Here are this week’s top Waiver Wire players who are owned in less than 50% of Yahoo leagues. Our favorite players are broken down in Top Targets and the best secondary options are in our Going Deeper sections. We’ll also list any players at the top of each position who are above the 50% threshold — or are household names — and are still widely available for those who might be in smaller leagues.
Be sure to check out our weekly Waiver Wire podcast for more analysis. We’ll also have Streaming articles every Tuesday that focuses on the top quarterbacks, tight ends, and defenses for the upcoming week(s).
Note: The initial Waiver Wire article writeup will be posted every Monday evening, followed by in-depth updates Tuesday, and continued additions/updates Wednesday.
Teams on Bye in Week 11
Denver Broncos
Los Angeles Rams
Hansen’s Top-15 Options
Note: For these rankings, John Hansen leans on players who are available in at least 40% of Yahoo leagues and who also saw a favorable development for their fantasy values last week. Some players are better long-term pickups, and some are better for just this week or the short term.
- Rhamondre Stevenson (NE, 31%) — I think he’s better overall than Damien Harris, and it’s not inconceivable that he usurps Harris as their lead back, thanks in part to his versatility. More likely, it’s a 50/35 split in Harris favor for now with some scraps left for Brandon Bolden.
- Jeff Wilson (SF, 32%) — He was mostly a stash-and-hope guy early in the week, but starter Elijah Mitchell broke a finger in Week 10 and was out of practice early in the week, so Wilson’s role could be increased, possibly a lot.
- Dan Arnold (Jax, 26%) — Produces every week with 60 yards or more in five of his last six, so he’s a clear top-10 TE if he can actually start scoring (0 TDs).
- Tyler Conklin (Min, 30%) — Similar to Arnold, he’s been good for 10 PPR points or more in four straight games.
- Cole Kmet (Chi, 19%) — More upside than Conklin and Arnold the rest of the season.
- Sterling Shepard (NYG, 34%) — When he’s healthy with Daniel Jones, 8-10 targets are just about a lock.
- Justin Fields (Chi, 22%) — Legit top-12 upside the rest of the way.
- Cam Newton (Car, 16%) — He and Fields are a toss-up, but I have to go with Fields as having more upside.
- D’Onta Foreman (Ten, 3%) — He’s looked good and he’s more versatile than Adrian Peterson.
- Wayne Gallman (Atl, 1%) — Nothing sexy about him, but he did produce well on a bad team last year (Giants), and he’s a good bet to get at least half the RB snaps IF Cordarrelle Patterson (not ruled out for Week 11) is out.
- Jamal Agnew (Jax, 9%) — Lord knows, their other WRs can’t be counted on.
- Marcus Johnson (Ten, 0%) — Julio Jones is just about dead, and they need him. He’s a legit NFL talent.
- Bryan Edwards (LV, 9%) — Very hard to trust, but I started him in Week 10 (bye week, injuries) and he was the WR10 for the week, so he has the potential to help with one single play.
- Gerald Everett (Sea, 20%) — For those still looking for hope at TE, Everett has clearly shown some with Russell Wilson.
- Deonte Harris (NO, 19%) — I’ve been watching him for weeks, and while he’s just one of three WRs who are producing here lately, he’s the most intriguing to me. Tre’Quan Smith is close, but he’s a perennial underachiever.
Quarterbacks
Higher-owned Options
None of note.
Top Targets
Justin Fields (Chi, 22%) — He’s by no means a lock to produce, but Fields looked like a different player in Week 8 while completing 19/27 passes for 175 yards (6.5 YPA), one TD, and one INT with a season-best 10/103/1 rushing. He started off quite slow in Week 9, but he eventually ended up with 291/1 passing with a fourth-quarter flurry, and he ran eight times for 45 yards. He was the QB5 in fantasy points in Weeks 8-9 and this is exactly what we expected from Fields this summer. Fields is still a limited passer at this stage of his career, but we’re definitely trending in the right direction, and it was also great to see him finally start connecting with Allen Robinson — plus TE Cole Kmet is coming on. Also good news: rookie LT Tevin Jenkins has been designated to return from IR. If the talented rookie can play well quickly, that would really help this offense. Fields comes out of his bye with some fantasy-friendly matchups (vs. Bal, @Det, Ari, @GB), and he could easily produce as a QB1 the rest of the way. Just be prepared that it may not be the smoothest ride to get there, but he’s certainly playing better and the offensive schemes have improved.
