RADIO
While Week 8 was a disaster for injuries (and thus a gold mine on the waiver wire), Week 9 only has a few must add types. That said, some names that became relevant thanks to fallout from Week 8 may still available because they were on a bye.
Week 10 will have the Falcons, Colts, Chargers, and 49ers on bye. Those first three teams have a lot of relevant players on them, and then there's the 49ers. If you want to add Shaun Draughn or Garrett Celek be my guest, but I won't be. For what it's worth, Week 11 is the last week with byes, and it'll be the Browns, Saints, Giants, and Steelers.
Let’s look around the league at who is worth a bid going into Week 10. Each price recommendation will be based on a $100 FAAB budget. Be sure to also check out our weekly waiver wire analysis columns, with in-depth analysis for all Week 10 options.
FAAB Waiver Wire Bids - Quarterbacks
Tyrod Taylor (QB, BUF) – FAAB Bid: $4 - 6
48% owned in Fleaflicker
Fantasy owners act like they forgot about Tyrod. He's been hurt and then Buffalo had a bye week, so I can't blame you. Taylor clearly enjoyed having Sammy Watkins back, as 168 of his 181 passing yards went to Sammy. Tyrod wasn't asked to do much through the air, but he completed 11 of his 12 passes and added 44 yards rushing. He gets the Jets next week, and while this would normally be cause for alarm, the Jets really haven't looked like themselves lately. Derek Carr and Blake Bortles have skewered the Jets in the past two weeks, and Tyrod has shown that his floor is right around 20 points. That'll play.
Marcus Mariota (QB, TEN) – FAAB Bid: $2 - 3
43% owned in Fleaflicker
Yes, his great game came by way of plenty of tips and bounces (shoutout to Delanie Walker for hauling them in), but he still performed well considering the aforementioned Walker was his only real receiver out there. Without Kendall Wright, Mariota was operating with Harry Douglas, Dorial Green-Beckham, and Justin Hunter as his three receivers. That's gross. Putting up a 371 yard, four touchdown effort is going to be worthy of praise with that lineup even against a Pop Warner defense, which is the Saints. Maybe that's what someone told Brandon Browner that got him so heated in the post game interviews. Mariota gets the Panthers next, so that's not something you're going to want to have in your lineup, but then he gets Jacksonville, Oakland, and Jacksonville again. Not bad.
Landry Jones (QB, PIT) – FAAB Bid: $1
3% owned in Fleaflicker
Have to say it right? Ben Roethlisberger went down again to an injury, this time to his foot. While the reports at the moment are saying that he'll sit out next week and the bye week in the hopes of being ready for their Week 12 game, what matters right now is the upcoming Week 10. The Steelers get to tee off against the awful Browns defense, and while one would think they'll try to utilize DeAngelo Williams and a "safer" mode of attack with Landry Jones in a game that they should win, Jones can still play for those in 2 QB leagues or desperate owners needing a bye week filler in a league where quarterbacks are hoarded. Jones came on in relief and completed four of six passes for 79 yards. He has certainly shown that he's a better option than Mike Vick. He may only get 200 yards and a touchdown if the Steelers try to limit what he has to do, but one never knows how divisional games will break. His receiving corps is a great one in a plus matchup, so if the Browns try to stack the box a little to make him throw, they will get burned by Antonio Brown, Martavis Bryant, and Heath Miller. Take a flier if you need to.
Others To Note:
Brian Hoyer (QB, HOU) – FAAB Bid: $1
20% owned in Fleaflicker
The Texans had their bye, and as such Hoyer's ownership dropped to 20%, so in four out of five leagues you can get him if you need him. Hoyer continues to be a solid QB2 type, he completed 23 of his 35 throws for 235 yards and two touchdowns in Week 8. Losing Arian Foster didn't seem to phase him, as he was still able to find DeAndre Hopkins and Nate Washington (before he left) for touchdowns. The Titans defense isn't a joke or anything, this was a good effort from the Texans offense considering how one dimensional they had to be. The Texans now come off of their bye week and hopefully are getting a 100% Nate Washington and Cecil Shorts back. Hoyer may be more of a watch list kind of guy, as matchups against the Bengals and Jets aren't great. Be aware of that, but Hoyer has strung together five good games now, with his last four being over 20 points according to Fleaflicker default scoring. You will take that.
