The waiver wire can make or break your fantasy football season, with injuries, breakout performances, and changing roles creating new opportunities every week. Here are my latest fantasy football waiver wire rankings, featuring the top players to target and prioritize on waivers.
Fantasy Football Week 10 Waiver Wire Rankings
| RK | Player | Pos | Matchup | Kickoff |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | RB | @ DET | Sun 9:30am ET | |
| 2 | WR | @ DET | Sun 9:30am ET | |
| 3 | WR | @ TEN | Sun 1:00pm ET | |
| 4 | RB | vs CAR | Sun 1:00pm ET | |
| 5 | WR | @ IND | Sun 1:00pm ET | |
| 6 | WR | @ CLE | Sun 1:00pm ET | |
| 7 | RB | vs MIA | Sun 1:00pm ET | |
| 8 | RB | vs SEA | Sun 4:05pm ET | |
| 9 | WR | @ NYG | Thu 8:15pm ET | |
| 10 | QB | @ CIN | Sun 8:20pm ET | |
| 11 | DEF | vs LAC | Mon 8:15pm ET | |
| 12 | WR | vs SF | Sun 4:25pm ET | |
| 13 | RB | @ ATL | Sun 1:00pm ET | |
| 14 | RB | @ DAL | Sun 4:25pm ET | |
| 15 | RB | vs MIN | Sun 1:00pm ET | |
| 16 | TE | @ NO | Sun 1:00pm ET | |
| 17 | RB | vs HOU | Sun 1:00pm ET | |
| 18 | DEF | @ NYJ | Sun 1:00pm ET | |
| 19 | DEF | vs MIN | Sun 1:00pm ET | |
| 20 | QB | vs WAS | Thu 8:15pm ET | |
| 21 | TE | @ CIN | Sun 8:20pm ET | |
| 22 | TE | @ CIN | Sun 8:20pm ET | |
| 23 | QB | @ IND | Sun 1:00pm ET | |
| 24 | RB | @ TEN | Sun 1:00pm ET | |
| 25 | TE | @ ARI | Sun 4:05pm ET | |
| 26 | WR | @ DAL | Sun 4:25pm ET | |
| 27 | WR | @ ARI | Sun 4:05pm ET | |
| 28 | WR | @ CLE | Sun 1:00pm ET | |
| 29 | WR | @ CLE | Sun 1:00pm ET | |
| 30 | WR | BYE | - | |
| 31 | WR | @ NYG | Thu 8:15pm ET | |
| 32 | TE | @ ARI | Sun 4:05pm ET | |
| 33 | RB | vs PIT | Sun 8:20pm ET | |
| 34 | RB | vs LAR | Sun 4:05pm ET | |
| 35 | K | vs SEA | Sun 4:05pm ET | |
| 36 | K | @ CIN | Sun 8:20pm ET | |
| 37 | DEF | @ NYG | Thu 8:15pm ET | |
| 38 | DEF | @ IND | Sun 1:00pm ET | |
| 39 | K | @ NYG | Thu 8:15pm ET | |
| 40 | K | vs BUF | Sun 1:00pm ET | |
| 41 | QB | vs HOU | Sun 1:00pm ET |
Write-ups on some of the best waiver wire pickups ahead of Week 10
1. Corey Kiner, RB (NE)
Rostered: 5%
New England’s backfield fell apart Sunday against Green Bay. Rhamondre Stevenson left with a knee injury and is questionable for Week 10. TreVeyon Henderson missed the game after a medical emergency that put him in the hospital, and there’s no timeline for his return. Kiner made the most of his chance, running eight times for 55 yards and a touchdown to finish as the week’s RB13. Before Sunday, he had never scored more than 5.7 points in a game. He has been efficient all year, averaging 4.9 yards per carry, but his high in carries is still only 11, and he has one catch since Week 5. The snaps also leave some doubt. Lan Larison took the next 12 snaps after Stevenson went down, and Kiner didn’t take over until late, playing nine of the last 11 snaps after Tommy DeVito came in.
