Tracking the 2022 Roster Cut Casualties for Fantasy Football
The sad time of final cuts is upon us once again, as NFL teams around the league trim their rosters to get down to the 53 players allowed for the regular season. This year, we have three cut-down days, with August 30, 2022, the last day for players to land a spot on the final 53-person roster. For many, this may be the last chance at a career in the NFL. For a few, this day marks the vindication of a lifetime of hard work and struggle to reach this pinnacle of athletic achievement.
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For fantasy managers, final cut day tells a different story. As teams finalize rosters, fans and fantasy managers are treated to a flurry of activity that could make or break a fantasy team. Did you draft the right backup running back? Did your veteran quarterback win the job? Is your kicker still employed? Add to that the excitement of the impending NFL regular season, and it’s a good time to be a football fan.
To keep track of all these moves, 4for4.com has you covered! This article will be updated throughout the final cut day, including updates as players are scooped up off waivers, so check in before your fantasy drafts for any potentially impactful transactions. The below team-by-team brief analysis is not meant to be comprehensive but will highlight any fantasy-relevant moves.
Additionally, players placed on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list and placed on injured reserve (IR) during final cuts will be noted. The IR designation typically means a player's season is done—although, in some cases, a team may bring one player back after four weeks. Meanwhile, landing on the PUP list also makes a player ineligible to play for the first four weeks of the season. Likewise, the Non-Football Injury (NFI) list allows teams to reserve a player for a non-football injury for the first four weeks of the season.
Skip to Team: ARI | ATL | BAL | BUF | CAR | CHI | CIN | CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GB | HOU | IND | KC | LAC | LAR | LV | MIA | MIN | NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | PIT | SEA | SF | TB | TEN | WAS
Arizona Cardinals
No significant roster cuts at this time.
Atlanta Falcons
Auden Tate, WR; Geronimo Allison, WR; Qadree Ollison, RB
The WR depth chart gets a little less murky in Atlanta with the release of Tate and Allison, making Bryan Edwards and Olamide Zaccheaus the most likely WR2 and WR3 behind rookie Drake London. Ollison's release is a bit surprising, but removes some of the murk in the Atlanta backfield. After Patterson, the main contenders are Damien Willims and rookie Tyler Allgeier.
Baltimore Ravens
Gus Edwards, RB (PUP); Brett Hundley, QB; Corey Clement, RB; Tyler Badie, RB
Additions: Kenyan Drake, RB
No surprise Tyler Huntley has won the backup job over veteran journeyman Brett Hundley. The release of Clement and Badie, and the addition of Drake means Drake and Mike Davis are likely going to round out the backfield behind J.K. Dobbins. With Gus Edwards out for at least the first four weeks of the season, at least one of them is going to be fantasy relevant. If Dobbins is ready to go in Week 1, the absense of Edwards should mean very little competition for short-yardage work, an area of the field Dobbins already is efficient at, going by his 2020 numbers.
Buffalo Bills
Tavon Austin, WR; O.J. Howard, TE; Duke Johnson, RB
The release of Austin isn’t surprising and affects the return game more than the offense. Howard's release should be good for Dawson Knox and Isaiah McKenzie target shares. Duke Johnson was vying for passing down snaps, which should mostly go to rookie James Cook.
Carolina Panthers
Matt Corral, QB (IR); Zane Gonzalez, K (IR)
Additions: Laviska Shenault, WR (TRADE); Eddy Pineiro, K
Matt Corral wasn't a factor in redraft anyway, but Sam Darnold is more likely to stick around as the backup with the rookie shelved. Adding Shenault really hurts Terrace Marshall's value. Both are best suited to operate out of the slot. Pineiro will get first crack at the kicking job after losing Gonzalez to injury in the final preseason game.
Chicago Bears
Dazz Newsome, WR
Newsome affects the return game more than the offense, but the second-year speedster’s release likely means the team likes what they see in rookie Velus Jones.
Cincinnati Bengals
No significant roster cuts at this time.
Cleveland Browns
No significant roster cuts at this time.
Dallas Cowboys
Cooper Rush, QB; Will Grier, QB; Brett Maher, K
Expect the Cowboys to sign a new backup quarterback or bring Rush back after he clears waivers. Ditto for a kicker, as Maher was the only one on the roster.
Denver Broncos
Travis Fulgham, WR; Seth Williams, WR
It’s been a long fall for Fulgham after being a surprise fantasy asset a couple years ago in Philadelphia. Denver still has some work to do clearing the WR depth chart, but there will be opportunities in this offense for whoever can rise to the WR3 role. With Seth Williams also gone, there's even more room on the depth chart for K.J. Hamler. He just needs to stay healthy, and if he can, he could be a value.
Detroit Lions
Jameson Williams, WR (NFI); Tom Kennedy, WR; Tim Boyle, QB; Riley Patterson, K; David Blough, QB
Additions: Nate Sudfeld, QB
No surprise that Williams will miss at least the first four weeks of the season, given he tore his ACL in January. D.J. Chark and Amon-Ra St. Brown are expected to be the primary receivers for the Lions while Detroit waits for their star first-rounder to get healthy. Kennedy was vying with that final roster spot at receiver. Nate Sudfeld looks like he'll be the backup QB with Boyle and Blough now out of the picture. Patterson was in a battle with Austin Seibert for kicking duties, but it seems as though Seibert has won out.
Green Bay Packers
No significant roster cuts at this time.
