RADIO
With each passing week of the NFL season, the waiver wire options are going to get thinner and thinner. Pickups become more of the handcuff variety as most people who are going to break out or get a chance to break out, have done so. Injuries really are the biggest source of pickups. It becomes more about insuring your own guys and getting other owners' handcuffs if you can, trying to launch preemptive strikes.
For what it's worth Week 11 is the last week with byes, and this week we'll be missing players from the Browns, Saints, Giants, and Steelers.
Let’s look around the league at who is worth a bid going into Week 11. 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 11 options.
FAAB Waiver Wire Bids - Quarterbacks
Tyrod Taylor (QB, BUF) – FAAB Bid: $3
48% owned in Fleaflicker
Tyrod Taylor is still available in over half of Fleaflicker leagues, and while his performances in the past two weeks since he returned from injury haven't been blowing the roof off, the potential is still there. LeSean McCoy and Karlos Williams are doing well as the 1-2 punch of a very effective rushing attack, leaving Taylor not having to carry the offense himself. While this isn't ideal for fantasy purposes, Taylor gets the Patriots in Week 11, and he did quite well last time out against them even just thanks to a second half surge of "comeback mode". If you're in need of some bye week relief or just want some QB depth, Taylor is a great option for a guy with a solid floor.
Jay Cutler (QB, CHI) – FAAB Bid: $3
46% owned in Fleaflicker
Jay Cutler was looking down a tough matchup with the St. Louis Rams defense without Matt Forte and a hampered Alshon Jeffery in Week 10. All he did with that was turn in a great performance, completing 19 of his 24 passes for 258 yards and three touchdowns. Yes, he had two huge plays that really helped those statistics with Jeremy Langford's 83 yard touchdown and Zach Miller's 87 yard touchdown, but it was clear that Cutler was making smart throws. As we just mentioned in Osweiler's blurb, the Bears and the Broncos square off next week, so Cutler will have the toughest test of the season so far, but after that he gets Green Bay, San Francisco, Washington, Minnesota, and Tampa Bay in the championship week (Week 16). There are two fairly tough matchups in there (GB and MIN) and three great ones for quarterbacks. Get him now.
Brock Osweiler (QB, DEN) – FAAB Bid: $1 - 2
6% owned in Fleaflicker
Peyton Manning broke the all time passing yards record with a four yard pass on Sunday, and it all went downhill from there. Manning was benched in third quarter after only completing five of his 20 passes, with four of those attempts going to Kansas City Chiefs for interceptions. That is horrible. Brock Osweiler came in for Manning and completed 14 of 24 passes for 146 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. He also rushed three times for 18 yards. Peyton Manning has been ruled out for Week 11 with a bad case of plantar fasciitis in his left foot, which some may see as a false injury in order to allow him to retain some pride, but regardless Osweiler now gets a chance to lead an offense that has some pretty good players on it. Guess who Denver gets in Week 11? Chicago. Sounds good to me.
Others To Note:
Ryan Fitzpatrick (QB, NYJ) – FAAB Bid: $1
30% owned in Fleaflicker
It was an ugly game from the New York Jets and Ryan Fitzpatrick, and yet he still managed to end up with 16.65 fantasy points according to Fleaflicker's default scoring. He completed only 15 of his 34 throws for 193 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. He had 30 rushing yards on three attempts. It was really just a brutal game to watch, and the Jets almost came back despite these numbers. Fitzpatrick isn't that great of a quarterback, but he has a good team around him and now gets to face the Texans, Dolphins, Giants, Titans, Cowboys, and Patriots the rest of the way through most fantasy seasons. There are quite a few matchups in there that bode very well for gameflow and for the passing attack to be able to feast. If you are in need of assistance at the quarterback position, Fitzmagic seems to end up delivering even in the ugliest of games.
Johnny Manziel (QB, CLE) - FAAB Bid: $1
14% owned in Fleaflicker
The Browns go into their bye week now with a question mark at quarterback, as the Browns' head coach Mike Pettine has left the door open for Johnny Manziel to be the starter in Week 12 against the horrible Ravens secondary. Josh McCown has been hurt and Manziel had the reins this past weekend against Pittsburgh. While the Browns got wiped out, Manziel passed for 372 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He also rushed for 17 yards on three carries, including one really nice scramble for a touchdown that got called back on a penalty. Keep an eye on this situation moving forward through their bye next week, but do note that Manziel looked like a better quarterback out there.
