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 10:
Roster Rate references data collected from myfantasyleague.com leagues.
Shallow Formats
*15-18 roster spots*
RB Justice Hill, Baltimore
Why: RB44 in Roster Rate, Justice Hill's outlook for the rest of the season took a hit in Week 10 with the return of Keaton Mitchell. Mitchell was a vibrant big-play machine last season with some of the best NextGen stats at the position. While Week 9 did not have Mitchell as a serious threat to Hill's RB2 standing yet, this could easily move swiftly into a committee behind starter Derrick Henry in the next 2-3 weeks. Hill's clarity as an injury-away option became more cloudy, making him a cut candidate in shallower redraft formats where he is certainly rostered.
RB Javonte Williams, Denver
Why: RB25 in Roster Rate, Javonte Williams was summarily replaced by Audric Estime this week against Kansas City, seeing only 16 snaps and three touches. Estime is a quality power back, and Jaleel McLaughlin offers change-of-pace abilities. Williams is a tenuous hold if strong injury-away RB2 types are available on the waiver wire in shallow redraft leagues. Those RB2 hammer throws offer more upside than Williams going forward.
WR Gabe Davis, Jacksonville
Why: Jacksonville's offense left much to be desired in Week 10, especially at the quarterback position. Mac Jones torpedoed the passing game, and Trevor Lawrence is slated to miss more time. Davis has one game of more than 50 yards this season, plus a Week 12 bye week still looming. Until Lawrence returns and better optics for Davis are present, Davis is a redraft cut and a deeper league bench recommendation.
Medium Depth
*18-22 roster spots*
RB Antonio Gibson, New England
Why: Gibson has lost his grip on the RB2 role from earlier in the season in favor of JaMycal Hasty seeing more time in the Patriots' backfield. The most alarming is Hasty having more routes than Gibson this week, one of Gibson's calling cards in his career being the passing game. Gibson is not even an overt and direct benefactor assumption if Rhamondre Stevenson were to miss time.
RB Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas
Why: The Cowboys' offense is running on fumes with no end in sight. Elliott was back in the RB2 role in Week 10, but even if Rico Dowdle misses time in future weeks, there is a legitimate question about the role's upside. Later in the fantasy season, it is all about finding lightning in a bottle for lineup infusion and upside, and Dallas looks to be an offense hit by lightning and struggling to maintain functionality.
WR Parker Washington, Jacksonville
Why: As a waiver wire pickup two weeks ago, Parker Washington has bombed with his two clarified starts since with 3-41-0 on six targets. Add the pessimism around Trevor Lawrence returning to the lineup soon and the struggles of Mac Jones, and Washington's appeal is on life support until further notice.
TE Tyler Conklin, NY Jets
Why: The target funnel of Davante Adams and Garrett Wilson has siphoned Tyler Conklin's volume and upside. Conklin has averaged 6.2 PPG since Adams' arrival and 5.0 PPG if you remove the first Adams game coming off a short week of preparation. Conklin also still has his bye coming up (Week 12) to decrease his wavering viability.
Deep Formats
*25+ roster spots, more dynasty-focused*
RB Trayveon Williams, Cincinnati
Why: Khalil Herbert's arrival via trade squashed optimism for Trayveon Williams to be the RB2. Zack Moss' injury (and move to Injured Reserve) turned out to be negative news for Williams, considering it prompted the Herbert addition. Williams has consistently been the next man up from truly interesting in his career and now has sagged back to that position.
RB Julius Chestnut, Tennessee
Why: Tyjae Spears returned to the lineup this week, pushing Julius Chestnut back to the RB3 role. Chestnut was a dart throw to thread the needle of a clarified start with Spears out and being a Tony Pollard injury away. The opportunity is gone (for now) and toss Chestnut back to the waiver wire to monitor for future opportunities.
TE Drew Sample, Cincinnati
Why: Despite Erick All Jr.. out for the season, Week 9 was more of the same for the former Round 2 pick Drew Sample. It was Tanner Hudson with the featured receiving role behind Mike Gesicki in Cincinnati as Sample continued to block plenty as a secondary tight end. With a long-standing profile as more of a blocker than a receiving fantasy asset, Sample's utility in Week 9 is another reminder he is a waiver wire resident with minimal chance to emerge as a receiver.
Find all of Chad Parsons' Footballguys content here.
