RADIO
For those still following this column closely, congrats on staying in contention during this crazy year. There may not be a singular league-winning player on your waiver wire this week but you never know who will become a breakout star in the second half.
The waiver wire is more important in 2020 than ever. The players suggested here should be top priorities for early-week waiver claims; keep the others in mind for later in the week if necessary and check our NFL news feed for the latest injury updates.
As always, the options listed at each position below are listed in order of priority to help you plan your claims accordingly. Players listed include only those rostered in approximately 50% or fewer Yahoo leagues. For a deeper look at each position, check out our separate weekly waiver wire columns at QB, RB, WR, and TE.
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Running Backs - Waiver Wire Options
Duke Johnson, Houston Texans - 15% rostered
Finally, Duke will get to be the lead back! David Johnson suffered a concussion in Jacksonville so he will be put through the protocol and may not suit up in Week 10. If that's the case, we'll get a big dose of Duke Johnson facing a vulnerable Browns Defense.
J.D. McKissic, Washington Football Team - 24% rostered
While Antonio Gibson is still the main runner on this team, McKissic always lurks to take pass-catching work away. He did so in abundance in Week 9, as the Giants jumped on top 20-3 by halftime. The bigger story might be Kyle Allen leaving for what could be a serious injury and Alex Smith taking over. The veteran QB proved to be a checkdown master, throwing McKissic's way 13 times, resulting in eight catches for 58 yards in basically three quarters of action. McKissic hasn't scored a touchdown this season and may not find his way into the end zone any time soon, but he potentially brings a high PPR floor if Smith remains the starter.
Gus Edwards, Baltimore Ravens - 37% rostered
It was a predictably tough day for Baltimore's offense going up against the Colts Defense that entered the week allowing the fewest total yards and third-fewest points in the league. Neither J.K. Dobbins nor Gus Edwards was effective on the ground, racking up 30 and 23 yards respectively. It was Edwards getting into the end zone, however, and shockingly getting more receiving yards (11-5). Fantasy GMs can only hope that Mark Ingram remains out so it doesn't become a three-man committee again. For now, assume Edwards resumes his role as the RB 1A at New England next week.
Wayne Gallman, New York Giants - 25% rostered
He continues to get no respect yet Gallman was a top-10 fantasy RB in standard leagues this week. He's scored in three straight games and will continue to be the lead back as long as Devonta Freeman is out. That's what makes it tough to rely on Gallman, but he should be the guy again for one more game before the team is on bye in Week 11.
Tevin Coleman, San Francisco 49ers - 24% rostered
If Coleman is able to return this week, he should take over as the main runner. JaMycal Hasty was barely involved and only managed three rushing yards on four carries in the last game. You probably should avoid this backfield altogether at this point but there's always the chance Coleman provides value.
Kalen Ballage, Los Angeles Chargers - 0% rostered
Here we are - Kalen Ballage is fantasy relevant in 2020. Or is he? Ballage averaged under two yards per carry for the Dolphins last year and rushed three times for the Jets before being released and landing in L.A. He now seems to be taking advantage of his opportunity as Justin Jackson suffered a knee injury in Week 9 and Joshua Kelley just hasn't been effective. Ballage finished with 15 carries for 69 yards and a touchdown. He showed some burst that wasn't previously evident on the NFL field and got more usage than Kelley, even late in the game. It would be foolish to assume he'll suddenly be the main RB, especially if Justin Jackson is good to go so don't blow too much FAB here.
UPDATE: Ballage has been deemed too effective to remain in the Chargers' backfield so he has been sent back to the practice squad. You may now waste waiver wire dollars on Troymaine Pope instead.
Matt Breida, Miami Dolphins - 26% rostered
It feels as if Breida could be a star in the NFL if his body didn't keep betraying him. Just when Myles Gaskin lands on IR, opening the door for Breida to start, he suffers a hamstring injury and is ruled out. It's unclear whether he'll be available in Week 10 but he could still be worth stashing in deeper leagues down the stretch. We know what he brings to the table - a career 4.9 yards per carry rushing average and pass-catching ability. It's not as if Jordan Howard or Salvon Ahmed are going to keep him off the field.
D'Onta Foreman, Tennessee Titans - 1% rostered
I'm still on board with the Foreman comeback story. He's just an insurance policy for Derrick Henry but that's worth something in 14-team leagues.
Others to consider: Boston Scott, Philadelphia Eagles (44% rostered); Nyheim Hines, Indianapolis Colts (41% rostered); La'Mical Perine, New York Jets (36% rostered); Cam Akers, Los Angeles Rams (31% rostered)
Wide Receivers - Waiver Wire Options
Allen Lazard, Green Bay Packers - 38% rostered
Last chance to grab Lazard if he's available in your league. He is likely to be activated for Week 10 after missing the last six weeks. Aside from being a strong pickup, he's a borderline must-start as the Packers face the Jaguars.