Ryan Fitzpatrick (QB, NYJ) – FAAB Bid: $1
29% owned in Fleaflicker
Even in an ugly game for the Jets, Fitzpatrick managed to deliver solid QB2 numbers. He completed 21 of 34 passes for 272 yards, two touchdowns and zero turnovers. Coming off of an injury his ownership took a hit, but it appears that he is just fine (as one might suspect with a non-throwing hand injury). While it is bad for the Jets to lose Nick Mangold again to a re-aggravation of his neck injury, it does mean the Jets need to be more of a passing team. Chris Ivory managed two touchdowns to float the rushing stats, but he barely averaged more than one yard per carry again. The Jets get the Bills on Thursday night, and while the Bills are more vulnerable on the ground these days, the Jets are going to need Fitzpatrick, Brandon Marshall, and Eric Decker to lead the charge on a short week.
Note - Jay Cutler has yet to play by the time this gets submitted, but he is owned in 48% of leagues and he should not be overlooked...unless he is injured on Monday night.
FAAB Waiver Wire Bids - Running Backs
James Starks (GB, RB) – FAAB Bid: $15
40% owned in Fleaflicker
Eddie Lacy has done just about everything possible to anger his owners this year. Well, it appears this latest fumble also angered the Packers to the point where they took him out and put James Starks in. Yes, Lacy is also dealing with a groin injury so that helps Starks' case. Starks has run better than Lacy all year, and while he only averaged 3.9 yards per carry against a stout Carolina front on Sunday (10 carries for 39 yards), it was the damage in the passing game that really elevated his stat sheet. Six receptions on eight targets for 83 yards and a touchdown is notable. The Packers needed to pass and score quickly as they fell behind early, but regardless Starks showed that he is much more deserving of snaps than Lacy going forward. The Packers are coming off of back to back losses, and rolling into a matchup with their divisional foe the Lions. Look for them to absolutely slaughter the struggling Lions, and Starks should be able to garner a sweet piece of that action. The hope is that Lacy sits and Starks gets a chance to show that he should be the guy for Green Bay, but even if Lacy plays and steals a few snaps, Starks looks like the 1A to Lacy's 1B right now. Act accordingly and get Starks if he's available.
Karlos Williams (BUF, RB) – FAAB Bid: $12
47% owned in Fleaflicker
LeSean McCoy is dealing with a shoulder injury and may very well not be able to suit up on Thursday against the Jets. This makes Karlos Williams interesting again, as it appears he recovered from his scary concussion symptoms just in time to really take advantage of this. Aside from McCoy's injury, Williams looked really good in his own right, breaking out for 110 yards and two touchdowns on only nine carries. So, uh, that's good. Unsustainable and not something to go crazy over, but it's definitely good. McCoy says he'll be good to go on Thursday, but of course we do not listen to players when it comes to their own health. It doesn't sound like McCoy should be sidelined for long, but this whole situation shows why Williams is a good handcuff to have, as well as being a good runner himself. The closest comparison seems to be Ryan Mathews' role in Philadelphia.
Antonio Andrews (RB, TEN) – FAAB Bid: $12
40% owned in Fleaflicker
Titans' head coach Mike Mularkey has dubbed Antonio Andrews his workhorse back, and Andrews responded well with 88 yards rushing on 19 carries, tacking on a 23 yard reception. His owners would have loved for him to get in on the scoring, but running backs were apparently not allowed to do so in this game (speaking as a bitter Ingram DFS shareholder). That said, he still looked good out there, and while the Saints defense isn't anything too special, with the report of David Cobb being overweight and unprepared to really step in for Tennessee in a real capacity, this is Andrews' job. He does get Carolina next week though, but two of the Titans' next four games are against the Jaguars, which should be just fine for Andrews.
James White (RB, NE) - FAAB Bid in PPR Leagues: $7
Brandon Bolden (RB, NE) - FAAB Bid in PPR Leagues: $6
Both are 19% owned in Fleaflicker
Dion Lewis has been confirmed as having a torn ACL, and as such he will miss the rest of the 2015 season. LeGarrette Blount will certainly see some more work, but he won't replace Lewis on the passing downs with his running style. Those duties are rather up in the air right now, with some on Team Brandon Bolden and some on Team James White. When Lewis missed the Patriots' Week 7 game, Brandon Bolden was also out with a hamstring injury, so James White got the work by default. In that game White rushed twice for four yards and caught three balls for 26 yards. This past week White was a healthy scratch, so Bolden got the work in relief of the injured Lewis. Bolden had one rush for 12 yards and three catches for 27 yards and a touchdown. It's worth noting that Bolden's being active is heavily tied to his value as a strong special teams player. White is noted as being a shiftier back. Neither is all that enticing, neither is going to step in and replicate what Dion Lewis has been doing, but someone is going to provide some PPR value. I personally want White a little more than Bolden, but I won't begrudge anyone on Team Bolden. The Pats might also re-sign Travaris Cadet, who lost to Lewis early in the year and was cut once Lewis had really established himself as legitimate. Be aware.