Going Deeper
Cam Newton (Car, 16%) — He’s back! Cam’s going to be starting in Carolina this week, as HC Matt Ruhle confirmed Monday that Cam would take the bulk of the reps with the first-team offense. While there’s some downside, his upside as a Superflex/two-QB option may be significant. He made a cameo appearance early in Carolina’s victory over the Cardinals in Week 10, running for the first touchdown of the game before throwing for another short score on the next drive, out-producing guys like Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson. Cam actually has some good receivers to work with, namely D.J. Moore, and he’s already played with Christian McCaffrey. If OC Joe Brady has any game whatsoever, this should be a successful relationship with Cam producing in the 15-20 point range weekly with 20+ FP potential.
Tua Tagovailoa (Mia, 34%) — Tua couldn’t play against the Texans in Week 9 because of a small fracture in the middle finger of his throwing hand, and he was on the sidelines against the Ravens in Week 10 until Jacoby Brissett injured his knee and forced Tua to play. He played fairly well in emergency duty, guiding the Dolphins to the unexpected victory by completing 8/13 passes for 158 yards with a goal-line plunge from the one-yard line. Tua posted 22+ FP in his first two games back from a rib injury in Weeks 6-7, and he averaged 42.0 passes per game in his first three games back from his rib injury. He’ll start Week 10 and should be a volume-based QB2 moving forward with a slate of games that was only slightly toward the more difficult side (@NYJ, Car, NYG, bye) before Miami’s Week 14 bye.
Trey Lance (SF, 18%) — With Jimmy Garoppolo playing well lately and leading them to a win in Week 10, Lance’s timetable for starting may have been pushed back. Lance did struggle in his first and only start against the Cardinals in Week 5, completing 15/29 passes for 192 yards and one INT. He added 16/89 rushing to finish 15.6 FP with a limited cast of receivers at his disposal. At this point, Lance is only a stash-and-hope guy, but if you’re looking for a WW bench option with QB1 upside, he obviously fits the bill. Lance could be a top-12 option if he can take control of the top job, and that’s largely because of his rushing upside. But he should also show improvement in the passing game as he plays, especially with the likes of Deebo Samuel, George Kittle, and Brandon Aiyuk at receiver. And especially if their running game continues to inject life into the offense. But again; Lance is a player to stash right now for the stretch run if you’re not secure at quarterback. UPDATED: 11/16
Daniel Jones (NYG, 34%) — Jones was rolling to open his third season with 22+ FP in three of his first four starts, but that seems like a lifetime ago. He’s fallen below 18 FP in five straight games, and he’s been crushed by injuries to his top WRs. He completed 15/20 passes for 110 yards (5.5 YPA) and one touchdown and he added 4/17 rushing in a victory over the Raiders in Week 9. Jones is still a volatile low-end QB2 with some beatable matchups (@TB, vs. Phi, @Mia, @LAC) looming after their Week 10 bye, but expectations need to be lowered if his best playmakers continue to miss time. Saquon Barkley is on track to return in Week 11 and Jones should have WRs Sterling Shepard and Kadarius Toney at his disposal (but who knows about Mr. Slow Recovery Kenny Golladay).
Mac Jones (NE, 28%) — Jones continues to play like a five-year veteran, and the passing game has been more aggressive as of late. He’s played very well on film, and it’s starting to translate into some fantasy success with his first 300-yard passing game in Week 7 and his first three-touchdown performance in Week 10. He completed 19/23 passes for 198 yards (8.6 YPA) and three touchdowns in a 45-7 victory over the Browns. Jones doesn’t bring much to the table in terms of rushing production, but he’s been using his mobility more lately, and the offense has vastly improved from the first 5-6 weeks of the season. He should at least play in some competitive upcoming games (@Atl, Ten, @Buf, bye) where he’ll be forced to throw a little more. He’s still a low-end QB2 but he’s starting to move in the right direction.
Teddy Bridgewater (Den, 36%) — Teddy heads into his bye week coming off of his second-worst fantasy performance of the season. He completed 22/36 passes for 226 scoreless yards (6.3 YPA) for 9.0 FP in a 17-point loss to the Eagles in Week 10. Denver’s defense has become more vulnerable in recent weeks (they traded away Von Miller too), which could force Teddy to throw it a little more with competitive matchups (bye, LAC, @KC, Det) coming up over the next month. Bridgewater also has his boy Jerry Jeudy back, which gives him more hope for fantasy production in the future. There’s no shortage of weapons here, that’s for sure, but Teddy needs his OL to get healthy and things to fall right for him, which has been fairly rare this year.
