How many times have you heard someone telling you to “stream” a position? Whether it be quarterback, tight end, or defense, the idea of streaming is great, provided you get the players you want off the waiver wire. The issue with streaming week-to-week is that everyone knows who you’ll be targeting in those good matchups and you might have that player swiped from underneath you, or even worse, your opponent that week may snag a player just to ensure you don’t get them.
Import your team to My Playbook for instant Lineup & Trade advice 
We started this article so you don’t have to worry about that anymore. Each Saturday morning, you’ll head over to your waiver wire and snag the players who are lined up for good matchups the following week. They may have a brutal matchup for that current week. Great, even better. That just means they’re more likely to be available for you. By snagging them a week prior, you eliminate the need to spend a lot of FAB dollars on the top tier defense that everyone is chasing. Here are the players who have solid Week 10 matchups on tap, or have breakout potential in Week 9, and are less than 40 percent rostered.
Quarterbacks
Baker Mayfield (CLE) vs HOU in Week 10
The game he played in Week 8 shouldn’t really be held against him, as the wind gusts were up to 50 MPH. The Texans have allowed at least 28 points to their opponent in 6-of-7 games this year, and that’s allowed 6-of-7 quarterbacks to finish with 17.2-plus points. The only quarterback who didn’t was Kirk Cousins, who completed 16-of-22 passes for 260 yards and a touchdown. Knowing that Kareem Hunt hasn’t topped 86 yards on the ground, the yardage has to come from somewhere. Mayfield should also get Austin Hooper back for this game, which will surely help.
Kyle Allen (WAS) at DET in Week 10
You may have glanced at Allen’s name and tilted your head sideways asking yourself, “Why?” He really hasn’t been a horrible streamer when getting starts against poor defenses. He’s posted at least 16.0 fantasy points in each of his two starts this year, and is going to be playing a Lions weak defense in Week 10 that’s allowed 15.5 or more fantasy points to every quarterback they’ve played, including 22.28 to Philip Rivers and 24.28 to Mitch Trubisky. Should Washington be able to run the ball against the Lions? Absolutely, but it’s not like they have a Dalvin Cook in their backfield to steal all the production. It also helps that this game will be played in a dome. Allen should present a sturdy floor for streamers.
Alternate option: Derek Carr (LV) vs DEN in Week 10
Running Backs
J.D. McKissic (WAS) at DET in Week 10
I’m not sure why McKissic hasn’t been rostered in more leagues considering the lack of surefire options at the running back position. He’s totaled at least four targets in 5-of-7 games, including six-plus targets in three of them. He’s scored at least 7.1 PPR points in each of his last five games, presenting a decent floor for streamers in PPR formats. The Lions have allowed six different running backs to haul in three-plus passes, including three of them to finish with 36-plus receiving yards. We can’t forget about the revenge narrative, either! He doesn’t present a ton of upside, but he should offer a top-36 performance here.
Gus Edwards (BAL) at NE in Week 10
We don’t know if Mark Ingram will be out for this game, but with the way Edwards has played, they shouldn’t be in any rush to bring him back. Edwards rushed for 87 yards and a touchdown against one of the league’s best run defenses last week and will get the Patriots in Week 10. Their run defense has fallen apart since their bye week, allowing 480 yards on 92 carries (5.22 yards per carry) with six touchdowns over the course of three games. Okay, who were the opponents? The Broncos (without Melvin Gordon), 49ers (without Raheem Mostert), and the Bills. Edwards could be a sneaky top-20 start if Ingram misses next week.
Jordan Howard (MIA) vs LAC in Week 10
We’re hearing that Matt Breida is not going to play this week with a hamstring injury, which means Howard is likely the primary ball-carrier for the Dolphins in Week 9. If he shows well, it could lead to another big role in Week 10, as we know the team is hesitant to give Breida a big role (all teams are). The Chargers have allowed just two rushing touchdowns on the season, but the fact that they’re allowing 4.80 yards per carry bodes well for the early-down thumper.
