Waiver Wire: Week 10

We're blowing through this season here, because we're in the midst of your playoff push these next few weeks leading up to the start of most leagues' playoff, Week 14.

There's no better way to get a leg up on your competition than to get your waiver adds set and bolster your roster for the most pivotal stretch of the season to see if you're going to be playing some bonus fantasy in Weeks 14 through 16.

Here at Fighting Chance Fantasy, we're taking a four-pronged approach with Leo Grandio covering quarterbacks and tight ends, Steve Rapin covering the running backs, Kevin Tompkins covering the wide receivers, and Corey Heitpas covering the dynasty portion!

Quarterbacks (Leo Grandio)

First of all, check to see if these quarterbacks are available and are floating around in your league's waiver wire. I would prioritize them in this order:

• Ryan Tannehill, TEN (68.0% rostered)
• Joe Burrow, CIN (65.9% rostered)
• Carson Wentz, PHI (66.3% rostered)
• Matthew Stafford, DET (61.9% rostered)

On to our list!

Tua Tagovailoa, MIA
(20.1% rostered)

Well, that’s how you show the goods as a top-five overall pick in the NFL. Tua Tagovailoa went from an unmemorable debut to a breakthrough performance in a matter of a week. Tagovailoa led the Dolphins to an impressive win over the Cardinals on the road by tossing for 248 yards and two touchdowns, while adding seven rushes for 35 yards. This week he faces the Chargers who are giving up the sixth-most fantasy points to quarterbacks this season in a game that could be a shootout and a sample of the future as he will be dueling with fellow rookie Justin Herbert, who has been lighting the league on fire. Tua Time should be added to 10-team leagues.     

Jared Goff, LAR
(33.2% rostered)

Jared Goff is coming off a bye this week licking his chops as he is eyeing the generous Seattle pass defense who are giving up the most fantasy points to quarterbacks this year. Josh Allen just roasted the Seahawks defense for 415 yards and four touchdowns. Prior to the bye, Goff threw for 355 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. Expect for Goff to be throwing early and often to keep up with the Seahawks this week. He is a must-add in all leagues.        

Teddy Bridgewater, CAR
(29.1% rostered)

After having underwhelming outings in two out of the last three contests, Teddy Bridgewater executed an innovative offensive game plan to explode for 310 yards and two touchdowns. That’s what having Christian McCaffrey back on your team will do for you. Unfortunately, it looks like CMC will miss some time again with a shoulder injury but Curtis Samuel may be a very suitable replacement. This week Teddy B plays the Buccaneers, whose secondary just got torched by Drew Brees for 222 yards and four touchdowns. Bridgewater should be added in 12-team leagues.     

Other QB in Consideration:

Drew Lock, DEN (13.4%) - After falling behind early, Drew Lock provided 313 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception in the comeback attempt that came up just a bit short. He also rushed seven times for 47 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Lock is a great streamer this week as he plays Raiders this week which should be a shootout at Vegas.  

Nick Foles, CHI (18.0%) - After compiling 335 yards and two touchdowns last week against the Titans, Nick Foles now tangles with the Vikings who are giving up the fourth-most fantasy points to quarterbacks this year. Foles is a good streamer option for deeper leagues and a must-own in two-quarterback leagues.   

Jake Luton, JAX (2.2%) - All Jake Luton did in his rookie debut was throw for 304 yards, one touchdown, and one interception, while also adding a 13-yard rushing touchdown. Not bad for a rookie who might sub-plant Gardner Minshew going forward if he continues to play like this. Luton is a must-add in two-quarterback/super-flex leagues moving forward. 

Alex Smith, WAS (0.2%) - Just give Alex Smith the comeback player of the year award right now. From possibly never playing again after his horrific leg injury a couple of years ago to subbing in for injured Kyle Allen and producing 325 yards, one touchdown, and three interceptions is a really impressive feat for the veteran. Allen is out for the season and Smith has already been named the starter moving forward. Smith should be added in deep leagues and two-quarterback leagues.  

Running Backs (Steve Rapin)

J.D. McKissic 
(25% rostered)

If I told you that J.D. McKissic was fourth among running backs in targets (47), would you believe me? What if I said that McKissic was 34th in fantasy points in PPR leagues? I'm crazy right? Well, yes I am, but those two statements are both true and now it appears that the Redskins will have Alex Smith under center, who just happens to love to dump off to the running back. That was evident as McKissic saw a whopping 14 targets in the Football Team's Week 9 loss to the Giants. While he won't be a true workhorse back, McKissic should be able to help your fantasy team, especially in PPR formats. 

