Another week in fantasy football, another group of teams with their bye to navigate. In addition to the Jaguars, Dolphins, Seahawks, and Buccaneers absences in Week 11, significant injuries continue to plague rosters everywhere. While managers still wait for the return of Keenan Allen, Mark Andrews, and others, now players like Cooper Kupp, Zach Ertz are expected to miss significant time or the remainder of the season. To top it all off, most leagues’ trade deadline is this or next week. With all of this in mind, the Week 11 waiver wire is arguably the most important of the season.
You may be dealing with injuries, bye weeks, or just need to cycle out players from your bench. Whatever the case may be, the waiver wire is there to help. There’s not always a need to put in a claim for players each week, but if you do, make it count. Below, we’ll look at players at each position, who are on 50% or less of most fantasy football rosters, that could be considered on the Week 9 waiver wire.
Week 11 Waiver Wire By Position
Running Back
Rachaad White, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
My top add off of the Week 11 waiver wire isn’t even playing in Week 11. Rachaad White, though, looks like he could be a fantasy starter from Week 12 onward for fantasy football managers. His 105 rushing yards on 22 carries in Week 10 are both career highs. Prior to Week 10, though, nearly 40% of White’s opportunities this season were in the form of targets. His pass-catching ability out of the backfield makes him valuable to both the Buccaneers and for fantasy football.
White not only started for the Bucs in Week 10 but logged 58% of the Tampa Bay running back carries against the Seattle Seahawks. Additionally, Leonard Fournette is dealing with a hip pointer injury. His inability to finish the game is a big reason for White’s heavy workload. If Fournette is unable to take the field out of the bye week, White becomes a top-12 running back in fantasy football. Even if Fournette heals up, White’s role should warrant flex consideration at a minimum. This is the last week he should be available on the waiver wire.
Isiah Pacheco, Kansas City Chiefs
Pacheco’s 16 touches in Week 10 are not only a career-high but his most since a Week 1 blowout win over the Arizona Cardinals. Since Week 8, Pacheco is listed as Kansas City’s starting running back. However, getting the start just means taking the first snap and doesn’t always translate to heavy volume or production. Pacheco, though, has played the most or second-most snaps in the last three weeks between him, Jerrick McKinnon, and Clyde Edwards-Helaire.
Edwards-Helaire’s four snaps and zero touches in Week 10 are very telling. It’s more than likely Pacheco is the lead back with McKinnon playing a situational role moving forward. While the Chiefs do have a few tough matchups sprinkled throughout their remaining schedule, their offense is still one of the best in the league. Securing the lead back on the Chiefs on the Week 11 waiver wire is a blessing.
Jaylen Warren, Pittsburgh Steelers
Jaylen Warren’s 36 snaps played (43%) in Week 10 are the second-highest of his rookie season. Though still behind Najee Harris in overall opportunities, Warren’s role out of the bye week is encouraging. His 77 total yards are a career-high resulting in a season-high 10.7 fantasy points. Jaylen Warren is averaging exactly 6.0 yards per touch. He continues to be a valuable handcuff behind Najee Harris. Moving forward, though, Warren’s role could continue to increase as his impact is clearly felt on this offense. Regardless of if Najee is on your fantasy roster, adding Warren on the Week 11 waiver wire is worth it.
Other Running Backs to Consider:
Elijah Mitchell might be available on your league’s Week 11 waiver wire. After the 49ers acquired Christian McCaffrey, it’s possible whoever’s roster he was on cut him loose. He and McCaffrey had an even 50/50 split in opportunities in Week 10. Furthermore, Mitchell’s 18 carries and 89 rushing yards led the team. Mitchell is a must-add and can start in most formats assuming San Francisco utilizes their backfield as such moving forward.
Keontay Ingram suddenly slides in as the Cardinals’ number two back following the surprise release of Eno Benjamin. This move likely means Darrel Williams is back from injury soon. Regardless, Arizona is probably going to run James Conner into the ground. Conner does have an injury history which, by default, makes Ingram an interesting Week 11 waiver wire stash.