Jakobi Meyers, New England Patriots - 13% rostered
It looks like Cam Newton has a new favorite receiver. Meyers, an undrafted free agent in 2019, got a lot of preseason buzz last year and surprised many by making the final roster cut. He did little of note during his rookie season, however, catching 26 passes for 359 yards. With Julian Edelman presumably out for the season and N'Keal Harry banged up, he has been involved but put up modest numbers the last two games with 60 and 58 yards respectively. That changed on Monday Night Football when he exploded for 169 yards on 12 receptions. He's gotten 30 targets in the last three games now so he must be added in PPR leagues, even if his big game came against the Jets.
Darnell Mooney, Chicago Bears - 14% rostered
The rookie didn't have his best game with five receptions and 43 yards but he saw a team-high 11 targets in Week 9. He enters WR3 territory due to a great matchup with the Minnesota secondary in Week 10.
Curtis Samuel, Carolina Panthers - 29% rostered
Samuel is usually mentioned in the "others to consider" section as a depth add or streaming option. He warrants mention here because he's becoming more involved in the offense.
Panthers WR targets over the last three games:
Robby Anderson- 29
Curtis Samuel- 20
D.J. Moore- 14— Frank Stampfl (@Roto_Frank) November 8, 2020
He posted his best numbers of the year with a team-high 105 receiving yards in the loss to Kansas City. His three rush attempts for 13 yards were more than Mike Davis. Samuel won't necessarily be this productive each time out but he's looking like a must-add given his usage.
Jalen Reagor, Philadelphia Eagles - 24% rostered
Coming off a bye, don't forget about the rookie who scored a touchdown in his previous game. His target count should go up and he shouldn't draw too much coverage from James Bradberry in Week 10, assuming the Giants focus on Travis Fulgham instead.
Tim Patrick, Denver Broncos - 22% rostered
Patrick was a strong streaming consideration against the Falcons and cashed in with a score even if his receiving numbers weren't great (four catches, 29 yards). If K.J. Hamler keeps coming on, it could eat into Patrick's target share further. For now, he should be considered the best fantasy option given his team-leading 16.0 aDoT.
Richie James, San Francisco 49ers - 2% rostered
Before you @ me about why he's so low on the priority list, let's put things into perspective. The Niners were without nearly all of their receivers and running backs on Thursday night, so it was James and Trent Taylor as their top two WRs. Brandon Aiyuk and Kendrick Bourne should be back for Week 10, so James is probably not worth an add outside of the deepest of leagues. At best, you get a decent matchup with New Orleans before they go on bye anyway so you're looking at a one-week desperation flex.
Alshon Jeffery, Philadelphia Eagles - 10% rostered
Word on the street is that Jeffery will be back for Week 10. With Travis Fulgham emerging as one of the biggest breakout performers in the league and Jalen Reagor back in action, it's hard to see Jeffery getting much attention in his first games back from a serious injury.
Michael Pittman Jr., Indianapolis Colts - 7% rostered
Indy is one of the worst NFL teams for fantasy teams to count on. They use three RBs and three TEs regularly, while eight different WRs have caught a pass this season. He led the way with seven targets and 56 receiving yards in Week 9 but may wind up being touchdown-dependent on an offense that spreads it around so much and doesn't typically pass first.
Mack Hollins, Miami Dolphins - 0% rostered
His late touchdown came because Preston Williams exited with a foot injury. That leaves Hollins as one of the top options on an already-thin WR corps that had two receivers opt out before the season, one traded before the deadline, and now one injured. Hollins isn't worth a look outside of deep standard leagues.
Others to consider: Randall Cobb, Houston Texans (21% rostered); Danny Amendola, Detroit Lions (2% rostered)
Tight Ends - Waiver Wire Options
Austin Hooper, Cleveland Browns - 38% rostered
Hooper has been dropped in many leagues due to three straight weeks out of action with appendicitis and a bye. He has resumed practicing and will return in Week 10 to face the Texans. He will be one of the top targets in this offense going forward and should function as a low-end TE1 in fantasy.
Irv Smith Jr., Minnesota Vikings - 7% rostered
Managers of Adam Thielen and Justin Jefferson were undoubtedly aggravated to see the tight end get two touchdown grabs in Week 9. They account for Smith's first two scores of the season but he had been gaining steam in this offense recently and isn't a red-zone threat alone. Smith won't see enough volume to be a reliable weekly start but is usable against Chicago next week.
Logan Thomas, Washington Football Team - 38% rostered
Washington lost starting QB Kyle Allen and fell behind early so their passing game consisted of deep shots to wide receivers throughout the second half. If Alex Smith is the starter in Week 10 and beyond, that isn't necessarily bad for Thomas' value. He's been known to connect with his tight ends in the past, namely Vernon Davis in San Francisco. Thomas is a solid streamer most weeks.