Jimmy Garoppolo (SF, 28%) ​​— Jimmy G has put his best 2-3 games on tape over the last month, so he might have bought himself some time after their big Week 10 win against the Rams. While he’s clearly the top guy, he’s a solid streaming option now that he finally has Deebo Samuel, George Kittle, and Brandon Aiyuk at his disposal. His upcoming schedule is pretty solid, as well: at Jax, vs. Min, at Sea, at Cin, and vs. Atlanta weeks 11-15.The 49ers running game has taken over lately, but if forced to throw the ball 35 times or more, Garoppolo can put up top-15 numbers, especially since he’s quietly tied for second in the league with three rushing TDs (more than Lamar Jackson). UPDATED: 11/16
Taylor Heinicke (Was, 10%) — After posting 21+ FP in his first three starts for Ryan Fitzpatrick (hip, IR), Heinicke has come crashing back to earth with fewer than 16 FP in four of his last five games. He led Washington to a surprising victory over the Buccaneers in Week 10 by completing 26/32 passes for 256 yards (8.0 YPA) and one TD and he added 3/15 rushing. With Ryan Fitzpatrick (hip, IR) unlikely to play again this season, Heinie will likely be leading the offense for the rest of the season (@Car, Sea, @LV, Dal), and he’ll be a serviceable low-end QB2 while he’s in the starter. Heinicke is clearly not a high-level talent, but the real problem is a lack of weapons, so his prospects would improve if he could get TE Logan Thomas (Ricky Seals-Jones also got hurt in Week 10) back and if he can also get something, anything, out of Curtis Samuel. For Week 11, TFT just signed FA Temarrick Hemingway, drafted by the Rams back in 2016, which isn’t a great sign for Thomas or RSJ for Week 11. Both players were out of practice early in the week. UPDATED: 11/17
Trevor Lawrence (Jax, 37%) — The first overall pick from last spring’s draft has struggled in his first three games back from Jacksonville’s Week 7 bye, scoring just 29.5 FP combined in Weeks 8-10. He completed 16/35 passes for 162 scoreless yards (4.6 YPA) and he added 5/33 rushing. Lawrence has topped 18+ FP just once in his last eight games and he’s averaged 4.6 YPA or worse in each of his last three games. Lawrence’s receivers have been coming up extremely small, with Marvin Jones and Laviska Shenault hitting rock bottom in Week 10, and he can’t be trusted in lineups right now (SF, Atl, @LAR, @Ten).
Ben Roethlisberger (Pit, 21%) — You know, maybe Big Ben’s not so bad. His career is clearly on its last legs, and he’s yet to reach 18+ FP in each of his first eight games, but Roethlisberger’s play has ever so slightly improved in recent weeks, and it’s still a lot better than the alternative in Mason Rudolph. He missed this past week because he tested positive for COVID-19 before Week 10. Big Ben is vaccinated, so he’ll have a chance to return this week, but it’s not a lock. If back, Big Ben will hang in there as a decent desperation play in at least a Superflex/two-QB leagues. His schedule is overall favorable (@LAC, @Cin, Bal, @Min). HC Mike Tomlin said 11/16 that Ben didn’t need to practice to play this week, so his status is certainly TBA for this week. UPDATED: 11/17
Trevor Siemian (NO, 4%) — With Jameis Winston done for the season, the offense is now (mostly) in the hands of Siemian for now and potentially Taysom Hill’s hands in the future. In true Sean Payton fashion, he went against the grain and went with Siemian as the team’s starter, and he’s played fairly well in losses in their first two games without Winston. He completed 19/34 passes for 298 yards (8.8 YPA) and two touchdowns for 19.9 FP in a loss to the Titans in Week 10. Siemian has played well enough to earn more starts in the future (@Phi, Buf, Dal, @NYJ), but this could turn into a messy two-QB situation with Hill potentially seeing more playing time in the future. They may need to rely on the pass more in the immediate future with Alvin Kamara’s status in question, as we saw in Week 10.
Tyrod Taylor (Hou, 6%) — Taylor finally returned to the starting lineup after a seven-week layoff for a hamstring injury, and he performed like someone who hasn’t played football in nearly two months. He completed 24/43 passes for 240 yards (5.6 YPA) with three INTs, and he added 3/23 rushing in Houston’s nine-point performance against the Dolphins. Taylor played well before his injury, totaling 40.1 FP in just six quarters of action, but his Week 9 performance was a good reminder that Taylor is a slightly above average starting quarterback leading an offense with limited weapons behind a terrible O-line. Taylor will be a low-end QB2 coming out of their bye even with a fairly friendly schedule (@Ten, NYJ, Ind, Sea).
Baker Mayfield (Cle, 39%) — Mayfield is playing through a fracture in his non-throwing shoulder in addition to his torn labrum and, to make matters worse, he left early in Week 10 with a knee injury. He’s day-to-day heading into Week 11, and he’s also harder to trust. Baker completed only 11/21 passes for 73 yards (3.5 YPA), one TD, and one INT in a blowout loss to the Patriots. Mayfield’s tough to go to battle with due to his injuries mounting and due to the fact that he’s in a run-heavy offense with limited passing-game weapons. With just one performance with 19+ FP through 10 weeks, Mayfield is a desperation option in Superflex/two-QB formats (Det, @Bal, bye, Bal).
