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Welcome everyone to the fantasy football Week 11 waiver wire! I’m here as always to help you make the best fantasy waiver pickups for Week 11. There are a lot of other quality players to look at adding this week on the waiver wire. This article is challenging to make relevant to all the different kinds of leagues out there. There are different league sizes, scoring settings, and roster requirements, which can make things difficult. As a general rule of thumb, I'll only be looking at players with a rostership percentage of 50% or lower, according to Yahoo! rostership percentages.
One thing I'll be adding this year is a category distinction for all players. This should help you figure out which players to add based on what your waiver wire goals are. Keep in mind that players can qualify for multiple distinctions. Those distinctions will be as follows:
- BC: Breakout Candidate – This is a player who may not be startable yet, but has a good chance of breaking out and becoming a weekly starter at some point in the season. If you're not in need of a starter this week, these are the players you should be targeting off the waiver wire.
- WS: Weekly Streamer – This is a player who is not a weekly starter or even someone you cannot drop, but rather they are someone you can target if the matchup is right or if you're desperate for a one-time starter. This is likely to be a quarterback or tight end.
- DP: Depth Player – This is a player who reminds me of a quote from Bad Santa, "They can't all be winners, now can they?" Obviously, we'd all love to have breakout players, but it's also important to have quality depth players who can be started during bye weeks and be decent injury-replacement players.
- DL: Deep League Add – This is for competitive 12-team leagues or larger.
- IF: Injury Fill-In – This is a player who will be a weekly spot starter during the starter's absence due to injuries.
- MA: Must Add – This is a player who due to any number of circumstances, now finds himself as a weekly fantasy starter and is someone fantasy managers should be adding to their teams.
- UH: Upside Handcuff – This is reserved for our running backs who could become prominent players if the primary starter gets hurt.
All of these players are listed in the order I would advise prioritizing them by position. This includes the "others to consider" sections. If you have any specific waiver wire questions, give me a follow on X @RobFFSlayer, and don’t be afraid to reach out. I’ll be completing the waiver wire column all year here at RotoBaller and I hope to help as many of you as possible win your fantasy football league.
Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2024:- Quarterback fantasy football rankings
- Running back fantasy football rankings
- Wide receiver fantasy football rankings
- Tight end fantasy football rankings
- Kicker fantasy football rankings
- FLEX fantasy football rankings
- Defense (D/ST) fantasy football rankings
- Superflex fantasy football rankings
- IDP fantasy football rankings
- Dynasty fantasy football rankings
Quarterbacks - Waiver Wire Options
Joshua Dobbs, Minnesota Vikings – 52% Rostered (MA, WS)
Dobbs played his first eight games of the season with the Arizona Cardinals. Half of that time, the team was missing starting running back, James Conner. The offensive weapons were severely lacking. Despite this, Dobbs managed to finish as a top-10 quarterback in four weeks.
In a fifth game, Dobbs finished as the QB13. That is incredibly impressive considering the circumstances he faced. During those first eight weeks of the season, Dobbs averaged 17.2 PPG, which was good for 16th among quarterbacks with at least four starts. Now imagine going from throwing to Marquise Brown, Michael Wilson, Rondale Moore, and Zach Ertz to Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, K.J. Osborn, and T.J. Hockenson.
In his first game with the Vikings, Dobbs was amazing, both as a passer and a runner. He completed 23 of his 34 passes for 268 yards and one touchdown. He also had eight carries for 44 yards and another score. This was really after just his first week of practice with Minnesota and he didn't have the world's greatest receiver on the planet available to him.
Once Jefferson returns, with the bevy of weapons he has at his disposal along with the high level of passing volume and his rushing ability, Dobbs has the potential to finish as a QB1 during his tenure with Minnesota.
Russell Wilson, Denver Broncos – 46% Rostered (WS, DP)
Wilson has become somewhat of a running joke, but he hasn't been the problem in Denver this season. He's scored at least two touchdowns in five out of eight games. He's also on pace to finish the season with 427 rushing yards. That equals roughly 25 yards per game. That's 2.5 extra fantasy points each week that he's providing to fantasy managers on the ground. He has four games with 30 or more rushing yards.
