Fantasy football managers face tough decisions every week regarding roster management. Sometimes, the hardest part isn’t knowing who to add but rather having the courage to cut players who aren’t delivering value.
Recent weeks have brought some harsh realities for managers holding onto certain players who seemed promising earlier in the season. These roster spots could be better utilized elsewhere on your bench, whether due to injury concerns, usage patterns, or simply underperforming expectations.
Cut: Malik Nabers, New York Giants
Rostered: 100%
The most unfortunate news of the weekend was the end of Malik Nabers’ season. The uber-talented New York Giants wide receiver tore his ACL on Sunday, putting a damper on what was otherwise a really positive afternoon with the team securing its first win of the season in Jaxson Dart’s debut.
Nabers should be able to make it back on the field by the start of next season. For now, though, fantasy managers are left trying to fill an impossibly large hole.
Tyreek Hill, Miami Dolphins
Rostered: 100%
Another regrettable name to be added to this list. If you haven’t yet seen Tyreek Hill’s knee injury, don’t. It reminded me of what happened to Notre Dame linebacker Jaylon Smith at the Fiesta Bowl, except Hill wasn’t contacted; he just planted wrong on the grass.
We may or may not have confirmation of the exact nature of the injury by the time you read this. Either way, there is zero doubt that Hill’s season is over. Fantasy managers can send him to the waiver wire for the worst reason possible.
Josh Downs, Indianapolis Colts
Rostered: 52%
There doesn’t seem to be a path for Josh Downs ever to be a weekly fantasy starter. He’s definitely a talented player. However, his team does not see him as someone worthy of being on the field all the time.
Downs continues to play almost exclusively in 11-personnel. Even with Alec Pierce out, Downs saw no change in his usage. Adonai Mitchell stepped seamlessly into Pierce’s role.
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Downs has now seen exactly three targets in half his games played and five in one other. That type of volume is never going to cut it.
The Indianapolis Colts’ schedule is about to open up, but that doesn’t matter for a player who isn’t running enough routes. Downs got a ton of hype over the Summer and was even being drafted ahead of Michael Pittman Jr. Clearly, that was a mistake. He has no fantasy value and can be dropped.
Tre Tucker, Las Vegas Raiders
Rostered: 60%
That was fun while it lasted, right? Back to reality for Tre Tucker after his ridiculous 40-point explosion in Week 3.
The Las Vegas Raiders WR still served as the No. 2 option behind Jakobi Meyers. He ran the same number of routes. He just happened to earn only two targets.
This is the reality of who Tucker is. He’s never going to be a weekly starter. The ceiling games are still possible, and Tucker will likely pop off for another big game or two later this season (although never quite like Week 3). But he is not a must-roster player.
