The Week 11 waiver wire isn’t much better than the Week 10 waiver wire. Any potential league-winning players are likely amongst a list of handcuff backs. Even then, it takes an injury for any sort of significant return on investment. Given that there are still 16 teams on bye across three of the next four weeks, the Week 11 waiver wire offers fill-in players to help keep your roster competitive if need be.
You may be dealing with injuries 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 11 waiver wire.
Week 11 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire By Position
Teams with a Week 11 Bye: Arizona Cardinals, Carolina Panthers, New York Giants, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Running Backs
Jaylen Warren, Pittsburgh Steelers
I don’t think Warren is available on many Week 11 waiver wires, but if he is, he should be the priority add for teams in need of a running back. Warren logged a season-high 14 carries in Week 10. Including his two receptions on two targets, Warren also recorded a season-high 95 all-purpose yards.
Warren is still the backup to Najee Harris. We did see Harris exit Week 10 briefly with what appeared to be an ankle injury, however. He did return, but if Harris were to miss time due to injury, Warren would yield RB2 value for fantasy football. In deeper leagues, Warren can post flex-worthy numbers any given week depending on the matchup.
Tyjae Spears, Tennessee Titans
Over the last two weeks, Tony Pollard has practiced just twice, and on a limited basis at that. He continues to work through a foot issue. In fact, there were moments in Week 10 when Pollard was getting looked at on the sideline. Regardless, Pollard continues to operate as the lead back for the Titans.
Spears hasn’t played in consecutive games since Weeks 3 and 4. However, assuming he’s healthy coming out of Week 10, he will get a chance to do so in Week 11. Spears’ seven carries for 47 yards are his second-highest number of carries and most yards this season.
The Titans rank 15th in rush attempts (27.7) this season, but eighth (30.7) over the last three weeks. Spears has weekly flex appeal depending on the matchup. If Pollard cannot overcome his foot injury over the next few weeks, Spears’ role should expand. Like those above him on the Week 11 waiver wire list, Spears should be on playoff-hopeful benches.
Audric Estime, Denver Broncos
The running back well is all but dried up. However, if you’re desperate for depth, Estime may be worth adding from the Week 11 waiver wire. His 14 carries in Week 10 account for 82% of the Broncos’ running back share. Javonte Williams earned just one carry while Jaleel McLaughlin logged just two. In a tough matchup against the Chiefs, Estime still managed 3.8 yards per carry for 53 total rushing yards. On just 29 total carries in 6 games this season, Estime still has a 5.1 yards per carry average.
The rookie’s role in Week 10 could be a sign of things to come. However, it’s curious the Broncos seemingly abandoned Javonte Williams in Week 10 after an average of 17.3 touches per game in three games prior to Week 10. For fantasy football purposes, Denver’s schedule isn’t the friendliest for running backs. Additionally, Estime has yet to draw a single target in the passing game. Javonte Williams and Jaleel McLaughlin are better suited for receiving work. So, adding Audric Estime may just be a volume-based RB2, at best, that you hope scores a touchdown each week. Even if you’re successful in adding him on the Week 11 waiver wire, I would still wait another week before starting him, if at all.
Trey Benson, Arizona Cardinals
Another rookie running back who deserves attention on the Week 11 waiver wire is Trey Benson. Though he’s on bye in Week 11, Benson belongs on the back end of someone’s bench for a playoff run. In a blowout Week 10 win, Benson rushed 10 times for 62 yards adding two receptions for 25 yards. That’s after an 18-yard reception and eight carries for 46 yards as well as a touchdown in Week 9.
Following the Cardinals’ Week 11 bye, they’ll face the Seattle Seahawks twice in three weeks. Seattle ranks eighth in fantasy points allowed to running backs. In the first two rounds of the fantasy football plays, in Weeks 15 and 16, the Cardinals face the New England Patriots and Carolina Panthers. They rank seventh and first in fantasy points allowed to running backs.
James Conner is still the lead back. Kyler Murray is averaging 4.6 rush attempts per game himself. In the event Conner becomes unavailable, or even in the above advantageous matchups, Benson should have value coming out of the bye.
Other Running Backs to Consider
Cam Akers is so clearly the handcuff running back behind Aaron Jones. His 13 carries matched a season-high and are his most since the trade from the Texans to the Vikings. Aaron Jones already missed time this season with a hamstring injury. He was carted off in Week 10 with an apparent rib injury but is expected to play in Week 11. Akers is one of the more valuable handcuffs on the Week 11 waiver wire that, unfortunately, has a higher probability of actually taking over.
Jaylen Wright played one more snap (9) than Raheem Mostert (8) in Week 11. However, both were far behind De’Von Achane (37). More importantly, Wright logged five carries, second to Achane’s 12. Wright only rushed for three total yards and didn’t draw a target. He’s merely a handcuff addition worth discussing behind Achane, who we’ve seen exit with various injuries before in just two seasons.
