Fantasy Football Week 10 Waiver Wire Pickup Advice
Is your fantasy team in need of new blood? Each week I’ll bring to you the best pickups to make ahead of the waiver deadline. All the players I list will be rostered in fewer than 50 percent of leagues, with the roster percentages coming from Yahoo.com.
Quarterbacks
Joshua Dobbs, Vikings (15% Rostered): Dobbs was thrown into a major game for the Vikings coming off being traded and not practicing at all with the team, and somehow won them the game and threw for 158 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 66 yards and another score. No, this isn’t going to be the norm for him, and no, I’m not wildly overreacting to this performance. Dobbs has been on this list before because he’s competent as a passer, making him very viable in plus matchups, and he also runs the ball. Dobbs is third in the NFL among QBs in rushing attempts (54), second in yards (324, eight more than Jalen Hurts!), and tied for fourth in rushing TDs. Also, unlike in Arizona, Dobbs actually has some potent receiving options here and might get Justin Jefferson back soon.
Baker Mayfield, Buccaneers (48% Rostered): Mayfield is becoming a steady, if low-ceiling, option at QB. You’re not getting any boom games from him these days, but he has thrown two touchdown passes in back-to-back games, and against Atlanta crossed the 275-yard threshold. Mayfield has a poor reputation, but he’s not giving you the soul-crushing games that players like Zach Wilson are capable of so he can be trusted to hold the fort as long as Mike Evans and Chris Godwin are running the routes.
Will Levis, Titans (45% Rostered): Levis was firmly back on Earth after a four-touchdown debut, throwing for zero touchdowns on Thursday night vs. the Steelers. But, Levis did amass 262 passing yards and overall looked competent. There will be growing pains for him for sure, but he’s got a big arm, he’s smart enough to get the ball to DeAndre Hopkins, and he’s mobile. Levis has a lower floor than Dobbs or Mayfield, but he’s the only QB on this list with real upside.
Running Backs
Keaton Mitchell, Ravens (4% Rostered): Is Mitchell exciting? Hell yeah he is. Who doesn’t get jazzed up about 138 yards on nine carries for the Baltimore Ravens? The problem here is that visions of De’Von Achane are dancing in folks’ heads, and this ain’t that. Mitchell was undrafted, and players with such low draft capital face uphill battles for relevance. He also has Gus Edwards ahead of him who is a clear goal line back as well as a long-time competent veteran for this team, and Justice Hill, who does similar stuff but has seniority. With that said, the talent here is extremely obvious, so he’s easily the top RB add of the week and a fun stash. But if you are expecting him to save your season, it’s a longshot and you need to be scouring the trade market. Maybe spend big and flip Mitchell to a loaded team that can afford to speculate.
Tyjae Spears, Titans (41% Rostered): Spears’ standalone role is still too small to be really playable for any reason beyond a dire injury or bye week crunch, but I continue to treat him as a must-roster in all leagues due to the role awaiting him in the event of a Derrick Henry injury.
Kenneth Gainwell, Eagles (28% Rostered): Gainwell is in the same position as Spears, only he’s less talented, but in a better offense. Gainwell infuriatingly earns short yardage and goal line work, but not enough that you can trust him each week. If D’Andre Swift goes down though, Gainwell’s going to produce because you could drive Mack trucks through the holes the Eagles’ offensive line provides.
Zach Charbonnet, Seahawks (45% Rostered): Charbonnet has been on the field for over 50% of the snaps for two straight weeks, and does seem to have priority in passing down/negative game script scenarios over Ken Walker. That’s great and all, but the Seahawks offense has looked like hot garbage in the past two weeks with Walker not being fed. Charbonnet is a good player, but not special like Walker, and this team’s identity is Walker, especially with Geno Smith turning back into a pumpkin. Charbonnet is comparable to Spears and Gainwell.
Wide Receivers
Tank Dell, Texans (48% Rostered): Dell announced he’s no fluke last week, teaming with fellow rookie C.J. Stroud to put on an absolute air show vs. the Bucs. Dell has a lot of competition on this team for work, but he’s undoubtedly got a really high weekly ceiling. Week 9 was the second time he has gone for more than 100 yards and found the end zone in the same game, this time scoring twice to go with his 114 yards. Despite his small frame, Dell is not a gadget/slot receiver; this man wins battles, tears up zone and can make plays on the ball down the field. He’s not an elite guy yet, but Stroud being legit makes him a fine play every single week regardless of matchup.
Demario Douglas, Patriots (35% Rostered): Douglas is the team’s best pass catcher, and for the third straight week saw six or more targets. Unfortunately, the targets are just not very valuable in this low-output offense, and it renders Douglas a floor play in half and full-PPR formats and not much more than that. The good news is that he seems like an extremely safe bet to not goose managers, and that he’ll be reliable for about four or five receptions. Just be aware that unless he can make a guy miss and scoot to the end zone, you’re pretty much locking in around 4-8 points by using him.
Tight Ends
Jonnu Smith, Falcons (28% Rostered): I’m glad I gave Jonnu Smith one more week! He went nuts vs. the Vikings, putting up 100 yards and a touchdown on five receptions, absolutely nuclear production from a TE. Now, we can’t ignore that he’d been under 40 yards for three straight games prior to this, and that it could change at any moment, but the Falcons seem to be enjoying getting the ball to him lately, and he has scored in two of his last four. The bust risk is high, but that exists for most TE.
Hunter Henry, Patriots (38% Rostered): Henry found his way back into the end zone after going scoreless since Week 2. The Patriots offense absolutely sucks, so the floor is a zero from Henry, but Indianapolis does give up the fifth-most yards to TEs (61.8), making Henry viable.
Possibly Available
Matthew Stafford, QB, Rams (51% Rostered)
Tyler Allgeier, RB, Falcons (57% Rostered)
Devin Singletary, RB, Texans (50% Rostered)
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seahawks (58% Rostered)
Tyler Boyd, WR, Bengals (57% Rostered)
Romeo Doubs, WR, Packers (58% Rostered)
Taysom Hill, TE, Saints (64% Rostered)
Drop Candidates – HODL or Say Goodbye?
Geno Smith, QB, Seahawks (75% Rostered): HODL. If your QB is on bye, or you’re dealing with an injury at the position Geno gets Washington this week. After that, drop him.
Darrell Henderson Jr., RB, Rams (62% Rostered): HODL. Ugly now, but he remains the RB1 for this offense that will be more competent when Matthew Stafford comes back.
Gabe Davis, WR, Bills (91% Rostered): HODL. His spike games are simply too good to just throw away, but the lows are undoubtedly painful.
Kyle Pitts, TE, Falcons (95% Rostered): Say Goodbye. He’s just a tease. Drop him. It’ll feel so good.