It's getting closer, folks. Bye-mageddon is within sight.
Four teams are off in Week 11 (Buccaneers, Cardinals, Giants, Panthers), which feels manageable, especially with two not-so-great offenses in the group. However, SIX squads don't play in Week 12 (Bengals, Bills, Falcons, Jaguars, Jets, Saints). That threatens to derail some fantasy squads just when the fantasy playoffs are coming into view, which is why these are heady times on waivers. Fortunately, the options feel a little more robust than they have been in recent weeks, as players get healthier and rookies continue to make strides.
So, make your claims wisely, my friends, and let's get wired.
The only rule here: Players must be rostered in less than 60 percent of NFL.com leagues to be eligible for the list.
QUARTERBACKS
ROSTERED: 56%
He’s not having the huge games that whip folks into a fantasy frenzy. That’s not the style of the Chargers’ offense under Jim Harbaugh, but Beast Herbert, as he’s now known to his head coach, is providing QB1-caliber production after a whisper-quiet start to the season, which earns him a spot on this list for the second week in a row. He’s averaging 21.1 fantasy points per game in the last three weeks, accounting for two TDs in each, and now gets a chance to poke holes in a Bengals defense that allows the fifth-most FPPG to quarterbacks in 2024. Feed the Beast before it’s too late.
ROSTERED: 28%
Nix had a very respectable showing (16.1 fantasy points) on the road against the undefeated Chiefs in Week 10. I’ve been bullish on the rookie before in this space, and I am again this week because he has a highly favorable matchup awaiting him on Sunday. The Broncos will host the Falcons, who have allowed 20.1 FPPG to quarterbacks in their last four contests (sixth-most). Nix’s floor has been 14 points since the start of October and he’s posted 20-plus points three times during this stretch, with each of those outbursts coming at home. Nix is looking pretty darn steady of late. He’s a top streaming option if you need a starter.
ROSTERED: 3%
Maye struggled against a strong Bears defense in Week 10. The rookie was held to just 11.76 fantasy points, his lowest output in a game he started and finished since becoming the Patriots’ QB1. He has a more favorable matchup in Week 11, though, with a home game against the Rams, who will be coming off a short week. He has averaged nearly 17 FPPG in the four contests he’s started and finished, making plays as a dual threat despite New England’s clear weaknesses on offense. He’s a riskier play, but not a bad streamer at all if you’re unable to snag Herbert or Nix.
RUNNING BACKS
ROSTERED: 40%
He had been trending up in the two games before Pittsburgh’s Week 9 bye, but Sunday sent a clear signal that it’s time to roster Warren if you can. He set season-highs in touches (16) and fantasy points (9.5) against the Commanders, rushing for a team-high 66 yards on 14 carries and catching two passes for 29 yards. Steelers RB1 Najee Harris got banged up against Washington, but it didn’t appear to be a serious injury, as he was able to stay in the game. Warren is still the backup, but the trajectory and upside (back-to-back 100-yard games around this time a year ago) make him a worthy pickup.
ROSTERED: 31%
The Gus Bus rides again! After missing the previous four games with an ankle injury, Edwards led the Chargers with 55 yards rushing on 10 carries (5.5 per) in Week 10. Four of his rushing attempts came in the red zone, although he did not have either of the Bolts’ rushing TDs. J.K. Dobbins is still going to get his share of the workload for Los Angeles, but we know Jim Harbaugh wants to pound the rock and the Bolts should see plenty of scoring opportunities with games against the Bengals and Ravens up next. The arrow is pointing up here.
ROSTERED: 1%
After a quiet start to his NFL career, Benson has posted double-digit points in consecutive weeks, putting himself back on the fantasy radar. He led the Cardinals with 62 rushing yards on 10 carries on Sunday, and also had two grabs for 25 yards. James Conner is the RB1 in Arizona, and the team isn’t always going to be salting the game away with huge leads, like it was in Sunday’s demolition of the Jets. Plus, the Cardinals are on bye this week, so don’t get too carried away here. If you’re in a deep league, the rookie will be worth a look as a Flex option in Week 12 and is at worst a Conner handcuff to roster.
ROSTERED: 0.1%
Estimé had 15 total carries in five games this season entering Week 10, but in a huge road test against the defending champs, Sean Payton entrusted the fifth-round pick with a team-high 14 totes for 53 yards (3.8 per). No other Broncos running back had more than two carries. Estimé saw 45 percent of the snaps, while Javonte Williams received 29 percent and Jaleel McLaughlin played 12 percent. It’s not 100 percent clear if Payton will give Estimé that same share of the carries going forward, but the potential for high volume should make him a priority on the waiver wire. The Notre Dame product is no stranger to a heavy workload and could become a weapon on the goal line.
