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 9:
Roster Rate references data collected from myfantasyleague.com leagues
Shallow Formats
*15-18 roster spots*
RB Jaydon Blue, Dallas
Why: RB60 in Roster Rate, Blue was a surprise healthy inactive in Week 9 against Arizona. Dallas sided with Malik Davis for the RB2 role to Javonte Williams. Blue at RB60 was expected to have the RB2 role but swiftly lost his grip after playing sparingly in passing situations this season. Davis is a quality addition on the flip side of Blue being a shallow, and potentially moderate-depth, league drop recommendation.
RB Bam Knight, Arizona
Why: RB43 in Roster Rate, Knight saw a firm split with Emari Demercado in Week 9 against Dallas. Knight had a ho-hum game, which hinged on converting with his goal-line carry. Knight was stuffed, and Jacoby Brissett ended up converting on a quarterback sneak. Trey Benson is projected back as early as this week, and Knight is a preemptive drop this week.
RB Sean Tucker, Tampa Bay
Why: Bucky Irving enters his window to return for Tampa Bay, which would push Tucker back to the RB3 role. As RB67 in Roster Rate, Tucker was a valid shallow roster hold when Irving sustained his injury, but a sub-optimal one with Irving nearing his return. Devin Singletary, Emanuel Wilson, and Isaiah Davis are preferred options with longer runways as RB2 as pivots this week.
WR Matthew Golden, Green Bay
Why: Matthew Golden continues to mire down the pecking order for Green Bay. Golden sustained a shoulder injury in Week 9, but avoided a major injury and could play in Week 10. Regardless, Golden has been near-invisible with Christian Watson's splash-filled return to the lineup and Romeo Doubs the top target in the passing game. Golden has just two games with more than four targets on the season, and Jayden Reed is only a few weeks from returning at this point. Golden has shown no signs of an impending breakout, and his two best games were 11.3 and 13.2 PPR points, a tepid total considering they were against overt target defenses in Cincinnati and Dallas earlier in the season.