Fantasy football decisions only get tougher as the season drags on. Injuries, bye weeks, and shifting roles force managers to make uncomfortable moves. This week’s cut list includes a few surprising names who’ve lost value fast. If you’re clinging to them, it might be time to move on and refresh your roster.
Cut: Chuba Hubbard, Carolina Panthers
Rostered: 88%
To be clear, you do not absolutely have to drop Chuba Hubbard. He remains the clear RB for the Carolina Panthers and would be startable in the event of a Rico Dowdle injury. Dowdle actually left Sunday’s win over the Packers briefly with a leg issue before returning and finishing the game.
MORE: Free Fantasy Start/Sit Optimizer
Hubbard is on the cut list because, right now, he has no fantasy value. The Panthers turned to Dowdle as their lead back. After he was the catalyst behind their upset victory over the Packers, there’s no going back.
Dowdle’s role was essentially the same as it was during the two games Hubbard missed. He played 72% of the snaps, and it would’ve been even higher had he not checked out of the game for a brief period. Hubbard played only 22% and saw five total carries. If there’s someone better on the waiver wire, don’t feel compelled to hold Hubbard.
Joe Mixon, Houston Texans
Rostered: 40%
We’ve reached the point in the season where injuries and bye weeks are starting to take their toll on fantasy rosters. Even though Joe Mixon doesn’t directly cost a roster spot, he may indirectly do so if he occupies an IR spot that another player could use.
If you have a relatively healthy team and open IR spots, by all means, don’t drop Mixon. This is for the fantasy managers who need to make moves, but aren’t quite sure if it’s okay to drop him. It is.
READ MORE: Fantasy Football Cut List Week 10: Chuba Hubbard, Matthew Golden, Tucker Kraft, and Others
We haven’t received any concrete updates on Mixon’s return timeline, so every piece of news we have received has been pessimistic. The most likely scenario is that he doesn’t play football this year. Do not feel obligated to hold Mixon any longer.
Why Hubbard and Mixon No Longer Deserve a Spot
The fantasy football season keeps testing patience, and this week’s moves around Hubbard and Mixon show how quickly things can change. Hubbard’s path back to relevance looks slim with Dowdle controlling most of Carolina’s workload, while Mixon’s lingering injury and uncertain return make him a tough stash for managers running out of bench space.
Every roster decision now carries more weight, especially as playoff spots tighten and bye weeks squeeze lineups. Managers who stay flexible and avoid sentimental attachments are the ones who stay alive in the chase.
If that means saying goodbye to a once-reliable name, so be it. Production is what matters in November, not past opportunity. Stay disciplined, trust the numbers over the name, and keep grinding for every edge that could push your team into the postseason.