RADIO
This was one of those "fun" weeks where all the heavy favorites inexplicably lose and things go the opposite of how everyone expected. Josh Allen was supposed to be the QB1 but he was dominated by the Jaguars and... Josh Allen. The Cowboys were a heavy favorite at home versus Denver but got blown out with only one receiver putting up fantasy numbers - Malik Turner, of course. Then there was the Chiefs and Packers combining for 20 points with neither QB reaching 200 passing yards. Fun.
As always, we have to put last week behind us and look forward. Injuries and byes never take a break, so it's time to look for some viable streamers and replacements.
In this column, we will identify as many noteworthy waiver wire targets as possible at every position with a brief explanation of each player's current path to fantasy relevance. All rostered percentages are taken from Yahoo and players are listed in descending order, not in order of priority. Only players who are rostered in approximately 40% or fewer leagues are considered.
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Running Backs - Waiver Wire Options to Pickup
D'Ernest Johnson, Cleveland Browns - 41% rostered
It appears Nick Chubb may miss Week 10 after being placed in the COVID protocol early in the week. He hasn't been officially ruled out as of yet but fantasy managers will need to have a contingency plan in place. Foremost among the top options at RB is D'Ernest Johnson, who ran for 146 yards on 22 carries in Week 7 when Chubb was out. New England is right in the middle of the defensive rankings against running backs and they don't pose a formidable offense, so Johnson has potential to see upwards of 20 carries once again as the lone healthy back since Demetric Felton is also on the COVID list and Kareem Hunt remains on IR. Johnson is a high-priority add in all leagues this week.
Mark Ingram II, New Orleans Saints - 33% rostered
He obviously won't get as many carries with the Saints as he did with the Texans but he's doing more with them. Ingram carried nine times for 43 yards in Week 9 and is averaging 4.6 yards per carry in two games since returning to New Orleans. His value lies strictly as an insurance policy for Alvin Kamara but it's good to see that he's been effective when used. Word of a possible ailment for Kamara brings more interest to Ingram's name if he is in line for more work this coming week but we'll have to monitor practice reports to see if that pans out.
Jeff Wilson Jr., San Francisco 49ers - 32% rostered
Wilson was activated ahead of Week 9 but didn't take the field. Elijah Mitchell's rib injury didn't affect him so much as negative game script, so don't read too much into his poor performance. Wilson isn't likely to see many touches in the near future but he's worth stashing, especially for Mitchell owners.
Devonta Freeman, Baltimore Ravens - 20% rostered
He remains the RB1 in Baltimore, which obviously carries some weight. Latavius Murray remains out of practice and is unlikely to play on Thursday. Freeman carried 13 times for 79 yards and added a receiving touchdown against Minnesota. He finished behind leading rusher Lamar Jackson but that's usually going to be the case in this offense and there are plenty of carries to go around. Freeman is in a great spot to deliver RB2 value again in a homecoming for the Miami native on Thursday night.
Ty Johnson, New York Jets - 13% rostered
With Tevin Coleman sidelined, the duo of Johnson and Michael Carter has handled all the touches in New York's backfield. Most of those touches come in the form of short passes but that's actually preferable for teams in PPR leagues. Johnson has caught 13 passes over the past three games and scored a touchdown each of the past two games. In Week 10, the Jets are getting a Buffalo team that looks nothing like the early-season version of themselves but should still be heavily favored. Whoever is playing QB for the Jets is likely to target Johnson a few times, giving him a path to Flex value.
Jordan Howard, Philadelphia Eagles - 12% rostered
It's appropriate that Howard's first NFL action of the year came on Halloween. Like a zombie rising from the grave, Howard appears to be a reanimated version of his 2016 self when he ran for 1,313 yards and averaged 5.2 yards as a rookie. He isn't getting nearly the same type of volume but he has abruptly taken over as the lead back in Philly in Miles Sanders' absence. It's more of a two-man committee with he and Boston Scott sharing carries while Kenny Gainwell just comes in to vulture touchdowns in the fourth quarter. It's hard to describe the monstrosity that this Eagles running game has become but it's a nightmare for fantasy managers. Just be aware that Howard has scored three touchdowns in two games since being activated and saw his workload go from 12 to 17 attempts in a week's time. He won't catch passes, sapping him of much PPR value, but standard league owners should take notice.
Brandon Bolden, New England Patriots - 10% rostered
Both Damien Harris and Rhamondre Stevenson left in the fourth quarter against the Panthers, allowing Bolden to see more carries than usual. He was productive, rolling up 54 yards on eight rush attempts and catching two passes for 27 yards. Mainly used as a receiver, Bolden could be in for much more work if both backs are out for Week 10.