Handcuff Running Backs that are an injury away from plugging into fantasy lineups are crucial to add on the waiver wire. I don’t want a simple list to come across as lazy, but there’s no need to dance around how important these players are. The top handcuff running backs, if available, include, but are not limited to, Tyler Allgeier, Braelon Allen, Ray Davis, Justice Hill, Zach Charbonnet, and Blake Corum. With just four weeks left in the fantasy football regular season, get ahead of any future waiver wire battles now if you have room on your bench. There’s nothing worse than losing your stud when playoffs roll around and their handcuff is on someone else’s bench.
Wide Receiver
Ricky Pearsall, San Francisco 49ers
Getting a piece of the 49ers’ offense this late in the fantasy football season is a worthwhile investment. For the first time this season, San Francisco won back-to-back games. They’re now 5-4 and still very much in contention for the NFC West title.
In Week 10, Brock Purdy targeted just five different players. Ricky Pearsall logged six targets, his highest of three games played this season. Pearsall also logged a season-high 73 yards and scored his first touchdown, a 46-yard catch and run.
Moving forward, Pearsall likely operates as the 49ers’ WR3 behind Deebo Samuel and Jauan Jennings. Samuel has played through his fair share of injuries this season. Stashing Pearsall at the very least is a high-upside insurance policy for Deebo. Even if given more opportunities, Pearsall has George Kittle and Christian McCaffrey to compete with for targets, as well.
Xavier Legette, Carolina Panthers
Adding the top wide receiver on the Carolina Panthers is as appealing as it sounds. Yes, Xavier Legette leads all current Panthers pass catchers in targets (45) this season, but Bryce Young is still their quarterback. He’s been able to put up a respectable 11.4 points per game over his last three, but without a touchdown, Legette is unlikely to reach double-digit fantasy points.
Legette’s best game of the season was in Week 4 when he caught six of 10 targets for 66 yards and a touchdown. Andy Dalton was the starting quarterback and attempted 40 passes. Given that the Panthers have won two straight games, it’s hard to imagine benching Young in favor of Dalton again this season. They’ll likely let Young finish it out, for better or worse.
Bryce Young has improved since retaking the starting role. Unfortunately, after the Week 11 bye, he faces the Chiefs, Buccaneers, and Eagles in that order. This should lend to a high-volume passing opportunity for Legette, but the ceiling is obviously capped.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling, New Orleans Saints
Without Chris Olave or Rashid Shaheed, the Saints wide receiver depth chart is one of the weakest groups in the league. In Week 10, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, in just his second game with the Saints, tied Mason Tipton for the team lead in snaps played. He caught all three of his targets for 109 yards and two touchdowns.
This is a boom performance from a historically boom-or-bust player. He hasn’t logged more than three receptions in a game since the 2022 AFC Championship with the Kansas City Chiefs. That season, in particular, Valdes-Scantling caught just 42 of 81 targets for 687 yards and two touchdowns. That’s a 16.4 yards per reception average.
If he can continue to develop into a similar role for the Saints, then Valdes-Scantling could yield numbers similar to Rashid Shaheed. I don’t feel particularly confident about the return on investment here, but there’s potential for a high-upside bench addition this late in the season. With just four weeks left of the fantasy football regular season, and 16 total teams still to have their bye, Valdes-Scantling could be a plug-and-play flex option. The Saints themselves have a Week 12 bye. However, in Weeks 11 and 13 specifically, they play the Cleveland Browns and Los Angeles Rams. Both teams rank inside the top four in fantasy points allowed to wide receivers.
Other Wide Receivers to Consider
Quentin Johnston is a boom-or-bust wide receiver who could be a major boost to your lineup off of the Week 11 waiver wire. Over the next two weeks, the Chargers will host the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens. Both defenses rank inside the top eight in receiving yards allowed to wide receivers. Two weeks ago, Johnston caught four of five targets for 118 yards and a score. Johnston isn’t a high-volume receiver, but he has caught five touchdowns this season, including one in each of the last two.
Adonai Mitchell led all Indianapolis Colts wide receivers in snaps played in Week 10. That was without Michael Pittman (back) for the first time this season. Mitchell caught all six of his targets for 71 scoreless yards. He is a deeper league add on the Week 11 waiver wire that gets a boost in value if Pittman remains absent.
Mike Williams is another boom-or-bust wide receiver on the Week 11 waiver wire. In his first game since the trade from the New York Jets to the Pittsburgh Steelers, Williams caught his lone target for a 32-yard, game-winning touchdown. He played just nine snaps! Assuming Williams sees an increase in playing time and role in the offense, he could compete with George Pickens as the top target for the Steelers.
