The NFL season has been yet another reminder that fantasy football is not just about starting the best players every week but also about finding the best players for the future. With injuries and bye weeks both rearing their ugly heads recently, staying a step ahead of opponents by preemptively picking up potential free-agent streamers has never been more crucial. Our Week 11 waiver wire watchlist will help you spot players who could very well end up the most heavily added next Wednesday, like Case Keenum, Jaylen Warren, Rachaad White, and Terrace Marshall Jr.
Don't wait until under-the-radar players go off this weekend and then get outbid next week by an owner with more FAAB or a higher waiver priority. Instead, anticipate the breakouts, recognize your Week 11 needs, and grab the best available streaming options for free right now. This time last week, we specifically featured Chargers wideout Josh Palmer, who stepped up with Keenan Allen and Mike Williams on the shelf and scored 18.6 PPR points. We also highlighted Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely, who scored a TD for the second-straight week.
That's some great hits, adding to an already lengthy list of successes this column has enjoyed all season. Going back two weeks ago, we mentioned Justin Fields when he was just 36-percent owned, and all he's done since is score 30 and 48.7 points, respectively, in Week 8 and 9. We also put you on Kenyan Drake, Darnell Mooney, and Greg Dulcich, all of whom have been solid and seen their ownership percentages skyrocket.
Maybe you just freed up a spot because one of your players became IR-eligible; maybe you recently dropped a couple of disappointing sleepers. Use that open space to invest in a potential lotto ticket — a player who you expect to see a usage spike, breakout opportunity, or return from injury. It's also important to monitor upcoming bye weeks and grab a guy you can stream in place of your bye-week studs. With four more byes coming up in Week 11 (Seahawks, Dolphins, Jaguars, Buccaneers), competition will again be fierce for useful fill-ins, so it's best to grab them now when most owners aren't thinking about it.
WEEK 10 FANTASY PICKS: Sleepers | Busts | Start 'em, sit 'em
Unfortunately, some shallower leagues don't have enough roster spots for "planning ahead," but for those in relatively deep leagues, our week-ahead watchlist will continue to be a helpful resource. Even though you won't pick up most of these players, it's worth watching their snap counts, target shares, and weekly production trends to file away for later.
Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Watchlist
Reminder: This list was put together in the lead-in to Week 10, looking forward to the players who could be popular waiver-wire targets ahead of Week 11. If you have a roster spot to play with, these are free-agent options you could grab early to beat next week's waiver buzz.
All these players are below 50-percent ownership on Yahoo, unless otherwise specified.
Week 11 Waiver Wire Watchlist: QB
WEEK 11 BYES: Miami Dolphins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Seattle Seahawks
Case Keenum, Bills (3 percent rostered)
The great mystery out of Buffalo this week has been the status of Josh Allen's elbow. Is it merely an irritation or strain or a full sprain? Will he play despite not yet practicing? What if he aggravates it or it gets worse this weekend against a capable Vikings pass rush? Look, Allen owners specifically should cover their bases and add Keenum on the off-chance Allen misses any time at all. Keenum has proven his worth as a serviceable NFL QB in far less proficient offenses than the Bills'. If he's starting, especially against the Lions, Jets, and Dolphins in Weeks 12, 14, and 15, he would easily be a top-10 QB. Remember: insurance is always cheaper before you need it.
Marcus Mariota, Falcons vs. Bears in Week 11 (34%)
Mariota has enjoyed a very solid season, turning back the hands of time and helping the Falcons improbably compete for the NFC South. He should be good next week against Chicago, a defense that has allowed 544 air yards and five passing TDs over the past two weeks. If you own Tua, TB12, T-Law, or Papa Geno, you could do a lot worse than Saint Marcus as your sub.
Daniel Jones, Giants vs. Lions in Week 11 (52%)
Jones has blossomed under Giants head coach and former Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, and the G-Men have a surprising 6-2 record. Jones didn't do much fantasy-wise in his last game with Seattle's D stepping up yet again, but a Week 11 home game against the Lions looks as juicy as a rare rib-eye. Detroit has allowed the fifth-most passing yards and the third-most standard fantasy points to QBs this season. Grab Jones now before he goes off against the Texans this weekend.
