available and holding a soon-to-be backup quarterback is beyond a luxury outside of superflex formats.
Why: More name than 2019 substance, Richard is still hanging on to MFL rosters as the RB72 in ownership rate heading into Week 8. Josh Jacobs has grown into more of a receiving role, one of his strengths in short order and Richard's role has dwindled to afterthought status with seven touches over the past two games and clearly behind DeAndre Washington. Even a Jacobs injury would make Richard a flimsy flex option in PPR scoring at best over the bye weeks.
Why: More name than substance, Agholor has mired through the past month with a combined 7-86-0 stat line despite DeSean Jackson being out of the lineup. The Eagles have (correctly) focused more on a 2TE approach to their passing game and Alshon Jeffery remains firmly ahead of Agholor on the wide receiver depth chart. Agholor is still owned in more than 70% of MFL leagues before Week 8 waivers.
Why: Despite seeing steady snaps since his return from injury, Burton has been a fantasy afterthought with a running back-like 13-68-0 stat line. Questions surround the Bears passing game with a struggling Mitch Trubisky and being an ancillary (being kind) target in said offense is an even bigger question mark concerning Burton's moderate league depth viability.
DEEP FORMATS
*25+ roster spots, more dynasty-focused*
Why: Scarlett has not seen an offensive snap since Week 1. Reggie Bonnafon projects as the biggest benefactor if Christian McCaffrey were to miss time and the Panthers have a subpar schedule even if Scarlett were to see 10+ touches as the interior 1A option if McCaffrey did miss games down the stretch. It is a thin line to find quality utility for lineups or the dynasty trade market with Scarlett in the coming weeks.
Why: Allen was a trendy pickup last week when signing with the Giants. However, the solid veteran is behind a now-healthy Saquon Barkley and Wayne Gallman for any meaningful playing time. Two injuries away running backs are reserved for only significant talents (does not apply here) or the deepest of dynasty formats.
Why: With Tyreek Hill back, Sammy Watkins (hopefully) soon, and Patrick Mahomes II out with injury, there are no positive signs for Pringle to get back on the deeper league map after his sudden 6-103-1 burst into fantasy daylight in Week 5. Pringle is a middling talent and the situation was the lone glimmer of dynasty roster optimism.
Why: Willson and Jacob Hollister were both logical benefactors to Will Dissly's Week 6 season-ending injury to pick up additional production in Seattle. However, it was Hollister who was the clear preferred receiving option in Week 7 and Willson saw a single target. Outside of deeper 2TE formats, Willson can be thrown back to the waiver wire for greener pastures in Week 8.