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 9:
SHALLOW FORMATS
*15-18 roster spots*
Why: The wait for a big Browns turnaround continues with another lackluster effort in Week 9. The schedule does not soften for at least two more weeks with stingy Buffalo and Pittsburgh up next for Mayfield. Even in exploitable matchups (Jets, Seahawks, Ravens), Mayfield has not posted more than one passing touchdown in any game with four interceptions spread over his three best matchup games this season. Mayfield is tough to wait on with shallow rosters and, at most, two quarterback spots to mix-and-match down the stretch. Backup running back bets are too valuable to burn one on holding Mayfield for (hopefully) a high-end streaming opportunity against Miami, Cincinnati, and/or Arizona down the stretch.
Why: Gore was a low-upside starter if needed for fantasy lineup and this was before Devin Singletary's surge to a breakout Week 9 performance. Gore has been limited to a touchdown-or-bust outcome weekly with just 7-48-0 receiving on the season.
Why: With Mohamed Sanu fully incorporated into the Patriots passing game, Dorsett was squeezed out with a mere 2-13-0 stat line on four targets and clearly lagging behind target vacuums Sanu and Julian Edelman even with strong team volume in the loss to Baltimore. meanwhile, Dorsett remains in the top-60 of wide receiver ownership on MFL (myfantasyleague.com) with 73% ownership across leagues.
Why: McDonald put up his best fantasy performance since Week 2 last week but the big plays remain a distant memory as McDonald is averaging barely 8 yards-per-reception this season and his 6-30-1 stat line is far from a breakout game this past week. McDonald is a low-level streamer at best despite his 70% MFL ownership.
MEDIUM DEPTH
*18-22 roster spots*
Mitchell Trubisky
Why: Trubisky logged another lackluster performance in Week 9 against a decent matchup Eagles pass defense. Trubisky is on thin ice weekly to see more starts with a playoff-ready defense and Chase Daniel waiting as a replacement. The most quizzical aspect for Trubisky this season is his lack of rushing production, a mere 11 attempts in 6+ games. Even if he continues as the starter, Trubisky has a poor aSOS (adjusted strength of schedule) for opposing quarterbacks outside of two games against Detroit.
Why: Walton was popped with a four-game suspension this week, taking him out until at least the fantasy playoffs (Week 13). Walton had been a marginal producer even with the uptick in playing time and Week 9 and the positive game script (and no Kenyan Drake) against the Jets with just 41 total yards on 15 touches. Kalen Ballage and Myles Gaskin are the notable remaining backs and Walton is not worth holding a roster spot for if the job is still accessible to him post-suspension.
Why: Robinson has turned into a shadow with Tyreek Hill and Sammy Watkins healthy and in the lineup. Robinson has surpassed 50 yards in a game just once this season and the schedule is daunting in aSOS against receivers for the Chiefs outside of a Week 13 tilt against the Raiders.
Why: Herndon has yet to suit up for the Jets and Ryan Griffin has been a pleasant surprise in his absence. The viability of the Jets passing game overall is a question mark considering Sam Darnold's lack of progression forward in Year 2. The Jets aSOS for tight ends is also a concern with only one strong matchup (Oakland, Week 12) remaining on their schedule if Herndon is healthy, seeing strong snaps, and the Jets passing game is a viable infrastructure - a low-probability trio of expectations.
DEEP FORMATS
*25+ roster spots, more dynasty-focused*
Why: Serving as the RB2 in Cleveland, Hilliard has flashed occasionally in the change-of-pace mold but not enough to prioritize keeping once Kareem Hunt returns from suspension. Hilliard can but cut outside of the deepest of RB-premium formats (think 35+ man rosters) as he moves to being at least two injuries away from being a spot start option.
Why: Meyers, like Phillip Dorsett, has become irrelevant in the Patriots passing game after having some deeper dynasty buzz leading up to the season. Meyers turned into a zero-target player in Week 9 with Mohamed Sanu and Julian Edelman collecting a strong market share.
Why: Moncrief fell out of favor with yet another team (Pittsburgh) in short order, now landing with Carolina on a tough-to-crack depth chart. Moncrief is on the NFL fringe and being out of options (hence out of the NFL) in 2020 would not be a surprise for the 26-year-old former Day 2 pick.
Why: Despite returning to the lineup over the past two weeks as Bills starter, Kroft has a combined five targets with Dawson Knox still the higher upside profile and auto-start option if there is one for Buffalo this season.