In his earlier years, Wilson was more than a competent rusher, but in the past two years, this has been a skill set that seemed to somewhat disappear. It has come back this year. He's currently on pace for 34 passing touchdowns. He has two top-12 quarterback finishes this season. He has another five where he's finished inside the top 20. He's been incredibly consistent with 14 or more points in seven out of eight games. Wilson may not be a weekly starter, but he's a really good QB2 and one of the better streamers you can find week-to-week.
Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers – 52% Rostered (WS, DP)
Fantasy managers have to hand it to Mayfield. He's played excellent football this season. Through nine games, he's completed 64.5% and is on pace for 4,048 yards and 26 touchdowns. Even more impressive, he has just five turnovers. His excellent on-field play has translated to fantasy football success as well.
He has scored over 18 fantasy points in three consecutive games. He's scored over 18 in five of his nine games. While his ceiling isn't as high as other signal-callers who use their legs -- his high weekly output is 23 -- he's made up for that with excellent consistency. He's scored 16 or more in seven out of nine games.
He has a tough three-game stretch coming up against the 49ers, Colts, and Panthers. These teams have allowed the 25th, 21st, and 17th-most points to opposing quarterbacks this season. Still, Mayfield is playing well enough that he deserves a roster spot, especially considering the number of quarterback injuries fantasy managers have had to endure this season. He's averaging 16.4 points per game and is a quality QB2 to have on your bench. In plus matchups, he makes for an excellent streamer.
Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams – 41% Rosterd (WS, DP)
Stafford hasn't been great this season and his sprained thumb on his throwing hand creates even more questions, but with Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua at receiver, I believe his best football of the season is still ahead of him. In Weeks 1-4, Stafford was without Kupp, who was on IR. He scored between 11.5-16.2 points in those first four games. Since getting Kupp back, Stafford's scoring hasn't really changed all that much. From Weeks 5-8, he's scored between 11.4-16.9 points. However, there's reason to believe that Stafford should have better games on the horizon.
His TD rate this season is just 2.9%. His career average is at 4.6%. During his time with the Rams, his TD rate is 5.0%. We should be expecting that TD rate to climb significantly in the second half of the season. Coming off their Week 10 bye, Stafford will get the Seahawks, who have given up the 15th-most points to quarterbacks, and then the Cardinals, who have allowed the eighth-most.
Stafford is averaging 34.8 passes per game, which is in the top 12 in the league. He'll have plenty of volume. He has two excellent receivers to target and a TD rate we should be expecting to climb. He can be viewed as a solid QB2 and a decent streamer for the next two weeks.
Others to consider: Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers – 43% Rostered (WS, DP), Gardner Minshew, Indianapolis Colts – 18% Rostered (WS, DP), Will Levis, Tennessee Titans – 54% Rostered (WS, DL), Kenny Pickett, Pittsburgh Steelers – 17% Rostered (DL)
Running Backs - Waiver Wire Option
Keaton Mitchell, Baltimore Ravens – 47% Rostered (MA, BC, DP, WS)
Mitchell burst onto the scene in Week 9 when he rushed nine times for 138 yards and a touchdown. He played sparingly in a blowout but seemed to have moved ahead of veteran running back Justice Hill. Mitchell came into Week 10 nursing a hamstring injury.
In the first quarter, fellow running back Gus Edwards played nine snaps and Mitchell played six. Hill did not receive a single snap in the first quarter. Unfortunately, Mitchell played just seven snaps the rest of the game. Baltimore got up early and they may have opted to rest him due to his hamstring injury. While the game got much closer, they may have questioned returning him to the game.
However, just like last week, Mitchell popped in a big week. He had a 39-yard rushing score and a 32-yard reception on a screenplay. These two plays alone outgained Edwards and Hill combined. Mitchell is not going to command a heavy workload. He's not going to see 15+ touches a game. However, he's already displayed elite efficiency.
Baltimore's offense is one of the best units in the league. He doesn't need 15+ touches a game to be a fantasy starter. He gives me strong De'Von Achane vibes and should be viewed as an RB3 with RB2 upside weekly. If he’s able to secure a role with 10 or so touches, he could have RB2 value for the rest of the season.