Zach Wilson (NYJ, 5%) — Mike White’s feel-good story is over after an ugly four-INT performance against the Bills in Week 10. The Jets will most likely turn back to the #2 overall pick soon, but not starting this week vs. Mia. Joe Flacco will start Week 11, but he’s probably just a 1-2 week stopgap until the team is confident in Wilson’s knee. Their upcoming schedule after this week is so-so at Hou, vs. Phi, and vs. NO, but they do have a strong receiving corps, so Wilson could start having some success. Wilson said last week that he needs to start playing more like White, taking more check-down passes instead of forcing passes downfield. Wilson has finished with fewer than nine FP in four of his first six NFL starts, and hopefully, his time watching from the sidelines will help to make better decisions in the final two months of the season after throwing nine INTs to open the season. UPDATED: 11/17
Jared Goff (Det, 7%) — To update Jared Goff’s record now without Sean McVay as his head coach, it’s up to 0-15-1. He’s failed to reach 20+ FP in seven straight games after doing it twice to open the season, and he’s finished with fewer than 10+ FP in four of his last five games with just one TD pass in that span. He totaled just 114 scoreless yards in a tie against the Steelers in Week 10, completing 14/25 passes for 4.6 YPA. Goff doesn’t make the players around him better and he continues to have to work with the worst wide receivers in the league, so it’s not surprising he’s come crashing back to earth since the start of the season. He can only be considered as a desperation option in Superflex/two-QB formats in the upcoming weeks (@Cle, Chi, Min, @Den).
Running Backs
Higher-owned Options
J.D. McKissic (Was, 57%), Jordan Howard (Phi, 50%), Brandon Bolden (NE, 48%), Alexander Mattison (Min, 58%), Adrian Peterson (Ten, 61%), Jeremy McNichols, (Ten, 53%), Alex Collins (Sea, 52%), Chuba Hubbard (Car, 50%),
Top Targets
Rhamondre Stevenson (NE, 31%) — It hasn’t been easy to handicap this backfield behind Damien Harris, but at least Stevenson has usually been a big factor when he’s active, and he should clearly now be active for all their remaining games, since Stevenson is back out of Bill Belichick’s doghouse. He strung together two of his best fantasy performances in Weeks 9-10, and with Harris (concussion) out of the lineup in Week 10, Stevenson took over as the lead runner with 20/100/2 rushing and 4/14 receiving on five targets in a blowout victory over the Browns. Stevenson looks like the better overall player compared to Harris, given his smooth running and effective work in the passing game, and he’s building trust and warranting more touches from this coaching staff. He certainly looks like a legit RB3 option with 10+ FP potential every week with 35-40% of the snaps each week behind Harris. Harris will return to the lineup in Week 11, but it’s clear the rookie has standalone value and is a league-winning type if Harris misses more time. UPDATED: 11/17
Jeff Wilson (SF, 32%) — Wilson is back on the active roster after having knee surgery this off-season, and after he didn’t see a single snap in his first action in Week 9, Wilson logged 10 carries in Week 10 as the changeup to Elijah Mitchell. JaMycal Hasty was out for Week 10 and will probably lose whatever snaps he was getting to Wilson, who can catch the ball just fine. Wilson was the Niners’ most efficient and effective runner last season, averaging 3.0 yards after contact and a 46% success rate on his carries per SIS. He’s worth a grab and a stash after a strong showing in 2020, especially with Mitchell popping up on San Francisco’s injury report several times already this year, including Week 11. Mitchell broke a finger in Week 10 and was out of practice early in the week, so Wilson’s fantasy prospects have improved dramatically in just a week. UPDATED: 11/17
Going Deeper
D’Onta Foreman (Ten, 3%) — The Titans are rolling with a full-blown, three-back committee since losing Derrick Henry to a foot injury, but Foreman has played the best and earned the most touches in the first two weeks without Henry. He saw a backfield-best 11 carries for 30 yards in a tough matchup against the Saints in Week 10, and he caught his two targets for 48 yards. Tennessee’s current backfield setup is a less-than-ideal fantasy situation, but Foreman has slightly nudged ahead of Adrian Peterson and Jeremy McNichols for the time being. This backfield rotation will be subject to change moving forward, but there’s a chance Foreman could distance himself and work his way into fantasy relevance. His versatility helps him as he competes for snaps with McNichols, and he’s looked better as a runner than Peterson.