Gus Edwards, BAL 
(37% rostered)

With Mark Ingram sidelined with an ankle injury, the Ravens have split work pretty evenly between rookie, J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards. However, Edwards has benefited from seeing the majority of goal line work as he's now scored a touchdown in three consecutive weeks. It's still unclear as to when Ingram will return, but it's obvious that the Ravens trust Edwards in the red zone and he's a threat to score on any given week, possibly even after Ingram comes back. 

Duke Johnson, HOU
(17% rostered)

David Johnson exited the Texans Week 9 game against the Jaguars and is now in the concussion protocol. Head injuries are always unpredictable, so if David Johnson should miss any time, Duke Johnson should see a definite uptick in usage. He is not a prototypical bell cow back, so don't expect to see him get 20 carries, but double digit rush attempts along with a good number of targets is definitely within reason should David miss any time. 

Jordan Wilkins, IND
(25% rostered)

While it's true that Jordan Wilkins has outperformed Jonathan Taylor so far on the season, the Colts seem intent to split up work and snaps relatively evenly between Wilkins, Taylor, and even Nyheim Hines. Because of that, it would likely take a Taylor injury for Wilkins to see significant fantasy production, but he could be used in a pinch as the Colts take on the Titans in Week 10.

Kalen Ballage, LAC
(1% rostered)

I'm going to be completely honest with you. I don't think that Kalen Ballage is a very good running back. But with that said, now that Justin Jackson is injured, to go along with Austin Ekeler who still has no timetable for return, Ballage should see some work alongside Joshua Kelley. Many had high hopes for Kelley after he saw 35 rushing attempts in the first two weeks of the season. However, he has since disappointed, as he hasn't topped 43 yards in any week, despite Ekeler's absence. That leaves an opportunity for Ballage who had 15 carries for 69 yards (nice) and a touchdown, to go along with three targets. If you're desperate for a back in Week 10, Ballage could give you a little relief for a week or two. 

Other running backs in consideration:

This week I'm going to do this a little different. I don't particularly like other running backs out there, so I would consider adding a good quality handcuff to your roster if you have the space. As we near the fantasy playoffs, these players could be potential difference makers should the lead back get hurt. I would much rather have one of these players than a guy like Ryan Nall for Chicago who has two career carries on a team that seems to be running back purgatory. These are the handcuffs that I would prefer in this order. 

Alexander Mattison, MIN (36%)
Gio Bernard, CIN (54%)
Benny Snell, PIT (6%)
Tony Pollard, DAL (32%)
Brian Hill, ATL (12%)

Wide Receivers (Kevin Tompkins)

First of all, check to see if these receivers are available and are floating around in your league's waiver wire. I would prioritize them in this order:

• Jerry Jeudy, DEN (72.5% rostered)
• A.J. Green, CIN (74.9% rostered
• Christian Kirk, ARI (63.4% rostered)

On to our list!

Jakobi Meyers, NE
(10.3% rostered)

Over the last three weeks, Julian Edelman and N’Keal Harry have been out for the Patriots. I called them one of the worst offenses in the league next to the Jets. Funny little thing happened though in that time frame though.

Jakobi Meyers has absolutely shown up, answered the bell, and over the last three weeks, his metrics are absolutely off the charts.

His WOPR metric has been better than Davante Adams. He led the league in WOPR for Week 9 thanks to his 12 catch, 169 yard performance last night on 14 targets. He’s been literally the only show in town for the Patriots and with Edelman potentially being out until the end of the season plus N’Keal Harry still on the shelf, Meyers should get every opportunity over guys like Damiere Byrd and Gunner Olszewski.

He should be added and started in every league going forward.

Curtis Samuel, CAR
(52.6% rostered)

What if I told you that there are only three wide receivers the last two weeks to finish PPR WR10 or higher the last two weeks? Would you be surprised that Davante Adams and Keenan Allen are on that list? What about Curtis Samuel?

Yes, Samuel has finished WR10 and WR7 the last two weeks and now has four touchdowns in his last three contests as well. The Panthers are actually using Samuel and doing it smartly. The team has been very competitive despite the thoughts on them preseason, so the opportunities have been there for a few Panthers to be fantasy relevant. With 20 targets in his last three games, Samuel has definitely become very relevant and should continue to be down the home stretch.

Samuel’s ascending stat lines each week have come at the expense of D.J. Moore so while Samuel is riding the hot hand, he’s got to be added as a priority claim.

