This is a friendly reminder to enjoy what remains of this NFL season. In today’s fast-paced world, fantasy football can feel like a grind. That said, it always seems like football comes and goes in the blink of an eye. We’ll be back to sitting around waiting for a new season in a few short months. So, no matter where your team stacks up in the standings and playoff push, don’t forget to be present in the moment and enjoy these next several weeks to the fullest. Now, let’s try to get a jump on enjoying Week 10 by making some quality fantasy football waiver wire pickups.
As always, managers are advised to prioritize situations, snap counts, workload and target shares over a one-week scoring output when deciding on which players to claim. These are the stats and trends that will better predict sustainable success. Here are our top fantasy football waiver wire pickups for Week 10.
Note: Players must be owned in less than 50% of ESPN leagues to be included in the best fantasy football waiver wire pickups column. Ownership percentages will reflect their status on Tuesday mornings ahead of standard waiver processing.
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Best Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 10
QB Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups
Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers (43.3%)
It’s rather surprising how many QBs are rostered in over 50% of ESPN leagues as we turn the page to Week 10. Justin Herbert is a name that surprisingly qualifies for this column. With the Los Angeles Chargers taking a run-heavy approach offensively under new coach Jim Harbaugh, Herbert’s fantasy numbers have taken a hit. Since the team’s Week 5 bye, however, Herbert’s passing attempts have been on the rise. Upcoming matchups against Tennessee, Cincinnati, Baltimore and Atlanta add to his upside as a potential pickup.
Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams (29.7%)
The SoCal vibes hit hard with this week’s QB fantasy football waiver wire pickups. Matthew Stafford’s ownership jumped a bit last week, but he is still available in over 70% of leagues. Even with Puka Nacua being banged up and Cooper Kupp largely being contained in Week 9, Stafford still put forth a serviceable fantasy performance. In three of the next four weeks, the Los Angeles Rams will be facing Miami, New England and New Orleans. None of those defenses are super scary, thus making Stafford a decent streamer/bye-week fill-in at the very least.
MORE: NFL Power Rankings Week 10 – Last Chance for Trades
With trades continuing around the NFL in advance of the deadline, click through the latest update of our NFL Power Rankings to see where your team stands heading into Week 10!
RB Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups
Tyler Allgeier, Atlanta Falcons (49.5%)
Knock on wood, fantasy stars at the RB position have been able to avoid big injuries and stay relatively healthy this season. As a result, the top fantasy football waiver wire pickups heading into Week 10 are more proactive in nature. When it comes to valuable RB handcuffs, Tyler Allgeier sits at the top of the list. If something were to happen to Bijan Robinson, Allgeier would become the guy in the Atlanta Falcons backfield. He also can be a low-floor FLEX option for teams that find themselves short on options amidst NFL bye weeks.
Ray Davis, Buffalo Bills (13.9%)
In the grand scheme of things, Ray Davis also fits the bill of a proactive RB handcuff. When healthy, James Cook continues to dominate the snaps and touches in the Buffalo Bills’ backfield. However, Davis has certainly made the most of his limited opportunities in his rookie season. He filled in admirably when Cook was sidelined back in Week 6 and had a 63-yard catch and run for a score this past week. An even timeshare is admittedly tough to envision, but if Davis keeps making big plays like that, the Bills might have no choice but to send a few more touches his way.
WR Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups
Cedric Tillman, Cleveland Browns (47.9%)
The Cleveland Browns may be on bye in Week 10, but managers who have a roster spot to spare should be making Cedric Tillman a top priority in fantasy football waiver wire pickups. Since Amari Cooper was traded, Tillman has emerged as arguably the most reliable WR on the Browns roster. A player who has seen 42 targets over the last three weeks is worth rostering even through a bye. Jameis Winston has a rapport with Tillman, as the two have connected for three touchdowns in the past two games. The second-year pro could be a true difference-maker in the push for the fantasy playoffs.
Xavier Legette, Carolina Panthers (32.6%)
The Carolina Panthers are hot garbage, but even the worst of NFL teams can present viable fantasy football contributors. In the wake of Diontae Johnson being traded to Baltimore last week, rookie wideout Xavier Legette is one to target. His inconsistent snap share from earlier in the year is virtually guaranteed to stabilize moving forward. Legette has seen 13 total targets in the last two games and caught a touchdown pass in each. His upside will be capped in this offense, but Legette has been bumped into weekly FLEX consideration following Johnson’s departure.
TE Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups
Tayson Hill, New Orleans Saints (26.8%)
Tayson Hill is a player who has sparked great debate in the fantasy football world over the years due to his Swiss army knife role and ability. There was a time when he was not eligible to be used at the TE position in fantasy lineups, but that is no longer the case. At the time of writing this Week 10 column, each of ESPN, Yahoo and Sleeper all have Hill listed as TE-eligible. The New Orleans Saints have been completely ravaged by injuries this season. As a result, the Saints offense is now Alvin Kamara and a hodgepodge of pass-catchers. Hill’s snap count has seen an uptick, and his rushing ability gives him the chance to be a difference-maker as a fantasy TE moving forward.
Mike Gesicki, Cincinnati Bengals (10.9%)
Last week, I stated in this fantasy football waiver wire pickups column to not blindly go out and add Mike Gesicki. Well, after going off for 100 yards receiving and two touchdowns in Week 9, that sentiment has changed to a minimal extent. Gesicki’s best performances this season have coincided with Tee Higgins being out of the lineup. Snap counts remain a concern here. Even in the last two weeks in which he has seen 14 targets, Gesicki was only on the field for 53% and 36% of the Cincinnati Bengals’ offensive snaps, respectively. His targets will take a hit when Higgins is healthy, but Gesicki is a viable add and a solid option for when the former is out.