Eno Benjamin, Arizona Cardinals - 1% rostered
Among all the other injuries on offense in Arizona, running back Chase Edmonds suffered his own and left early with an ankle injury. He didn't return, leaving second-year back Eno Benjamin to see extended action for the first time while spelling James Conner, who suddenly looks like the second coming of Derrick Henry. Benjamin gained 39 yards on nine carries with an impressive touchdown run that is highlight-worthy.
Eno Benjamin just ran over Dre Kirkpatrick for six ?
(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/mrmjhjC8yy
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 7, 2021
It has been confirmed that Edmonds suffered a high-ankle sprain which could cost him several weeks. That makes Benjamin worth adding in deeper leagues as he will become the RB2 on the best team in the NFL.
Others to consider: Sony Michel, Los Angeles Rams (33% rostered); Samaje Perine, Cincinnati Bengals (24% rostered); Rashaad Penny, Seattle Seahawks (10% rostered); Jaret Patterson, Washington Football Team (2% rostered)
Wide Receivers - Waiver Wire Options to Pickup
Rashod Bateman, Baltimore Ravens - 36% rostered
In his third NFL game, Bateman saw his target total increase to eight, giving him 20 targets for an average of almost seven per game. He ran as the clear WR2 behind Marquise Brown, catching five balls for 52 yards. It wasn't a huge fantasy output but his involvement is promising. Some speculate that a healthy Sammy Watkins could cut into his production but what are the chances of that? Baltimore has a great matchup against Miami in Week 10, so Bateman can be fired up as a WR3.
Elijah Moore, New York Jets - 27% rostered
What was supposed to be the continuation of Mike White's breakout devolved into Josh Johnson putting up garbage time stats. It didn't matter for Moore, who caught a touchdown from each QB and finished with 84 yards on seven receptions. The second-round pick is healthy and emerging as one of the top options in this offense. A matchup with Buffalo in Week 10 isn't ideal but there could be a lot of passes thrown if the Bills' offense actually reappears. His talent is undeniable so Moore deserves to be rostered in all leagues of 12 teams or more.
Jamison Crowder, New York Jets - 24% rostered
While Moore gets all the pub this week, it should be noted that Crowder saw seven targets, which is his average on the season along with 5.6 receptions per game. The yardage will fluctuate and he's only visited the end zone once in five games but this offense seems to have discovered a semblance of a passing game. The ceiling isn't too high, especially if Moore gets more attention, but Crowder hasn't seen fewer than six targets in a game yet and thus carries a decent floor in full PPR leagues.
Marquez Callaway, New Orleans Saints - 34% rostered
Deonte Harris has become the lead receiver in New Orleans but there is a chance he will be suspended three games after being sentenced to probation for an offseason DUI citation. No official word has come down from the league yet but it seems likely that Harris will miss time. With Michael Thomas ruled out for the year, that makes Callaway the top target. He's caught exactly three passes in three straight weeks with yardage totals between 25-32 in each game. Not inspiring stuff but he has seen an average of six targets per game and that could go up in a plus matchup against the Tennessee secondary in Week 10.
Donovan Peoples-Jones, Cleveland Browns - 13% rostered
Meet the new OBJ. Maybe DPJ won't reach those heights but he has officially taken over Odell Beckham's job as starting receiver in Cleveland. It didn't take long for him to make Browns fans forget Beckham as he turned in a 60-yard touchdown in the first half of a route over Cincinnati. FWIW, Beckham's longest play this season was 26 yards. Peoples-Jones isn't a target hog and never will be in this offense but he clearly has the jets to be a big-play threat, making him a high-risk streaming option each week.
Van Jefferson, Los Angeles Rams - 12% rostered
In a game full of disappointment for the Rams, Jefferson had the most disappointing night of all. In a plus matchup, he only caught three of seven targets for 41 yards. He was targeted in the end zone and had chances to make a big play downfield but showed inconsistency with his hands. He still has a strong path toward flex value going forward as the team no longer has DeSean Jackson on the roster and Tutu Atwell's season is over.
Amon-Ra St. Brown & Kalif Raymond, Detroit Lions - 7% rostered
Lumping these two together seems only right since they are teammates and will provide the same thing - uncertainty. The Lions started the year with Tyrell Williams, Breshad Perriman, and Quintez Cephus as their top three receivers. The first two are no longer on the team and Cephus suffered a season-ending shoulder injury. That leaves St. Brown and Raymond as the top two wideouts going forward. It's tough to trust anyone in this offense but maybe after the bye they will have some things figured out. If desperate for a replacement at wide receiver, either could be serviceable in a pinch.
DeSean Jackson, Las Vegas Raiders - 4% rostered
D-Jax was granted the release he wanted and joins the Raiders to serve as the new deep threat, replacing Henry Ruggs. It may take a week or two for Jackson to be integrated to the offense but when he is on the field we know he will do what he usually does - run ahead straight really fast and hope to catch a bomb. He's a player to stash and a break-in-case-of-emergency bye-week fill-in for future use.