K.J. Hamler, DEN
(2.6% rostered)

Seeing his best day as a pro, K.J. Hamler could find some sneaky value in a high-volume Broncos passing attack that should find its way into negative game scripts more often than not. While Jerry Jeudy is the clear breadwinner right now in that offense, K.J. Hamler could play a key complementary role, which he did in Week 9. He saw double-digit targets for the first time and parlayed that into a 6/75 line.

While it can be hard to trust him in weekly redraft formats, he’s a good bench piece that has upside. With how much injuries have decimated the Broncos this season, Hamler should find his way into some value should something happen to Jeudy or Noah Fant (who re-aggravated his ankle in Week 9).

Darnell Mooney, CHI
(23.8% rostered)

Darnell Mooney has become a fixture in this space as he just doesn’t seem to get the attention of fantasy managers looking for opportunity, but he’s definitely getting it. Capitalizing on that is another animal entirely, with Nick Foles throwing him the ball.

Mooney saw 11 targets in Week 9 but could only muster five catches for 43 yards out of that opportunity. That said, he’s on pace for 85-90 targets this season and coming up this week is the Minnesota Vikings, who are the third-worst fantasy defense to wide receivers in the NFL. This is a solid spot to stream Mooney before his bye week in Week 11, so while he’s worth the pickup off of waivers anyway, this week is a good week to plug and play if you have some receivers on bye or injuries have taken a toll at the position on your roster.

Breshad Perriman, NYJ
(12% rostered)

Not only did Breshad Perriman clear concussion protocol to suit up last night for the Jets in their Monday Night Football tilt against the Patriots, but he cleared the end zone twice on his way to a five-catch, 101 yard performance.

“Vintage” Joe Flacco was on full display last night, so while this may be a slight anomaly, Perriman has a recent history of later season success, especially in fantasy (see 2019). Now that he’s healthy, he’s at least a boom/bust flex play with upside as the winless Jets will surely be in plenty of negative game scripts to close out the season. He’s definitely worth an add in 12-team leagues and a must-add in 14-team leagues.

Michael Pittman Jr., IND
(5.1% rostered)

While the Colts’ pass-catchers are not a sexy bunch given the state of the offense, there’s one player with breakout ability, Michael Pittman, who is head and shoulders above the rest of the wide receivers in that offense right now in terms of talent, and well, actual height.

The six-foot-four rookie Pittman paced the Colts’ receivers with 56 receiving yards and a team-high seven targets and with a slate of upcoming matchups including two against Houston, two against Tennessee, Green Bay, and Las Vegas, there are plenty of opportunities for Pittman to start to realize some of his potential with solid matchups. Colts’ quarterback Philip Rivers has a bit more room for error in targeting Pittman versus some of the other smaller receivers and it looks like the veteran quarterback is starting to see that.

He’s a cheap add if he’s still out there on waivers but he should be owned in most formats, at the very least as a bench depth stash.

Other WR in Consideration:

Jalen Reagor, PHI (21%) - Jalen Reagor furnishes more upside than your typical waiver wire entry and it’s easy to forget he had a touchdown in his game two weeks ago versus the Dallas Cowboys before his bye week last week. With pieces getting healthy in Philadelphia, Reagor wasn’t drafted in the first round to be an ancillary piece of this offense. He’s there to be a major contributor and while yes, it’s fair to say maybe that isn’t expected of him in his injury-marred rookie campaign of 2020, he’s flashed a little bit of that upside. He’s going to get the opportunity and with Travis Fulgham coming out of nowhere, there’s an unexpected piece here in Philly to take some of the pressure off of Reagor.

Reagor is worth the squeeze if you kept him on IR for the first-half of the season and he should start to pay some dividends towards and into the fantasy playoffs.

Allen Lazard, GB (42.6%) - Allen Lazard has been in this space week after week, but when he does finally come back, he should slot right into that WR2 role in Green Bay. What that means for fantasy purposes is certainly up for interpretation, but it’ll take some pressure off of Davante Adams to HAVE to perform for Green Bay to be successful. That should at least make Lazard an upside WR3 going forward.

Lazard hasn’t played since Week 3 and while it may take a week or two to get back in the swing of things, he sees a rather favorable schedule going forward for his prospects heading into and into the fantasy playoffs (PHI, @DET, CAR, TEN). This could be your last chance to scoop him off of waivers if he is still out there.

Richie James Jr., SF (0.5%) - Richie James had the perfect storm heading into last Thursday: all four of the San Francisco wide receivers and George Kittle were all out due to either injury or being placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list. As one of the last men standing on that Thursday night, Richie James saw 13 targets and put up a 9/184 line with a touchdown as the Packers.