MORE POTENTIAL WEEK 11 STREAMERS WITH FAVORABLE MATCHUPS: Davis Mills, Texans vs. Commanders (7%); Jimmy Garoppolo, 49ers @ Cardinals (46%); P.J. Walker, Panthers vs. Ravens (5%)
MORE WORTHWHILE QBs STASHES: Deshaun Watson, Browns (suspended through Week 12, returns to favorable schedule Week 13-17, 34%); Kenny Pickett, Steelers (not a stream until Week 13, but then he draws the Falcons and Ravens in back-to-back weeks, 9%)
WEEK 10 PPR RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
Week 11 Waiver Wire Watchlist: RB
WEEK 11 BYES: Miami Dolphins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Seattle Seahawks, Jacksonville Jaguars
Gus Edwards, Ravens (48 percent rostered)
Kenyan Drake stole the show on Monday Night Football earlier this week, launching him up to 65-percent rostered, but when Edwards is healthy (and JK Dobbins is not), he's John Harbaugh's man. The Ravens are on bye this week, so check to see if a frustrated owner with no available IR spots dropped Gus Bus. He's still listed as "O" on Yahoo, so you can stash him on your IR and enjoy the benefits of Week 12 and 13 meetings with Carolina and Jacksonville.
Rachaad White, Buccaneers (38%)
We've been saying all year that White's time will come, and it seems to finally be happening. The Athletic's Gary Auman recently wrote that "the momentum will likely be with" White at the end of the season, suggesting the rookie could eventually leap-frog veteran bruiser Leonard Fournette. Don't even think of streaming White anytime soon, but he's probably more worthy of a roster spot than the majority of players occupying the backend of fantasy rosters.
Jaylen Warren, Steelers (16%)
Here's another player who could easily see a larger role, according to Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio. Warren exhibited his rushing brilliance in the preseason and has flashed here and there when spelling Steelers RB1 Najee Harris this season. If Warren does indeed see a usage spike — or if anything happens to Harris — Warren immediately jumps into flex territory at worst.
MORE WORTHWHILE RB STASHES: Kyren Williams, Rams (41%); Chase Edmonds, Broncos (48%); Chuba Hubbard, Panthers (38%); Latavius Murray, Broncos (29%); Isiah Pacheco, Chiefs (25%); James Cook, Bills (18%); Jerick McKinnon, Chiefs (16%); Isaiah Spiller, Chargers (4%); Deon Jackson (48%) & Zack Moss (3%), Colts
WEEK 10 STANDARD RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
Week 11 Waiver Wire Watchlist: WR
WEEK 11 BYES: Miami Dolphins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Seattle Seahawks, Jacksonville Jaguars
Michael Gallup, Cowboys at Vikings Week 11 (40 percent rostered)
With the stud receiver tandems of the Dolphins, Bucs, and Seahawks all on bye next week, it's in your best interest to plan your Week 11 wideout streams now. Gallup has enjoyed strong chemistry with Dak Prescott over the past couple of seasons, and he should finally be closer to 100 percent after the Cowboys' Week 9 bye. A visit to Minnesota should produce plenty of scoring, so consider Gallup one of the better streams of next week's slate.
Terrace Marshall Jr., Panthers at Ravens Week 11 (18%)
The fantasy world stays sleeping on TMJ (if his nickname isn't Lockjaw by next week, we're all failing at life). Marshall, who we featured here last week when he was four-percent rostered, has produced double-digit half-PPR points in each of Carolina's past two games, and he draws the Falcons in Week 10 and Ravens in Week 11. Grab this man before he continues to improve and his presence on the waiver-wire becomes a distant memory.
Samori Toure, Packers vs. Titans Week 11 (0%)
Okay, Yahoo — we're calling your bluff. There's no way Toure is 0 percent rostered. Aaron Rodgers, Toure himself, and a small community of Cheesehead Nation probably own the guy. I own the guy. But I digress. Rodgers likes Toure ever since he made a great improvisational move at the end of a route that ended up in a touchdown against Buffalo. Now fellow rookies Romeo Doubs (ankle) and Christian Watson (head) are banged up, and Rodgers just needs targets. Stash him now, and if Rodgers looks his way plenty this weekend, he could pay off handsomely next week against an inferior Titans secondary.