Devin Singletary, Houston Texans – 49% Rostered (DP, UH)
Dameon Pierce ended up missing Week 9 due to an ankle injury and didn't practice in any capacity Wednesday-Friday. It was a tough matchup for Singletary against Tampa, but he handled the vast majority of the backfield work. He played 54 of the team's 72 snaps. He ran 27 routes and the next closest running back was at 16. He also handled 13 of the team's 14 running back carries. He finished with just 26 yards.
Houston has one of the worst rushing offenses in the league, but with Pierce out, Singletary became a solid volume play, even though it didn't work out last week. This week, however, was a different story.
He played 61 of the team's 75 snaps and handled all 30 of the team's running back carries. He also ran 23 routes and finished with two targets. He finished with 150 rushing yards and a touchdown. He caught one target for 11 yards en route to 22.6 half-PPR points.
Pierce has now missed back-to-back games and has been a DNP for every practice during the last two weeks. That doesn't seem to make it look as though he's close to returning. This offense employs an electric passing offense, led by future Offensive Rookie of the Year, C.J. Stroud. That should, in theory, give whoever is the lead running back plenty of scoring opportunities. Singletary should be on the RB2/3 radar until Pierce returns.
Zach Charbonnet, Seattle Seahawks – 45% Rostered (UH, DP)
Tyjae Spears, Tennessee Titans – 40% Rostered (UH, DP)
This duo should be prioritized slightly ahead of the trio underneath them. For the most part, these five running backs are mostly handcuffs; however, Spears and Charbonnet can be viewed as RB4s. Charbonnet has averaged just over seven touches per game over the last three weeks, which includes 10 touches this past weekend, four of which were receptions. Spears is also averaging just under eight touches and just under three receptions per game. These two running backs are often seeing 6-12 touches per game and that gives them some weekly appeal.
On top of their weekly RB4 value, they are two of the very best handcuffs in the NFL. If starters Kenneth Walker III or Derrick Henry were to miss time, both players would catapult into the top 20 of weekly fantasy football running backs. Their weekly value and 6-12 touches are what separates this group from the group underneath them who hold almost little to no weekly value. If you're looking for pure upside, Charbonnet is the better choice here as Tennessee's offense is not nearly as strong and potent as Seattle's.
Elijah Mitchell, San Francisco 49ers – 18% Rostered (UH, DP)
Tank Bigsby, Jacksonville Jaguars – 10% Rostered (UH, DP)
Kenneth Gainwell, Philadelphia Eagles – 28% Rostered (UH, DP)
All three of these running backs are some of the very best handcuffs in fantasy football, much like the two above. These three, however, hold very little (if any) weekly value. Their upside is significant if the starters on their respective teams were to be injured. This is another reason all three of these players are grouped together -- the starters listed ahead of them have all struggled with injuries in recent seasons.
While Christian McCaffrey stayed healthy in 2022 and has been healthy this season, there were those 2020-2021 seasons where he couldn't stay on the field. Travis Etienne missed his entire rookie season with a Lisfranc injury and D'Andre Swift has yet to play a full season in his career yet. All three of these offenses are some of the very best in the NFL. I'd rather have any of these backs on my roster than Devin Singletary because of their contingency value.
This past weekend, the 49ers destroyed the Jaguars. In garbage time, it was Mitchell who saw 18 snaps compared to Jordan Mason who played just three. Mitchell had three carries and Mason had zero. This is a very strong indicator that fantasy managers should want to stash Mitchell.
On the flip side, Bigsby may have seen his stranglehold on the No. 2 responsibilities loosen. D'Ernest Johnson actually out-snapped Bigsby (12 to 10) and ran more routes (eight to six). They both received three carries. While I would expect Bigsby to still be the primary running back for the Jaguars if Etienne were to get hurt, it may be more of a committee than previously expected. Out of these three, I'd add them in this order: Mitchell, Bigsby, and then Gainwell.
Leonard Fournette, Buffalo Bills – 24% Rostered (DL)
Fournette didn't play in their Week 9 contest, but was signed early last week and practiced with the team leading up to the game last week. He'll most likely be active in Week 10 and fantasy managers should be expecting Fournette to take the job that Latavius Murray has previously occupied. The team has clearly been dissatisfied with Murray and there's a good reason as to why that is.