Ty Johnson (NYJ, 19%) — The Jets have been primarily rolling with Michael Carter as the lead back and Johnson as the passing back in their first four games out of their Week 6 bye. He had a four-game run with 11+ FP in Weeks 5-9, but he fell short in Week 10 with 5/36 receiving on eight targets (17% share) and 2/2 rushing against the Bills. Tevin Coleman returned to the lineup in Week 10 but he had just four touches, so Johnson is still worth an add, since it looks like the Jets are going to primarily use a two-man backfield moving forward. He’s going to be FLEX-worthy if these RBs are going to be more involved in the passing game in the second half of the season, which remains to be seen with Zach Wilson likely returning to the starting lineup in Week 11.
Wayne Gallman (Atl, 1%) — Offensive weapon Cordarrelle Patterson suffered an ankle injury in Week 10 that may keep him out of their Week 11 game on Thursday against the Patriots, Patterson is a GTD Thursday night after working some this week. It seems like a longshot he plays much, but per HC Arthur Smith, Gallman mostly played a lot because the game was decided. Patterson played only 21 snaps (28%) and Gallman stepped in against the Cowboys and played 43% of the snaps with 15/55 rushing and 1/21 receiving on two targets. Mike Davis has been incredibly unproductive, though, and Gallman showed he was capable with a large role in 2020, when he was essentially the Giants starting RB for more than half of the season. He averaged a strong 4.64 YPC, scored in five straight games, and he caught at least one pass in eight of his final ten games. We may have initially overrated Gallman’s potential role earlier in the week, but there’s no denying Davis has been brutal and that Gallman can be very serviceable. UPDATED: 11/17
Eno Benjamin (Ari, 18%) — Chase Edmonds landed on the IR before Week 10 with a high-ankle injury, which will keep him out for at least the next two weeks, if not longer. Benjamin served as the second option in this backfield behind James Conner, but he managed just 6/22 rushing and he failed to catch his only target in a blowout loss to the Panthers in Week 10. Benjamin has some juice and versatility, and he was drafted by the Cardinals because he’s ideally running in a spread offense, which Arizona is. If Kyler Murray (ankle) can get back into the lineup this week, Benjamin has a chance to help you for as long as Edmonds is out of the lineup, but hitting even 7-8 FPG isn’t a lock as we saw in Week 11.
Best Handcuff Stashes
Sony Michel (LAR, 35%) — Darrell Henderson is being used as a workhorse back most weeks, leaving Michel as a bench stash. He has RB1 upside with the potential for 20+ touches in any game that Henderson would miss in the future. Henderson did also leave their Week 9 game with an ankle injury and then produced only 41 total yards in Week 10 (on only 9 touches, to be fair).
Samaje Perine (Cin, 8%) — Perine is the primary handcuff for Joe Mixon, who already had an injury scare this season when he went down with an ankle injury. He’s also seeing some time playing behind Mixon on a weekly basis but it’s not quite enough to be fantasy relevant.
Khalil Herbert (Chi, 43%) — David Montgomery is back and dominating touches and playing time in Chicago’s backfield, but Herbert asserted himself as his handcuff during Montgomery’s four-week absence. He averaged 21.8 touches and 97.0 scrimmage yards per game in Weeks 5-8 so he’s a viable RB2 if Montgomery misses more time.
Marlon Mack (Ind, 4%) — Mack is nothing more than a decent handcuff for Jonathan Taylor. He’s not really a must-have due to the presence of Nyheim Hines, but Mack would certainly be in line for 12+ touches if JT’s out.
Jaret Patterson (Was, 2%) — Antonio Gibson is playing through a stress fracture in his shin. If Gibson is out, Patterson, a UDFA out of Buffalo, would take over as the team’s lead runner with J.D. McKissic working in passing situations while getting more opportunities as a runner. Washington doesn’t look poised to pull the plug on Gibson any time soon after a strong Week 10, but it’s a possibility as soon as they’re eliminated from playoff contention.
Carlos Hyde (Jax, 34%) — Hyde has been buried behind James Robinson in Jacksonville’s backfield since early in the season, but he was thrust into a bigger role in Week 9 with J-Rob missing for a heel injury. He has a path to RB2 production with the chance for 15+ touches whenever Robinson is out of the lineup.
Peyton Barber (LV, 2%) — This is a different regime running the show in Las Vegas now, and they don’t hate the (Kenyan) Drake like Jon Gruden did, so Barber shouldn’t be expected to average 19.5 touches per game as he did in Weeks 2-3 with Jacobs out. But Barber is well in the mix to be their top runner in Las Vegas if Jacobs misses more time this season. Barber went off for 142/2 scrimmage back in Week 3 against the Dolphins when Jacobs sat out with foot/ankle injuries.
Jermar Jefferson (Det, 1%) — The bad news is he got hurt on just his third touch of the game in Week 10. The good news is it’s an ankle sprain that should not keep him out an extended period of time. He also got hurt at the end of his 28-yard TD run, which showcased the talent that we’ve seen in him that has prompted up to list him here despite being only the #3. If he can heal up in the next 1-3 weeks, and if D’Andre Swift misses time, Jefferson could be a high-impact guy.
