Roster management is the single most crucial in-season task for fantasy football managers. Knowing which players to let go is just as important as adding the right guys. Which players find themselves on our Week 3 fantasy football cut list?
Looking to make a trade in your fantasy league? Having trouble deciding who to start and who to sit? Check out PFN’s Free Fantasy Football Trade Analyzer and Start/Sit Optimizer to help you make the right decision!
Who Should You Cut in Fantasy Football in Week 3?
It’s a bit of a light cut list for Week 2, but there are some definitive conclusions we can draw. There are others that I want to draw but will exercise caution, given that it’s been just one week. We are still getting to know who these players are for this season.
Nick Chubb, RB, Cleveland Browns (99% Rostered)
I hope this is the most painful blurb I have to write all season. It is heartbreaking to have to include Nick Chubb on this list.
As you well know by now, Chubb’s left knee bent the wrong way on a really unfortunate hit Monday night. After the game, head coach Kevin Stefanski said he anticipates Chubb is out for the season.
Fantasy managers can wait for confirmation if they want, but unfortunately, Chubb’s 2023 season is over.
Rashaad Penny, RB, Philadelphia Eagles (46% Rostered)
Heading into Thursday night, I thought there was a chance we see a heavy dose of Rashaad Penny. The Eagles made it a point to barely use D’Andre Swift in Week 1. So, with Kenneth Gainwell out, knowing they would activate Penny, perhaps he would’ve been the lead back with Swift mixing in on passing downs.
Nope. Wrong. That is not what happened. Instead, Swift operated as a bellcow with Boston Scott playing on passing downs. Had Scott not suffered a concussion, it is very likely Penny never would’ve played a snap.
MORE: Week 3 Buy Low, Sell High Candidates
As it turns out, Penny was inactive in Week 1 because the Eagles view him as the fourth-best running back on the team. Message received Eagles. Fantasy managers who may have hung onto Penny for one more week to see what would happen can now safely release him back into the wild.
De’Von Achane, RB, Miami Dolphins (44% Rostered)
I am reluctant to recommend dropping rookies early in the season. Unfortunately, I have to do it with De’Von Achane.
The Dolphins rookie running back opened the season fourth on the depth chart. Even after Jeff Wilson got hurt, Achane still couldn’t get in the game. It took an injury to Salvon Ahmed for Achane to be elevated to “guy who can take a few snaps when Raheem Mostert is tired.”
I don’t think the Dolphins are anywhere near giving Achane meaningful touches. He still may emerge later in the season, but fantasy managers cannot afford to wait six-plus weeks for that to happen. You can cut him if you need to.
Odell Beckham Jr., WR, Baltimore Ravens (62% Rostered)
The veteran is still operating as a near-every-down player for the Ravens. However, he’s just not being targeted.
Odell Beckham Jr. saw just three targets in Week 1 and four targets in Week 2. To make matters worse, he sustained an ankle injury. The injury doesn’t seem serious, but it’s clear that regardless of how many routes Beckham is running, he’s not a priority in this offense. It looks to be Mark Andrews, Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman, and then Odell Beckham Jr. He is not a must-roster player.
Van Jefferson, WR, Los Angeles Rams (17% Rostered)
We know who Van Jefferson is at this point. He’s been the same player his entire career. Even though he’s running almost as many routes as Puka Nacua and Tutu Atwell, he’s firmly behind them in the target priority.
Nacua is essentially the new Cooper Kupp. Atwell has emerged as a very reliable option. Jefferson has commanded just nine targets in two weeks. Nacua just saw 20. There’s no contest. You will never feel comfortable starting Jefferson. Just drop him.
Gerald Everett, TE, Los Angeles Chargers (38% Rostered)
It may seem like I’m singling out Gerald Everett, but this really applies to just about any random TE2. You can start all of them, hoping for a touchdown, or drop all of them. It really doesn’t matter.
Everett has seen exactly three targets in each of his first two games. He’s just not a priority.
The only reason this isn’t a stronger recommendation is because I know the players you are likely dropping Everett for, and they’re not much different.
The tight end position is a wasteland. Take a shot at whomever you like. This is just to let you know that if you want to drop Everett to throw a dart at someone else, don’t be afraid to do so.
Pat Freiermuth, TE, Pittsburgh Steelers (92% Rostered)
An unquestioned top 12 tight end entering the season, I’ve seen enough after two weeks to call Pat Freiermuth droppable.
To be clear, I am not saying you absolutely need to rid your roster of the Steelers TE1. It’s not as if the replacements on the waiver wire are much better. This is more to let you know that if you want to look for a new option, you shouldn’t feel like you’re doing something wrong by dropping Freiermuth.
Through two games, Freiermuth has seen a total of five targets. He has two receptions for a total of five yards. Yes. The man has five yards on the season after two full games.
There’s no way to spin this as a positive. The Steelers’ offense is completely anemic. Kenny Pickett is not an NFL-caliber starting quarterback. I do not see brighter days ahead.
MORE: PFN Consensus Rankings
The Muth will score some touchdowns. I’m sure there will be days when you wish you started him. But he’s just a random TE2 like a dozen other guys out there. If you feel like someone like Cade Otton or Zach Ertz is more trustworthy, that’s a move I have no problem with you making.