Week 11 Waiver Targets

By: Tony Kneepkens (@tonytk44)

These are the top players to consider adding from waivers this week. Unless otherwise noted, all players below are available in greater than 50% of Yahoo leagues (as of Sunday evening). Priorities and FAAB recommendations are meant to differentiate between some of the options available and are assuming 12-team, single-QB, fantasy formats.

Week 11 teams on bye: Colts, Saints

Week 11 offers some relief from the relentless recent stretch of byes. While we will miss a bunch of excellent Colts options, we will not miss the Saints this week for fantasy purposes. There are some solid waiver options available this week, and while I don’t have any true high-priority recommendations, I like a player each at RB, WR, and TE as “medium-high” waiver targets, and I’ve listed several lower-priority options to consider to stash or spot start as well.

QB Pickups

Marcus Mariota, WAS, Week 11 “at MIA” (In Spain)

• Fantasy managers aren’t likely to be turning to the waiver wire this week with only one fantasy-relevant QB on bye, but in the off chance you are, Mariota is the best of the widely available bunch, for me, based on his rushing upside.

• Low-priority add. Just a spot-start option against a generous Miami defense before the Commanders have a Week 12 bye.

• 3% or less of FAAB.

Other QB spot-start options ::

• Tua Tagovailoa (MIA) - I considered listing Tua ahead of Mariota in that same game in Europe. The Dolphins team speed should be on display against the league’s oldest team.

• Aaron Rodgers (PIT) - Goes from a brutal matchup on the road against the Chargers defense last week to a home game against the generous Bengals defense this week.

RB Pickups

Blake Corum, LAR, Week 11 vs SEA

• Corum nearly split the Rams RB work evenly with Kyren Williams last week, handling 13 touches to Williams’ 16. Corum and Williams remain the only RBs to handle a carry or receive a target this season for a 7-2 Rams team with aspirations of a deep playoff run.

• Medium-to-high priority add. Corum was dropped to too many waiver wires after his own Week 8 bye and a couple more tough weeks of byes to follow. Corum’s value is still more about his contingent upside rather than that of an immediate starting option, but he’s got a legitimate role in a strong offense. He would be in must-start territory if Kyren were to miss a game down the stretch.

• 20 - 40% of FAAB.

Sean Tucker, TB, Week 11 at BUF

• Tucker out-rushed Rachaad White (53-38) on one less carry last week and lost two yards on his only catch. Second-year back Bucky Irving “remains without a timetable to return” from his shoulder injury, allowing White and Tucker to continue fighting for valuable RB opportunities on an exciting Tampa Bay offense in his absence.

• Low-to-medium priority add. Based on the comments about Bucky, I’m not expecting him back this week. I think White’s role is safe as a good NFL pass-catching back, but I think the door is open for Tucker to handle a slight majority of RB carries in a good matchup with a generous Bills run defense and in a game with a solid 49.0-point implied point total.

• 5 - 15% of FAAB.

Tyjae Spears, TEN, Week 11 vs HOU

• Spears had been playing to a near-even split with veteran Tony Pollard before the Titans’ Week 10 bye, generally handling slightly fewer total touches but more of the pass-game work in his handful of games since returning from a high-ankle sprain suffered in the preseason.

• Low-to-medium priority add. Spears is a reasonable PPR Flex option this week if that’s what you’re looking for. He’s a player I’d love to see have his role expand into the second half of the season, but the fact that the Titans held onto Pollard through the trade deadline admittedly hurts those chances.

• 5 - 15% of FAAB.

Some additional lower-priority RBs to consider ::

• Brian Robinson Jr. (SF) - Has scored in back to back games and remains one of the top handcuff RBs in the league.

• Tyler Allgeier (ATL) - Scored twice last week, another elite handcuff to stash.

• Emari Demercado (AZ) - Topped 100 scrimmage yards on his seven touches last week. He’s my favorite Cardinals’ RB option this week home against the 49ers if second-year back Trey Benson misses another game.

WR Pickups

Alec Pierce, IND, Week 11 - bye

• Pierce was the Colts’ second-leading receiver last week behind TE Tyler Warren and finally scored his first TD of the year. He has 35 targets over his last four games, and nothing about his recent play would indicate any reason for his opportunities to decrease down the stretch of the season.

• Medium-to-high priority add. The Colts heading on bye is the only downside here. I think Pierce fits in pretty much all fantasy formats and has been pretty consistent (60+ yards in 6/8 games played) for such a big-play threat (over 20 yards per catch).

• 15 - 30% of FAAB.

Tre Tucker, LV, Week 11 vs DAL

• It was newly acquired veteran Tyler Lockett who paced the Raiders in receiving last week, but Tucker was the only other Raiders WR to catch multiple passes in their ugly loss to the Broncos on TNF.

• Low-priority add. There’s a chance that Lockett is sliding into the former Jakobi Meyers role but I prefer to put my (waiver) money on an explosive WR in Tucker, who has an outrageous 8-145-3 game on his resume this year. I like Tucker as a Flex option in deeper leagues this week against a generous Cowboys defense.

• 10% or less of FAAB.

Luther Burden III, CHI, Week 11 at MIN

• Burden caught three passes for 51 yards last week playing some additional snaps with DJ Moore in and out of the lineup. He’s had three catches in a game three times this year and has topped 50 yards in each of those contests.

• Low-priority add. Even assuming Moore is back and ready for Week 11, I still like Burden as a bench stash. The talented rookie could get more opportunities organically or via a teammate missing some time. He’s already shown he can produce when called upon.

• 10% or less of FAAB.

Some additional WR adds to consider ::

• Tez Johnson (TB) - The rookie caught a pair of TDs last week but only drew five targets on 43 Baker Mayfield pass attempts. He remains an intriguing option for a pass-happy Bucs team awaiting the return of some of their veteran offensive weapons.

• Jayden Higgins (HOU) - Caught a career-best five passes last week, including a TD. Continues to play more and more snaps in a crowded Houston WR room.

• Jaylin Noel (HOU) - Has 4+ grabs in three straight games. Another Texans rookie with an ascending pass-catching role.

• Darius Slayton (NYG) - Left last week’s game with a hamstring ailment but did return. Has consecutive games leading the Giants in receiving.

TE Pickups

Colston Loveland, CHI, Week 11 at MIN

• Loveland followed up his monster two-TD game in Week 9 by catching all four of his targets for 55 yards last week. His veteran TE teammate Cole Kmet caught one of his two targets for five yards.

• Medium-to-high priority add. I’m ticking the urgency/priority up half a level from last week, despite half the yardage on none of the TDs. I strongly believe Loveland will be a featured player down the stretch for the Bears and will be a solid fantasy starter at a weak TE position.

• 15 - 30% of FAAB.

Some additional lower-priority TE adds to consider ::

• Cade Otton (TB) - Led the Bucs with nine catches last week and has 4+ grabs in five straight games.

• Theo Johnson (NYG) - Had season bests with eight targets and a 7-75 receiving line last week.

• Luke Musgrave (GB) - Operating as the Packers top pass-catching TE in the wake of Tucker Kraft’s season-ending knee injury.

DEFENSE (Top pickups for Week 11)

1. Falcons (home vs Panthers)

2. Chiefs (at Broncos)

3. Vikings (home vs Bears)