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 5:
*Roster Rate references data collected from myfantasyleague.com leagues*
SHALLOW FORMATS
*15-18 roster spots*
RB Rhamondre Stevenson, New England Patriots
Why: RB17 in Roster Rate. Stevenson has been one of the bigger disappointments among running backs this season. The Patriots are devolving by the week with Mac Jones being in and out of the lineup (without injury), no WR1 on the roster, and a full-fledged split between Stevenson and Ezekiel Elliott. New England is dead-last in goal-line carries for running backs and No.21 in HLO (high-leverage opportunities) for the position overall. Stevenson is RB33 in PPG despite being a starter due to the split with Elliott and the anemic scoring opportunities of the offense. Neither is changing.
WR Brandin Cooks, Dallas Cowboys
Why: WR50 in Roster Rate. Cooks has been invisible in the Dallas offense, averaging 8.1 yards per catch and yet to hit 30 yards in a game. Michael Gallup has ramped up to full health after looking like a fraction of himself to close 2022, and Jake Ferguson has been a pleasant surprise at tight end. Cooks is averaging 0.65 yards per route run, barely half of Michael Gallup's NFL average-ish mark, and CeeDee Lamb in an elite tier with 2.22. Cooks is an injury-away receiver, at best, which has no utility in shallow formats.
WR JuJu Smith-Schuster, New England Patriots
Why: WR62 in Roster Rate. Smith-Schuster (JJSS) has produced on par with Brandin Cooks this season. Both are getting by on name value for being rostered as much as they are through five weeks. Smith-Schuster is averaging 3.4 yards per target, and the Patriots are a wasteland for fantasy until further notice. Smith-Schuster is still just 26 years old but feels a few years old given the lack of athleticism he had to lose and burning recent seasons, including being marginally productive even with Patrick Mahomes II last season.
TE Tyler Higbee, Los Angeles Rams
Why: TE12 in Roster Rate. Cooper Kupp's return rendered Higbee and Van Jefferson irrelevant in the Rams' passing game. Higbee had a season-low three targets and just 20 yards in Week 5. This is a sign of things to come with Kupp and Puka Nacua dominating the market share. There are no auto-start tight end matchups for Higbee coming either by aSOS. Higbee is trending downward, and few ancillary tight ends, beyond the option a fantasy GM is starting in a particular week, are worthy of rostering and holding in stock formats, including Higbee.