The team doesn't trust James Cook near the end zone, which is why almost all of those have gone to Murray and he's disappointed in a major way. Fournette will get those touchdown chances moving forward. The team has also been unwilling to give Cook a large workload, so it's possible Fournette could work himself in 10-12 touches.
It's not out of the question that Fournette could eventually become the 1A in this backfield. He wasn't very good last season for the Buccaneers, but Fournette's skill set is a perfect match with Buffalo's offense. He's a good pass-catcher with the size to handle the short-yardage and goal-line work. There's a good bit of upside here, but the floor is also dangerously low. It’s unknown at this time if Fournette will be activated for tonight’s game.
Darrell Henderson Jr., Los Angeles Rams – 32% Rostered (IF)
Starter Kyren Williams is eligible to return from IR in Week 12, which gives Henderson one more week as the starter. Matthew Stafford seemed as though he was close to playing in Week 9. By sitting out and with their Week 10 bye, Stafford should be good to return. That's good news for Henderson because it increases his scoring potential. Since signing with the Rams following their string of running back injuries, Henderson is averaging just over 15 touches per game. He's averaging 62 scrimmage yards and two receptions per game.
The Rams play Seattle in Week 11, who have allowed the 12th-most fantasy points to opposing running backs this season. Given the matchup and the hopeful return of Stafford, Henderson will be on the RB2/3 line. If Stafford is out, Henderson becomes nothing more than a desperation volume play. If you're in need of a starting running back, Henderson should see at least 12 touches in a good matchup this upcoming weekend.
Ty Chandler, Minnesota Vikings – 7% Rostered (IF)
Starting running back Alexander Mattison left this past weekend's game early due to a concussion. This put Chandler in the driver's seat of Minnesota's backfield. He finished with 32 of the team's 73 snaps. The No. 3 running back, Kene Nwangwu, played just three snaps. Chandler was a workhorse following Mattison's exit. He finished with 15 carries, 45 yards, and one touchdown. He also ran 13 routes but did not receive a target. It's possible Mattison will be forced to miss their Week 11 game, which would make Chandler the starter by default.
The Vikings had previously traded for Cam Akers, potentially a sign they didn't love Chandler, but with Akers now on IR, Chandler will be the one to fill in for Mattison should he miss next week's game. With concussions, it's impossible to know what his availability will be. Even if Mattison does miss Week 11, players rarely miss more than one game. This means Chandler likely has a one-week audition. Maybe he can use that to earn more playing time once Mattison returns. If Mattison is out, Chandler should be viewed as an RB3 in Week 11.
Others to consider: Antonio Gibson, Washington Commanders – 52% Rostered (UH, DP), Roschon Johnson, Chicago Bears – 27% Rostered (DP), Jaleel McLaughlin, Denver Broncos – 24% Rostered (DP, UH), Kendre Miller, New Orleans Saints – 5% Rostered (UH, DP), Jamaal Williams, New Orleans Saints – 24% Rostered (UH, DL), Ezekiel Elliott, New England Patriots – 44% Rostered (DL), Jerick McKinnon, Kansas City Chiefs – 27% Rostered (UH, DP, DL), Joshua Kelley, Los Angeles Chargers – 20% Rostered (UH, DL), Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Kansas City Chiefs – 8% Rostered (DL), Rico Dowdle, Dallas Cowboys – 3% Rostered (DL)
Wide Receivers - Waiver Wire Options
Demario Douglas, New England Patriots – 36% Rostered (WS, DP)
Douglas got his first opportunity to play regular snaps in Week 7 and he made the most of them. He finished with six targets, four receptions, 54 receiving yards, and chipped in a rushing attempt for 20 yards. The New England passing offense has been stagnant for most of the year, so it seemed like only a matter of time before they gave their rookie, who performed really well in the preseason, a chance to make a difference.
In Week 8, he actually led the receivers in snaps, routes run, and targets. He played 10 more snaps, had seven more routes run, and earned four more targets than the next closest receiver other than Kendrick Bourne, who will miss the rest of the season with a torn ACL. He finished with five receptions for 25 yards and chipped in another rushing attempt for four yards. Bourne's injury effectively makes Douglas the new No. 1 receiver for the Patriots.
