Week 9 handed fantasy managers a real waiver week: a receiver back from nearly two years away, a backup running back who scored his first career touchdown, and MRIs pending on Rhamondre Stevenson and Puka Nacua. Add four teams on bye in Week 10 — Chicago, Denver, Philadelphia and Tampa Bay — and Tuesday’s 4 p.m. ET trade deadline, and the wire matters more than usual. Here is where to spend.
WAIVER WIRE
Wide receivers
Tank Dell, Texans (top priority, 20-25% FAAB). Dell played his first game since a knee injury that cost him nearly two years and caught 4 of 9 targets for 105 yards and a touchdown in Houston’s 44-22 win over the Chargers. Those nine targets led the team. C.J. Stroud threw five touchdowns, tying his career high, so this passing game can carry a second receiver. Houston plays at Cleveland in Week 10. Dell is the one add this week with weekly WR3 upside and a path to more.
Jordyn Tyson, Saints (10-15% FAAB). The rookie’s debut was modest on paper: 4 catches on 5 targets for 30 yards, and he fumbled his first career catch at the goal line. The usage is what matters. He ran only 16 routes in his first game back from a hamstring injury and still drew the second-most targets on the team behind Chris Olave. When those routes go up, the targets will follow. New Orleans hosts Carolina. Pay for where his role is going, not this week’s box score.
Jordan Watkins, 49ers (5-10% FAAB). Watkins caught all four of his targets for 86 yards, led San Francisco in receiving and caught his first career touchdown, a 37-yarder from Brock Purdy, in the 38-17 win over the Raiders. Mike Evans sat out, and Watkins’s role shrinks when Evans returns. He is a bye-week fill-in at Dallas, not a long-term hold.
Caleb Douglas, Dolphins (5% FAAB). Douglas caught a team-high 6 of 8 targets against Detroit. He is a floor play for PPR depth more than a ceiling play, with Miami at Indianapolis next.
Running backs
Kaleb Johnson, Packers (15-20% FAAB if Jacobs looks shaky). Josh Jacobs fractured the ring finger on his right hand in the first quarter against New England and finished with 4 carries for 5 yards. Matt LaFleur said he did not return because he could not fully grip the football. Johnson took over and ran 14 times for 68 yards, including his first career touchdown and a 34-yard run in the fourth quarter. Green Bay is hopeful Jacobs plays through it against Minnesota, but a running back who can’t grip the ball is a fumble risk, and the Packers are on bye in Week 11. Johnson is the handcuff to own either way.
Corey Kiner, Patriots (10-15% FAAB, more if the MRI is bad). Rhamondre Stevenson hurt his knee late in the third quarter against Green Bay and did not return. Mike Vrabel said Monday the team is still waiting on MRI results. TreVeyon Henderson is out indefinitely with an illness, which makes Kiner the next man up for New England’s game against Detroit in Munich. Bid now. If Stevenson’s news comes back clean, you can drop Kiner next week.
Seth McGowan, Colts (conditional, 5-10% FAAB). McGowan ran 6 times for 45 yards and scored his first NFL touchdown against Dallas. His value depends on whether Indianapolis trades Jonathan Taylor before Tuesday’s deadline. Reports conflict on whether the Colts will get a price they like. Grab McGowan as a free stash where your league runs waivers after the deadline. If Taylor moves, McGowan is a weekly start against Miami.
Audric Estimé, Saints (5% FAAB). Estimé ran for 72 yards and the go-ahead touchdown with a minute left in regulation of the 23-22 overtime win over Cleveland. He is the early-down back in New Orleans for now, with Carolina next.
Quarterbacks
Jacoby Brissett, Ravens (5-10% FAAB in superflex, 2-3% otherwise). Baltimore finalized its trade with Arizona for Brissett after Lamar Jackson went on injured reserve with a fractured and dislocated right thumb and Tyler Huntley was lost to turf toe. Brissett is expected to start Week 10 against the Chargers on Monday Night Football. He is a streamer against a Los Angeles line that just allowed eight sacks of Justin Herbert, and he has a starting job for at least the next several weeks.
Tight ends
Chig Okonkwo, Commanders. Six catches for 57 yards on 7 targets against the Rams, and he ran more routes than any Washington pass catcher. Washington plays the Giants on Thursday night, so set your lineup early.
Darren Waller, Panthers. Eight catches on a team-high 10 targets for 90 yards and a touchdown in Denver. He had only two catches over the three games before that, so treat him as a bye-week streamer at New Orleans, not a new starter.
Defenses
Ravens D/ST gets Herbert after Houston sacked him eight times. Packers D/ST forced four turnovers and had four sacks against New England and gets Minnesota at home.
Drops and stashes
If you need room, Chicago, Denver, Philadelphia and Tampa Bay depth pieces are the first to go this week. Don’t drop Puka Nacua. He hurt his knee on the Rams’ final offensive snap after catching 14 passes for a season-high 150 yards and a touchdown. Team sources believe the ACL is intact pending Monday’s MRI, and the Rams’ Week 11 bye gives him extra time to heal. Hold Xavier Worthy through his hamstring injury. Andy Reid gave no timeline, but he is not a cut until there is real news.
DFS PLAYS
Value plays whose role has outrun the box score
- Tank Dell at CLE. Nine targets in his first game back is a lead-receiver workload. Sites will price him off his past injury history, not that role.
- Kaleb Johnson vs. MIN (only if Jacobs is out). Fourteen carries in less than three quarters of work, at home. If Jacobs is inactive, Johnson is the best salary-saving running back on the slate. If Jacobs is active, leave Johnson out entirely.
- Corey Kiner at DET (Munich), pending the MRI. If Stevenson is ruled out, Kiner is the clear early-down back at a cheap price. This game kicks off at 9:30 a.m. ET, so check whether your contest includes it.
- Darren Waller at NO. Ten targets and a touchdown is a lot of usage for a cheap tight end, but last week was the outlier, so use him in tournaments only.
- Jordan Watkins at DAL. A tournament dart if Evans sits again. He led the 49ers in receiving yards on four catches, so the ceiling is real even on low volume.
Sit/avoid
- Jordyn Tyson in DFS this week. Sixteen routes is still a limited workload. Add him in season-long leagues and wait a week on him in DFS.
- Chargers passing game in Monday showdowns. Eight sacks allowed in Houston and a quarterback who was pulled midway through the fourth quarter. Wait for practice reports before rostering anyone here.
- New England pass catchers vs. Detroit. Drake Maye’s turnovers helped Green Bay score 21 points off four takeaways. With the backfield uncertain, this offense is hard to trust overseas.
Injury situations that open a role
Watch three names this week. Stevenson’s MRI decides whether Kiner is a starter. Jacobs’s grip decides whether Johnson is a starter. Worthy’s hamstring could leave Kansas City short a receiver at Atlanta, and if he is ruled out, Rashee Rice should see even more targets. Wednesday’s injury reports settle all three, so make your FAAB bids now and finalize DFS lineups on Saturday.
See today's NFL longest reception lines on DFS Lines, each one set against the player's last ten games.