Diontae Johnson And 3 More NFL Roster Cuts That Impact Fantasy Football Leagues

From Marquez Valdez-Scantling to Diontae Johnson, NFL roster cuts create surprising fantasy football opportunities and waiver wire watchlist targets.

Former Cleveland Browns wide receiver Diontae Johnson (16) makes a catch against the Philadelphia Eagles during the first quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Every NFL team made their final cuts to get their rosters down to 53 players on Tuesday. While most of the releases were par for the course, there were a handful that stood out above the rest. A few that could impact the fantasy football seasons. 

WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling, FA

Former New Orleans Saints wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling (10) smiles before a game against the Los Angeles Rams at Caesars Superdome. | Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

This was the cut that stood out the most to us. The Seattle Seahawks cut MVS on Tuesday because he had been beaten out for the WR3 job by Tory Horton. That's a name that you're going to want to know. He's been outstanding in both training camp and the preseason, and he now has a clear path to fantasy relevance. All he has to do is find a way to get playing time with an old and injury-prone Cooper Kupp, currently serving as the WR2. Whether it's due to performance or injury, Horton will take that job this season.  

MVS is now reportedly being pursued by the San Francisco 49ers and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Veteran WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling, is considering signing with the #49ers or #Steelers, per @AaronWilson_NFL 👀 pic.twitter.com/8LiOizHvgC

— OurSF49ers (@OurSf49ers) August 27, 2025

WR Diontae Johnson, FA

Despite having a few really rough stops last year, Johnson is only one year removed from fantasy relevance. In 2023, he missed three games and left early in a fourth, and still caught 51 passes for 717 yards and five touchdowns at 14.1 yards per catch with terrible quarterback play in Pittsburgh. There was some belief that he could return to form this season in Cleveland and have a fantasy impact in 2025. There is no longer any cause for alarm. Jerry Jeudy and Cedric Tillman are safe in their roles, and Johnson will not affect them in any way. 

WR Robert Woods, FA

Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Tyson Campbell (3) goes to tackle Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Robert Woods (16) during the first quarter at EverBank Stadium. | Morgan Tencza-Imagn Images

This is most likely the end of the road for Woods after getting cut by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Now that he's off the roster, there is a clear opportunity for both Calvin Austin and Roman Wilson to potentially carve out significant roles in this offense behind DK Metcalf. We wouldn't necessarily draft either of them, but they will be worth monitoring on the waiver wire.  

TE Robert Tonyan, FA

Tonyan is a name people remember from his days in Green Bay. So, there was some concern that he could possibly win the TE2 job. He was once a solid receiving option. After Noah Gray had a fantasy-relevant 2024, in which he caught 40 passes and scored five TDs, fantasy owners invested in him in best ball leagues. It makes sense. He caught at least four passes in six games last season and had two double-digit TD games while topping 40 yards four times. With Travis Kelce entering his age-36 season coming off a down year, there is a chance that Gray overtakes that role in the near future.