Wide Receivers
Higher-owned Options
Van Jefferson (LAR, 57%), Kadarius Toney (NYG, 50%), Elijah Moore (NYJ, 51%), Rashod Bateman (Bal, 50%), Michael Gallup (Dal, 53%), AJ Green (Ari, 50%), Kenny Golladay (NYG, 55%), Mecole Hardman (KC, 45%)
Top Targets
Darnell Mooney (Chi, 45%) — Veteran Allen Robinson did show signs of life in Week 9, but it’s been obvious that Mooney is the #1 WR with his rookie quarterback in Chicago, and Justin Fields has shown serious signs of life Week 8-9. Mooney has hung 12+ FP in three of his last four games, and he posted a season-best 20.6 FP before their Week 10 bye with 3/41/1 receiving on six targets and he added a 15-yard rushing touchdown against the Steelers. Mooney has performed well with sub-par quarterback play, but Fields could be slowly turning a corner coming out of their bye. Mooney may even have a crack at a top-20 finish at the position, thanks also to some solid matchups starting in Week 11 (vs. Bal, at Det. vs. Ari, at GB, vs. Min, at Sea, and vs. NYG).
Going Deeper
Sterling Shepard (NYG, 34%) — Shepard could return off of his quad injury this week after yet another leg injury knocked him out of the lineup in Week 8. He may not stay healthy for long and he could leave any game early, but he’s been active when has been in the lineup, averaging 6.4/64.8/.2 receiving on 8.6 targets per game. He’s viable in PPR formats but his workload could be lightened a bit over the final two months of the season if the Giants ever field a healthy offense.
Jamal Agnew (Jax, 9%) — Agnew quietly snuck into fantasy relevance as Jacksonville’s new slot WR with double-digit FP in three straight games in Weeks 5-8 after the Jaguars lost D.J. Chark (ankle, IR) for the season. He predictably came back to earth in a tough matchup with the Bills in Week 9, but he came through in Week 10 with a 66-yard touchdown run against the Colts. He failed to secure any of his five targets (14% share) but he finished with 3/79/1 rushing. Agnew should stay active most weeks with Laviska Shenault struggling in his second season, and he’s arguably their safest WR for fantasy since Marvin Jones has been under 35 receiving yards in four of his last five games.
Donovan Peoples-Jones (Cle, 30%) — With Odell Beckham out of the mix, People-Jones has been elevated into a starting role next to Jarvis Landry. DPJ returned to the lineup in Week 9 after a two-week absence for a groin injury, and he immediately posted more FP (16.6) than Beckham posted at any point to open the year. DPJ had 12+ FP in three straight healthy contests in Weeks 5-9 before he registered just a 16-yard catch on five targets (15% share) with the Browns’ offense mustering just seven points in a blowout loss to the Patriots. DPJ’s role has a chance to grow in the future with OBJ out of the picture. They do love him and were very high on him this summer, and DPJ is showing why they like him when he can get reasonable quarterback play. The problem is he doesn’t always get reasonable QB play.
Marquez Callaway (NO, 34%), Deonte Harris (NO, 19%), and Tre’Quan Smith (NO, 3%) — Your fantasy team probably isn’t going anywhere if you’re using a Saints WR on a regular basis, but Harris, Callaway, and Smith are the best options they have with Michael Thomas (ankle, IR) done for the season. Harris has posted double-digit FP in four of his last five games after recording a season-high 84 receiving yards on three catches against the Titans in Week 10. Callaway scored his fifth touchdown of the season against Tennessee on his way to 2/37/1 receiving on four targets. Smith is being used as the team’s #1 WR with a team-best 36 routes against the Titans, and he turned in a season-best 4/44/1 receiving on seven targets. Siemian has surprisingly given some life to these WRs if you’re looking for help in deeper formats.
Marcus Johnson (Ten, 0%) — The former Colt has been active at times while Julio Jones has been out, and Jones will be out at least two more games. Julio was out in Week 10, of course, and Johnson once again was a large factor with 6 targets and 5/100, all team bests for the week. There should be a good opportunity for him to grab hold of Julio’s starting spot, since the team needs to plan ahead without Julio. We need to see him targeted consistently, but it would be a surprise to see him emerge as a viable top-40 option in a week or two (or three).
Tim Patrick (Den, 33%) — Patrick still has some fantasy life even with Jerry Jeudy back in the fold, but he fell flat like the rest of this passing attack in Week 10. After leading the Broncos in receiving yards in Weeks 8-9, Patrick finished with just 3/14 receiving on six targets (17% share) against the Eagles. Patrick is averaging 14.1 YPR with four touchdowns so he’s coming up with big plays despite the limited volume available in this passing attack.