Desperation option: Joshua Kelley (LAC) at MIA in Week 10
High-end handcuffs that NEED to be rostered: Alexander Mattison (MIN), Jordan Wilkins (IND), Benny Snell (PIT)
Wide Receivers
Jalen Reagor (PHI) at NYG in Week 10
It was evident the Eagles want to get the ball in his hands in his first game back, targeting him six times and giving him a carry as well. The matchup against the Giants in Week 10 is a good one for him, as we should expect James Bradberry to shadow Travis Fulgham, which leaves Reagor with Isaac Yiadom. Throughout his short two-plus years in the league, he’s allowed 74-of-108 passes to be completed in his coverage for 969 yards and five touchdowns, including two on 20 targets this year. Reagor’s role should continue to grow.
Randall Cobb (HOU) at CLE in Week 10
As the weeks have gone on, we’ve watched the chemistry between Cobb and Deshaun Watson grow, with it climaxing Week 7 when Cobb racked up season-highs in targets (10), receptions (8), and yards (95). The Browns have allowed eight wide receivers hit top-24 performances against them. The best part is that four of them were slot-heavy receivers. He’s not someone to play if you’re shooting for the ceiling, but he should offer a solid floor.
Darnell Mooney (CHI) vs MIN in Week 10
We’re slowly starting to see him morph into the Taylor Gabriel of Matt Nagy’s offense, which netted 141 targets over 25 games the last two years. That amounts to 5.6 targets per game, and Mooney has averaged 6.2 targets over the last six games. It’s no secret that the Vikings have dealt with some injuries in their secondary, as five of their top-seven cornerbacks are currently injured. Even with them healthy, the Vikings have allowed 12 different receivers who’ve posted at least 10.5 PPR points and finished as the WR41 or better. They’ve allowed 2.24 PPR points per target to receivers, which ranks as the second-highest mark in the NFL.
Alternate option: Tim Patrick (DEN) at LV in Week 10
Tight Ends
Austin Hooper (CLE) vs HOU in Week 10
He was forced to miss their last two games due to an appendectomy, so the bye week seemed to come at the right time. Prior to his injury, Hooper’s target share was rising almost every week. His target share percentage has gone 5, 17, 17, 23, 27, 21. Keep in mind that was with Odell Beckham in the lineup. Now going into a matchup with the Texans, who’ve allowed a robust 73.6 percent catch-rate (8th-highest) and 7.92 yards per target (9th-highest) to tight ends, Hooper should offer a stable floor in his return to the lineup.
Trey Burton (IND) at TEN in Week 10
I’m not sure why no one has caught onto the fact that he’s playing the Eric Ebron role in this offense; you know, the one who was a rock-solid fantasy tight end with the Colts? Did you know Ebron ran more than 22 pass routes just once last year? Burton has already topped that mark in one of his games with the Colts and has at least five opportunities in each of his four games played. The Titans have allowed the 11th-most fantasy points per opportunity to tight ends this year, leading to five different tight ends finishing with at least 9.1 PPR points against them.
Alternate option: Jordan Akins (HOU) at CLE in Week 10
DSTs
Philadelphia Eagles at NYG in Week 10
We’ve attacked the Giants in almost every matchup we could with streamers, especially when the Jets’ opponent isn’t available (the Jets aren’t playing in Week 10). The Giants have allowed Daniel Jones to be sacked 23 times through eight games, including three or more times in 5-of-8 games. The Eagles were able to get to him three times in Week 7 and were also able to force three turnovers. The Eagles will be fresh off their bye week, while the Giants just try to make it to theirs in Week 11.
New Orleans Saints vs SF in Week 10
There are many fantasy managers who dropped the Saints ahead of their matchup with the Bucs, so scoop them up. They’ll be at home against the west coast 49ers (teams typically struggle a bit more going from west to east coast). This is a 49ers team that will be limping into the game without Jimmy Garoppolo, George Kittle, Deebo Samuel, and maybe more depending on how the COVID situation resolves, but maybe none more important than starting left tackle Trent Williams who tested positive. The Saints defense hasn’t lived up to expectations, but they have generated at least three sacks in 5-of-7 games.
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | SoundCloud | iHeartRadio
Mike Tagliere is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Mike, check out his archive and follow him @MikeTagliereNFL.
