Roster management is the single most crucial in-season task for fantasy football managers. Knowing which players to let go is as important as adding the right guys. Which players find themselves on our Week 8 fantasy football cut list?
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Who Should You Cut in Fantasy Football in Week 8?
We are now entering the back half of the fantasy season. The focus now shifts toward the playoffs. Fantasy managers need to be cutting players who are either not going to help them get to the postseason or not going to help them during the postseason.
Antonio Gibson, RB, Washington Commanders (53% Rostered)
It’s over for Antonio Gibson. By that, I mostly mean his career as a relevant NFL player and definitely as a relevant member of the Commanders.
Gibson has yet to carry the ball more than six times in a game this season and has yet to see more than seven opportunities. In positive game script, Gibson simply doesn’t play. In negative game script, he sees the field more, but it’s yet to matter.
The only reason to hang onto Gibson is hoping he comes into value if Brian Robinson Jr. gets hurt. The issue with that is if BRob goes down, I fully expect Chris Rodriguez Jr. to take over as the primary runner — not Gibson. That means there is no path to any fantasy value for Gibson. Cut him everywhere.
Justice Hill, RB, Baltimore Ravens (41% Rostered)
In a game where the Ravens led wire to wire and it was never even remotely competitive for a single minute, Justice Hill earned all of five opportunities. He’s a great bet to get you five fantasy points. If that’s useful for you, hang onto him. He won’t get you zero, but that’s all you’re getting.
MORE: Week 8 RB Waiver Wire Targets
Gus Edwards and Hill actually played the same number of snaps. The difference is Edwards gets the ball when he’s on the field — Hill doesn’t. To make matters worse, Hill had another bad fumble.
Even if Edwards were to get hurt, I suspect Keaton Mitchell would take his role, not Hill. There is no upside here.
Dalvin Cook, RB, New York Jets (40% Rostered)
I’m amazed Dalvin Cook’s roster percentage is still this high. He’s been on the cut list for a few weeks now. With so many teams on bye last week, including the Jets, I figured fantasy managers would make Cook the first guy to drop to pick up some replacement players.
Cook is one of the best backs of the past half-decade, but it’s over. There is no scenario in which Cook will ever be fantasy-relevant again. He can no longer play football at the professional level.
Zach Evans, RB, Los Angeles Rams (37% Rostered)
I understand why fantasy managers added Zach Evans last week. We didn’t know what the Rams would do. But as the week progressed, it became abundantly clear it was never going to be Evans.
Sure enough, he played the same role he’s played all season — emergency RB3. Since Darrell Henderson (who was watching last week’s game from his couch) and Royce Freeman (who was on the practice squad) both played ahead of Evans and didn’t get hurt, Evans didn’t play a snap. There’s nothing more that needs to be said.
Jameson Williams, WR, Detroit Lions (48% Rostered)
Jameson Williams’ rookie season told us all we needed to know about him. After he managed to earn just nine targets in six games, I shut the door on his career.
With that said, I understand why fantasy managers would take a shot on him at the cost of nothing off the waiver wire. He’s a first-round NFL Draft pick on a team that lacks a true WR2. I wouldn’t have done it, but there are plenty of things I’ve done that others wouldn’t, where I was wrong. No judgment.
At this point, it’s abundantly clear Williams just isn’t it. He’s been back from suspension for three games now. He’s earned 12 targets and caught four of them. In Week 7, he caught none of his six targets.
Williams’ snap share and routes run went up this week, but the Lions were in negative game script from the start. Yet, he still split the WR3 role with Antoine Green and Kalif Raymond. Throw a dart at someone else.
Tutu Atwell, WR, Los Angeles Rams (46% Rostered)
During Cooper Kupp’s four-game absence, Tutu Atwell proved he belongs in the NFL. I give him all the credit in the world, but he remains just a backup player.
Since Kupp returned, Atwell has caught a total of four passes. Prior to Kupp’s return, he caught at least four passes in every game.
MORE: Fantasy Football WR Week 8 Trade Targets
If Kupp or Puka Nacua were to go down, Atwell would undoubtedly find his name on the waiver wire list. He’s the rare handcuff WR because we have proof of concept. But with both healthy, Atwell is an afterthought in this offense.
If you want to hang onto Atwell as a WR handcuff, by all means, do so. Just don’t feel obligated to keep him. He has no fantasy value while Kupp and Nacua are both playing.
Pat Freiermuth, TE, Pittsburgh Steelers (45% Rostered)
Given that Pat Freiermuth is currently on injured reserve, obviously, there’s no need to drop him if you have the IR spot available. But if you don’t, there’s no reason to burn a bench spot on him.
Freiermuth has posted stat lines of 1-3, 1-2, 3-41, and 1-7 in his four games played. Even when he returns, what exactly is he providing fantasy managers?
It’s rough out there at tight end, but there are still easily 20+ guys better than Muth.