Much of fantasy football 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 1:
*Roster Rate references data collected from myfantasyleague.com leagues*
SHALLOW FORMATS
*15-18 roster spots*
RB Damien Harris, New England Patriots
Why: RB25 in Roster Rate, Harris is an ideal target candidate post-Week 1. The Patriots deployed a near-even split between Harris, Rhamondre Stevenson, and Ty Montgomery. Harris was the starter by title, but it merely applied to the opening segment of each half. The Steelers, Ravens, and Packers are not an ideal trio of matchups coming up to get back on track as well. This has 'big committee with minimal predictable upside' written all over it. The best use of Harris is adding him to a trade to upgrade elsewhere or targeting a higher upside running back with a (potentially) lower market value like Cordarrelle Patterson, Miles Sanders, or Darrell Henderson.
RB Mike Davis, Baltimore Ravens
Why: RB59 in Roster Rate, Davis was the projected Week 1 starter for Baltimore That dream turned into a nightmare as Kenyan Drake started and dominated snaps and touches in the typically sub-optimal for running backs Baltimore offense. Even in the primary backup mold, Davis has upside questions in the coming weeks, and J.K. Dobbins is earmarked to return shortly.