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 6:
*Roster Rate references data collected from myfantasyleague.com leagues*
Shallow Formats
*15-18 roster spots*
RB Jordan Mason, Minnesota
Why: Jordan Mason's three-game stint without Aaron Jones Sr. produced one big game (116 yards, two touchdowns), and two middling spot starts (11 and 13 points). With Aaron Jones Sr. slated to return in Week 7, or at worst Week 8, Mason is slumping back into a committee for a team in the bottom 10 of goal-line carries for running backs on the season, and 28th in team running back targets. Mason is not even in the top tier of injury-away running backs with Jones in the lineup.
RB Hassan Haskins, LA Chargers
Why: While Hassan Haskins was the RB2 to Omarion Hampton, it was Kimani Vidal, not Haskins, who was the clear starter in Week 6 in the absence of Hampton. Haskins was a low-ceiling fantasy option even with the lead role, and now lost the starting job entirely. A low-upside RB2 type has little place on shallow rosters.
WR Tyquan Thornton, Kansas City
Why: As quickly as Tyquan Thornton rose in prominence as a streamer (WR56 in Roster Rate), he is fading back to irrelevance in fantasy circles. After 18 targets over the first three weeks of the season, Thornton has just seven over the past three games, including being shut out with zero looks in Week 6. The depth chart is surprisingly healthy for now, with Xavier Worthy returning successfully from a shoulder injury and playing with a brace. Marquise Brown is healthy as well. Rashee Rice returns from his suspension to push Thornton down further into strictly a situational deep threat starting in Week 7. Thornton is a straight-forward cut in shallow formats and even in dynasty leagues up to the mid-20s in 12-team roster size.
