Implementations optimize a browser render process by identifying content neutral embedded items and rendering a web page without fetching the content neutral items. An example method includes identifying a URL pattern common to a plurality of URLs stored in fetch records and selecting a sample of URLs from the plurality. The method also includes, for each URL in the sample, determining whether the URL is optional by generating a first rendering result using content for the URL and a second rendering result without using the content for the URL and calculating a similarity score for the URL by comparing the first rendering result and the second rendering result, the URL being optional when the similarity score is greater than a similarity threshold. The method may also include storing the URL pattern in a data store of optional resource patterns when a majority of the URLs in the sample are optional.