Cutting the Cord: Week 7

Photo: USA Today Sports

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*

QB Carson Wentz, Washington Commanders

Why: QB18 in Roster Rate, Wentz has had one decent game over the past month, plus fractured his finger in Week 6 to cloud his availability in future weeks. Wentz has three touchdowns versus three interceptions over the past four games, and their schedule takes a turn for the worse with the Packers, Colts, Vikings, and Eagles up next. There are no ideal streaming matchups for those in stock 1QB formats.

RB Nyheim Hines, Indianapolis Colts

Why: Hines missed time at the exact wrong time, with Deon Jackson showing his PPR worth over essentially two full games in Hines' absence. Hines is likely back around the time of Jonathan Taylor and will be squeezed from the top end of the depth chart as usual. Combine that with Deon Jackson being a more viable RB3 (or even RB2) going forward and Hines has minimal outs to be a clear and prevalent fantasy starter and yet is in the top-50 of positional Roster Rate.

WR Isaiah McKenzie, Buffalo Bills

Why: McKenzie is a distant WR3 in the Bills' wide receiver rotation. Dawson Knox is back, and Devin Singletary has been used more than expected in the offense. McKenzie scored three times in the opening four weeks to cloud his overall usage, which produced just one game thus far with more than 37 yards. McKenzie's profile is one for medium-depth leagues rather than the precious bench spots attached to shallow formats.

TE Will Dissly, Seattle Seahawks

Why: Dissly has swooned in recent weeks in Seattle's big tight end committee, seeing four targets over the past two games combined. Noah Fant has 12 targets over the span after a slow start to the season. Dissly is averaging just 9.9 yards per reception and was a viable fantasy option in the opening month due to three touchdowns alone.

MEDIUM DEPTH

*18-22 roster spots*

RB DOnta Foreman, Carolina Panthers

Why: Christian McCaffrey could be on the move in the coming weeks, but even if McCaffrey is gone, Chuba Hubbard is the backup to target for (any) upside. Carolina is a poor team with likely negative game scripts more times than not. Hubbard is the superior pass-catching option of the duo, and if there is a viable PPR option sans McCaffrey, Hubbard would be the play.