I still expect Kiner to get the first shot at a bigger workload, since he was ahead of Larison on the depth chart before the injury. But Larison got the snaps with the starters, and he could end up leading the committee or taking the third-down work. The schedule doesn’t help either. Detroit holds offenses to -0.08 EPA per rush, the game kicks off at 9:30 a.m. ET, so Stevenson’s status could stay unclear until close to lineup lock, and New England has its bye in Week 11. Even in the best case, Kiner gives you one tough game before a week off. He’s worth a cheap claim in deep leagues or as a handcuff for Stevenson managers. If you need a running back to start right away, take Estime.
2. Audric Estime, RB (NO)
Rostered: 6%
Estime landed in a familiar place. He finished last season as New Orleans’ lead back, running 14 times for 94 yards and a touchdown against Tennessee and then getting 26 touches on 84% of the snaps in the finale. He started this season in Cleveland, got waived, and returned to the Saints just in time to face the Browns. Because he already knew the offense, they could use him right away. He ran 15 times for 72 yards and a touchdown and caught one pass for five yards, finishing with 14.7 PPR points as the week’s RB9. Alvin Kamara played two more snaps (37 to 35) but got only six carries, and Estime got all three of the Saints’ red-zone carries. Kamara will keep his passing-down role, but the early-down and goal-line work belongs to Estime.
The injury report keeps the job open. Travis Etienne, who had 39% of the team’s carries before he got hurt, is on IR with a hamstring injury. CJ Donaldson missed Sunday with a shoulder injury, and Kendre Miller is gone. The Week 10 opponent, Carolina, is one of the two easiest matchups for running backs and has allowed 13 rushing touchdowns in nine games. Chicago in Week 11 is much tougher, but Carolina comes up again in Week 14. With Etienne out, Estime is a solid RB2 this week and a flex option after that. Watch Donaldson’s practice reports, because he’s the one most likely to cut into Estime’s carries. He’s the best running back on this list for Week 10, and I’d spend more on him than anyone else here.
3. Caleb Douglas, WR (MIA)
Rostered: 28%
Douglas is a 6-foot-4 rookie out of Texas Tech, and he has led Miami in targets in each of the last two games. Against Detroit he caught six of eight targets for 70 yards, more than half of Malik Willis’ 128 passing yards, and scored 13 PPR points without a touchdown. The week before, he caught four of six for 43 yards against New England. That’s 10 catches on 14 targets, and he played at least 74% of the snaps in both games. His targets are coming 12 to 16 yards downfield on average, so he doesn’t need many catches to produce. He showed that in Week 7, turning three targets into 70 yards and two touchdowns against the Jets. In five games, he has 19 catches for 296 yards and two scores.
Malik Washington is the main threat to his role. Washington still has 22% of Miami’s targets for the season, compared with 16% for Douglas. If Washington takes back the lead, Douglas becomes a boom-or-bust WR4. Willis also limits how much any Miami receiver can score, because the passing game has been very inconsistent. Indianapolis is a mixed matchup. The Colts have allowed 16 passing touchdowns and just gave up 335 yards to Dak Prescott, but they’ve been one of the tougher defenses for wide receivers overall. Buffalo in Week 11 is a much better matchup. I’d add Douglas as a WR3 or flex in PPR leagues and a WR4 in standard. Of the receivers on this list, he has the most secure role right now.
4. Tank Dell, WR (HOU)
Rostered: 18%
Dell’s second game back from his knee injury looked like his old self. He caught four of nine targets for 105 yards and a touchdown against the Chargers, scoring 20.5 PPR points as the week’s WR8. His nine targets led the team, and he averaged 15 yards downfield per target. That’s the same deep role that made him a weekly starter as a rookie, when he had four games with more than 20 PPR points. His playing time is climbing fast. He played 14 snaps (23%) and saw one target in his Week 7 return against the Giants. After the bye, he played 33 snaps (53%) and ran 22 routes. That still isn’t a full-time role, but the jump suggests Houston is ramping him up rather than holding him to a set limit.
The depth chart is in his favor. Injuries to Jaylin Noel and Jayden Higgins leave the No. 3 receiver job open behind Nico Collins (22% of the targets) and Dalton Schultz (16.8%), and Kayshon Boutte is Dell’s main competition for it. His 6.7% target share for the season undersells him, because it includes the games he missed. The next two weeks are tough, with Cleveland and then Indianapolis, but the rest of the schedule is softer, including Tennessee and Philadelphia. Treat him as an upside WR4 for now rather than a weekly starter. If you already have reliable starters, he’s the best stash on this list. If his snap share climbs above 70%, he could be a weekly WR3 for the rest of the season.
