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 15:

Roster Rate references data collected from myfantasyleague.com leagues.

Shallow Formats

*15-18 roster spots*

QB Kirk Cousins, Atlanta

Why: Cousins had yet another dud performance in Week 15. The Raiders were without Maxx Crosby, and Cousins still struggled versus pressure and salvaged a poor fantasy game with a double-move touchdown from Drake London early in the game. The end result: 115 total yards and an interception added to the London touchdown. The Raiders were the best matchup remaining with the Giants up next in the fantasy semifinals. The Michael Penix Jr. shots during the broadcast are worrisome as well. Cousins is on the hot seat of quarterbacks who can be benched in-game. Cousins has nine interceptions against one touchdown over the past five games and offers zero rushing upside.

RB Kareem Hunt, Kansas City

Why: Hunt has devolved into a full committee (at best) with Isiah Pacheco since Pacheco's return. Hunt's new upside is his floor when the backfield was his a few weeks ago. Another variable is Patrick Mahomes II's status over the next game or two to increase the downside of the offense and limit extended drives. Within the committee, Hunt saw roughly a quarter of the routes and was in a full split with rushing attempts with Pacheco. This in a game with a comfortable lead in the second half. With a negative game script, expect Samaje Perine to see a bigger share of the backfield.

RB Sincere McCormick, Las Vegas

Why: With a massive opportunity as the starter, Sincere McCormick fell flat with an early 7-8-0 rushing stat line before exiting with an ankle injury. Alexander Mattison returns to the lineup, and Ameer Abdullah has thrived in negative game script situations, which are commonplace for the Raiders. McCormick is a tough-to-trust option even if cleared to play in Week 16, with three running backs set to play and two receiving backs mixing in with McCormick.

TE Kyle Pitts, Atlanta

Why: Kirk Cousins is in a massive funk over the past five games, but Kyle Pitts has been in a funk for most of the season. There cannot be any trust in putting Pitts in playoff lineups. He has had one game with a touchdown since Week 1 and has had 53 yards over the past four games. Arguably, Pitts has one game to make much of a difference this season (4-91-2 in Week 8 against Tampa Bay, one of the clear target matchups for tight ends). The remaining slate includes two average or avoid matchups (Giants, Commanders).

Medium Depth

*18-22 roster spots*

RB Israel Abanikanda, San Francisco

Why: After all the enthusiasm of Abanikanda being signed a few weeks ago, the new 49ers running back has yet to be active in favor of Patrick Taylor Jr., who has much more time with the team. Isaac Guerendo was at risk of missing Week 15 but ultimately played on a short week. There has been no upward mobility on the depth chart without multiple injuries with only one game left to benefit before title week.

TE Dalton Schultz, Houston

Why: Schultz is one of the select few full-time starting tight ends to have one (or fewer) viable fantasy starter performances this season. His lone touchdown on the season fueled 16 points in Week 13. Every other game has been below the 10-point threshold despite many missed games for the Houston notable wide receivers. 

 Deep Formats

*25+ roster spots, more dynasty-focused*

Drop Running Backs Before the Offseason

• Samaje Perine
• Jeremy McNichols
• Jamaal Williams
• Tyler Goodson
• Carson Steele
• Dalvin Cook
• Dare Ogunbowale
• D'Ernest Johnson
• Travis Homer
• Raheem Blackshear

All of the above options have minimal offseason hold value to flip for any value and, most importantly, their odds of surviving dynasty roster cuts and churn around rookie draft time, let alone making it to Week 1, 2025. This criterion is critical when considering how to allocate roster spots before the end of the season closes up for the long dynasty league winter of locked rosters (outside of trading).

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