Others to consider: Tre'Quan Smith, New Orleans Saints (23% rostered); Nelson Agholor, New England Patriots (23% rostered); Russell Gage, Atlanta Falcons (15% rostered); Jamal Agnew, Jacksonville Jaguars (10% rostered)
Tight Ends - Waiver Wire Options to Pickup
Logan Thomas, Washington Football Team - 53% rostered
Our weekly lawbreaker, Thomas is well over the 40% threshold but should be mentioned because in leagues without enough IR spots he could be available. Thomas is set to return to practice this week and has a chance to play against the Bucs. It's tough to recommend starting him right away but he is worth adding.
Evan Engram, New York Giants - 40% rostered
Make it back-to-back weeks with a touchdown for Engram. That's the extent of the good news, as he caught three balls for the second straight week and finished with 38 yards. His season-high remains 55 yards and we may see Sterling Shepard return after the bye week. Since Engram doesn't play in Week 9, this is simply a stash recommendation for those desperate at TE. That's how thin the position is this year.
Tyler Conklin, Minnesota Vikings - 33% rostered
In another typical performance for him, Conklin caught five passes for 45 yards against Baltimore. It wasn't the big game TE streamers hoped for against a Baltimore defense allowing the most fantasy points to tight ends but at least it got PPR owners near double-digit points. He gets the Chargers next week, which are also a bottom-five defense against tight ends.
Dan Arnold, Jacksonville Jaguars - 27% rostered
Marvin who? Laviska what? We don't need wide receivers when we have Dan Arnold! I imagine that's what runs through Urban Meyer's head when designing the offensive gameplan, assuming he even does that sort of thing. Shade aside, Arnold led the Jags in receiving with 60 yards and seven targets in their shocking upset over Buffalo. It's becoming a regular occurrence so while he isn't scoring touchdowns, he is a solid source of points.
Others to consider: Pat Freiermuth, Pittsburgh Steelers (40% rostered)
Quarterbacks - Waiver Wire Options to Pickup
Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers - 27% rostered
It won't be often I recommend Big Ben this year, but when he faces Detroit in Week 10 it certainly warrants it. The Lions have allowed 15 passing TD with just four INT this year. Roethlisberger's best days are well behind him but he's at least thrown one touchdown in every game so far and could be an adequate streamer in Superflex leagues.
Trey Lance, San Francisco 49ers - 18% rostered
The rookie could get another chance to start if a reported injury to Jimmy Garoppolo's lower leg suffered late in the game proves serious enough to hold him out of Week 10. You can't love the matchup with the Rams but Lance has enough juice with his legs to put up fantasy numbers even if his passing game is off. He also has George Kittle back, which is a luxury he wasn't provided in his first NFL start. Jimmy G seems to be secure in his starting job but there are only so many losses the team can take before the pressure mounts to make a switch. Lance is a high-upside quarterback to monitor in case a move is made down the stretch.
Taysom Hill, New Orleans Saints - 18% rostered
Another week of Trevor Siemian is enough to drive doubt that Hill will have a significant role in the Saints offense this year but patience is required. Hill is a week removed from his return from concussion so Sean Payton is playing is safe with him. The loss to Atlanta may prompt a change, although to be fair Siemian wasn't the sole cause and his receivers dropped several passes. Hill brings far more upside but for now, he is a speculative stash for those who can afford it.
Others to consider: Baker Mayfield, Cleveland Browns (37% rostered); Teddy Bridgewater, Denver Broncos (26% rostered)
Team Defense (D/ST) - Waiver Wire Options to Pickup
Cleveland Browns Defense - 50% rostered
The defensive unit we saw from Cleveland in Week 9 resembles the one many anticipated before the season began. They held Cincinnati to 16 points, which is the most for an opponent in the past three games after limiting Pittsburgh to 15 and Denver to 14. They were one of the top fantasy units of the week, gaining five sacks, three turnovers, and a touchdown. The Browns have a decent matchup with the Patriots in Week 10 but then get the Lions in Week 11, so this is the time to pluck them off waivers. They will be useless after that point based on their schedule so don't expect them to deliver beyond the next two weeks.
Denver Broncos Defense - 47% rostered
Losing Von Miller had the opposite effect of what you might think. The Broncos stuffed the Cowboys on every drive, allowing a pair of garbage time touchdowns in the final five minutes after pitching a shutout well into the fourth quarter. On paper, they get a much easier matchup against the Eagles next week and get to play in Mile High Stadium.
Tennessee Titans Defense - 9% rostered
Lose your running back and best offensive player, gain a fearsome defense. That's what happened in Week 9 when the Titans were expected to get lit up by the Rams but instead shut them down. They sacked Matthew Stafford five times and picked him off twice, including a pick-six. They've picked off a pass in six straight games and seem to have turned a corner. They return home to face the Saints and either Trevor Siemian or Taysom Hill at QB.
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