Others To Note:
Joique Bell (DET, RB) – FAAB Bid: $3
51% owned in Fleaflicker
The Ameer Abdullah experiment appears to be on the backburner for now. Joique Bell got the ball for only seven carries against the Chiefs (which did lead the team) as the Lions had to abandon the run pretty early thanks to the gameflow, but Bell tallied 56 yards on those seven carries, good for eight yards per carry. In a backfield where no one is showing anything, the door is open for a hot hand to take the reins. Theo Riddick is a good passing option, but the Lions don't have a reliable between the tackles guy. Bell was that guy last year, and Detroit must be happy to see him show some of that burst again. He may very well have played his way back into those short yardage and goal line opportunities. He shouldn't cost you much to acquire, it's a low risk maneuver that could pay off nicely that many owners may have forgotten about since the Lions were on their bye week. I suspect this is the case, as his ownership figure did not move at all.
Jay Ajayi (MIA, RB) – FAAB Bid: $1
24% owned in Fleaflicker
In case you forgot, it's 'cuffin season. Dan Campbell and his Miami Dolphins are committed to using the run and Lamar Miller has seen great success since Philbin was fired. The Dolphins are playing reinvigorated football, and they just got their rookie running back onto the field again after he had been on the shelf all year. He flashed the talent, rushing for 41 yards on only five carries. On the one hand, his play may warrant a David Johnson-like scenario where he earns six-eight touches per game and delivers some decent value on that alone (though don't count on it). This is mostly about him being a premier handcuff to Lamar Miller in an offense that likes to run the ball, and the kid just happens to also be talented by his own right. With injuries being the primary source of top pickups now (as opposed to random coming out parties), this is the time to stash Ajayi if you're a Miller owner, and if you've got a bench spot and you want to screw over the Miller owner and reap the benefits yourself then you can pick him up as well. He's a good option for the back end of your bench.
Marcel Reece (OAK, RB) – FAAB Bid: $1
11% owned in Fleaflicker
If you were watching the Raiders-Steelers game, you saw Latavius Murray get absolutely frozen by a high hit and it was very clear that he got his bell rung. If he misses next week against the Vikings, Marcel Reece should be the one who steps in to run the ball the most. Taiwan Jones has shown flashes, but he put the ball on the ground twice on Sunday and Reece has shown great stretches and good hands in the past for the Raiders when they need him. Reece is also a plus pass blocker, and while Roy Helu Jr. will probably be activated if Murray cannot go next week, Reece should be the top dog in the backfield. Taiwan Jones will probably be the change of pace guy, and Helu might steal a few passing downs here and there but shouldn't do anything significant.
FAAB Waiver Wire Bids - Wide Receivers
Dorial Green-Beckham (TEN, WR) – FAAB Bid: $4 - 6
35% owned in Fleaflicker
Most would have loved to see a touchdown out of DGB, but honestly the ten targets are much more encouraging than if he had posted a cheap touchdown. He ended the game with five receptions off of those ten targets for 77 yards. Easily the most usage he's gotten all year. While they still definitely want to pace DGB a little, Wright's injury forces things and HC Mike Mularkey said that he wanted to get DGB more involved. It was clear that this came to fruition.
Kamar Aiken (BAL, WR) – FAAB Bid: $4 - 6
25% owned in Fleaflicker
Steve Smith has a confirmed Achilles tear and is out for the rest of the season. Kamar Aiken has been covered here before as the Ravens' #2 receiver, though he really hasn't been all that impressive. In earlier pieces it has been said how he basically has the "opportunity" portion of what you want to roster locked down now, but the "talent" side is lacking a bit. His target to reception ratio is usually half, which can be partly pinned on Joe Flacco's throws, but most receivers will beat that rate. What is encouraging is that on Sunday he turned all six targets into receptions, finishing the game with six catches for 62 yards. He is the #1 receiver for the Ravens now, and all #1 receivers should be rostered. Available in many leagues, you're going to want to find a spot for him even with the bye week coming up. He'll get the Jaguars poor secondary in Week 10, a strong Rams D in Week 11, and then the Browns in Week 12. It's not the most fun play to make, but his opportunity is undeniable now.