Any and All Handcuffs are going to be important to roster during the back half of the fantasy football season. Injuries to lead running backs can strike at any time. Make sure you’re cuffing your own starters, but don’t be afraid to add others on the Week 11 waiver wire.
Wide Receiver
Kadarius Toney, Kansas City Chiefs
Toney continues to show how dangerous he is with the ball in his hands. In his second game with the Chiefs, Toney played just 44% of their snaps on Sunday. He touched the ball eight times totaling 90 yards and finding the end zone. Toney is seemingly wide open whenever Patrick Mahomes is throwing his way. He is an absolute weapon for one of the best offenses in football.
Especially with Juju Smith-Schuster likely to miss time with a concussion, Toney becomes a very popular add off of the waiver wire for Week 11. Additionally, Mecole Hardman’s availability is up in the air after missing Week 10 with an abdominal injury. It’s time we all realize Toney’s season is on a complete upward trajectory after rotting on the New York Giants bench for the first half of the year.
Donovan Peoples-Jones, Cleveland Browns
In his last six games, People-Jones has no less than 9.0 PPR points and double-digit scores in five of them. On the season, DPJ is commanding 20% of the Cleveland Browns’ target share. Though his ceiling is somewhat capped by Nick Chubb’s dominance in the run game, and Amari Cooper’s presence as the alpha receiver, Peoples-Jones still presents a surprisingly solid floor for fantasy football.
With tight end, David Njoku, set to return soon, DPJ’s role could take a small hit. Deshaun Watson is also returning to practice this week. While he can’t play until Week 13, there’s no guarantee this offense will improve, let alone look the same, with him under center. I’m still adding DPJ on the Week 11 waiver wire as a safe plug-in option at wide receiver for the rest of the season.
Christian Watson, Green Bay Packers
Aaron Rodgers completed 14 passes in Week 10. Four of them were caught by rookie, Christian Watson. Three of those resulted in a touchdown. A monster breakout game. One of Fantrax’s own, Bradlee Kilgore, boldly predicted a big day, but nothing quite like what we saw. Now it’s time to add Watson off of the waiver wire.
Even after adding him, I’m cautious about plugging him into any lineup. When you break it down, 21% of Rodgers’ completions and 75% of Watson’s receptions resulted in a touchdown. That’s simply unsustainable. Still, the rookie is clearly back in Rodgers’ circle of trust. He gets a chance to put up more big numbers in Week 11 against a Tennessee Titans team allowing the third-most points to wide receivers. I still think Allen Lazard is the pass catcher worth starting on the Packers.
Other Wide Receivers to Consider:
Parris Campbell returns to fantasy football relevancy with Matt Ryan back under center for the Indianapolis Colts. In his last three games, with Ryan at quarterback, Campbell is averaging 20.76 points per game. That’s on just under 11 targets per game. With interim head coach, Jeff Saturday, calling the shots now, it’s hard to predict what the Colts will look like from now until the end of the season. Putting Ryan back in at quarterback is a good start, especially as it relates to Campbell’s fantasy value.
Nico Collins is finally back on the field for the Houston Texans after missing time with a groin injury. His return yielded a 5/49/1 receiving line. His 10 targets led the team, topping Brandin Cooks’ seven. Houston’s schedule is extremely favorable to wide receivers. Collins should continue to battle Cooks as the top target on a team that has tied, lost, or won by just a touchdown in every game this season.
Mack Hollins’ Week 10 numbers are disappointing especially in the absence of both Darren Waller and Hunter Renfrow. Still, he managed six targets, but that was still third behind Davante Adams and Josh Jacobs. Hollins does have four games with double-digit fantasy points this season. It’s just hard to predict when exactly he will make plugging him into your lineup count. He’s worth a stash on the Week 11 waiver wire.