FAAB Waiver Wire Bids - Running Backs
Matt Jones (WAS, RB) – FAAB Bid: $10
52% owned in Fleaflicker
I know, it was against the Saints, and the Saints make everyone look amazing. This isn't so much about the great numbers that he turned in, it's what it means for his value and opportunity moving forward. It isn't as though Alfred Morris (15 carries for 92 yards, three catches for 14 yards) and Chris Thompson (two rushes for 54 yards and a 23 yard catch) didn't also look good for what they were able to get, but Matt Jones showed why he should get the "1A" looks. The Washington offensive line may have gotten exactly what they needed in a confidence booster against a terrible defense, and with Jones usually getting the goal line looks, he's the guy to own here. Alfred Morris is in the last year of his contract and Matt Jones is the future for Washington. If you're in the half of leagues where Jones is available, you could do a lot worse with that last bench spot. Do note that Jones and company get the Panthers next week, so do not expect much or look to play him in Week 11, but the next three weeks bring the Giants, Cowboys, and Bears. I'll take that.
David Cobb (RB, TEN) – FAAB Bid: $3
40% owned in Fleaflicker
Titans' head coach Mike Mularkey has dubbed Antonio Andrews (49% owned) his workhorse back, and Andrews responded well with 88 yards rushing on 19 carries, tacking on a 23 yard reception in Week 9. A Week 10 trial against the very tough Carolina Panthers defense saw Andrews only manage eight yards on 11 carries. That's not going to get the job done when there's a guy like Cobb nipping at his heels. Okay maybe that phrase is used a little loosely here, as Cobb was inactive on Sunday and there were reports of Cobb being overweight and drawing Mularkey's ire. Look, Andrews won't be put on the backburner for a lousy game against a great defense, but it does open the door for Cobb to come in and look good if he can give himself the chance. Cobb may be had for very cheap as he fell off of owners' radars with the negative news from last week surrounding him. This late in the season, I'll take a chance.
James White (RB, NE) - FAAB Bid in PPR Leagues: $3
39% owned in Fleaflicker
Brandon Bolden (RB, NE) - FAAB Bid in PPR Leagues: $2
32% owned in Fleaflicker
Neither of these guys did anything useful in the Week 10 game against the Giants, but with Julian Edelman being gone for multiple weeks now with a fracture in his foot on top of the loss of Dion Lewis, the Patriots might just need these guys a little more now. Do not expect anywhere close to Shane Vereen/Dion Lewis type of production, but they should be able to do a little more than the paltry few points that they put up this past weekend. They don't deserve much more additional commentary, but they shouldn't be ignored by teams that have bench spots where these other names are owned. For what it's worth, I'm still leaning James White between the two, as are the public it seems.
Others To Note:
Joique Bell (DET, RB) – FAAB Bid: $3
52% owned in Fleaflicker
Joique Bell had a great game in limited action in Week 9 with 56 rushing yards on only seven carries, but he followed that up with 17 yards on 14 carries and two catches for 18 yards in a slobberknocker with the Green Bay Packers. There were very few offensive pieces that came out of that game with anything good to show for it, but it is telling that Bell got the lion's share (ha) of the carries under the new offensive coordinator. Ameer Abdullah still got some work, but he was clearly behind Bell in the pecking order.
Jay Ajayi (MIA, RB) – FAAB Bid: $3
29% 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 in Week 9, and in Week 10 he rushed for 48 yards on six carries. He won't keep up the eight yards per carry average, but he is clearly good and demanding touches. 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.
FAAB Waiver Wire Bids - Wide Receivers
Danny Amendola (NE, WR) - FAAB Bid: $15
28% owned in Fleaflicker
Amendola was already a viable pickup with Dion Lewis' targets having to go somewhere, with the Patriots needing another short route chain mover with some agility. Now that Julian Edelman is out for the rest of the fantasy season, Amendola is needed even more. He is going to take over as the main slot guy/possession type of receiver. Amendola ended up with 11 targets, catching ten of them for 79 yards against the Giants. Moving forward, that amount of targets seems pretty fair to project week by week. If he's available in your league, this is the top add. The Patriots offense won't stop churning, and Amendola will be heavily involved from here on out.
Kamar Aiken (BAL, WR) – FAAB Bid: $5 - 6
30% 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 was encouraging is that in Week 8 he turned all six targets into receptions, finishing the game with six catches for 62 yards. In Week 10 against Jacksonville he caught seven of his 14 targets for 73 yards, feeding into that "half ratio" narrative. Still, 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. He'll get the strong Rams D in Week 11 so don't expect much from him there, but then he gets the Browns in Week 12. It's not the most fun play to make, but his opportunity is undeniable now.