Whether this will continue with some names coming back into the fold for the 49ers remains to be seen, but at the very least, he can be picked up as a speculative add. Week 9’s output is likely a one-off, so value accordingly.

Tight Ends (Leo Grandio)

Check to see if these tight ends are available in your league's waiver wire first. I would prioritize them in this order:

• Eric Ebron, PIT (67.7% rostered)
• Robert Tonyan, GB (56.6% rostered)
• Jimmy Graham, CHI (56.0% rostered)

On to our list!

Dallas Goedert, PHI
(39.6% rostered)

Well, it’s time to go all-in and pick up Dallas Goedert if he is still available in your waiver wire. Due to the Eagles having a bye last week it has given fantasy owners one last chance to pick him up this week. With Zach Ertz still on IR for at least another two to three weeks, Goedert is in line to be a TE1 moving forward for the time being and possibly the rest of the season. Goedert should be owned in all leagues.  

Austin Hooper, CLE
(47.9% rostered)

Austin Hooper returned to practice last Wednesday for the first time after having an appendectomy a few weeks back. Prior to missing time, Hooper had three-consecutive double-digit fantasy points games. Now with Odell Beckham Jr. out for the season, Hooper should be in line to posting top-10 tight end numbers for the rest of the season. For owners that lost George Kittle or have an under-performing tight end like Tyler Higbee, Hooper is a solid replacement for them. Hooper is a must-add in all league formats.    

Mike Gesicki, MIA
(49.0% Rostered)

After being missing in action for the last couple of games, Mike Gesicki was targeted four times by Tagovailoa which led to three receptions for 42 yards. This could be a sign of things to come, especially if Preston Williams misses an extended amount of time due to a foot injury he suffered last week against the Cardinals. Gesicki can be added to 12-team leagues.  

Other TE in Consideration: 

Jordan Reed and Ross Dwelley, SF (24.5% & 3.0%) - Both tight ends should be heavily involved in the offense moving forward with George Kittle on IR for the time being. Jordan Reed is a must-add in shallower leagues since he is the better receiving threat of the two and Ross Dwelley is an option to add for 14-team or deeper leagues.

Logan Thomas, WAS (24.6%) - Even though Logan Thomas only had three receptions for 28 yards on the day, he was targeted six times which was the third most on the team. With Alex Smith at the helm for Washington's offense, the targets should continue to come for the tight end and he may be added in 12-team leagues.   

Irv Smith Jr., MIN (3.8%) - Irv Smith Jr. was targeted four times and brought in two receptions for touchdowns against the Lions last week. Smith should continue to be involved in the Red Zone and is a great addition for 14-team leagues.   

Dynasty Adds (Corey Hietpas)

Austin Mack, WR, NYG

Golden Tate was inactive for seemingly disciplinary reasons, and this opened up a lot of snaps at receiver for the Giants against Washington. Austin Mack was the biggest beneficiary as he was on the field for almost half the offensive snaps after playing minimally in weeks prior, and he absolutely made the most of this opportunity. He had 4 catches on 5 targets and led the Giants in receiving yards with 72. Tate is expected to play this week, but I still like Mack as an add and hold to see how his role develops in this Giants’ offense. Slayton and Shepherd are locked in, but Tate seems to be on his way out as he appears to be losing favor with coaches, and the Giants can cut him after this year with minimal dead cap ($4.71 million according to Spotrac). Even if Tate is still around after this year, he is 33 years old, and declining play may lead to coaches wanting a look at their younger WRs (hello Austin Mack). Looking forward, there will be a sizable opportunity for Mack if he can continue to impress coaches.

Cam Sims, WR, WFT

I get it, beyond Terry McLaurin the Washington pass attack is not “sexy”. I still find value in the WR2 on any offense, even if it is as bad as Washington’s. I also see a reason for optimism with this offense as it can only go up from here, right? Maybe we’ll see Alex Smith take over and breathe some more life into the offense, or maybe Washington drafts a QB in the 2021 draft and he can support more than McLaurin. Either way, I like Cam Sims for a few reasons: He’s surpassed a few players on the WR depth chart (Isaiah Wright and Dontrelle Inman), he’s huge (6’5” 214 lbs), he’s shown growth in recent weeks, and he’s young and free. I know Steven Sims has shown he can be a target hog, but he’s also small and could be injury-prone as a lot of small WRs are. Pair this with Cam Sims’ performance over the past few weeks, and we could see Cam take over as the WR2 and provide value as a depth WR for dynasty teams.

You can follow Steve @fantasygeek37, Kevin @ktompkinsii, Leo @smooth1074, and Corey @Corey_Hietpas!