Tight End
Cole Kmet, Chicago Bears
I don’t think this needs much of an explanation. If Cole Kmet is available, you need to add him before someone else does. Sure, the Bears schedule as a whole looks difficult, especially for tight ends in fantasy football. However, Kmet gets the Atlanta Falcons in Week 11 who are allowing the third-most receptions and yards to the position. Kmet also has five touchdowns over the last three weeks. Getting Justin Fields’ top target from the last two weeks on your roster is a move worth making.
Juwaan Johnson, New Orleans Saints
Johnson’s 43 targets this season are the second-most on the Saints behind rookie, Chris Olave. Johnson has four or more targets in seven of 10 games this season. He’s also found the end zone four times in his last four games. Even if Jameis Winston takes over Andy Dalton at quarterback, Johnson should still manage a stable floor for fantasy football. He will continue to be a streaming option in most weeks as the Saints’ pass-heavy approach in mostly losing efforts is likely going to be a theme for the rest of the season.
Other Tight Ends to Consider
Foster Moreau is going to be playing a lot for the Las Vegas Raiders as Darren Waller spends the next three games, at least, on Injured Reserve. Raiders wide receiver, Hunter Renfrow, is also on the IR. Since Las Vegas’ Week 6 bye, Moreau has played 96% or more of the Raiders’ offensive snaps each week. In that same span, he’s averaging just under six targets per game. With an 8.2 point per game average in the last four weeks, he’s a matchup and volume-based streamer moving forward.
Trey McBride is set to take over for Zach Ertz on the Arizona Cardinals. Ertz is done for the season after a Week 10 knee injury. McBride is an absolute dart throw of a waiver wire pickup. We just haven’t seen enough from the rookie. It’s worth noting Ertz entered Week 10 as the TE5 on a points-per-game basis this season. On nearly 100% of the snaps played after Ertz’s injury, McBride drew just one target, though. His competition for targets is DeAndre Hopkins, Rondale Moore, and James Conner, at least, with Hollywood Brown returning soon.
Quarterback
Daniel Jones, New York Giants
Up next for the 7-2 Giants are the Detroit Lions. Daniel Jones gets a plus matchup in Week 11 with the team allowing the most points per game to opponents this season. Additionally, Detroit allows the most fantasy points to quarterbacks this season.
The Lions are notably allowing the most rushing attempts, touchdowns, and the second-most rushing yards to quarterbacks this season. While not nearly as explosive as Justin Fields, who logged 147 rushing yards of his own in Week 10 against the Lions, Daniel Jones can still get it done on the ground. He’s averaging 43 rushing yards on nearly eight carries per game. If you’re looking for a top streaming option in Week 11, then scoop Jones up off of the waiver wire.
Jimmy Garoppolo, San Francisco 49ers
At face value, Garoppolo’s fantasy numbers aren’t exactly enticing. He isn’t an obvious waiver wire pickup if you need a quarterback for Week 11. He has yet to top 18.94 points this season with no more than 17.7 in the last three weeks. All that said, I love his Week 11 matchup. Jimmy G. takes on the Arizona Cardinals who are allowing the sixth-most points to quarterbacks this season.
It’s hard to believe Garoppolo isn’t scoring more in fantasy with the weapons he has at his disposal. Since adding Christian McCaffrey, the 49ers are averaging the 10th-most points (25.3) in the league. The fact of the matter is, Garoppolo isn’t throwing enough touchdowns. His 11 passing scores account for just 52% of San Francisco’s offensive touchdowns this season. The team has run for nine and Christian McCaffrey has thrown for one. Still, with a choice matchup against the Cardinals in Week 11, it’s worth banking on the 49ers to put up points with Jimmy G. likely doing most of the work through the air.
Also make sure to check out our Week 11 Rankings which roll out Wednesday morning: QB | RB | WR | TE | Flex Rankings