Bryan Edwards (LV, 9%) — Edwards has been hard to trust this year, but he did help his cause in Week 10 with a very strong performance against the Chiefs. He did have only four targets, which isn’t enough, but he made the most of them with a big play and a TD for a line of 3/88/1 to finish as a WR1 for the week. Zay Jones isn’t doing much, and Darren Waller has been underwhelming, so Edwards’ outlook is improving and he’s worth a back-of-the-roster stash and a guy who can make a big play and/or score if you need to use him in a pinch.
Gabriel Davis (Buf, 3%) — Davis this summer looked poised to enjoy a mini-breakout in his second season, but an injury slowed him early in the season and he’s been a lost cause - until recently. Davis scored in Week 8 and then followed that up with a 3/150 performance, catching all three of his targets. Granted, we can’t get too excited about a 3-target game, but Cole Beasley (ribs) has been banged for a number of weeks, and there’s usually a lot of production to go around. Davis is at least worth stashing for now on the chance there’s an injury that elevates his role in the passing game.
Amon-Ra St. Brown (Det, 6%) — Be careful using any of these Detroit WRs in the future with Jared Goff throwing for just one TD in his last five games, but the rookie St. Brown has the best chance to carve out some fantasy value down the stretch. He finished with 4/61 receiving on six targets (24% share) and he accounted for 54% of Goff’s passing yards in an ugly tie against the Steelers in Week 10. St. Brown should continue to be used more on the outside, and his positional flexibility can likely help boost his numbers slightly, but it’s still a small victory just to get him to double-digit FP in a given week, since some down performances are inevitable with Goff at the helm.
James Washington (Pit, 3%) — Washington is on the radar on the low end for the rest of the season with JuJu Smith-Schuster (shoulder, IR) done for the season and with Chase Claypool (toe) currently out of the lineup. He scored Pittsburgh’s only touchdown in an ugly tie with the winless Lions in Week 10, and he posted 2/15/1 receiving while playing with his college teammate Mason Rudolph at quarterback. Washington should get the chance to make a big play or two moving forward, especially if Claypool is out of the lineup. However, Claypool worked on 11/17, a sign he may play, so check projections all weekend for the latest. UPDATED: 11/17
DeSean Jackson (LV, 4%) — It didn’t take D-Jax long to land with a new team, inking a deal with a Raiders’ squad desperate for deep speed. He should see an immediate bump in playing time after being a part-time player for the Rams through the first eight weeks of the season. He’ll likely rotate with Zay Jones and Bryan Edwards on the perimeter, and he should get a couple of chances per game to make plays downfield if you’re looking for help in deep non-PPR formats.
Tight Ends
Higher-owned Options
Pat Freiermuth (Pit, 61%), Logan Thomas (Was, 54%), Jared Cook (LAC, 58%)
Top Targets
Dan Arnold (Jax, 26%) — Arnold continues to be very active in this passing game since being traded to the Jaguars before Week 4, and he’s led the Jaguars in receiving yards in each of the last three weeks with 60+ yards in each contest. He posted 5/67 receiving on seven targets (20% share) with a two-point conversion against the Colts in Week 10, which gives him double-digit FP in four of his last five games. He’s yet to score a touchdown, but he’s seen 7+ targets in three straight games so he’s developing into a low-end TE1 in PPR formats. He’s a former college WR and hurdler who can line up all over the formation and produce at all levels of the field. His role should remain large in this offense because top guys Marvin Jones and Laviska Shenault are producing meager totals on the regular.
Tyler Conklin (Min, 30%) — Conklin has a fantasy pulse at a weak position since he gets weekly targets while seeing a large snap share. He’s posted 5+ targets and 3+ targets in four straight games, and he found the end zone twice against the Chargers on his way to 3/11/2 receiving on five targets in Week 10. Conklin has emerged ahead of K.J. Osborn as the #3 option behind Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen the last couple of weeks, and he’s on the radar as a high-end TE2 moving forward.
Cole Kmet (Chi, 19%) — The Bears’ passing game has shown clear improvement over the last two weeks, and Kmet has been showing signs of life for a month. He had yet to hit double-digit FP this season heading into Week 9, but he got there against the Steelers on MNF with season-bests in catches (6), yards (87), and targets (8). 6/87 on 8 targets — he even showed some downfield chemistry with Justin Fields. Kmet now has a strong 9/111 on 14 targets to rank as the TE9 in Weeks 8-9. The second-year TE not only has a pulse again, but he actually has a solid ceiling to go along with a palatable floor. He’s in the conversation to be a low-end TE1 moving forward in PPR leagues.
