Week ten was dominated by many forgotten or underused players. Last week’s top lineup would have included Baker Mayfield, Derrick Henry, Rashad Penny, Donte Moncrief, and Vance McDonald. If you had these five in your starting lineup, you likely won your Week 10 match-up. For Week 11, Joe Flacco and Sammy Watkins, among others, may not be available this week for fantasy football team owners. Your fantasy football waiver wire should still be filled with some quality players if you need the help.
Last week,we advised to be cautious to add Seahawks tight end Nick Vannett.
While he had one pass that went for eight yards and a touchdown, that was far less than the six receptions on eight targets for 62 yards and a touchdown he scored in Week 9. It would still be tough to trust Vannett as anything more as a streaming option.
This week, be cautious of adding Bills quarterback Matt Barkely. Barkley hasn’t started a football game since 2016 for the Bears. That season, he got the opportunity to start six games but his game performances was a mixed bag. Barkley threw just 25 passes against the Jets completing 15 throws for 232 yards and two touchdowns. The Bills are on a bye this week and emerge to play the Dolphins in Week 12. A string of good games would make Barkley an easier waiver wire grab unless your season is just plain lost.
It’s Week 11 and six teams are in their bye week. We’ll list extra players you can consider if your waiver wire is thin.
Don’t add a player to your fantasy football team if you don’t need one.
QUARTERBACKS
1 Mitch Trubisky, Bears
2 Ryan Fitzpatrick, Buccaneers
3 Baker Mayfield, Browns
5 Dak Prescott, Cowboys
5 Marcus Mariota, Titans
6 Blake Bortles, Jaguars
7 Eli Manning, Giants
There are plenty of options at quarterback for fantasy football team owners.
The Bears Mitch Trubisky rolled in Week 10, throwing for 355 yards and 3 touchdowns while adding 18 yards rushing and a rushing touchdowns. The Bears have a tougher match-up this week against the Vikings but get the Lions again in Week 12. He’s available in thirty percent of fantasy football leagues. Trubisky passing schedules for the rest of the season is average. But he’s your top waiver wire grab if available.
Despite the loss, the Buccaneers Ryan Fitzpatrick continued to throw the football finishing 29-for-41 for 406 yards but zero touchdowns. The Buccaneers have a better passing schedule in three of their next four games. Fitzpatrick is available in almost thirty percent of leagues.
Rookie Baker Mayfield threw multiple touchdowns for a fourth game in a row and it was his best fantasy football game with 216 yards and three pass touchdowns against a decent Falcons pass defense. The re-emergence of the Browns running game continues to be key. Mayfield is on the bye this week but then gets the Bengals in Weeks 12 and 16. He’s available in a little over half of fantasy football waiver wires.
It’s now four weeks in a row that Dak Prescott has scored at least two touchdowns a game, whether passing or rushing. Prescott’s remaining schedule is among the most favorable for quarterbacks. Prescott faces a porous Falcons pass defense in Week 11.
Don’t look now, but in back-to-back games Marcus Mariota has thrown for 240 or more yards and scored two or more touchdowns. This week will likely be his last of favorable match-ups this season against a Colts defense which gave up 320 yards and two touchdowns to Blake Bortles. View Mariota as a solid streaming option this week.
Blake Bortles had his second best fantasy game of the season throwing for 320 yards and two touchdowns. This week, Bortles faces a Steelers pass defense that has stiffened over the season but which should run up the score forcing Bortles to throw early and often. He’ll take on the Colts again in Week 13.
Eli Manning morphed into ‘Good Eli’ in Week 10 with 188 yards passing and three touchdown passes. He’ll get another chance in Week 11 to impress against the Buccaneers whose pass defense is among the worst in fantasy football.
RUNNING BACKS
1 Rashad Penny, Seahawks
2 Duke Johnson, Browns
3 Derrick Henry Titans
4 Josh Adams, Eagles
5 Mike Davis, Seahawks
6 Doug Martin, Raiders
7 Jalen Richard, Raiders
8 Frank Gore, Dolphins
9 Spencer Ware, Chiefs
10 Kapri Bibbs, Redskins
Compared to previous weeks, there’s no “sure-bet” waiver wire pick-up for the running back position. That’s because they all are a part of a running-back-by-committee situation. So, you shouldn’t be in the mix for a running back off the waiver wire unless you are desperate or have room on your bench to take a chance on a player. Give these running backs a look if you need help. The running backs with a longer view are once more ranked higher.
Rashaad Penny turned up in Week 10 taking 12 carries for 108 yards and a touchdown. However, he’ll be part of a committee with Chris Carson, who is expected to return this week, and Mike Davis, who has run well in both their absences. But Penny is the Seahawks first-round pick for 2018. He’s worth adding with the thought that the majority of carries go to Penny.
