Fantasy football managers face tough roster decisions every week, especially when dealing with players whose value has suddenly shifted. The waiver wire and trade deadline create constant pressure to optimize lineups while navigating injuries and changing team dynamics.
Smart managers know when to cut bait on underperforming assets, even if it means admitting a draft mistake. Making the right moves now can be the difference between playoff contention and watching from the sidelines.
Cut: James Conner, Arizona Cardinals
Rostered: 43%
A most unfortunate end for one of the NFL’s true good guys. James Conner is a player I didn’t embrace until very late in his career. He was always so much better than I gave him credit for. He was also somewhat unfairly labeled injury-prone.
Well, Conner proved the haters correct with what is very obviously a freak injury. Conner’s leg got trapped under him on a tackle, and he destroyed his ankle. It took mere hours for Adam Schefter to report that Conner was set to undergo surgery and his season is over.
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It will likely take a couple of weeks before Conner’s roster percentage dips low enough to be removed from the cut list. For the worst reason possible, though, he needs to be let go.
Brian Robinson Jr., San Francisco 49ers
Rostered: 50%
Brian Robinson Jr. remains one of the highest upside handcuffs in the league. But he is just that, a handcuff.
Through four weeks, the former Washington Commander has a total of 11.9 fantasy points. He takes a couple of carries each week when Christian McCaffrey needs a break. That is the extent of his role.
Robinson is one of those players who both belong on rosters because he is one injury away from being an every-week starter, but can also be dropped if you need the roster spot, as he has no standalone value. The choice is yours.
Kaleb Johnson, Pittsburgh Steelers
Rostered: 43%
The fallout from Jaylen Warren’s surprising Sunday morning scratch was actually a positive for the rookie. Kaleb Johnson found himself in the doghouse after seemingly not knowing the rules of football and muffing a kickoff against the Seattle Seahawks, which directly led to a touchdown for the opposing team. There was no guarantee he’d even see the field last week.
Fortunately, it does not appear that Trey Sermon jumped Johnson on the depth chart. Kenneth Gainwell served as the clear lead back, but Johnson was the RB2. There is hope for him yet.
At the same time, he only touched the ball six times, rushing for an inefficient 22 yards. Johnson also dropped his lone target.
With the Pittsburgh Steelers on bye, odds are favorable that Warren will be back for Week 6. That makes Johnson two injuries away from fantasy relevance. He does not need to be rostered.
Dylan Sampson, Cleveland Browns
Rostered: 36%
With each passing week, Quinshon Judkins’ grip on the Cleveland Browns’ RB1 job gets stronger. He’s not dominating snaps, but he is dominating touches, earning 25 opportunities compared to a combined five from the Browns’ other two backs.
Dylan Sampson may be the best receiving back on this team, but he’s still behind Jerome Ford due to pass blocking. If Judkins were to go down, it remains probable that Sampson would be the preferred fantasy option. Right now, though, he’s barely playing and barely touching the ball. You don’t have to hold him.
Tank Bigsby, Philadelphia Eagles
Rostered: 50%
Another carryover from last week, Tank Bigsby’s trade to the Philadelphia Eagles erased all of his fantasy value. There is no speculative hold here. Bigsby went from part of a three-man rotation in Jacksonville to purely a special teamer in Philly.
Bigsby has yet to play an offensive snap as an Eagle, and there is no realistic path to playing time. He is behind AJ Dillon, Will Shipley, and Saquon Barkley. That player does not need to be on the roster.
