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 8:
Roster Rate references data collected from myfantasyleague.com leagues
Shallow Formats
*15-18 roster spots*
RB Jerome Ford, Cleveland
Why: Quinshon Judkins' shoulder injury in Week 8 brings optimism for the rest of the depth chart; however, multiple factors work against Jerome Ford. First, Dylan Sampson was the clear preferred option once Judkins left the game. Second, Cleveland enters a bye week, and in most shallower formats, only the best RB2 types can be held through bye weeks. Also, Judkins' status will remain uncertain until at least the lead-up to his game in Week 10. Ford is a dart throw, but a week in advance. At RB50 in Roster Rate, Ford is more of a cut recommendation than a hold.
RB Michael Carter, Arizona
Why: Last week was the perfect time to drop Michael Carter. The second-best time to drop Michael Carter is this week. Trey Benson is close to returning, and Carter has been unstartable since it was reported that Bam Knight was going to be the lead back before kickoff in Week 6. In the two games since, Carter has posted 16-45-0 rushing and 4-55-0 receiving. Carter's window to benefit from a potential Bam Knight injury may have evaporated with Benson's projected return in the offing. Also, after this writing, Arizona released Michael Carter in the early stages of Week 9.
WR Xavier Worthy, Kansas City
Why: Xavier Worthy is an ideal trade candidate in more shallow formats. Worthy has been a pleasant surprise playing through his shoulder injury in recent weeks, but the return of Rashee Rice hinders any predictable uptick from the rest of the passing game. Worthy has only one game with more than 12 PPR points this season, and the elevated risk of an in-game exacerbation of his existing injury adds to his downside.