In Week 9, he played 53 of the team's 64 snaps. This was the most among any New England receiver. He also ran 38 routes on 46 dropbacks. This also led all New England receivers. Douglas had seven targets, five receptions, and 55 yards.
Douglas came into Week 10 with an ankle injury, which may have resulted in him playing fewer snaps than he did the week prior. He finished playing 50 of the team's 69 snaps and ran 29 routes on 34 dropbacks. While his snap share was lower, he still was a full-time player in terms of routes run.
Only JuJu Smith-Schuster ran more routes than Douglas. However, whereas JuJu ran 34 routes, he finished with just one target. Douglas on the other hand had eight targets. He caught six of them for 84 yards. He should be considered a WR3 in any PPR league for the rest of the season. The New England quarterback controversy between Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe is unlikely to affect his production.
Rashid Shaheed, New Orleans Saints – 51% Rostered (IF, WS, DP)
Starting receiver Michael Thomas left early in the first quarter with a knee injury and did not return. This, by default, made Shaheed the No. 2 receiver on the team's target hierarchy. Interestingly, despite the Thomas injury, Shaheed did not necessarily see an increase in snap share. It was rookie A.T. Perry who stepped directly into Thomas' role.
That meant Shaheed stayed in his typical role. Shaheed played 46 of the team's 67 snaps, which was less than Perry and Chris Olave. However, despite not seeing an increase in snap share, he did receive a big boost in targets. He finished with nine targets. This was a season-high for him.
He finished with five receptions for 24 yards. Considering the circumstances, it was a slightly disappointing outcome for Shaheed. However, starting quarterback Derek Carr did get injured and was forced out of the game. Backup Jameis Winston came in relief.
If Thomas misses any time, Shaheed becomes a much more interesting option. In years past, Winston had been a bit of a YOLO quarterback, but he seems much tamer in recent appearances. He should be a priority add this week unless news comes out that Thomas' injury is not serious.
Elijah Moore, Cleveland Browns – 42% Rostered (WS, DP)
Last week, I advocated for Moore due to the tweets you'll find below and because he had seven or more targets in five out of eight games. While I didn't mention this before, Moore was also learning a new offense with a new quarterback. On top of that, quarterback Deshaun Watson's health has been up and down. P.J. Walker, the team's No. 2 quarterback, had played extremely poorly. For all of these reasons, fantasy managers should be cautiously optimistic about the third-year receiver.
Prior to Week 10, Moore was leading the NFL among receivers with the most targets without a touchdown. That streak finally ended this past weekend. He finished with seven targets, which gives him six weeks with at least seven targets. He caught five of them for 44 yards and a touchdown.
He has just one game with more than 50 receiving yards, which makes him a much better addition in PPR-scoring leagues. He only has one game with double-digit points in half-PPR, but considering his target volume, if the quarterback play improves, he should be a quality WR4 with WR3 upside.
Jayden Reed, Green Bay Packers – 21% Rostered (WS, DP)
Despite the up-and-down play from Jordan Love and despite his rookie status, Reed has been a steady performer, both for the Packers and fantasy managers. Reed has scored 7.5 half-PPR points or more in six out of nine games. That includes two games where he's scored over 15. He has just one game under five half-PPR points.
He's a better asset in PPR scoring leagues because he's had three or more receptions in seven out of nine games. That coincides with six games of five or more targets. Due to his offense and quarterback, Reed's ceiling is somewhat capped, but he's come with a stable floor considering where he was selected in fantasy drafts.
Fantasy managers should value Reed as a weekly WR4 with WR3 upside. Teammate Christian Watson has struggled with injuries during his rookie season, as well as this season. If Watson were to miss time, with the way that Reed has played this season, fantasy managers could expect an increase in production.
Rookie receivers tend to get better as the season rolls along and Reed just put together his best game as a pro. If Reed continues to stack these kinds of performances, he could end up being a really good addition for the second half of the season.
