Week 4 slammed fantasy rosters. Two elite wide receivers — Tyreek Hill and Malik Nabers — suffered season-ending injuries. Managers now need to reallocate bench spots, rethink waiver priorities, and evaluate trades. Beyond the headline losses, several fringe players still have not earned roles that justify a hold in standard 10–12 team formats. Below are the Fantasy Football Cut Candidates for Week 4, grouped by injury-related and opportunity-driven drops, with the usage context that informs each call. This list aims to save you a roster spot before waivers run.
Treat these names as guidance, not law. League depth, scoring, and bench size matter. In shallow leagues, move faster and value upside over floor. In deeper formats, you can keep one or two of these players if your wire lacks talent. If your league uses IR, place long-term (not season-ending) injuries there. If you do not have IR, convert those slots into backs and receivers with rising usage. This approach supports weekly streaming and gives you optionality when new roles emerge.
Fantasy Football Cut Candidates: Week 4 (2025)
Injury-Related Drops
Tyreek Hill — Miami Dolphins (100% rostered):Hill dislocated his left knee on Monday night and left on a cart. Reports indicate a severe injury that ends his season. In redraft leagues without IR, release him and free a critical slot.
Malik Nabers — New York Giants (100% rostered): An MRI confirmed a torn ACL. He will miss the rest of 2025. In redraft formats, drop him. Expect the Giants to redirect targets to Wan’Dale Robinson and tight end Theo Johnson.
Cedric Tillman — Cleveland Browns (41% rostered): Tillman left Sunday with a hamstring injury and should miss multiple weeks. With Cleveland’s offense in flux, prioritize healthier upside stashes instead.
Braelon Allen — New York Jets (35% rostered): Allen has not carved out a dependable role behind Breece Hall. He also lost a costly goal-line fumble in Week 4 before leaving with a knee issue. After four games, the touch volume and role uncertainty make him a drop in standard redraft.
Opportunity/Role-Related Drops
Calvin Austin III — Pittsburgh Steelers (46% rostered): Austin has ten receptions for one hundred thirty-nine yards through four games. Pittsburgh now hits a Week 5 bye. In most 10–12 team leagues, a boom-or-bust WR5 entering a bye is a luxury. Use that bench spot elsewhere.
Dylan Sampson – Cleveland Browns (42% rostered): Since Quinshon Judkins took over as RB1, Sampson has shifted to a change-of-pace role. He has eighteen carries for thirty-five yards (1.9 YPC) across four games, including negative rushing yards in Week 4. Judkins handled twenty-one of the twenty-three team carries on Sunday. That profile does not merit a bench spot outside deep formats.
Bottom Line
Week 4 forces difficult decisions. Hill and Nabers should not occupy IR spots in redraft; they will not return this season. Hill’s injury also raises dynasty concerns, as he turns 32 before a potential 2026 return. Meanwhile, managers should clear bench clutter where roles have not materialized. Cut Austin as he enters a bye, Allen as touches and trust fade, and Sampson as Judkins controls the backfield. Then use those spots to chase ascending usage ahead of the Week 5 waiver run – check targets on our Week 5 Waiver Wire article.
Main Photo Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
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