RADIO
It's crunch time, with precious few games left before the fantasy regular season ends. There aren't many new names emerging on the waiver wire at this juncture but the RB situations in Atlanta and Detroit bear watching, while the Jets passing game has shown signs of life. No, really.
Each week, we will advise you which players to consider picking up on waivers that are owned in approximately 35% or fewer of Yahoo leagues so that you can make an educated decision about how to improve your fantasy football team. This list is not meant to be exclusive of all add-worthy players. For a more comprehensive list, check out our weekly Waiver Wire Lightning Round by position, ordered by priority. If higher-owned players not listed here are available in your league, feel free to treat them as higher-priority pickups.
As always, keep checking back here for updated waiver recommendations and always keep tabs on our NFL Player News feed. Be sure to also check out our weekly rankings and analysis columns, with in-depth analysis for all options heading into Week 10.
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Quarterbacks - Waiver Wire Options
Sam Darnold, New York Jets - 22% owned
There's a reason I've been listing Darnold in this column for the past couple of weeks. He only threw for 230 yards and one TD but a rushing score gave him a decent final output. He's talented and has a strong supporting cast of skills players, whether you believe that or not. Jamison Crowder has been great, Robby Anderson is inconsistent but talented, and he now has Chris Herndon IV back at TE alongside Ryan Griffin. Le'Veon Bell may never again put up numbers as he did in the Steel City but he's a great checkdown option too. The Jets' schedule just doesn't get harder, as they face the Redskins in Week 11. Darnold is still a solid pickup.
Nick Foles, Jacksonville Jaguars - 19% owned
The return of Nick Foles as the starting QB in Jacksonville may be disappointing to Uncle Rico fans everywhere, but it's not necessarily a bad thing for the offense. Gardner Minshew was exposed in London, finally looking like a rookie as he threw three INT. Foles was off to a good start in Week 1 before the collarbone injury and the WR group looks deeper than ever, so there is top-20 upside. He doesn't get a great matchup, facing the Colts on the road, so relegate him to two-QB or Superflex league starter status.
Kyle Allen, Carolina Panthers - 15% owned
Somehow, facing the Saints bolstered the Atlanta Falcons' pass defense ranking, so now they are only sixth-worst against quarterbacks rather than fourth-worst. They still allow 267 passing yards and 25.4 fantasy points per game, which is enough to make Allen streamable even in single-QB leagues this coming week. Allen enjoyed his first 300-yard passing game and no longer has to worry about Cam Newton returning to steal his job, so we may see him retain a newfound comfort level.
Others to consider: Mitch Trubisky, Chicago Bears (20% owned); Mason Rudolph, Pittsburgh Steelers (10% owned)
Running Backs - Waiver Wire Options
Derrius Guice, Washington Redskins - 36% owned
I'll simply piggyback on what I said last week about Guice. He is full of risk based on his injury history, lack of experience, and terrible team context. He's still worth stashing, if you can afford to, because there isn't a running back available on waivers that comes close to his talent level. If Guice can work his way up to 15 touches per game by the time the fantasy playoffs arrive, he could be a valuable RB3/Flex.
Alexander Mattison, Minnesota Vikings - 29% owned
Still one of the most valuable handcuffs you can own, Mattison occasionally flashes standalone value too. Case in point - Sunday night he ran for 53 yards and a touchdown before the fourth quarter had began. He's averaging almost five yards per carry in his rookie campaign and would be a fantasy RB2 if he weren't behind one of the best running backs in the game.
J.D. McKissic, Detroit Lions - 21% owned
Between his ineffectiveness and a concussion that forced him to leave early in Week 10, Ty Johnson is a non-factor and droppable in fantasy leagues. By default, since they have no other RB who belongs on an NFL roster (I refuse to acknowledge Paul Perkins' existence), McKissic is now the back to own in Detroit. He brings an adequate floor in full PPR leagues based on his pass-catching ability, even if he never rushes for as much as 50 yards in a game, ever. He caught six passes against the Bears and might be leaned on as much, if not more, next week if Matthew Stafford remains out.
