Much of fantasy football in-season owner 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 resource. Cutting a player - or adding them to a trade - opens a roster spot for a key waiver wire addition or flexibility to keep a currently injured player through a missed game or two. Here are the key players to cut or trade after Week 2:
SHALLOW FORMATS
*15-18 roster spots*
Drew Brees, Ben Roethlisberger
Why: Both were 100% owned on MFL as of publication with Roethlisberger declared out for the season and Brees out six weeks. In shallow formats were Brees is unlikely to be protected on a short bench through the bye week gauntlet and quarterbacks easily accessible on the waiver wire, both are straight-forward cuts. Matthew Stafford offers a solid profile to stream in such formats for Week 3.
Why: Up to 96% ownership on MFL, Peterson's first start this season was a disaster outside of a touchdown plunge. Washington's offensive line is a clear roadblock and the difference for Peterson from 2018 is the presence of Chris Thompson to stifle high-end touches. Plus Washington's defense looks closer to bottom-10 than top-10 to keep Washington from catch-up and/or shootout mode as games progress.
Why: Sporting 98% ownership, Westbrook has been lapped by D.J. Chark and Chris Conley among Jacksonville wide receivers through two weeks. Westbrook has logged 6-33-1 on 11 targets and is at best fourth in the Jaguars' pecking order (Chark, Conley, Leonard Fournette). On a non-elite offense, Westbrook is an easy cut for better roles in better offenses.
Why: 79% ownership on MFL is sky-high for the 3-9-0 stat line of Kyle Rudolph as Irv Smith Jr. is playing decent snaps, the passing game runs through Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs, plus Kirk Cousins has taken a pronounced step backward through two weeks. Rudolph needs to be recycled to shallow waiver wires until something changes for a better (read: viable) streaming candidate, which Rudolph is not.
MEDIUM DEPTH
*18-22 roster spots*
Mitchell Trubisky
Why: The Bears offense has been a tough watch in 2019 with Trubisky being the central reason. Yet to throw a touchdown pass, Trubisky has also looked hesitant to run with abandon like previous seasons to pad his fantasy stat line (4-19-0 on the ground). Chicago goes three-deep at running back and in the committee zone of Trubisky for quarterback decisions in moderate-depth formats, all tiebreakers for lineups are going elsewhere.
Why: Thought to be the clear Kerryon Johnson handcuff and an injury-away option for 2019, Week 2 shifts drastically as Anderson barely played and rookie Ty Johnson boat raced the veteran in touches and in the rotation. Anderson, at a minimum, would be limited to touchdown-or-bust usage if Kerryon Johnson misses time, and is reserved for deeper formats only until further notice.
Why: More of a trade candidate, the former second-round pick is playing behind Marquise Goodwin and surging rookie Deebo Samuel at a minimum, not to mention George Kittle and the 49ers run game. Pettis can still return an option like John Ross, Justice Hill, or a second-round rookie pick in dynasty leagues.
Why: Gesicki cannot elevate beyond his situation, which is the worst in the NFL. Gesicki mired to 31 yards despite six targets in Week 1 and the tight end position in Miami looked even more like a committee in Week 2. The negative game script and potential for garbage time still keep Gesicki off the radar due the historic nature of Miami's competitive struggles on offense this season.
DEEP FORMATS
*25+ roster spots, more dynasty-focused*
Why: Ryan Fitzpatrick made this list a week ago and Josh Rosen has also struggled in clear garbage time in back to back weeks. No fantasy options will survive the Miami crater in 2019 and the Dolphins are highly likely to address quarterback in the offseason with a splash draft pick at a minimum. Rosenn may resurface down the line but is an extended hold with minimal chance to exit.
Why: The big back role behind Devonta Freeman remains jumbled, but their affliction for Ito Smith is pronounced through two weeks. Smith is seeing significant snaps despite Freeman being back from injury and currently healthy. Even if Freeman were out, Hill or Ollison (we lack clarity on who would be the biggest riser of the two) would have a limited ceiling unless Smith was out as well.
Why: Owned in 28% of MFL leagues, Moore had a decent projection in the preseason. However, Marquise Brown's breakout opening weeks and the tight end-centric Baltimore offense have resulted in Moore being a complete no-show through two weeks. Moore is a non-optimized roster spot use even in deeper dynasty leagues.
Why: Clay is a formerly-productive veteran with some name cache, but Arizona is using four-receiver sets so frequently, there is minimal upside for Clay even as the de facto starter. Clay has three targets over two games (2-11-0 stat line which looks more like a rushing stat line than a passing one) and is only a hold in deep 2TE formats out of positional scarcity.