Fantasy football waiver-wire targets were at it again in Week 9, bailing owners out of bye weeks and injuries with strong stopgap performances and beyond.
Of the notables, Tennessee Titans running back Antonio Andrews proved worth the add with 10 points. At a position in which six players scored in double digits before Monday, Atlanta Falcons tight end Jacob Tamme proved himself reliable with six points.
It goes on, but the point is simple—owners cannot win without the waiver wire. Below, let’s take a look at the biggest names to roster ahead of Week 10.
Week 10 Waiver-Wire Pickup Targets
Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB, New York Jets (23.1 percent owned)
It seems like almost every week New York Jets quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick has to make a list like this, and just about every time he goes out and proves he deserved it.
Case in point: This past weekend, Fitzpatrick overcame a thumb injury to throw for two touchdowns and 18 points. It came against the Jacksonville Jaguars, but he’s now gone for 18 or more points in three of his last four games.
It’s really no shock that a veteran quarterback can come up big with strong fantasy performances while throwing the ball to sure-handed wideouts such as Eric Decker and Brandon Marshall.
On a short-term basis, Fitzpatrick is the perfect streaming option, with the Buffalo Bills up next. The unit allowed at least two scores to quarterbacks in six of its first seven outings.
Karlos Williams, RB, Buffalo Bills (41.3 percent owned)
Remember Karlos Williams?
It seems owners dumped him when LeSean McCoy came back because they needed the roster space, but the roulette at the position will continue in Buffalo.
Now it’s McCoy who has to deal with an injury and might need an MRI, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Buffalo shouldn’t worry, though, because Williams made his return this past weekend and rushed nine times for 110 yards and two scores.
For the owners who held onto Williams, that was 23 points. He’s now scored nine or more points in his five healthy games this year, and he next gets to turn around on a short week for Thursday Night Football.
The Jets have a sound run defense, but a short week favors backs, and this add is more about the long-term outlook anyway. Williams has proved too consistent to ignore.
Devin Funchess, WR, Carolina Panthers (7.1 percent owned)
Cam Newton may finally have a new No. 1 wideout.
The Carolina Panthers lost Kelvin Benjamin before the season even began, a devastating blow both for the team and owners. For weeks now, it’s been all about Ted Ginn as an iffy flex play each week.
Maybe not anymore. This past weekend against the Green Bay Packers, rookie Devin Funchess had himself a breakout game with three grabs for 71 yards with a score, good for 13 points and the above outstanding highlight.
Coach Ron Rivera made a point to suggest the performance as a turning point for the Michigan product, according to Max Henson of the team’s official website:
It all might be a sign of things to come for Funchess, who has the talent to act as a reliable scorer each week if just given the opportunity.
Next up are the Titans, a team that had allowed 23 or more points to opposing sets of wideouts five times entering Week 9. Provided the fact Funchess might be the new top target, he’s going to get a stab at double digits once again.
Garrett Celek, TE, San Francisco 49ers (0.9 percent owned)
The NFL doesn’t make much sense sometimes, a notion best captured by Garrett Celek of the San Francisco 49ers this past weekend.
Celek helped step in to fill the void left by the traded Vernon Davis and—of course—caught two touchdown passes. Did anyone mention it was Blaine Gabbert, not Colin Kaepernick, mostly under center on the day?
Right. So how should owners approach it? Scoop him up, of course. Tight end is as unpredictable as it gets, with Celek‘s 13 points the perfect example. But it’s important to point out that he’s caught two or more passes in six games this year.
If those chances are now coming down near pay dirt instead of going to Davis, Celek is certainly worth an add—especially in a year when a 30-year-old player by the name of Gary Barnidge can have a breakout season and sit behind only Rob Gronkowski in scoring at the position.
Who knows where Celek will go next, but the usage is encouraging.
All scoring info courtesy of ESPN standard leagues, as are points-against info and ownership stats, as of November 9. Statistics courtesy of ESPN.com.
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