Cutting the Cord: Week 16

Photo: Joe Nicholson, USA Today Sports

Join the Footballguys Daily Update

Start your morning with our roundup of the most important stories in football - with the fantasy insight you need to make league-winning decisions. Delivered straight to your inbox, 100% free.

Subscribe Now

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:

This is the final installment of the season, looking through a dynasty roster lens to prepare for the offseason.

CONTENDERS

QB Joshua Dobbs, Minnesota Vikings

Why: Dobbs' slump down the depth chart from starter to emergency quarterback happened swiftly. Dobbs threw four interceptions against Chicago, kept his job through the Week 13 bye, but then had a short leash against the Raiders when he completed just 10 of 23 passes before getting the hook. Dobbs has been a nomadic player and the Vikings being out of the playoffs point to Nick Mullens and Jaren Hall the rest of the way. Dobbs is not even a strong bet to start in Week 17 if Mullens or Hall goes down this week.

RB Dalvin Cook, New York Jets

Why: Cook is out of time to aid contending teams as the Jets are out of the race, and Israel Abanikanda is a threat to see significant usage if Breece Hall is shut out or misses time to close the season. Cook lacks any juice to find a job in the offseason and will be a big enough name a la Leonard Fournette in 2023 to keep a dynasty manager sucked into holding Cook for far too long in the offseason.

WR Tutu Atwell, Los Angeles Rams

Why: Iffy for Week 16 with a concussion, Tutu Atwell has been mired in 10 or fewer PPR points in every game since Week 3. Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua are dominating the targets and Demarcus Robinson continues to flash weekly in the WR3 role.

Others of Note

• RB Matt Breida, New York Giants: If Saquon Barkley is struggling to be a fantasy option, Breida would be an avoid lineup option even if Barkley is out. Plus, Breida is a lackluster veteran as an offseason hold.
• RB Sean Tucker, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Ke'Shawn Vaughn was released, but Tucker is still two injuries away for a lively Tampa Bay team pushing for the playoffs.
• WR Allen Robinson II, Pittsburgh Steelers: Robinson's fall has been swift in his later 20s to the tune of 8.1 yards per catch and nominally catching meaningless passes in long-yardage situations for the Steelers this season. Even if suddenly Diontae Johnson and George Pickens are out for Week 17, Robinson would be a middling starting option.
• TE Donald Parham, Los Angeles Chargers: Parham is on the mend himself (shoulder), and the Chargers are reeling with no Justin Herbert and a team in flux heading into the offseason. Gerald Everett is still healthy in the lead role as well.
• TE Daniel Bellinger, New York Giants: Darren Waller returned, and Bellinger was already a low-upside streaming option with Waller out.