Tye Dillinger and the Stars Hit Hardest by WWE's Crowded Roster

WWE's roster is filled with dozens of colorful characters, each with their own distinct personality and gimmick, but having so many talents at the same time has led to some issues.

Certain Superstars, like Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, Charlotte Flair and Randy Orton, are always going to be relevant because they have proved their drawing power.

The majority of the stars on Raw and SmackDown Live have to fight for screen time, and it often leads to people who deserve a push sitting on the sidelines for months at a time.

WWE has hired more new Superstars over the past few years than it has let go, which means even NXT is starting to feel crowded.

This slideshow will look at the wrestlers on the main roster who have suffered most from this overcrowding.

10. Heath Slater and Rhyno

Heath Slater has never been taken seriously as someone who could be in the main event, but his level of commitment to his character has always made him entertaining.

In the back half of 2016, Slater saw a boost in popularity thanks to not being drafted and his consequent attempts to impress the bosses on Raw and SmackDown enough to hire him.

Once he was brought to SmackDown by Daniel Bryan and Shane McMahon, The One-Man Rock Band found an ally in the underappreciated Rhyno, and the two became one of the most popular acts on the blue brand.

Slater's desire to provide a home and above-ground pool for his family not only produced some great comedy segments but also endeared Slater to the WWE Universe because everyone can relate to wanting to take care of loved ones.

Once the unlikely duo won the tag titles last September, everything went downhill. For some unknown reason, their push was halted. And they lost the belts shortly after winning them.

We have seen Slater and Rhyno pop up a few times since being moved to Raw, but they are lost among the other tag teams like Cesaro and Sheamus, The Hardy Boyz and The Revival.

The Enzo Amore and Big Cass' breakup has opened up a few opportunities. Only time will tell whether Slater and Rhyno will be able to step in to fill the void.

9. Mickie James

Mickie James returned to WWE to a lot of fanfare when she battled Asuka for the NXT Women's Championship at TakeOver: Toronto in November.

She was eventually rehired and brought to SmackDown to add some veteran experience to the group of women who had risen to stardom over the past few years.

Unfortunately, she hasn't been given much to do since moving to Raw in April. She has mostly been relegated to tag team and multi-person matches without any storyline to call her own.

She seems to have started mentoring Dana Brooke in recent weeks, so there is no reason why management couldn't put the two of them in a four-woman feud with two heels.

James' popularity has followed her everywhere she has gone, and WWE would be wise to use her experience and credibility to elevate the women's division more often.

8. American Alpha

When Chad Gable and Jason Jordan debuted on the main roster last August, most fans assumed they would be pushed right to the top of the tag team division.

Their athleticism is second to none, and few teams are as exciting to watch when they get on a roll. This is why it has been so disappointing to see them all but forgotten in recent months.

Gable challenged Kevin Owens for the United States Championship during an open challenge, but he came up short.

This was the first time we had seen them in a month, and it wasn't even in a tag team match. In fact, Jordan wasn't even at ringside to support his partner. He just walked out on the stage with him before heading to the back.

Jordan and Gable still have some growing to do on the mic, but few teams have the technical ability they possess. If WWE paired them with a duo who could do most of the heavy lifting in promos, American Alpha could still produce show-stealing performances every week.

7. Aiden English

Simon Gotch's departure in April put Aiden English in an awkward position. Instead of being in a unique tag team, he was forced into the more competitive singles division.

His gimmick of singing and crying all the time hasn't helped him get over, and as a result, he has been used sparingly to make other people look good.

English is a talented wrestler who seems more comfortable on the mic than a lot of performers. He might be better off finding another struggling Superstar and forming a new tag team.

Moving back to NXT would normally be an option, but even the developmental brand has become crowded with more talent than WWE has time to feature.

The former Vaudevillain has more to offer than he has been allowed to contribute. He just needs the right storyline.

6. Summer Rae

Raw and SmackDown each has a great group of female performers, but one person who has been a victim of the overcrowding is Summer Rae.

The former Legends Football League captain has been overshadowed by the likes of Charlotte and Sasha Banks. She deserves better.

Summer isn't afraid to get physical, has decent mic skills and the kind of beauty WWE used to base all its hiring practices on for the old Divas division.

Her time on Total Divas has given her name recognition, so it's not like people don't know who she is. If anything, fans are more familiar with her than most of the women in NXT.

Even if she is paired up with a Superstars to act as a manager, Summer could bring a lot to the table. She just needs the opportunity to remind us why she belongs in WWE.

5. Gran Metalik

We are beginning to see the cruiserweight division integrated more into the main roster, with recent storylines involving Banks teaming up with Rich Swann and Titus O'Neil trying to recruit Akira Tozawa, but some Superstars are still being ignored.

Gran Metalik made it all the way to the final round of the Cruiserweight Classic before being defeated by TJP, but he has yet to make an impact on 205 Live.

Aside from a few random matches, he hasn't even been part of the show since its launch in November. This is a big oversight.

Metalik stole the show with every match he had during the CWC, and he could give the struggling division a boost if he were used more often.

4. Erick Rowan

Erick Rowan has been fighting an uphill battle for screen time since The Wyatt Family disbanded following April's Superstar Shake-up.

WWE has tried to give him more to do on a few occasions, but it never felt like any real effort was being put into building him into his own unique character.

After a brief feud with Luke Harper, Rowan all but disappeared from our televisions. Considering his size and athleticism, you would think someone could find a way to use him.

He isn't going to be pursuing the WWE title in the near future, but there is no reason why Rowan shouldn't be utilized to get other people over.

3. Sin Cara

Sin Cara has barely been seen on WWE television in 2017, and most of his appearances have involved him losing to someone else.

As a gifted high-flyer, it's shocking management hasn't put Sin Cara into the cruiserweight division, but even as part of the regular roster, he has more to offer.

The Lucha Dragons were a popular tag team, but for some reason, WWE decided to break them up, only to end up not using either competitor effectively.

Sin Cara would be a great addition to 205 Live or NXT. Not only is he a talented wrestler, but his mask makes him more marketable to children and fans of lucha libre.

2. Luke Harper

One of the biggest disappointments of 2017 so far has been the way WWE has misused Luke Harper following his split from Bray Wyatt.

The bearded brawler isn't just a powerhouse. He can perform moves usually reserved for the likes of AJ Styles or a cruiserweight competitor.

His chemistry with top stars like Orton and John Cena has allowed him to produce some great matches, and his gimmick helps him connect with the common man more than someone like Wyatt.

Harper could be the next Mick Foley if WWE booked him properly, but there isn't enough room on SmackDown for another main event player at the moment.

1. Tye Dillinger

Tye Dillinger had a tough journey to get to WWE's main roster, and when he finally arrived, it seemed like it would be smooth sailing.

His popularity reached new heights in NXT during his feud with Eric Young, and the WWE Universe gave him an amazing welcome when he entered the 2017 Royal Rumble at No. 10.

Unfortunately for Dillinger and his legion of fans, WWE has failed to capitalize on the momentum he had when he first arrived on the scene.

It's not as if management doesn't want to use him. There just isn't enough room on SmackDown to feature everyone who deserves screen time.

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The Superstars featured on this list have all suffered from overcrowding on the main roster, but there are more victims who have earned the right to be used more often. Which performers would you like to see get a new push on Raw or SmackDown?