Going Deeper
Gerald Everett (Sea, 20%) — Everett sure was happy to see Russell Wilson back in action in Week 10, posting a season-best 14.3 FP against the Packers. He caught all eight of his targets (20% share) for a team-high 63 yards in a game in which the Seahawks failed to record a point. Everett now owns double-digit FP in three of his four games played with Wilson this season, and he could be an under-the-radar add this week with some upside down the stretch.
C.J.Uzomah (Cin, 24%) — Uzomah has failed to find the end zone in consecutive games after scoring four TDs in a four-game span in Week 4-7. He still has 3+ catches in five of his last six games after posting 4/24 receiving on five targets in a loss to the Browns in Week 9 (64% of the snaps). He’s been the TE1 twice in nine tries this season if you’re looking for a streaming TE with some upside.
Evan Engram (NYG, 34%) — Engram has looked sluggish this season, but he’s posted double-digit FP in three consecutive games thanks to New York’s many injuries at the skill positions. He did look better in Week 9, especially on his TD, and he caught all three of his targets for 3/38/1 receiving against the Raiders in Week 9, which gave him touchdowns in two consecutive games. He is averaging by far a career-low 8.6 YPR through the first half of the season so he’s going to need volume and/or touchdowns to come through for fantasy in the future.
Geoff Swaim (Ten, 0%) — The Titans have a TE rotation going with Swaim, MyCole Pruitt, and Anthony Firkser, so it’s difficult to trust Swaim but he has caught four passes in each of his last three games. He failed to find the end zone in Week 10 against the Saints, but he posted 4/26 on five targets, which gives him a combined 31.8 FP over the last three weeks.
Adam Trautman (NO, 5%) — Trautman has yet to score double-digit FP in a single game this season, but he’s been trending in the right direction with Trevor Siemian at quarterback. He’s seen 6+ targets in three straight games since Siemian entered the lineup in Week 8, and he has 30+ receiving yards in four of his last five contests. It’s tough to plug Trautman into a lineup right now unless you’re playing in deeper leagues, but it wouldn’t be surprising if he makes some noise over the final two months at a weak fantasy position.
Place Kickers
Higher-owned Options
Nick Folk (NE, 68%) - Folk was ranked as the top PK waiver acquisition last week. We hoped he would have multiple field goal opportunities but ended up with just one attempt, which he converted, in a blowout victory at home that saw him convert six extra points. He is on the road this week, but is facing the hapless Atlanta Falcons who have allowed multiple field goals to opponents in two of their last three home games.
Top Targets
Greg Zuerlein (Dal, 44%) - Zuerlein tested positive and landed on the Covid-19 list. Lirim Hajrullahu was promoted to the active roster and replaced him in Week 10. There is a good chance Zuerlein clears all Covid-19 related protocols this week and is activated for Sunday’s game in Kansas City. If he is not activated off the Covid-19 list by Saturday night, then Hajrullahu would be the voice here. With the Cowboys offense clicking of late, there could be two or so field goal opportunities for Zuerlein or Hajrullahu.
Going Deeper
Dustin Hopkins (LAC, 15%) - We listed him here last week because of his tendency lately to hit multiple field goals in a game. He converted on three of three attempts at home last week and has another favorable home game in Week 11. We could see him make it five of his last six games. Also keep in mind that of his 17 field goals made this year with two teams, nine of them have come from the bonus range.
Defense/Special Teams
Higher-owned Options
Panthers (Car, 29%) — This Panthers D has finished in the top-10 in five of their last six games, and will now finish in the top-5 in two of their last three weeks. The addition of Stephon Gilmore has helped this unit click. In the three games since Gilmore joined, Carolina has 4 INTs, 10 sacks, and hasn’t allowed more than 18 points. They’ll face Washington and Miami next; the 20th and 28th ranked offenses, respectively.
Top Targets
Dolphins (Mia, 25%) — Don’t look now, but this once-elite unit is starting to look elite again. With stud CBs Xavien Howard and Byron Jones nursing multiple injuries earlier in the season, a defense that started strong began to struggle. As the cornerbacks’ health improved, so has the performance of this Miami D. They’ve been a top-5 DST in each of the last two weeks, holding Houston to just 9 points (some may say that’s not much of a feat), and Baltimore to just 10 points (some may say that’s a helluva feat). Their 10 sacks, 4 INTs, 2 fumble recoveries, and 1 Defensive TD show they’re getting it done in the big-play categories as well. Their next three games feature three bottom-12 offenses: @NYJ, Car, NYG
Going Deeper
Eagles (Phi, 11%) — Philly has enough talent to take advantage of good matchups, as they’ve done against Denver, Detroit, Carolina, and Atlanta. It’s the tough matchups where they get exposed, as they’ve done against Tampa Bay, Kansas City, Dallas, and the Chargers. Luckily, they have three good matchups in row up next: NO, @NYG, @NYJ