Others to Note:
Chris Givens (BAL, WR) – FAAB Bid: $1
2% owned in Fleaflicker
As we've discussed, Steve Smith is done for the year with a torn Achilles and most people are going to be flocking to Kamar Aiken. Aiken is definitely worth your attention as has been pointed out, but don't let Chris Givens just fall through the cracks if you're speculating or in deeper leagues. Givens came over from the Rams, and ended this game with three receptions for 57 yards. He's more of a stretch the field type of guy, but there is no doubting that the door is open for any wide receiver for the Ravens to earn their way into more playing time. A forgotten name, he could turn into a good option for a strong armed Joe Flacco to hit in games where the Ravens are engaged in a close one or trailing (which should be most games from what we've seen).
Jamison Crowder (WAS, WR) – FAAB Bid: $1
10% owned in Fleaflicker
There was certainly some concern about how much Crowder might see the field with DeSean Jackson back on the field. Of course, this may have been totally offset by the fact that the Redskins went up against the Patriots and needed to pass for practically the whole game. Crowder ended up seeing eight targets, catching six of them for 50 yards. He did register a fumble, but the eight targets is what you like to see. It's pretty clear that he's played his way into that three receiver set, but the question is going to be how much he can see behind DeSean Jackson, Pierre Garcon, and Jordan Reed. It also means relying on Kirk Cousins, though he seems to do well on those short-intermediate routes that slot receivers (and Jordan Reed) run. He probably will see five or six targets most games, but the Redskins will be passing fairly often as they aren't winning many games. They also are still struggling to establish the running game in any way. You can do a lot worse than Crowder in deeper leagues.
Devin Funchess (CAR, WR) – FAAB Bid: $1
14% owned in Fleaflicker
It's about dang time. Funchess' season high before this game was 24 receiving yards (and no touchdowns). While he only saw four targets in this game, he posted three catches for 71 yards and a touchdown. Perhaps he has finally shown the Panthers and their coaches enough to warrant more consideration in the passing game. Cam Newton will certainly take notice of this. Newton spread the ball effectively, throwing touchdowns to Funchess, Greg Olsen, and Corey Brown. Jerricho Cotchery also tallied 82 yards on three catches. There are plenty of options for Cam, but outside of Greg Olsen none of them have any real long term potential. The Panthers should want to see what they have in Funchess and encourage his usage to get upped a bit. Do note that his snap count is still low, he still checks in as the fourth receiver on the depth chart, but the speculative hope here is that the Panthers work him in some more. They must know that while they are undefeated, they're going to need some more firepower come playoff time. I get the whole "if it ain't broke don't fix it" thing, but I'd throw a buck in speculation if you're in deeper leagues and want some potential wide receiver help late in the year.
FAAB Waiver Wire Bids - Tight Ends
Austin Seferian-Jenkins (TB, TE) – FAAB Bid: $3 - 4
50% owned in Fleaflicker
He just makes the cut here, checking in at being owned in half of all Fleaflicker leagues. Unfortunately, he was unable to go in a cake matchup against the New York Giants' defense as his shoulder still isn't deemed 100%. He did get a full practice in, and this is someone worth stashing if you have the bench space and the patience. Tampa Bay gets Dallas and Philadelphia next, but the most important thing here is that Jameis Winston needs someone else to throw to. Mike Evans just posted one of the ugliest "nice" stat lines that you'll ever see (eight receptions for 152 yards). Watching that game made me just feel so bad for Winston, as Evans' six drops could have put him easily over 200 yards on the day. ASJ already had a great game with Winston in his very limited action before he got hurt, and Winston should be very happy to see him back out there.
Jacob Tamme (ATL, TE) – FAAB Bid: $2
30% owned in Fleaflicker
Tamme has strung together some good games, but obviously he now goes into a bye week which doesn't make him to appealing to most owners looking for a pickup. The other piece of this is that Tamme's best games have come when Leonard Hankerson is inactive. He should be good to go after he gets some extra rest with the week off, and this hurts Tamme's potential. Now perhaps he has earned some more looks and schemes given how well he's done when they give him the ball, but that's difficult to bank on when you have to roster him for two weeks to find out.
Richard Rodgers (GB, TE) – FAAB Bid: $1
33% owned in Fleaflicker
He'll be reliant on getting into the end zone for his production to be worth it, but the Packers clearly don't have much of a reliable run game to fall back on right now. Richard Rodgers ended up with nine targets on the day, turning in five catches for 19 yards and two touchdowns. He and James Jones are those receiving options on the Packers who aren't going to get a ton of targets, but have a high chance at scoring touchdowns thanks to Aaron Rodgers and the Packers' running game not having found a real groove yet. When they get close to the end zone, it is still more effective for them to pass the ball and let Aaron Rodgers be a playmaker. Richard Rodgers and company benefit from this.