Jordan Reed, San Francisco 49ers - 23% rostered
Reed made his return in Week 9 out of necessity with George Kittle out for several weeks. He only played 23% of the offensive snaps and was targeted twice, catching one ball for three yards. It's easy to assume he'll see more action going forward but it's hard to say how much. The Saints are a great matchup for TEs so Reed becomes an intriguing streamer for those willing to gamble.
Ross Dwelley, San Francisco 49ers - 8% rostered
Dwelley could be the lead TE in San Fran even if Reed sees his snap count rise. He was second on the team with 52 receiving yards against Green Bay, albeit without Brandon Aiyuk or Kendrick Bourne on the field. Reserve these Niners tight ends as last resorts if the above options are taken.
Others to consider: Trey Burton, Indianapolis Colts (23% rostered); Jordan Akins, Houston Texans (7% rostered)
Quarterbacks - Waiver Wire Options
Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins - 33% rostered
In his second start, Tagovailoa was again efficient if not explosive. He completed 20 of 28 passes for 248 yards with two touchdowns and chipped in 35 rushing yards. He has yet to throw an interception either. While he doesn't have the weapons around him to become a starter in single-QB leagues, he could be a solid bye-week replacement for Pat Mahomes and is definitely start-worthy in Superflex leagues. He'll face a Chargers Defense that came into the week allowing the fifth-most fantasy points to quarterbacks.
Nick Foles, Chicago Bears - 10% rostered
Slowly but surely, Foles is getting better for fantasy purposes. In three straight games, he's established season highs in yardage, this time finishing with 335 yards along with two touchdowns. A matchup with Minnesota could continue that streak, as they remain one of the best defenses to stream against despite picking off Matthew Stafford twice. If David Montgomery (concussion) can't go in this game, Foles may have to throw even more than the team would like.
Teddy Bridgewater, Carolina Panthers - 41% rostered
Sometimes you have to throw out the stats. Bridgewater was facing a top-10 pass defense in Kansas City yet threw for 310 yards and two TD with a rushing score to boot. Tampa Bay's defense had been great all year but got absolutely embarrassed by New Orleans on Sunday night. Bridgewater has a ton of weapons at his disposal and is making the most of them. He could match his 367-yard output from the first time these teams met in Week 2, hopefully with a touchdown or two this time.
Philip Rivers, Indianapolis Colts - 21% rostered
After throwing three touchdowns in back-to-back games, Rivers naturally regressed to the zero mark in Week 9. Baltimore proved to be a tough matchup as expected but Tennessee should be an easier test. Still, Rivers' best games have come against weaker opponents like Cincinnati and Detroit; Tennessee doesn't quite fit in that category. He's best left for Superflex leagues.
Jake Luton, Jacksonville Jaguars - 3% rostered
It was a fairly good debut for Luton, as he threw for 304 yards and a touchdown while also rushing for a score. That came against a generous Texans Defense that has allowed 102 points in the last three games and only had two INT on the season before getting one off Luton. The Packers aren't a shutdown defensive unit but common sense says that Luton will have a tougher time in Lambeau Field, rendering him to desperation territory in two-QB leagues.
Garrett Gilbert, Dallas Cowboys - 1% rostered
The Boys got themselves a QB! OK, let's not get carried away but at least we can agree Gilbert was better than Ben DiNucci. He wound up with 243 passing yards, one TD, one INT, and was one throw away from leading the team to a last-second victory. Dallas is off next week but it will be interesting to see if he can hold onto the starting job from here on out.
Others to consider: Derek Carr, Las Vegas Raiders (42% rostered); Nick Mullens, San Francisco 49ers (6% rostered)
Team Defense - Waiver Wire Options
Philadelphia Eagles Defense - 44% rostered
Philly had the week off to rest up for their key divisional matchup with the Giants. Sadly, both teams are still in contention for the NFC East despite sub-.500 records. Daniel Jones wasn't intercepted this past week, which marked only the second time this season. In the previous showdown between these teams in Week 7, the Eagles forced one INT, two fumbles, and three sacks. Not tremendous numbers but they are solid for a streaming DST and there's little chance they give up a high point total.
New Orleans Saints Defense - 42% rostered
If they look the way they did on Sunday night against Tampa Bay... but that's unlikely. Tom Brady was just off from the opening kickoff and things spiraled downward quickly. The reason to be interested here is the home matchup with San Francisco, who is rolling with backups across every position on offense. Nick Mullens hasn't been a turnover machine but he did cough it up twice last week (one interception, one fumble) and holds a 5-4 TD-INT rate on the season. This isn't necessarily a plus-plus matchup but the Saints can be streamed if necessary.
Green Bay Packers Defense - 36% rostered
While Green Bay might have the best matchup on paper with Jacksonville on tap, their defense has not forced enough turnovers to make them fantasy friendly. The Pack have only forced six turnovers in eight games, so we can't get our hopes too high even while facing Jake Luton and company. The best use for this DST is in leagues where points against weigh more heavily. The Jags put up 25 against Houston's bottom-five defense.
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