Dwayne Harris (NYG, WR) – FAAB Bid: $2
14% owned in Fleaflicker
The news came in that Victor Cruz will officially not play in 2015, as he will undergo season ending surgery. This means that Dwayne Harris is locked in for the rest of the year as the Giants' slot man. Harris saw nine targets, catching six of them for 92 yards and a touchdown. It doesn't hurt anyone that he also has that outside chance at getting you a return touchdown as well. Harris has shown a lot of improvement as the year has gone on. Notably raw with route running and seeing some key drops early in the year, he has performed much better as of late and is clearly establishing some great chemistry with Eli Manning. Look for Harris to continue to get some great targets in the Giants' offense, especially with their running game not generating anything noteworthy moving forward.
Others to Note:
Dorial Green-Beckham (TEN, WR) – FAAB Bid: $2
41% owned in Fleaflicker
No one should have been expecting anything out of him against the Panthers, and hopefully he sees a dip in ownership thanks to the goose egg he posted this past weekend. He still isn't a great pickup, but there are few other options that are available that have more upside than DGB. Justin Hunter just fractured his ankle and is out for the rest of the season, so his playing time is all but guaranteed at this point. The Titans won't face the Panthers again, and DGB should get a chance to show what he's got down the stretch here.
Chris Givens (BAL, WR) – FAAB Bid: $1
5% owned in Fleaflicker
Most owners 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. Unfortunately (or fortunately for those who listened last week and got him) Givens scored a touchdown and is on the radar now. Givens came over from the Rams, and ended Week 8's game with three receptions for 57 yards. On Sunday he caught four of seven targets for 37 yards and a touchdown. 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). Givens is available in many leagues and should not be viewed as an afterthought.
Jamison Crowder (WAS, WR) – FAAB Bid: $1
11% owned in Fleaflicker
There was certainly some concern about how much Crowder might see the field with DeSean Jackson back on the field, but Jackson only got two catches for 44 yards on Sunday's fireworks show for the Redskins. Crowder ended up seeing five targets, catching four of them for 60 yards and a touchdown. 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 in games that aren't total offensive blowups. 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. Crowder is very deserving of a look in deeper leagues.
FAAB Waiver Wire Bids - Tight Ends
Richard Rodgers (GB, TE) – FAAB Bid: $2
42% 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 followed up his five catch, 19 yard and two touchdown effort with five catches on five targets for 32 yards and a touchdown against Detroit on Sunday. 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. It was encouraging to see that Richard Rodgers got five targets, all of which he converted into receptions, versus the rest of the team's struggles. 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 clearly benefits from this, and his owners will too.
Jacob Tamme (ATL, TE) – FAAB Bid: $2
25% owned in Fleaflicker
Tamme has strung together some good games and is now coming off of a bye week his ownership dropped by 5%. The kicker is keeping an eye on Leonard Hankerson's availability for the Falcons going into Week 11. He turned in a limited practice on Monday according to beat writers. Tamme's best games have come when Leonard Hankerson is inactive. Now perhaps Tamme 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 if Hankerson is active and operating out of the slot where Tamme had been running most of his routes. He's a watch list type right now, but if you're in a deeper league and he's available you should scoop him, and should Hankerson be activated for Sunday then consider having a backup.
Crockett Gillmore (BAL, TE) - FAAB Bid: $1
20% owned in Fleaflicker
He turned in four receptions for 42 yards and a touchdown in the Ravens' loss against the Jaguars in Week 10. While Gillmore is going to need to score to be valuable, this is true of most tight ends who aren't in the upper echelon of the position. With the loss of Steve Smith, it isn't only Aiken and Givens who benefit. Both Gillmore and Maxx Williams scored on Sunday. Flacco should know that he has good options at tight end, but Gillmore is still the guy you want to own over Williams.
Zach Miller (CHI, TE) - FAAB Bid: $1
0% owned in Fleaflicker
You can bid on him if you'd like, but I'm not propping him up as the next Gary Barnidge type who is going to breakout for the tight end position. Martellus Bennett is still the #1 tight end here and played on 100% of snaps, though Miller did set a high with being on the field for 80% of snaps. Miller is a great athlete who has been messed up by injuries, but thus far he has shown that he deserves some more looks from the Bears. That said, it would be a real stretch to call him reliable in any way for your fantasy team.