Brandin Cooks, Dallas Cowboys – 37% Rostered (WS, DP)
Cooks' role in the Dallas offense seemed to be growing until Week 9's dud against the Eagles. In Weeks 6 and 8 (Week 7 bye), he had eight targets, seven receptions, 85 yards, and two touchdowns. He appeared to finally be establishing some chemistry with quarterback Dak Prescott. Then he finished with just two targets, one reception, and seven yards in their Week 9 loss to Philadelphia.
The Dallas offense has been tough to figure out this season. They've played in so many heavily one-sided affairs. However, the offense, at least as it relates to the pass-catchers, is trending in the right direction.
In Week 10, patient fantasy managers were finally rewarded with a big game from Cooks. He finished with 10 targets, nine receptions, 173 yards, and one touchdown en route to 27.8 half-PPR points. Prior to the season, most envisioned CeeDee Lamb as the clear No. 1 with Cooks working as the much-needed No. 2 target.
Jalen Tolbert ended up playing more snaps than Cooks, but take that with a grain of salt as Cooks didn't play at all in the fourth quarter. Tolbert, however, did replace Michael Gallup in the starting lineup. The Dallas offense has become increasingly pass-heavy over the past few weeks and that could end up paying major dividends to Cooks in the final weeks of the fantasy football regular season.
Quentin Johnston, Los Angeles Chargers — 29% Rostered (DP)
Johnston has had a rough start to his NFL career, but it's hard to deny the opportunity he currently has in the Chargers' offense. This past weekend, he played 61 of the team's 72 snaps. This was the highest among any receiver for the team. Keenan Allen did leave the game for a bit due to a shoulder injury but didn't miss much time.
Johnston also ran 35 routes on 40 dropbacks. On the downside, he only earned just four targets. On the bright side, he caught all four of his targets for 34 yards and a touchdown. He scored 11.4 half-PPR points, which was his best output of the season. His target share and targets per route run rates are both dreadfully low, but the Los Angeles offense has plenty of volume so his numbers have the ability to go a bit further with the Chargers than in other offenses.
With Mike Williams and Joshua Palmer both on IR, Johnston has a massive opportunity. At this time, it seems unlikely he's going to grab the bull fully by the horns, but with the number of snaps he's playing, routes he's running, and the total number of passes the Chargers attempt, Johnston is a quality bench player to stash and hold right now. He's tough to start right now, but there's upside and potential given his current role.
Rondale Moore, Arizona Cardinals – 9% Rostered (DP)
Moore was a sleeper last season and that never materialized due to injuries both to Moore himself and quarterback Kyler Murray. However, when they were both healthy, Moore was a solid option in PPR-scoring leagues. He's basically been useless this year due to the quarterback issues, but now that Murray is back under center, Moore becomes an interesting addition for the second half of the season.
In Murray's first start of the season, Moore was second on the team in targets with eight. He played on 42 of the team's 65 snaps and ran 27 routes on 36 dropbacks. He posted a 29.6% targets per route run and a 22.2% target share. He finished with five receptions and 43 yards.
He may not score a lot of touchdowns or have very many 100-yard games, but he should see 6-8 targets most weeks. Considering the shorter depth of targets he typically receives, it should result in 4-6 receptions each week. Don't be surprised if Moore continues to move up the rankings a bit now with Murray at the helm.
Khalil Shakir, Buffalo Bills – 17% Rostered (DP)
Starting tight end Dawson Knox being on IR with a wrist injury had a butterfly effect on the rest of the Bills offense in Week 8. This shifted rookie Dalton Kincaid from the slot position where he had typically been playing to a full-time, traditional in-line tight end role.
That meant Shakir shifted into the starting lineup as the slot receiver and Shakir gave the coaching staff something to think about. He played on 45 of the team's 69 snaps, ran 33 routes on 46 dropbacks, and finished with six targets in Week 8. He caught all six for 92 yards and finished with 12.2 half-PPR points. He had a productive Week 7 game, catching all four of his targets for 35 yards.
Week 9 was a bit of a letdown, especially in what looked like it could be a high-scoring affair. Shakir did play the majority of snaps once again and finished with four targets, four receptions, and 57 yards. He’s a solid bench receiver to have until Knox returns. He’s operating as Buffalo’s slot receiver, which has been a lucrative role in seasons past.
