Cutting the Cord: Week 4

Photo: USA Today Sports

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).