It can be helpful to look beyond just Week 10 to get a leg up on your league mates and not have to break the FAAB bank to get them. Here are some options for this weekend.

Quarterbacks

Deshaun Watson (QB – CLE) – 35% Rostered

I have my opinions about Deshaun Watson, and I am happy not to roster him in leagues, but he’s worth bringing up here for anyone in dire straights at quarterback and needs someone with a little more ceiling. Watson is eligible to return to the team in Week 13 against his former team, the Texans. It’s likely you’ll want to see how rusty Watson looks before plugging him in as a starter, in which case you might not be able to start him till Week 14 on the road against the Bengals before facing the surging Ravens at home. I’m skeptical of how good for fantasy football Watson can be coming off almost two years without a game, but he might be worth stashing just so your opponents don’t have him.

Jimmy Garoppolo (QB – SF) – 54% Rostered

The waiver wire is pretty thin this week as managers prep for the playoffs and make sure they have the depth to survive the bye weeks, so we’ll squeeze slightly over 50% rostered to look at Jimmy Garoppolo, who has a game in Week 11 against a Cardinals team that allows the seventh-most fantasy points and then in Week 13 faces Miami who allow the most. Garoppolo struggles to reach over 20 fantasy points often but has had 15 or more in five of his seven appearances this year.

Wide Receivers

Kadarius Toney (WR – KC) – 50% Rostered

In his Chiefs debut, Kadarius Toney played only six snaps, but he was targeted on two of them. The team clearly wants things to work out for him in Kansas. In 2021 we saw Toney have some big days on limited usage with Jason Garrett as his offensive coordinator and Daniel Jones as his quarterback, so it seems fair to expect better days with better surroundings.

Odell Beckham Jr. (WR – CLE) – 47% Rostered

According to multiple reports, Odell Beckham is now medically cleared to play, and his free agency market seems to be heating up nicely. When Beckham was traded to the Rams in 2021 after his first game, where he did not have much time to prepare, he went on to score 50 PPR points in his next three games. It’s hard to project what kind of workload or schedule Beckham might have, but any team adding him at this point in the season will be doing so for a reason and likely get him involved plenty.

Elijah Moore (WR – NYJ) – 28% Rostered

Head coach, Robert Saleh, talked this week about how the plan moving forward is for Elijah Moore to play from the slot more often, which should open up a higher volume of targets, along with them being typically easier catches than targets on the boundary. Admittedly Moore has just one catch in his last four games, but if he’s moved to the slot, those fortunes might change. Moore had the highest grade of the 2021 receiver class when playing in the slot, and it’s been a little surprising the Jets haven’t used him there more often. When Moore played from the slot in 2021, he had a 37% target share and was a monster for PPR formats.

Jarvis Landry (WR – NO) – 17% Rostered

Michael Thomas has been ruled out for the season with a dislocated toe, and whilst rookie sensation Chris Olave isn’t going anywhere, the Saints have room for another reliable pass-catcher in their offense, and Jarvis Landry should eventually be able to step into that role after a slow start to his Saints career.

Running Backs

Gus Edwards (RB – BAL) – 48% Rostered

The ‘Gus Bus’ was given extra time to rest, with the Ravens deciding not to push him to play against the Saints when they now have a bye week. Before his hamstring injury, Edwards was the clear number one in this backfield, with JK Dobbins on injured reserve. The Ravens have gone very run-heavy in recent weeks as the offensive line has dominated, and the Ravens now face a run of games where they only face one more opponent with a winning record, the Bengals, in Week 18. It’s entirely possible that the Ravens return to the ground-and-pound version of themselves in 2019 and run the ball down opponent’s throats whilst taking up all the clock. Edwards has run well in the limited time he’s been on the field, averaging 5.02 yards per carry.

Rachaad White (RB – TB) – 40% Rostered

Tampa continues to struggle, and rumors are that the team plans to utilize Rachaad White more going forward, as Leonard Fournette ranks near the bottom of all running backs in most efficiency metrics. In Week 9, White set season-highs in carries and touches, and it wouldn’t be shocking to see that usage grow further. The Bucs face the Seahawks in Germany before a Week 11 bye, but after that, they have friendly matchups against a poor Cleveland rushing defense and then the Saints, who just allowed the Ravens to run all over them. White has been in this column for a few weeks now, and I’ll maintain that he’s one of the most valuable handcuffs in fantasy.

Jaylen Warren (RB – PIT) – 26% Rostered

There were conflicting reports out there this week about what the Steelers’ backfield usage might look like coming off their bye. Still, one thing is for sure: Jaylen Warren has looked more efficient and explosive than Najee Harris, who hasn’t managed a single run of 20 or more yards this season. Whilst Harris is struggling, possibly because of his foot injury and the offensive line’s ineptitude, Warren is thriving. The Steelers have felt comfortable using Warren in both the run and passing game, with Warren catching 86% of his targets. If the Steelers decide to shut Harris down in this lost season for any reason, Warren would have a three-down workload the rest of the way.

Tight Ends

Hayden Hurst (TE – CIN) – 53% Rostered

The Bengals are currently on a bye week, but it might be worth stashing Hayden Hurst, who is the tight end eight in PPR formats and has averaged 5.3 targets per game. Hurst also has seven red-zone targets and has been unfortunate not to turn them into more than the two touchdowns he has to date. After a matchup with the Steelers in Week 11, Hurst faces the Titans and Chiefs in friendly matchups for tight ends.

Cole Kmet (TE – CHI) – 52% Rostered

Up until Week 8, Cole Kmet hadn’t scored a touchdown since Week 13 of the 2020 season. Since Week 8, he has had three in two games. This Bears offense is rolling with the new scheme installed mid-season, and Justin Fields passing options are thriving for the first time all year. Kmet only averages 28 yards over his last three games but has a Week 11 game against the Falcons, who allow the sixth-most fantasy points to opposing tight ends.

Defense

Cincinnati Bengals – 31% Rostered

The Bengals are currently on a bye week, but when they return, they face the Steelers and the Titans, who both rank top half in most fantasy points allowed to opposing defenses. They are worth stashing, particularly with the Kenny Pickett matchup in mind.

New York Jets – 20% Rostered

The Jets’ defense finally looks like the version of them that Robert Saleh dreamed of, and they have scored double-digit fantasy points in four of their last six games whilst never dipping below eight points. The Jets face a troubled Mac Jones when they return in Week 11.

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