Tight End
Dawson Knox, Buffalo Bills
If you’re looking for a replacement on the Week 11 waiver wire for Trey McBride or Cade Otton, then Dawson Knox may be worth submitting a claim for. In Week 10, Dalton Kincaid exited with a knee injury. Although he returned briefly, he was generally ineffective. As a result, Knox played a season-high 52 offensive snaps. With a Week 12 bye looming, it’s possible Kincaid misses Week 11 paving the way for Knox to see the field more.
We already know rookie receiver Keon Coleman will miss Week 11 with a wrist injury. It remains uncertain whether or not Amari Cooper will go after missing two games with a wrist injury of his own. All the more reason to consider Knox on the Week 11 waiver wire. The Bills host the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 11. They’re one of three teams that have allowed 60 total receptions to tight ends this season. They’ve also allowed a league-high 698 yards to the position in just nine games.
Jonnu Smith, Miami Dolphins
Jonnu Smith now has 45 or more receiving yards in four of his last five games. In three games since quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s return from a concussion, Smith has at least three receptions in each game on an average of over five targets per game.
Up next for Smith is a home matchup with the Las Vegas Raiders. They’re allowing the sixth-most fantasy points per game to opposing tight ends. That includes the eighth-most receptions, ninth-most receiving yards, and third-most touchdowns. Smith will always have Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, and others to compete with for receiving upside, but has a decent floor nonetheless given his role.
Other Tight Ends to Consider
Will Dissly remains very much involved in the Chargers’ passing game. This is a Chargers team that’s been much pass-heavier over their last five games. As a result, Dissly has an average of 6.4 targets over his last five games with at least five receptions in three of them. The Chargers’ next two games are at home against the Bengals and Ravens, two of the pass-friendliest defenses in the league.
Quarterback
Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
Justin Herbert remains at the top of my waiver wire list of quarterbacks to add. I’ve been beating the drum for Herbert for weeks now. Herbert is one of just five quarterbacks with 19.0 or more fantasy points in each of their last three games played. He’s averaging 21.1 fantasy points per game since Week 8. Herbert has scored two touchdowns in every game during that span including one passing and one rushing in Week 10.
Justin Herbert is in a position to give quarterback-needy fantasy teams the boost they need to clinch a playoff spot. The Chargers host the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens in Los Angeles over the next two weeks. They both rank inside the top five in fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks. We all watched last week’s Thursday Night Football matchup between these two teams, right? Both Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow scored north of 30.0 fantasy points.
Herbert has added value as a runner, too. He has 32 rushing yards or more in two of his last three games. He’s averaging over five carries per game since Week 8 with a season-high nine carries in Week 10. Herbert has one of the highest floor and ceiling combinations of the Week 11 waiver wire quarterbacks. Even if he’s a one-week fill-in, he’s the top player to add at the position.
Bo Nix, Denver Broncos
Against a tough Kansas City Chiefs defense, Bo Nix still managed 16.1 fantasy points. Though his 215 passing yards are his fourth-lowest total of the season, he now has over 200 passing yards in seven of his first 10 games. Nix also has 12 total touchdowns in his last six games. That includes nine passing, one rushing, and even one receiving touchdown. With all of this in mind, Nix has established a high floor for himself for fantasy football purposes.
Luckily for Nix, his next game against the Chiefs is in Week 18. Most standard fantasy football seasons end the week prior. That being said, with a bye week in Week 14, Nix has just three regular-season fantasy football games left to play before three games during the fantasy football playoffs. All of his next three opponents rank inside the top 12 in fantasy points allowed to quarterbacks. Two of his final three matchups rank inside the top 10. Nix could be the dark horse league-winning quarterback your team needs. The Week 11 waiver wire is probably your best opportunity to add him.
Russell Wilson, Pittsburgh Steelers
If you need to go on a run and need a quarterback to do it, Russell Wilson deserves heavy consideration off of the Week 11 waiver wire. In three starts with the Steelers, Wilson has thrown six touchdown passes and added one on the ground, as well. He’s averaging 19.26 fantasy points per game and has yet to lose a game.
Up next for the Steelers and Wilson are four straight games against divisional opponents. The Steelers haven’t played an AFC North opponent yet. They’ll now matchup with the Ravens, Browns, Bengals, and Browns again over the last four games of the fantasy football regular season. This is great news. Not only should these games be competitive, but all three teams rank inside the top 12 in fantasy points allowed to quarterbacks. The Browns, who the Steelers play twice, rank 12th, but the Ravens (2nd) and Bengals (5th) both rank inside the top five.
Other Quarterbacks to Consider
Jameis Winston comes out of a Week 12 bye to face his former team, the New Orleans Saints. There’s a little bit of a “revenge game” narrative at play, but the matchup is favorable regardless. While the Saints have allowed the third-fewest passing touchdowns this season (8), they rank fourth in total passing yards (2,585) allowed. That includes allowing a 300+ yard passer in three of their last six games. Winston has the weapons and an extra week’s rest to put himself in line as the next.
Make sure to check out all of our Week 11 Fantasy Football Rankings and Analysis!