5. Seth McGowan, RB (IND)
Rostered: 26%
Most managers grabbed McGowan as insurance in case Jonathan Taylor gets traded, but Sunday gave him value either way. For the first time, the Kentucky rookie took most of the Colts’ third-down snaps, and Taylor wasn’t on the field for the team’s only goal-line snap. Taylor played 69% of the snaps, which is still a lead-back workload but less than Indianapolis usually gives him. McGowan ran six times for 45 yards and a touchdown and finished as the week’s RB14. One 36-yard run accounts for most of his 7.5 yards per carry, but his season average of 4.8 ranks 11th among qualified backs. He has played between 27% and 33% of the snaps in each of the last five games, so his role is small but steady.
The third-down role hasn’t brought targets yet. He has one target in each of his last three games, so he isn’t a PPR option, and Taylor still gets 66% of the team’s carries. Without a trade, he’s a handcuff who might score a touchdown now and then. Tuesday’s trade deadline settles his outlook before most waivers run. If Taylor is traded, McGowan is the favorite to lead the backfield, though DJ Giddens would take some of the work, and Miami in Week 10 is a good matchup for running backs. Add him now while he’s cheap, because his price will jump if a trade happens. If Taylor stays, keep him anyway. A handcuff who is starting to take third downs is worth a roster spot.
6. Chig Okonkwo, TE (WAS)
Rostered: 27%
Okonkwo caught six of seven targets for 57 yards against the Rams, tying for Washington’s team lead in targets. Since Jayden Daniels returned, he has led the Commanders in routes, targets, catches and receiving yards. With Terry McLaurin out for the season, he has drawn at least 20% of the targets in three of the last four games, and his 20.2% share since Week 5 ranks ninth among tight ends. He’s the first read on two-thirds of his targets, so Daniels is looking for him on purpose. He has also played 74% to 77% of the snaps in each of the last three games. That’s a starting tight end’s workload, and few tight ends on the waiver wire can say the same.
He still has no touchdowns, which is why he’s available in so many leagues, and he has two games under three half-PPR points this season. His targets are dependable, but his scoring isn’t yet. The timing is tricky too. Washington plays the Giants on Thursday night, so you’ll have to decide early, and New York has been tough on tight ends. After that, the schedule gets much easier, with Cincinnati in Week 11 and Arizona in Week 12. Pick him up now as a streamer for those two weeks rather than chasing a Thursday start. Start him against the Giants only if your current tight end is seeing one or two targets a game. Otherwise, wait a week and start him against the Bengals.
7. Ryan Flournoy, WR (DAL)
Rostered: 37%
Flournoy caught two of three targets for 53 yards against Indianapolis, which was disappointing given how much receiving work Dallas had available. George Pickens missed the game with a hamstring injury, and Flournoy was running a route on every passing play into the third quarter. CeeDee Lamb absorbed most of the production, but Flournoy stayed heavily involved. He also entered Sunday with 17 receptions for 238 yards and two touchdowns across Weeks 5–8, averaging 1.90 yards per route run and earning four red-zone targets during that stretch. There’s enough recent production here to remain interested despite the three-target outing.
San Francisco has allowed −0.06 EPA per pass through Week 9, so I’m keeping expectations modest even if Dallas remains shorthanded. I wouldn’t add Flournoy expecting Dallas’ injuries alone to make him a strong start against that defense. However, Pickens’ hamstring remains worth monitoring, and Jake Ferguson left Sunday with a knee injury that required further imaging. Another week without Pickens would leave Flournoy with the playing time needed to remain a flex consideration, while Ferguson’s availability could affect the target distribution underneath. I’m adding him for receiving depth, with more interest in PPR formats. He’s usable when Dallas is shorthanded, but Lamb’s 16 targets Sunday showed why Flournoy’s increased routes don’t guarantee a high-volume afternoon.
