Pivot Plays and Post-Waiver Pickups: Week 10

The waiver wires in fantasy football leagues start getting bare by Week 10. Fantasy football managers will be without their Chiefs, Cowboys, Falcons and Jets this week. They will also be without the same abundance of available talent on the waiver wire that there is during the first half of the season.

Now that the first round of waiver picks has been taken on your league’s wire this week, who’s left that could help you if one of your starters bails out on you later this week? Trust me, there are a few last-minute emergency options that could save your fantasy season!

Without further ado, here are my pivot plays and post-waiver pickups for Week 10 --- and the questionable superstars who you might need to replace:

Potential Pivot Plays for Fantasy Lineups

If Indianapolis’ Jack Doyle (concussion) cannot get out there on Thursday night, you could go with…

Mo Alie-Cox (IND, TE) at TEN

It is hard to find an NFL team with three quality tight ends like Indianapolis has. That said, while it is a blessing for the Colts, it is a curse for fantasy football managers who must guess which tight end will be targeted the most on a weekly basis. This Thursday night, Cox should be the one with the most prominent role of the trio.

If Doyle does not dress, Cox is the more attractive option between he and Trey Burton, who has been better suited as a goal-line rusher in recent weeks than a downfield threat. Cox has had 35 yards and/or a touchdown in four of his last five contests and will be facing a Tennessee defense that is ranked 27^th against the pass thanks to an abysmal pass rush and a sluggish secondary. Pick up Cox if Doyle is down and he should be good for 40 yards and possibly a TD.

UPDATE: Jack Doyle has been ruled out for this week.

If Houston’s David Johnson (concussion) cannot be cleared in time for Sunday, you could go with…

J.D. McKissic (WAS, RB) at DET

At least Johnson didn’t injure his wrist for the 100^th time. His understudy, Duke Johnson, has probably been picked up in most leagues this week, so McKissic is a decent fallback option. Many fantasy managers stay away from McKissic because he offers nothing in the running game (168 yards and zero TD in 2020) and has no nose for the end zone (four TD in five seasons), but this third-down specialist has been tearing it up in PPR leagues lately thanks to all of his catches from out of the backfield.

McKissic has been targeted 42 times over his last six games. That’s the same amount of targets Minnesota Pro Bowl wideout Adam Thielen has over his past half-dozen games, too. McKissic has turned those targets into 33 receptions for 247 yards, and this week he faces a Detroit defense that ranks 30^th against the run (if McKissic gets a couple draw plays) and has allowed running backs to catch three touchdown tosses over the Lions last four games. Look for McKissic to give you sneaky fantasy points if you snag him off the waiver wire by the weekend.

UPDATE: David Johnson has been ruled out for this week.

If Baltimore’s Mark Ingram (ankle) cannot find his way to the field on Sunday night, you could go with…

Salvon Ahmed (MIA, RB) vs. LAC

I find it difficult to believe that more than one percent of fantasy managers knew who the heck Ahmed was coming into last week. The undrafted rookie out of Washington shocked fantasy players who thought Jordan Howard and Patrick Laird would split the time and touches versus the Arizona Cardinals in Week 9. But while Howard was averaging 1.9 yards per carry and Laird caught one measly pass, Ahmed turned seven rushing attempts into 38 yards and showed more burst than Miami’s veteran backs.

Ahmed deserves more carries this week, and if he gets them he should do fine against a Chargers Defense that has allowed over six yards per carry to runners over the past two weeks. Take a flyer on Ahmed, clasp your hands together and pray that he receives 10-12 touches and turns them into 50-60 yards and a score.

If Chicago’s David Montgomery (concussion) cannot suit up Monday night, you could go with…

Cordarrelle Patterson (CHI, WR) vs. MIN

Fantasy football’s favorite kick returner has been the de facto backup to Montgomery on Chicago’s depth chart ever since Tarik Cohen suffered his season-ending injury. While Patterson was utilized as a WR/RB hybrid by Bill Belichick in New England, it is painfully obvious that he is no Gale Sayers when he runs a sweep or off tackle. Patterson is only averaging three paltry yards per carry and has shown no explosiveness whatsoever when handed the ball.

That all said, who’s left in Chicago’s backfield that’s better if Montgomery doesn’t play? Fullback-like Ryan Nall?  Brought-back-from-the-dead Lamar Miller? Patterson will not touch the ball 20 times on Monday night, but he will get more play than he has all season and will be given every opportunity to make big plays against a Minnesota defense who has been happy to give them up this year. If you are desperate going into Monday night for a RB, bet on Patterson and maybe he breaks a big gainer that makes the gamble pay off.

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