MORE SOLID WEEK 11 WR STREAMS: Wan'Dale Robinson (35%) & Kenny Golladay (4%), Giants vs. Lions; DeAndre Carter, Chargers vs. Chiefs (27%); Nico Collins (12%) & Chris Moore (1%), Texans vs. Commanders; Sammy Watkins, Packers vs. Titans (5%)
MORE SAVVY WR STASHES: Romeo Doubs, Packers (41%); Treylon Burks, Titans (18%); Odell Beckham Jr., FA (45%); Zay Jones, Jaguars (23%); Donovan Peoples-Jones, Browns (28%); Isaiah McKenzie, Bills (37%); Robert Woods, Titans (48%); Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Chiefs (40%)
WEEK 10 DFS LINEUPS: DraftKings | FanDuel
Week 11 Waiver Wire Watchlist: TE
WEEK 11 BYES: Miami Dolphins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Seattle Seahawks, Jacksonville Jaguars
*UPDATED 11/10* Foster Moreau, Raiders at Broncos (3%)
With the Thursday afternoon news that Darren Waller will be placed on IR, Moreau's stock immediately rises. Josh McDaniels offenses typically involve moderate to heavy tight end usage, and Vegas finds itself in close and/or high-scoring games more often than not. If Moreau pops this weekend against the Colts, he should see a meteoric rise in ownership levels after the Week 11 waivers process. Get out ahead of it and stash him if you need a tight end or want some insurance for your starter.
Robert Tonyan, Packers vs. Titans (50%)
Tonyan just barely squeaked into the column, owned in exactly 50 percent of leagues. He's a fantastic stream for Week 11, when the likes of Mike Gesicki, Evan Engram, Cade Otten, Noah Fant, and Will Dissly will all be on bye. The Titans have as good of a pass defense as Ted Cruz, and the Packers have a depleted WR corps. Tonyan could once again emerge as a volume pass-catcher with added red-zone appeal.
Isaiah Likely, Ravens (23%)
He's on bye in Week 10 and likely (sorry) not a Week 11 streamer against Carolina, but if Mark Andrews aggravates any of his multiple injuries, Likely will be a TE1 by proxy. The rookie tight end has come down with TDs in each of the past two weeks and clearly has a rapport with Lamar Jackson. I've got him stashed wherever I could find him.
POTENTIAL WEEK 11 STREAMERS WITH FAVORABLE MATCHUPS: Cole Kmet, Bears at Falcons (47%); Tyler Conklin, Jets at Patriots (18%)
WEEK 10 DFS: Best stacks | Best values
Week 11 Defense Streamers and Sleepers
WEEK 11 BYES: Miami Dolphins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Seattle Seahawks, Jacksonville Jaguars
Cincinnati Bengals at Steelers (43 percent rostered)
Kenny Pickett makes plenty of mistakes, and Pittsburgh's offensive line is horrendous. Enjoy the sacks and the probable turnovers for the Bengals in Week 11.
Denver Broncos vs. Raiders (52%)
How did Denver fall to 52-percent ownership? This defense is amazing, allowing the fewest passing yards in the NFL and regularly stifling average to below-average QBs (you're in that category, Derek Carr). Start 'em up in Week11 against an inconsistent Vegas offense, and don't worry about Davante Adams — that's what Pat Surtain is for.
Washington Commanders @ Texans (4%)
Davis Mills had enough trouble establishing Houston's passing game before Brandin Cooks became disgruntled — now what's he gonna do? The Texans have a sole bright spot, and it's rookie back Dameon Pierce. Washington should be able to scheme a plan to at least contain the young bruiser and force Mills into plenty of forced passes. That's especially true if Chase Young (knee) is back.
Other good streaming defense: New York Jets vs. Patriots (20%); New Orleans Saints vs. Rams (53%); Houston Texans vs. Commanders (1%)