Brian Hill, Atlanta Falcons - 1% owned
Ito Smith is on IR, so Hill will continue to get touches in this backfield from here on out. He looked better than Devonta Freeman in Week 10, totaling 71 yards on 21 touches as opposed to 48 on 11 touches for Freeman. Of course, Freeman left the game early with a foot injury so the door was open for Hill to run away with the job. If Freeman sits out Week 11, Hill becomes a must-add and a flex candidate all over. Next week's opponent, Carolina, has a strong pass rush but is allowing the fourth-most fantasy points to running backs and a 5.05 Y/A average that is only behind the Chiefs, fresh off their thrashing by Derrick Henry.
Myles Gaskin, Miami Dolphins - 0% owned
How thin are the running back ranks? It's gotten to the point where the fourth-string running back for the Miami Dolphins might be fantasy-relevant despite not carrying the ball yet this season. Gaskin, a seventh-rounder out of Washington, didn't run the ball and caught just one pass for zero yards. At least it was a red-zone look that could have been a touchdown if the pass were zipped in there rather than lobbed. The fact that Kalen Ballage refuses to average more than two yards a pop (43 yards on 20 carries) and can't catch very well could lead to increased usage for the suddenly unstoppable Dolphins.
Others to consider: Tony Pollard, Dallas Cowboys (13% owned); Gus Edwards, Baltimore Ravens (4% owned)
Wide Receivers - Waiver Wire Options
Cole Beasley, Buffalo Bills - 32% owned
Can we all just add Beasley somewhere so he isn't at the top of this list each week? He scored in three straight games following the bye and came away with 74 yards on four catches this week. Now, he gets to face the Dolphins, where the scoring streak began. Beasley is the very definition of high floor.
Kenny Stills, Houston Texans - 27% owned
Stills had been quiet the past two games before Houston's bye and hasn't scored since Week 1. He's still a viable streamer with the likes of Davante Adams and Tyler Lockett taking this week off, although it's hard to argue that he's any safer than the other receivers listed below. Baltimore isn't exactly a funnel defense but they are more vulnerable to the pass and could give up a big play to the speedster.
Mecole Hardman, Kansas City Chiefs - 27% owned
While we usually prefer a receiver to see a higher target share than 10%, fifth on his team, we'll make an exception here. Hardman is an example where quality may trump quantity. He caught exactly one pass in Week 10 but it went for a 63-yard touchdown. He has five scores on a total of 21 receptions in his rookie year. He will continue to be a boom-bust play capable of taking it deep on any given play, especially now that Patrick Mahomes is back.
Chris Conley, Jacksonville Jaguars - 15% owned
Whether you agree with it or not, Foles is back behind center for the Jaguars. That shouldn't hurt Conley in the least, especially if Dede Westbrook is still hurt. Conley is leading the league with 20 yards per reception, although a 50% catch rate limits his production. While D.J. Chark remains the top target, as evidenced by the fact his air yard total is nearly 200 more than Conley, there is big-play potential with a gunslinger like Foles.
Darius Slayton, New York Giants - 9% owned
Naturally, the most exciting waiver wire option at receiver won't play next week because of a bye. Needless to say, 10 receptions and 121 yards are both career highs for the rookie. Slayton has fluctuated between being invisible or being a big-play machine. In Week 10, he posted his second two-TD game, taking advantage of the fact Evan Engram was out and Sterling Shepard is seemingly done for the year. For that fact alone, Slayton is worth stashing since he should remain in the starting receiver rotation once the team comes back in Week 12 to face Chicago.
Demaryius Thomas, New York Jets - 8% owned
Jamison Crowder had been lead dog among the receivers but DT jumped to the forefront in Week 10 with nine targets, six receptions and 84 yards. Thomas shouldn't draw Josh Norman next week, leaving the task to Robby Anderson, which means he has a favorable matchup once again when the team visits Washington.
Andy Isabella, Arizona Cardinals - 1% owned
The rookie speedster keeps making a case for playing time, piling up YAC when the chance presents itself. Isabella has gone over 75 receiving yards in two straight games now. The problem is that the Cards travel to face the 49ers next week, which may be the wrong time to hope for another standout performance. His 88-yard bomb a couple weeks ago was against the Niners but there's no way to predict a play like that happening again. He can be considered a stash in certain formats but is better left for the watch list in the short term.