Keep an eye on: Cam Akers. The Vikings' RB1, Aaron Jones, was able to return from the chest injury he suffered on Sunday, but it's worth monitoring his status this week just to ensure there's no cause for concern. Akers matched a season-high with 13 carries against the Jaguars, but he gained just 38 yards on the ground (2.9 per). He's clearly the RB2 in Minnesota, though, after being reacquired before the trade deadline.
WIDE RECEIVERS
ROSTERED: 51%
ROSTERED: 16%
This duo is back for another round in the waiver wire column. Jennings was Brock Purdy’s go-to guy in Week 10, with the QB targeting him a team-high 11 times in the WR’s return from a hip injury. Jennings led the squad with seven catches for 93 yards, his best performance since he had the game of his life back in Week 3. As for Pearsall, he made the first TD catch of his career against the Bucs and played 64 percent of the snaps, trailing only Jennings and Deebo Samuel among 49ers WRs. The rookie has now been targeted 15 times in three games. I’d prioritize Jennings over Pearsall based on his target volume, but both players should be in play as Flex options, at minimum, against the Seahawks in Week 11.
ROSTERED: 37%
I’ve been hyping Tillman here for what feels like forever now, and the time is still right for you to sneak him onto your roster with Cleveland coming off a bye. He's averaging 22.2 FPPG in his last three contests and has a promising matchup against the Saints in Week 11. With Tillman receiving 20 targets in Jameis Winston's two starts, the veteran QB is clearly a big fan. You should be, too! In deeper leagues, Browns WRs Jerry Jeudy and Elijah Moore should be on your radar, as well.
ROSTERED: 12%
If Johnston is going to keep on scoring TDs, I’m going to have to keep mentioning him here. He now has hit pay dirt five times in his seven games this season and has scored double-digit fantasy points in most of his outings. He’s TD-dependent, yes, but the Chargers have matchups against the porous Bengals' and Ravens' pass defenses awaiting them, which means there are probably many more TD opportunities to come for Johnston. He’s at least a Flex option to consider, even though he was targeted just twice on Sunday.
Keep an eye on: Seventh-year breakthroughs are a rare thing, so I'm not hopping aboard the Marquez Valdes-Scantling bandwagon, but he does deserve his flowers as the fantasy WR2 in Week 10. Now with the Saints, he caught all three of his targets for 109 yards and two TDs against the Falcons. That should be celebrated. Yet, there's nothing in his long track record to suggest we can expect such production from him on a consistent basis. If you're running out of options and feel like taking a chance, the injuries in New Orleans' receiving corps should afford MVS a steady diet of opportunities.
TIGHT ENDS
ROSTERED: 32%
Tanner Hudson was the Bengals tight end with a TD catch in Week 10, but it was Gesicki who saw six-plus targets for the third straight game. He was held to four grabs for 30 yards, but let’s not forget he had five catches for 100 yards and two TDs a week earlier. It’s still not clear when Tee Higgins will return from injury for Cincinnati, and until he’s back, Gesicki is going to be getting enough looks to be a starting option in most fantasy leagues.
ROSTERED: 2%
We’ll need to monitor Bills TE Dalton Kincaid’s status this week after he left Sunday’s game with a knee injury. If Kincaid is unable to go against the Chiefs, Knox becomes the TE1 for Buffalo. He has just 10 catches through Week 10, and we know from past experience that the ceiling isn’t super high even when Knox is functioning as the Bills’ TE1, but Kincaid leads the team with 59 targets. Keon Coleman and Amari Cooper were both inactive due to injuries on Sunday. There’s a lot of volume to be gobbled up by Josh Allen’s healthy pass catchers.
DEFENSES
ROSTERED: 39%
This is the top D/ST to stream this week. The Packers are coming off a bye and will visit the Bears, who have failed to score a TD on 23 straight possessions. For those of you keeping score at home, that’s two full games. Matt Eberflus’ team is a mess right now, with the head coach firing Shane Waldron nine games into his run as offensive coordinator. Green Bay’s defense scored just 11 fantasy points total in its three games prior to the bye, but the last two defenses to face Bears combined for 28 points. The Packers should eat.
ROSTERED: 31%
I know it’s a tough season to trust the Saints’ defense, but if you care to roll the dice, there’s a high-ceiling matchup for them against the Browns in Week 11. Jameis Winston threw three INTs and was sacked six times in his last outing, and New Orleans will be playing at home for the second straight week after holding the Falcons to 17 points on Sunday.
ROSTERED: 24%
Things set up pretty nicely for the Texans D/ST schedule-wise leading up to their Week 14 bye. Fresh off their five-pick performance against the Lions, Houston plays the Cowboys, Titans and Jaguars over the next three weeks. Those three teams combined to score 30 points on Sunday, and two of them are missing a starting quarterback due to injury. While there have been ups and downs, the Texans have scored double-digit fantasy points in three of their last five games. I would expect to see more outputs on the high end in the weeks ahead.