Rashod Bateman, Baltimore Ravens – 18% Rostered (DP)
While some fantasy managers may flock to Odell Beckham Jr. due to his 40-yard touchdown reception, it was Bateman who moved solidly ahead of both him and Nelson Agholor this past weekend. Bateman played 40 of the team's 54 snaps. This was his highest snap share of the season. Beckham and Agholor played 18 and 23 snaps, respectively.
Yes, Bateman played more than double the amount of snaps that Beckham did. Bateman's utilization was actually closer to Zay Flowers than Beckham was to Bateman. Bateman ran 23 routes on 30 dropbacks. Agholor had 16 routes and Beckham had just 12. Again, while Beckham did find the end zone, it was on his only target of the game. Bateman finished with four targets, which was second on the team behind Flowers.
Bateman's snap share and route participation have been on the climb in recent weeks. He appears healthier, faster, and more like the receiver we saw in the past two years. Weeks 9 and 10 were the most targets Bateman has received in any games this season.
He's certainly trending in the right direction and the coaches in Baltimore seem to agree. This passing offense is going to continue to flow through Mark Andrews and Flowers, but Bateman seems to be working his way into that No. 3 role. While this position won't bring with it any weekly consistency, Bateman's deep ball skill set makes him a fine boom-or-bust WR4.
Trenton Irwin, Cincinnati Bengals – 9% Rostered (IF)
Starting receiver Tee Higgins was inactive last weekend due to a hamstring injury that had him as a DNP from Wednesday to Friday. Higgins' injury sounds more like a week-to-week one where it's far from certain he returns in Week 11. Irwin stepped up in a big way when Higgins missed Week 5. Fellow receiver Tyler Boyd maintained his role as the primary slot receiver and Irwin stepped into Higgins' role.
Irwin ended up playing 52 of the team's 64 snaps in Higgins' absence this past weekend. He also ran 38 routes on 47 dropbacks. He finished with four targets, two receptions, 54 yards, and one touchdown. The 32-yard touchdown saved his day compared to his Week 5 stat line when he had 10 targets, eight receptions, and 60 yards. If you're in a deeper league or struggling with injuries, and as long as Higgins stays out, Irwin is a fine dart throw in Week 11.
Michael Wilson, Arizona Cardinals – 12% Rostered (DL)
Wilson is going to be a bit of a boom-or-bust receiver for the rest of the season. That's because Rondale Moore, Marquise Brown, and Trey McBride all seem to be ahead of him on Kyler Murray's target hierarchy. Wilson's average depth of target is further down the field, which are more difficult passes to complete.
Wilson has been effective this year, despite it being his rookie season. In nine games this year, he has five games with seven or more half-PPR points. That includes one game where he scored 23.1 points. However, he also has two games with less than three points and another two with less than five.
He's a full-time player for the Cardinals and the offense should be more effective over the second half of the season. Murray will also be more likely to throw the ball downfield as opposed to Joshua Dobbs. In his first game with Murray, he finished with five targets, three receptions, and 34 yards. Wilson should be viewed as a boom-or-bust WR5.
Others to consider: Jameson Williams, Detroit Lions – 24% Rostered (DP), Jonathan Mingo, Carolina Panthers – 7% Rostered (DP), Treylon Burks, Tennessee Titans – 15% Rostered (DL), Zay Jones, Jacksonville Jaguars – 17% Rostered (DL), Jalen Tolbert, Dallas Cowboys — 1% Rostered, Noah Brown, Houston Texans – 23% Rostered (IF, DL), Curtis Samuel, Washington Commanders – 33% Rostered (DL), Darnell Mooney, Chicago Bears – 14% Rostered (DL), Dontayvion Wicks, Green Bay Packers – 1% Packers (DL), JuJu Smith-Schuster, New England Patriots – 22% Rostered (DL), Odell Beckham Jr., Baltimore Ravens – 26% Rostered (DL), DeVante Parker, New England Patriots – 1% Rostered (DL), Robert Woods, Houston Texans – 7% Rostered (DL), Kyle Philips, Tennessee Titans – 1% Rostered, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, Tennesee Titans – 1% Rostered, A.T. Perry, New Orleans Saints – 1% Rostered (DL), D.J. Chark Jr., Carolina Panthers – 9% Rostered (DL), Cedrick Wilson Jr., Miami Dolphins – 1% Rostered (DL), Skyy Moore, Kansas City Chiefs – 17% Rostered, Cedric Tillman, Cleveland Browns – 1% Rostered, Wan'Dale Robinson, New York Giants – 17% Rostered (DL), Marvin Mims Jr., Denver Broncos – 12% Rostered (DL)
Tight Ends - Waiver Wire Options
Pat Freiermuth, Pittsburgh Steelers – 36% Rostered (WS, DP)
Freiermuth is eligible to come off of IR in Week 11 and he makes for a speculative add for anyone struggling at tight end. While his Week 11 matchup against Cleveland is one of the hardest in the league for tight ends, his schedule gets much softer after that. From Weeks 12-17, he'll face off against the Bengals twice and the Colts. The Bengals are allowing the second-most points to opposing tight ends and the Colts are allowing the eighth-most.
