November 8, 2016

Ben Ruppert's 2016 fantasy football tiered rankings for Week Ten wide receivers (WR) - waiver wire pickups, adds & sleepers for PPR and non-PPR. These are NFL WRs to target.

What’s up everyone! Welcome back for your Week 10 fantasy football waiver wire WR options. This week we have a number of options that have emerged, several of whom are likely available in your league and could help out your WR situation.

Below you will find some deeper waiver wire grabs heading into Week 10. Check out my entries from Week 9 as well. If players like Terrelle Pryor or Tyrell Williams are still out there, PICK THEM UP FIRST. These are deeper options who will likely be available in many leagues. If you are forced to pick between two players, find me on twitter @Ben_Ruppert_21, and I will be more than happy to help you out!

Now, let’s get rolling.

Editor's Note: Once you're done here, be sure to read about even more Week 10 waiver wire recommendations, for all fantasy-relevant positions. Just click on any link: ALL - RB - WR - TE - QB - DEF - FAAB - CUTS

Week 10 Waiver Wire - Wide Receivers (WR)

The Shallow End (Under 50% Owned)

Rishard Matthews, WR, TEN- 46% owned on Fleaflicker

Rishard Matthews had his finest game as a Titans receiver on Sunday, catching six of a team-leading 10 targets for 63 yards and two touchdowns in the high-scoring loss to the Chargers. After a slow start to the season, Matthews has now caught five touchdowns over his last five games. He will continue getting red zone looks (leads all Titans wide receivers), especially if TE Delanie Walker continues ailing from injuries. He has the highest floor of any Tennessee wideout.

Over the past five weeks, he has led all receivers in targets (28, only Walker has more over that span with 32), while averaging four receptions for 48 yards and a TD per game. Matthews has played more snaps than any other Titans receivers this season. Though viewed as a run-first team, the Titans have passes for 2,117 yards this season, 10^th most in the league. Matthews can be viewed as a WR3 or flex player the rest of the season, given his usage in the offense. Next week, the Titans take on the Packers, who have been beatable this season through the air.

Steve Smith Sr.,WR, BAL- 38% owned on Fleaflicker

After missing the Ravens' previous two games, Smith returned from his ankle injury and had an OK game, catching four of a team-leading seven targets for 47 yards. No one outside of Mike Wallace, whose 95-yard TD got the Ravens on the board early over the Steelers, was able to have a good game on Sunday. In games Smith has played in this season, he leads the team in targets with 47-- two more than Wallace.

The return of Smith can only help a team that has been struggling offensively over the past two weeks. The sudden lack of a running attack has hurt the offense as a whole, with Terrance West no longer able to run effectively after a brief stretch of success. Smith can help open things up on the outside; at age 37 he is still more than capable of making big plays. Given his current volume of targets, Smith makes for an interesting add moving forward.

Tyler Boyd, WR, CIN- 25% owned on Fleaflicker

The Bengals were on a bye this week, so we did not get a chance to see them in action. However, Boyd makes for a good add heading into Week 10, mainly in PPR leagues. In Week 8, Boyd caught 5-of-7 targets for 38 yards, and also had a failed attempt at a TD on an end-around in the red zone. What was important about Week 8 for the Bengals was that this was the first time TE Tyler Eifert was fully let loose. Eifert dominated, catching 9-of-12 targets for 102 yards and a TD.

Brandon LaFell saw his usage take the biggest hit with Eifert’s return-- not Boyd. LaFell had his lowest target total all season, with Boyd seeing his highest number since Week 2.  At this point, Boyd isn’t the most reliable option you could pick up, but with Eifert taking more from LaFell and Boyd seeing his role expand in Week 8, he has good potential to make an impact the second half of the season. In Week 10, Cincinnati plays the Giants, who were just torn apart by the Eagles receivers.

J.J. Nelson, WR, ARI- 16% owned on Fleaflicker

When the season started, no one was sure who the Cardinals top WR would be among Larry Fitzgerald, Michael Floyd and John Brown. Fitz has been far and away the best option so far this season, but it is Nelson who has emerged as the No. 2 WR over the past two weeks, with Floyd and Brown taking back seats. Over the past two weeks, Nelson has out-snapped and out-targeted both of them, while catching 11-of-19 targets for 163 yards and two scores.

Last week, Head Coach Bruce Arians said that Nelson is now a starting WR after spending most of the year as the fourth wideout. He has supplanted Floyd, who has been injured and inconsistent all season long, in three-receiver sets. With Nelson now starting for Arizona and looking as good as he has over the past two weeks, he is a great add if you’re looking for some sneaky production the rest of the season. At only 16% owned, he is likely available in your league. Don’t burn a high claim on him, but he has the potential for a big game next week against a weak 49ers defense.

Other Options: Anquan Boldin, DET (48% owned), Brandon LaFell, CIN (36%), Chris Hogan, NE (42%), Pierre Garcon, WAS (35%), Nelson Agholor, PHI (34%), Kendall Wright, TEN (25%), Tyreek Hill, KC (22%), Brian Quick, LA (20%)

The Deep End (Under 15% Owned)

Percy Harvin, WR, BUF- 12% owned on Fleaflicker

Recently re-signed to the Bills, Harvin will make his 2016 debut on Monday night against one of his former teams, the Seattle Seahawks. Harvin was signed to help bolster a Bills WR corps lacking playmakers, with Marquise Goodwin and Robert Woods battling injuries and Sammy Watkins on the IR. Don't expect Harvin to do much this week, but after the bye he could be a good source of production with the lack of remaining options in the offense.

Adam Humphries, WR, TB- 11% owned on Fleaflicker

With Vincent Jackson on the IR and Russell Shepard out on Thursday night, Humphries was able to shine as the No. 2 WR in the Buccaneers' offense. He caught 5-of-7 targets for 46 yards and a TD on the day, with the Bucs attempting 48 total passes while trailing for most of the game. Jackson missing from the offense creates opportunities for Humphries and Shepard, who are both capable of having big days in a pass-first offense.

Quinton Patton, WR, SF- 4% owned on Fleaflicker

In the three games Colin Kaepernick has started for the 49ers, Patton has led the team in targets with 20 total. Patton had his best game of the season this week, catching six passes for 106 yards in the loss to the Saints. His nine targets led the team-- three more than the next closest player. Outside of RB Carlos Hyde (when healthy), it is tough to trust anyone in this offense, but Patton has been seeing enough volume of late to be given consideration in deeper formats.

Taylor Gabriel, WR, ATL- 2% owned on Fleaflicker

Gabriel has provided the Falcons with an unexpected source of offense over the past two weeks. In Week 8, he caught all three of his targets for 68 yards and a TD. In Week 9, he caught all five of his targets for 52 yards, while rushing twice for 24 yards and a TD. He is only averaging three targets per game on the season, so his upside is limited. However, his nose for the end zone these past two weeks might help expand his role as the season progresses. At 1% owned, he is worth a flyer in deeper leagues.

Other Options: Marqise Lee, JAX (14% owned), Adam Thielen, MIN (14%), Cordarrelle Patterson, MIN (13%), Dontrelle Inman, SD (10%), Jermaine Kearse, SEA (9%), Seth Roberts, OAK (9%), Marquise Goodwin, BUF (8%), Brandon Coleman, NO (5%), Albert Wilson, KC (2%), Jordan Norwood, DEN (1%)

That’s all for this week folks, hope you get everyone you claim! For all your WR waiver wire questions, read these articles each week and get at me on twitter @Ben_Ruppert_21. I am more than happy to lend a hand to hungry fantasy owners!