Houston Texans
Marlon Mack, RB; Royce Freeman, RB
Additions: Tyler Johnson, WR
With Mack and Freeman off the roster, the Dameon Pierce hype train just gets that much louder. Johnson is an interesting addition. A talented receiver buried on the depth chart in Tampa Bay. Has some hands consistency issues, but it wouldn't shock me to see him win a job in the top-3 in Houston.
Indianapolis Colts
C.J. Verdell, RB; Phillip Lindsay, RB; Ty'Son Williams, RB
Verdell isn’t a household name, but he was one of four primary backs vying for the backup job behind Jonathan Taylor. Lindsay and Williams were the others, but their release leaves Deon Jackson as the main contender should Taylor get injured.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Elliott Fry, K; Ryan Santoso, K; Laquon Treadwell, WR; Ryquell Armstead, RB; Laviska Shenault, WR (TRADED)
Additions: Riley Patterson, K
Riley Patterson should open the season as the starting kicker. Treadwell's release isn't surprising with the money invested in the position over the offseason. Armstead's release is another sign that rookie Snoop Conner should be a lock for that RB3 spot on the depth chart, which could be lucrative with two backs in front of him coming off major injuries. Shenault fell out of favor and will try to crack the rotation in Carolina. His departure clears up the depth chart a little for the top trio of Jacksonville receivers.
Kansas City Chiefs
Josh Gordon, WR
Gordon was a longshot to make the roster after so many additions to the wide receiver room this offseason.
Los Angeles Chargers
Additions: Sony Michel, RB
Michel's addition could push rookie Isaiah Spiller (when he gets healthy) and holdover Joshua Kelley as the primary change-of-pace back behind Austin Ekeler.
Los Angeles Rams
No significant roster cuts at this time.
Las Vegas Raiders
Kenyan Drake, RB
The release of Drake might mean Ameer Abdullah ends up getting passing down work, and frees up the backup spot for rookie Zamir White.
Miami Dolphins
Sony Michel, RB; Preston Williams, WR; Lynn Bowden, WR
Michel is a bit of a surprise, but his release likely means Raheem Mostert is feeling healthy and might make Myles Gaskin worth stashing as a potential backup if Chase Edmonds goes down. Williams and Bowden found themselves buried on a crowded deth chart, though Bowden was more in play for return work than offensive snaps anyway. Williams' release means rookie Erik Ezukanma is an interesting deep dynasty stash, as the only Dolphins receiver with size.
Minnesota Vikings
Albert Wilson, WR; Kellen Mond, QB; Sean Mannion, QB
Additions: Jalen Reagor, WR (TRADE)
Wilson was having a nice preseason, but his release likely means second-year receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette has the edge for the WR5 and punt return job, while the addition of Jalen Reagor means K.J. Osborn might have a battle to remain the WR3 in this offense. Mond and Mannion were vying for the backup job behind Kirk Cousins, but that job is likely going to Nick Mullens now.
New England Patriots
No significant roster cuts at this time.
New Orleans Saints
John Parker Romo, K; Ian Book, QB
The Saints released Romo, so they must be happy with the health of Will Lutz, who missed all of last year due to injury. With Book out of the picture and Taysom Hill at TE, Andy Dalton should be the backup to Jameis Winston.
New York Giants
Ricky Seals-Jones, TE (IR); Jordan Akins, TE
The release of Akins, along with Seals-Jones missing at least the first four weeks of the season will allow rookie Daniel Bellinger to show the coaching staff he should remain the starter if he can thrive.
New York Jets
Eddy Pineiro, K; La'Mical Perine, RB; Tevin Coleman, RB
Greg Zuerlein seems to have won the kicking job for the Jets. Perine had fallen too far down the depth chart to justify keeping him around. Coleman was superfluous. This is a backfield of Breece Hall and Michael Carter.
Philadelphia Eagles
Jalen Reagor, WR (TRADED)
Additions: Trey Sermon, RB
Reagor's departure makes a bigger difference in the return game than at wide receiver, where he was already looking up at DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown (and Quez Watkins) on the depth chart. Sermon is added to an already kind of murky situation. Gross.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Nick Sciba, K
Chris Boswell seems to retain his role as the Steelers' kicker.
Seattle Seahawks
Freddie Swain, WR
Swain was a bit of a surprise. That leaves sub-package sets open for second-year speedster D'Wayne Eskridge if he can get and stay healthy.
San Francisco 49ers
Trey Sermon, RB
Sermon fell out of favor last year early on and never quite recovered. We'll see if last year's third-round pick can catch on elsewhere.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tyler Johnson, WR
The wide receiver room was just too deep for Johnson to make the final 53, but he's talented enough to catch on somewhere.
Tennessee Titans
Jordan Wilkins, RB
Wilkins was vying for the backup role behind Derrick Henry, so his release clears space for Dontrell Hilliard – who might also be in play on kick returns – and for rookie Hassan Haskins. D’Onta Foreman was productive in this offense when Henry missed time last season. Also keep an eye on Julius Chestnutt, who looks like a surprise addition to the initial 53. If he wins the backup job, he could have value if Henry misses time.
Washington Commanders
Chase Young, DE (PUP); Brian Robinson, RB (IR)
I'm not going to touch on every IDP player, but Chase Young is one of the top DE's drafted in IDP formats, so it's significant for him to miss at least the first four weeks of the season. Robinson doesn't have a timetable for return, but he'll miss at least the first four weeks of the season. Antonio Gibson goes back to being a solid RB2 in his absence.