Luke Musgrave, Green Bay Packers – 23% Rostered (WS, DP)
While Dalton Kincaid and Sam LaPorta are experiencing true breakout rookie seasons, fantasy managers may feel Musgrave is closer to fellow rookie tight end Michael Mayer in terms of rookie production, but that isn't true. Musgrave's role isn't all that dissimilar from Kincaid and LaPorta. He's a full-time player just like them, something Mayer is not. His snap share and route participation rates are excellent.
Unfortunately, his team's offense and quarterback aren't nearly as good. However, Musgrave has strung together back-to-back good games. He had 51 yards. in Week 9, which was a career-high. This past weekend, he had 64 yards, setting a new career high.
He has six games with at least four targets, five games with at least three receptions, and four games with at least 45 yards. He has five games with more than five half-PPR points. He's not setting the world on fire, but the Packers' offense looked a bit better this past weekend. Musgrave was also used further down the field, which was nice to see. He's got the size, speed, and athleticism to be a dangerous down-the-seam player.
If that utilization continues, Musgrave will start producing a few boom weeks here and there. As with most tight ends, consistency isn't really an option. Especially a rookie one on an up-and-down offense, but he's played better as of late. As has Jordan Love and the Packers' offense. His utilization has been excellent all season, and hopefully with the acquired experience for both himself and his quarterback, Musgrave will have a strong second half.
Hunter Henry, New England Patriots – 41% Rostered (DL)
Henry popped off in a big way during the first two weeks of the season but has been virtually invisible since that time. However, with Kendrick Bourne out with a torn ACL and DeVante Parker out with a concussion, Henry found his way back into fantasy relevancy. He ran 39 routes on 46 dropbacks, which is an elite rate for any tight end.
He's had that kind of opportunity earlier in the season, but he was unable to carve out a consistent target for Mac Jones. With the injuries to other pass-catchers, Henry by default has become Jones' No. 2 target. He finished with six targets, which was second to only Demario Douglas last week. He finished with four receptions, 39 yards, and a touchdown. His 11.9 half-PPR points were the most since Week 2.
This past weekend, Henry was once again the second-most targeted Patriot. He ran 27 routes on 34 dropbacks and finished with five targets. He finished with just three receptions for 21 yards, but the opportunity he's receiving is a positive.
The upside is minimal due to the poor offensive efficiency and quarterback play, but he's averaging 5.5 targets in the past two games. Over 17 games, that's a 94-target pace. In a positive environment, that volume could easily make him a top-12 tight end. Of course, Henry's situation is far from positive. However, the volume alone will make him a solid streamer in positive matchups.
Others to consider: Michael Mayer, Las Vegas Raiders – 9% Rostered (DL), Cade Otton, Tampa Bay Buccaneers – 22% Rostered (DL), Chigoziem Okonkwo, Tennessee Titans – 26% Rostered (DL), Jonnu Smith, Atlanta Falcons – 44% Rostered (DL), Tyler Conklin, New York Jets – 11% Rostered (DL), Daniel Bellinger, New York Giants – 1% Rostered (DL), Irv Smith Jr., Cincinnati Bengals – 4% Rostered (DL), Greg Dulcich, Denver Broncos – 8% Rostered
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