Week ten of the 2022 NFL season is over and chaos rules. Jalen Hurts and the undefeated Eagles were no match for the Heinicke-led Commanders. Justin Fields scored four touchdowns, yet still lost to the Lions. Jeff Saturday won. When chaos reigns over your fantasy leagues, only the waiver wire will bring order. So, I’m going to provide you with the best options available. If I don’t mention someone whom you think I should be talking about, just know there are many reasons why I overlooked them. Maybe they are owned in most leagues. Maybe they are so bad I don’t even consider them. Or, maybe it’s because your opinions cannot be trusted. After all, you are here. So let us examine our best week five waiver wire players for your championship run…
Week Eleven Waiver Wire Quarterbad (oops, quarterback)
Daniel Jones, New York Giants (54% rostered)
At this point in the season, if you are looking for a long-term starter on the waiver wire, something has gone horribly, horribly wrong. We are in streamer season and the best week eleven option is Daniel Jones. I wish I could offer you a better choice, but it is week eleven so you get Daniel Jones. The good news is in week ten, Jones had 197 passing yards and 2 touchdowns. The better news is that he is playing the Detroit Lions, who give up the third-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks. The bad news is he is still Daniel Jones, so this situation can turn catastrophic pretty freaking quickly.
Week Eleven Waiver Wire Running Backs
Rachaad White, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (26% rostered)
This is a tricky waiver wire move. When Leonard Fournette went down in week ten with a hip injury, Rachaad White came in and had to make the Bucs wonder how much they really need Fournette as White rushed 22 times for 105 yards. There are a lot of factors that have to go into evaluating whether White is worth a waiver addition. First, they played a Seahawks team that is bad at defending the run. Second, Fournette was having a good game before he went down, which adds credence to the performance being more match-up related. Third, the Bucs are on a bye week so if you grab him, you are grabbing a player you can’t use for a week. If you need help immediately, White isn’t the answer. Finally, a lot of reports indicate that Fournette may be good to go after the bye. Having said all that, White is my number one waiver wire addition because all season White has done more with rushing opportunities than Fournette has. More importantly, he is the only worthwhile running back still on the waiver wire.
Isiah Pacheco, Kansas City Chiefs (30% rostered)
In week ten, Isiah Pacheco finally cracked the 50% snap count margin. This means that instead of just paying lip service to Pacheco being the starter, he is actually seeing meaningful snaps on the field. In week ten, Pacheco had 16 carries for 82 yards. He also lost a fumble. Nothing will change the fact that Isiah Pacheco is an Andy Reid running back. However, he is still a running back who sees playing time on a high-powered offense and beggars can’t be choosers.
Week Eleven Waiver Wire Wide Receivers
Kadarius Toney, Kansas City Chiefs (46% rostered)
When the Kansas City Chiefs traded for Kadarius Toney, I grabbed him everywhere. He has such explosive playmaking ability, I wanted as much exposure to him as possible because he can do a lot of the same things that made Tyreek Hill so successful in Kansas City. In week ten, Toney had 4 catches, 90 all-purpose yards, and 1 touchdown. It is still too early to tell if this is a result of him getting acclimated to a new offense or a byproduct of more opportunities and Juju Smith-Schuster left the game early with a concussion. I do know that if it is the latter, I can just cut him later. If it is the former, I won’t be able to grab him again. Kadarius Toney is a scratch-off lottery ticket with potentially big returns. If you didn’t feel like gambling, why are you even playing fantasy football?
Parris Campbell, Indianapolis Colts (15% rostered)
Parris Campbell is one of the more fascinating waiver wire guys to me. In week ten, he had 7 catches for 76 yards and 1 touchdown. In his last three games with Matt Ryan, Campbell has had 32 targets, 24 receptions, 203 yards, and 3 touchdowns. Those are high-end WR1 numbers. Campbell has the athleticism and draft pedigree for this to not be a fluke, as the former second-rounder has a 9.76 RAS. He has everything you could want in a waiver wire wide receiver. Unfortunately, he also has the same disease as Mr. Glass from Unbreakable. In his previous three NFL seasons, he has played in 15 games. Moreover, the Colts organization just looks like a disaster waiting to happen. Sure, they beat the Raiders, but who hasn’t? There is an equal part of upside and red flags with Campbell, but he is still my number two receiver because right now the numbers track. I’ll take a chance until he inevitably explodes into a cloud of dust.
Christian Watson, Green Bay Packers (18% rostered)
In week ten, Christian Watson finally showed off the pure athleticism that made the Packers trade up in the second round of the 2022 draft to get him. Watson finished the day with 4 catches for 107 and 3 touchdowns. With Doubs injured, the argument going around is that Watson will get all the targets. The concern I have is that Watson was very raw in college and the early start to his NFL career has not convinced me that he won’t continue to make dumb mistakes. Having said that, Watson is a guy I will grab because I did like his college tape. I thought for as raw as he was, Watson showed some solid instincts at times. Moreover, if he can take his raw athleticism and become a favorite target for Rodgers, his upside is tremendous.
Donovan Peoples-Jones, Cleveland Browns (23% rostered)
In week ten, Donovan Peoples-Jones had 5 catches for 99 yards. DPJ had a very solid, unremarkable performance and finished just outside the top 24 in half PPR. What really caught my eye is how boringly, consistently productive he has been lately. DJP over the last six weeks has been putting up solid flex numbers with a very consistent floor. Over his last six games, DPJ has averaged 7 targets, 5 catches, and 74 yards. Over the last four weeks, DJP has been the WR32 in half PPR. If he had just a couple of touchdowns during that stretch, we’d have been talking about him as a potential second-half breakout player. I’m not sure I’d burn a waiver on him, but if he clears waivers, I would strongly consider grabbing DJP for my bench.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Kansas City Chiefs (38% rostered)
When I wrote about Kadarius Toney, I talked about the explosive element he brings to the Chiefs’ offense. In theory, MVS is that guy also. In reality, he is wildly inconsistent. In week ten, MVS had 3 catches for 60 yards and 1 touchdown. However, he only has one game this season with over 4 catches. He also only has exceeded 50 yards receiving four times in nine games. You can’t really grab MVS because you can’t trust him.
Week Eleven Waiver Wire TEs
Cole Kmet, Chicago Bears (48% rostered)
Last week, Cole Kmet was only 24% rostered despite having a strong target share in an offense controlled by our fantasy football Lord and Savior Justin Fields. If you listened to me last week, you’re welcome, for Fields rewarded the faithful with the TE1 performance of week ten. Cole Kmet had 4 catches for 74 yards and 2 touchdowns. Over the last four weeks, Kmet has 5 touchdowns and is the number two tight end in fantasy points. Yes, his performance is touchdown dependent. He also led the Bears’ offense in targets and appears to be their primary red zone target. I’m about to utter words I could never have said in my lifetime before this month without being rightfully mocked. Rostering the number one red zone target for the Chicago Bears will win you a lot of fantasy football games this year. Get Cole Kmet.
Foster Moreau, Las Vegas Raiders (17% rostered)
If you can’t get Cole Kmet, everyone’s favorite bond villain Foster Moreau is an acceptable rebound. With Darren Waller on Injured Reserve, Moreau is a very solid option. The Raiders feature their tight ends in this offense, so the opportunities will be there for Moreau. In week ten, Foster Moreau had 3 catches for 43 yards and 1 touchdown. He also finished as the TE4. What has your tight end done for you lately? Besides break your heart, spirit, and fantasy football team.