Others to consider: Diontae Johnson, Pittsburgh Steelers (18% owned); Deebo Samuel, San Francisco 49ers (13% owned); N'Keal Harry, New England Patriots (12% owned)
Tight Ends - Waiver Wire Options
Noah Fant, Denver Broncos - 12% owned
The bye week has kept Fant's ownership low despite his breakout game. When last we saw Fant, he was racking up 112 yards with a long touchdown and a career-best game that came with Joe Flacco on the sidelines. There's no guarantee of a repeat based on the fact that much of his production came on a single play but there is tangible upside. Denver has two tough road games the next two weeks but the schedule softens, at least on the defensive side, after that.
Tyler Eifert, Cincinnati Bengals - 8% owned
It's easy to assume Eifert is only appearing here because he scored a touchdown. That is part of the reason... but it also goes to show that rookie Ryan Finley may lean on him in the red zone, assuming the Bengals ever get back there. A.J. Green is getting shut down for the season so Eifert is still one of the few viable targets in Cincy. He'll face a Raiders team that allows the most passing yards and third-most fantasy points to tight ends.
Ross Dwelley, San Francisco 49ers - 5% owned
A few fantasy owners added Dwelley as a desperation replacement for All-Pro George Kittle on MNF. I'm here to tell you that he needs to be added for next week, regardless of whether Kittle returns. The Niners play Arizona in Week 11, which went from being the worst defense against tight ends to by far the worst when they allowed O.J. Howard to score and rack up 47 yards on four catches, which is his second-best output of the year. Dwelley himself caught four passes against the Cards two weeks ago with Kittle on the field, so imagine what he could do if Kittle is out or limited?
Jacob Hollister, Seattle Seahawks - 5% owned
He did it again. Hollister came away with another touchdown on Monday Night Football and was targeted again in the red zone, although it turned into a crucial interception that could (should) have cost Seattle the game. The most important and surprising thing is that Hollister led the team with eight catches and tied DK Metcalf with 10 targets. Tyler Lockett's injury had something to do with that, obviously. The Seahawks are off in Week 11 but Hollister is looking like a nice stash for the time being.
Benjamin Watson, New England Patriots - 2% owned
One of the elder statesmen of the league, along with his quarterback, 38-year-old Watson started to get involved in the passing game with four catches on five targets back in Week 9. The Eagles don't allow a lot of points to the tight end position, so he will likely require a trip to the end zone in order to pay off.
Others to consider: Kyle Rudolph, Minnesota Vikings (33% owned); Dallas Goedert, Philadelphia Eagles (17% owned); Dawson Knox, Buffalo Bills (5% owned)
Team Defense - Waiver Wire Options
Dallas Cowboys Defense - 43% owned
Although slightly above the ownership threshold for this piece, Dallas is close enough that they are streamable in leagues where that strategy is predominantly used. The Boys fell to the Vikes on Sunday night, giving up 28 points and 153 rushing yards while failing to force a turnover in the process. The good news is that Leighton Vander Esch returned healthy and they'll have a far easier time facing the Lions next week. If Jeff Driskel is still the starting QB, bet on a pick or two.
New York Jets Defense - 22% owned
This beleaguered team with its injury-riddled linebacker corps has fought hard all year, if nothing else. They forced four sacks and two turnovers against the Giants, so surely they can do just as well in Washington with another rookie QB, Dwayne Haskins, getting the start. If you have to reach beyond the top-15 DST choices and Dallas isn't available, fly with the Jets in Week 11.
Oakland Raiders Defense - 2% owned
When a defensive unit is freely available in 98% of all fantasy leagues, there is usually a good reason. The Raiders entered Week 10 ranked 27th in team defense, having allowed the most passing yards in the NFL. But that doesn't matter because they get to face the Bengals, who we assume will roll out rookie fourth-round pick Ryan Finley again because... why not at this point? He threw a pick-six and was sacked twice in his debut. The Raiders themselves are coming off a strong showing in which they intercepted Philip Rivers three times, with a pick-six included. This is an obvious DFS tournament play and an under-the-radar DST streaming option in 14-16 team leagues.