8. Aaron Rodgers, QB (PIT)
Rostered: 33%
Rodgers returns from Pittsburgh’s bye with a matchup that makes him worth considering again. His recent performances haven’t been stand out by any means. In the Steelers’ last game against Cleveland, he completed 13 of 25 passes for 172 yards with no touchdowns and an interception as Pittsburgh leaned on its running game. His earlier meeting with Cincinnati was a different story. Rodgers threw for 292 yards and three touchdowns in that matchup, giving us an example of what he has done this season in favorable matchups and his ability to be a solid streamer.
Cincinnati’s pass defense is closer to average than a unit we should automatically target, allowing −0.04 EPA per pass through Week 9. The bigger attraction is the game environment, Burrow has Cincinnati scoring at least 30 points in four consecutive games, increasing the likelihood that Pittsburgh needs Rodgers to do more than manage a run-heavy win. His lack of rushing production leaves him dependent on passing yards and touchdowns, which should be available against an overrated passing defense in a high scoring divisional game coming off a bye. Rodgers is a reasonable bye-week streamer, with enough passing upside to use when the stronger options are already rostered.
9. Kaleb Johnson, RB (GB)
Rostered: 1%
Johnson is a higher-priority pickup now that Josh Jacobs needs surgery on his fractured finger. Matt LaFleur hasn’t provided a return timetable and hasn’t ruled out injured reserve, which would cost Jacobs at least four games. Johnson led Green Bay with 14 carries for 68 yards and a touchdown against New England, including a 34-yard run. Pierre Strong remained involved with eight carries and two receptions, playing 29 snaps to Johnson’s 26. This backfield won’t belong to Johnson alone, but he made a strong case for more carries while Jacobs is out.
I’m adding Johnson wherever I need running back help, especially if MarShawn Lloyd remains sidelined with his knee injury. Minnesota’s −0.09 EPA allowed per rush makes Week 10 a difficult matchup, and Johnson’s lack of receiving work leaves him more dependent on rushing production and touchdowns. Still, Jacobs’ surgery creates an opportunity that could last several weeks. Lloyd’s availability and Chris Brooks’ potential return from injured reserve could change the rotation, but Johnson is worth rostering before those questions are answered. He’s a potential flex against Minnesota if Lloyd remains out, with a chance to stay useful beyond this week.
10. Baltimore Ravens DEF
Rostered: 40%
Baltimore is my defensive pickup for a Week 10 matchup with the Chargers. Through Week 9, Los Angeles ranks last in offensive EPA per play at −0.25, with a 36.35% success rate and −0.28 EPA per pass, according to SumerSports. Houston just sacked Justin Herbert eight times in a 44–22 win, showing how much fantasy production this offense can give opposing defenses even when it scores points. Herbert also injured his non-throwing hand, although he said he expected to play against Baltimore. His status is worth monitoring without assuming the injury will limit him.
Baltimore hasn’t been generating enough negative plays to make this an automatic recommendation. The Ravens entered Week 9 with 17 sacks and eight takeaways, then failed to sack or intercept Trevor Lawrence on Thursday. Their run defense was more encouraging, holding Jacksonville to 77 yards on 30 attempts. Doing something similar against Los Angeles could create the longer passing situations where Herbert’s protection has broken down. This is still a matchup-driven stream, with Baltimore’s own offensive struggles adding risk. I’m comfortable using the Ravens against the Chargers, but I’m not paying a premium or treating them as a defense to hold regardless of opponent.
Honorable Waiver Wire Mentions
- JJ McCarthy QB (NYG) – 24% rostered
- Dylan Sampson RB (CLE) – 23% rostered
- Mike Washington Jr. RB (LV) – 47% rostered
- Emmett Johnson RB (KC) – 27% rostered
- Kaelon Black RB (SF) – 38% rostered
- Antonio Williams WR (WAS) – 26% rostered
- Tutu Atwell WR (LAR) – 8% rostered
- Reggie Virgil WR (ARI) -2% rostered
- Darren Waller TE (CAR) – 7% rostered
- Pat Freiermuth TE (PIT) – 37% rostered
- Buffalo Bills DEF 41% rostered
- Green Bay Packers DEF 37% rostered
- Chris Boswell K (PIT) – 33% rostered
