NFL Cutdown Day: Fantasy Fallout after Rosters are Trimmed to 53

This article is part of our NFL Observations series.

Back in the old days of four preseason games, NFL teams made "final" cuts the weekend before the start of the regular season. It's been stretched out now with the elimination of a preseason game, thankfully, and teams now have 12-13 days (or nine for the Rams and Bills) between the cut to 53 and their first game.

I put 'final' in quotations above because the rosters we saw after Tuesday's cuts are actually initial 53-man rosters. They change throughout the season, of course, but most will also change between Tuesday evening and Week 1 as teams make waiver claims and move players to IR.

Anyone placed on IR before 4:00 p.m. ET Tuesday is either out for the season or will need to be released with an injury settlement to play again. On the other hand, anyone placed on IR after the cutdown deadline can return to action after a minimum of four missed games.

Also note that some of the vested veterans (four-plus years of service) who are released will be re-signed by the same team either before or after Week 1. If it's after Week 1, the team only has to guarantee one-fourth of the guy's salary instead of all of it.

Wednesday afternoon will bring a swarm of waiver claims after Tuesday's mass exodus, but fantasy fans will often be disappointed to see how many of those players are linemen or defensive players and how few are their favorite running back who lit up the preseason. Before we worry about waivers, let's check out the fantasy-relevant news from Tuesday's deadline:

• Houston Texans release RB Marlon Mack

This is one of those "surprises" that really isn't. Rookie Dameon Pierce clearly moved ahead of Mack to become the team's lead runner, and Mack doesn't play special teams or do much as a blocker and pass catcher. The Texans instead kept Rex Burkhead, Royce Freeman and Dare Ogunbowale, each of whom has experience handling passing-down snaps and playing special teams. None poses much of a threat to Pierce's ground workload, so it'll be interesting to see if the Texans re-sign Mack or grab another early down back off waivers. Even if they do, it's a good sign for Pierce that the team is ok with losing Mack.

• WR Michael Gallup (knee) placed on 53-man roster, not PUP

The Cowboys kept Gallup on the preseason PUP list right up until the end, technically giving them the option to put him on reserve/PUP on Tuesday, which would've mean an automatic four-game absence. They didn't do that, as expected, and Jerry Jones even said Gallup would be healthy enough to play if the Cowboys' game Sept. 11 were the Super Bowl. It isn't, of course, and both player and team have said Gallup is unlikely to play Week 1. It sounds like Week 2/3 is in play, at the very least.

• CB Tre'Davious White (ACL) placed on reserve/PUP

This is the biggest news of the day from a non-fantasy standpoint, ruling out a top player for at least four games. I'd be at least a little worried as a Buffalo fan, with White on the PUP list and not yet practicing while a number of guys who suffered severe injuries after him or around the same time (Gallup, Chris Godwin, James Robinson) are clearly well ahead of him. The Bills have Taron Johnson, Dane Jackson and first-round pick Kaiir Elam as their top three cornerbacks to start the season — the likely weakness of an otherwise formidable roster.

• CB Byron Jones (ankle) placed on reserve/PUP

Buffalo wasn't the only AFC East team to rule out a veteran starting cornerback for the first four weeks. Jones had ankle surgery in March.

• Indianapolis Colts release RB Phillip Lindsay

The logic here could be similar to Mack, with Lindsay offering only running ability while 2021 UDFA Deon Jackson might be able to help on special teams and back-up Nyheim Hines. Or, the Colts could re-sign Lindsay or another early down guy to warm the bench behind Jonathan Taylor. Jackson averaged only 1.3 yards on 11 carries this preseason, but he did have a 19-110-1 rushing line in exhibition play as a rookie last year. 

• Buffalo Bills release TE O.J. Howard

The Bills moved on from Howard after giving him $2 million guaranteed, and it's probably time for us to move on from the idea of Howard ever having fantasy value again, even if he does re-sign with the Bengals (as already rumored). The Bills kept TEs Tommy Sweeney and Quintin Morris instead.

• TE Greg Dulcich (hamstring) placed on IR (after 4:00 ET)

The hamstring injury first cropped up at spring practices and then caused Dulcich to miss most of training camp and all of the preseason. It ended any talk of him challenging Albert Okweugbunam for Week 1 snaps, and it's now confirmed Dulcich will miss at least four games. The Broncos do expect him back Week 5. In the meantime, they'll have only Andrew Beck and Eric Saubert behind Okwuegbunam, who was much-discussed this preseason while playing deep into the first two games (he was rested for the third, however).

• Houston Texans release Chris Conley

The Texans apparently will go with 29-year Chris Moore as their No. 3 receiver, at least to start the season. It's not an offense where we're likely to care about the No. 3 for fantasy, but maybe the name comes into play if Brandin Cooks misses time with an injury. Also note that Nico Collins is locked in as the No. 2 receiver here; not that Conley was challenging him for real this year.

• Baltimore Ravens expected to sign RB Kenyan Drake

As a Ravens fan, I can't get excited for this. Drake was looking borderline washed up last year even before he suffered an ugly ankle injury. The Ravens really need help in the backfield, especially with J.K. Dobbins (knee) uncertain for Week 1 and Gus Edwards (knee) already on PUP. I hope the team keeps exploring other options, because Drake + Mike Davis + Justice Hill as the Week 1 backfield sounds pretty gross. Davis is the best guy there, and likely the starter, but he offers zero speed or big-play ability.

• Tennessee Titans cut QB Logan Woodside

The Titans apparently believe Malik Willis is ready for the No. 2 QB job. Or else they believe Woodside isn't so they might as well give the young guy a shot anyway. Willis, a third-round pick, finishes his first preseason 28-of-51 passing (54.9 percent) for 318 yards (6.2 YPA), two TDs and one INT, with 14 carries for 159 yards and another TD. He also took nine sacks, and having watched all his preseason snaps... it was definitely interesting. He made a handful of ridiculous plays, maybe more, but also had about a dozen that were just brutal.

• Philadelphia Eagles keep only three running backs.

This might be nothing, or it might be a sign they think Miles Sanders (hamstring) is fine for Week 1. We'll see if they add a fourth RB in the coming days.

• Isaiah Spiller (ankle) returns to practice

This doesn't actually have anything to do with cutdown day, but I found it interesting given that previous reports were more pessimistic about the ankle sprain Spiller suffered in the second week of the preseason. He apparently has a good chance to play Week 1, and might even have time to make his case for some touches given that Joshua Kelley and Larry Rountree are the other RB options behind Austin Ekeler.