Week 11 is here, and that means we’ve officially entered the stretch run of the fantasy football season with most leagues having only four weeks left before the playoffs.
Bye weeks are once again prevalent this week with four solid offenses in the Dolphins, Buccaneers, Seahawks and Jaguars all off, so the waiver wire will once again be crucial for those needing a win.
Luckily this isn’t a bad week for those that have to turn to the wire, as there are several names worth adding that could offer immediate help and also play a crucial role for your squad down the stretch.
TOP QUARTERBACK
Deshaun Watson, Browns (28.1% rostered)
Watson is still suspended, but he’s only two weeks away from a return and is a must-add for those needing a quarterback considering he could be a difference-maker at the position. He’ll get a juicy matchup during his return in Week 13 against his former team in the rebuilding Texans, and while he might be a bit rusty having not played in over a year, he’s got the skill set to be among the position’s elite.
TOP RUNNING BACK
Rachaad White, Buccaneers (24.4%)
White appears to be on his way to taking over the Buccaneers’ backfield, especially now that Leonard Fournette is sidelined with a hip injury. Fournette could return in Week 12 since the Bucs are on bye this week, but White appears to be the top option moving forward after his performance last week in Germany and is well worth holding on to during the bye as a potential workhouse in a quality offense.
TOP WIDE RECEIVER
Christian Watson, Packers (5.8%)
Watson’s breakout finally happened last week, and he did it in spectacular fashion with over 100 receiving yards and three touchdowns on four catches. This was the most impressive showing from a Packers wideout since Davante Adams, so Watson is a must-add this week since he’s demonstrated how high his ceiling is, and he should have a somewhat stable floor with the Packers lacking in weapons.
TOP TIGHT END
Juwan Johnson, Saints (8.2%)
The Saints haven’t had many positives in recent weeks, but Johnson’s performance has steadily improved throughout the season, and he appears to be a critical part of the offense moving forward. His upside is somewhat capped due to the uncertainty at quarterback, but Johnson’s shown enough flashes to be worth an add at the increasingly thin tight end position.
ALSO CONSIDER
Jacoby Brissett, Browns QB (15.8%)
Brissett won’t be the starter much longer with Watson set to return soon, but he’s worth an add for those needing a quarterback in the short-term with the Browns likely being forced to throw the next two weeks against the Bills and the Bucs.
Isiah Pacheco, Chiefs RB (23.2%)
Pacheco appears to have leapfrogged Clyde Edwards-Helaire as the Chiefs’ go-to option on early downs, making him worth an add for those needing a running back this week since he gets to face a Chargers defense that’s gotten gashed by opposing running backs this year.
Donovan Peoples-Jones, Browns WR (21.9%)
Peoples-Jones is becoming increasingly involved in the Browns’ passing game, and while he might not keep up this current production once Deshaun Watson returns, he’s worth an add for the short-term with Brissett starting and could end up carrying over his current success with Watson.
Foster Moreau, Raiders TE (12.3%)
The Raiders are down bad as far as having reliable weapons outside of Davante Adams, and Moreau appears to be the next-best option. He was heavily targeted by Derek Carr last week and makes for a nice speculative add for those needing a tight end as long as Darren Waller is sidelined.
DEEP LEAGUE DIVE
Nico Collins, Texans WR (6.7%)
The Texans are in a full-on rebuild and have no incentive to target a veteran like Brandin Cooks, so a young receiver like Collins should continue to see more involvement and makes for a nice dart throw in deeper leagues.
Spencer ‘the Guru’ Urquhart (@spencertheguru) has been a fantasy football analyst since 2014, founding a community of over 6,000 followers on Instagram