A Week 9 deep sleeper, Duke Johnson has carved out a role in the Browns offense now that the Browns have an offensive coordinator who likes to use his running backs.
Johnson continued to post double digit fantasy points in all formats in Week 10 with 46 all-purpose yards and a touchdown on 7 touches. Duke Johnson is available in a quarter of fantasy football waiver wires.
Derrick Henry who was dropped in many leagues as the Titans offense struggled, followed up a solid performance in Week 9 with a 58 yards, two touchdown performance in Week 11. Henry is a red-zone touchdown hawk, scoring a touchdown in each of the last three games. Henry is still available in near half of the fantasy football leagues.
The Eagles Josh Adams has been the Eagles best running back over the past three games averaging 6.3 yards per carry. Adams is expected to get more carries but whether these turn into the kind of numbers which include touchdown scores remains to be seen. Still, we’ve seen most of what we must see among the running backs listed here. So, Josh Adams is an up-side waiver wire pick up for those that need the help.
Doug Martin was again the Raiders most productive running back, taking 15 rushes for 61 yards (4.1 YPC) and adding 31 yards on three receptions. Martin has out-touched Jalen Richard 18-to-8. Jalen Richard is a good option in PPR leagues only. Martin is available in over half of the fantasy football waiver wires.
The Seahawks Mike Davis has been outstanding with Rashaad Penny and Chris Carson out. Even with Penny back last week, Davis was a solid fantasy football producer taking 15 touches, 80 all-purpose yards and one touchdown. However, his role depends on the health of Rashaad Penny and Chris Carson.
Frank Gore continues to amaze taking 15 touches for 102 all-purpose yards. His use depends on game flow but he’s not going anywhere. Gore is a great deep league waiver wire pick-up available in near three-quarters of leagues.
WIDE RECEIVERS
1 Allen Robinson, Bears
2 Corey Davis, Titans
3 Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Packers
4 Donte Moncrief, Jaguars
5 Dede Westbrook, Jaguars
6 Chris Godwin, Buccaneers
7 Courtland Sutton, Broncos
8 Zay Jones, Bills
9 John Ross, Bengals
This is a good week to add a wide receiver who will serve as a WR3, flex-play or bye week replacement depending on the size of your league.
Allen Robinson reminded that he’s still a great player, returning from injury and hauling in six receptions for 133 yards and two touchdowns. He’s still available in almost two out of ten leagues and would be your top waiver wire pick-up if available.
The Titans Corey Davis has been great over the last two games hauling in 13 of his 20 targets for 181 yards and one touchdown. He’s available in a quarter of fantasy football leagues and shouldn’t be on any waiver wire. Davis is a weekly WR3 or flex-play option.
With Geronimo Allison out for the rest of the regular season, Packers rookie Marquez Valdes-Scantling looks entrenched as the Packers number two wide receiver hauling in six of seven targets for 44 yards receiving. In five games, he has 21 receptions, 361 yards, and two touchdowns. Valdes-Scantling is a WR3 option in all leagues. He’s available in almost thirty percent of fantasy football leagues.
With the Jaguars set to play the Steelers in Week 11, both Donte Moncrief and Dede Westbrook are great waiver wire additions. The Jaguars will play from behind forcing the Jaguars to lean on their passing game as the game progresses.
With the Redskins focused on shutting down Michael Evans, Chris Godwin emerged as the Buccaneers top wide receiver in Week 10 with seven receptions on seven targets for 103 yards. Things won’t get any easier for Evans against a Giants pass defense which has been stingy. Look for Godwin to continue to thrive this week.
TIGHT ENDS
1 Jeff Heuerman, Broncos
2 Austin Hooper, Falcons
3 Benjamin Watson, Saints
4 Vance McDonald, Steelers
5 Jonnu Smith, Titans
With Demaryius Thomas traded, Jeff Heuerman benefitted most in the passing game in Week 9 where he was targeted a season high 11 times for 83 yards and one touchdown on 10 receptions. Coming out of the bye week, Heuerman has a tight end friendly schedule the rest of the way and is available in almost every fantasy football league out there.
Austin Hooper has established himself as a regular option in the Falcons offense going for 252 yards and two touchdowns on thirty-one-for-thirty-seven receiving over the past four games. Hooper is available in a quarter of leagues.
Jonnu Smith has emerged as a part of the Titans offense over the past two games catching five of five passes to him for 78 yards and two touchdowns. He’s worth a waiver wire pick-up with three favorable match-ups coming up in the next four games.
DEFENSES
1 Panthers (at Lions)
2 Ravens (v. Bengals)
3 Steelers (at Jaguars)
4 Cardinals (v. Raiders)
5 Giants (v. Buccaneers)
Most of this week’s waiver wire adds highlight good defenses with favorable fantasy football match-ups.
Each defense noted above faces an offense in this week’s top ten of most fantasy football points allowed to opposing defenses.
Week 11 Injury Report