Week 10 Waiver Rankings are back to guide you through the crucial decisions that are going to be made the next few weeks. Below is a list of the top waiver adds, to go along with some bench stashes and some deeper league targets. I’ve even color coded the damn thing to make it easier to navigate.

This is the time of the year that you should be exploring trades with a forward-thinking approach. I would be looking to acquire players with cupcake schedules and letting the assets go that have brutal playoff schedules. I would also start handcuffing many of my running backs with only four weeks to the playoffs. There are a few handcuffs that are absolute must-owns for me. Some that come to mind are DeAngelo Williams, Alfred Morris, and Andre Ellington.

If you have any questions, never hesitate to ask away (@FantasyWrath3).

Color Coding

Green = Top Waiver Option

Red = Must Add but on PUP list or injured.

Gold = Streaming target

Blue = Bench stash

Purple = Deep league stash

Quarterbacks

Joe Flacco Jay Cutler Trevor Siemian Carson Wentz Alex Smith Ryan Tannehill

Joe Flacco – Fresh off the Ravens big win against division rival Steelers, Joe Flacco, and the Ravens will get the Cleveland Browns. Flacco completed 18-of-30 passes for 241 yards, a touchdown, and an interception in the Ravens Week 9 win against the Steelers. This certainly wasn’t his best performance, but anytime you get to face the Browns you immediately become fantasy relevant. The Ravens played the Browns Week 2 which was Flacco’s best performance of the season. He threw for 300 yards and two touchdowns.

Jay Cutler – Hey, I don’t like this any more than you do. Playing Jay Cutler any week is a rough proposition. However, the Bears will be squaring off against a Bucs defense that has allowed the fourth-most points to QBs at a rate of 20.4.

Running Backs

Dion Lewis James Starks Kapri Bibbs Peyton Barber Paul Perkins Thomas Rawls Chris Ivory Adrian Peterson DuJuan Harris Bilal Powell Chris Thompson Damien Williams Alfred Morris CJ Prosise Kenneth Dixon Dwayne Washington Alfred Blue Mike Gillislee Knile Davis DeAndre Washington Ka’Deem Carey Daniel Lasco Kenneth Farrow Andre Ellington Kenyan Drake Wendell Smallwood Alex Collins Robert Turbin DJ Foster Mike Tolbert Cameron Artis-Payne Benny Cunningham Zach Zenner Lorenzo Taliaferro Fozzy Whittaker Reggie Bush Josh Ferguson Mike Davis Don Jackson Stepfan Taylor Kenjon Barner

Dion Lewis – According to the Boston Herald, the Patriots are “holding out hope” that Lewis can return Week 10 when they take on the Seahawks. If/when he returns he should step right back into his change-of-pace role that he excelled at last season prior to his season-ending injury. He’s worth a stash in all formats.

James Starks – He returned to practice last Thursday and Friday, but was deemed inactive. His original timetable was four weeks, so perhaps, he will be ready to suit up this week. Once he does return, it will be interesting to see how the Packers handle the situation. Montgomery has been handling the bulk of load since he’s been out. I wouldn’t blow a huge portion of my FAAB budget or a high waiver pick on him. He struggled mightily prior to the injury and I’d be a bit skeptical that he can turn it around after returning from knee surgery.

Kapri Bibbs – Reports out of Denver point to a shake-up at the running back position. NBC Denver believes that Bibbs could supplant starter Devontae Booker as the lead back as soon as Week 10. This should be taken with a grain of salt, but in the event this become reality Bibbs could be a viable RB2 in a run-heavy offense. Sunday Night, Bibbs exploded at the end of the game for a 69-yard touchdown. He weaved and bulldozed plenty of defenders to gallop into the end zone. As things stand, he’s more of a speculative add, but if the report come to fruition, he could be a late season steal similar to Zac Stacy a few seasons ago.

Peyton Barber – The Bucs backfield has been a revolving door most of the season. With injuries to Doug Martin, Charles Sims, and Jacquizz Rodgers the door remains wide open for rookie running back Peyton Barber to potentially start on Sunday. Although, HC Dirk Koetter said last week that the team was “hopeful” that Doug Martin could return against the Bears. This is going to be a situation to monitor.

Paul Perkins – I mentioned on Sunday that Perkins is a player I would be stashing ahead of waivers. He didn’t run away with the job by any means, but he did receive a season-high 22 snaps. He rushed 11 times for 32 yards and caught all three targets for 15 yards. Starter Rashad Jennings received the same workload, which makes it a full-on timeshare. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Perkins overtake the aging veteran RB.

Thomas Rawls – Reports have surfaced that he should return within a few weeks. With C-Mike trailing off, the door is wide-open for Thomas Rawls to retake his starting role.

Chris Ivory – From a fantasy standpoint, this was his best game of the season. He rushed 18 times for 107 yards but should have had a touchdown had he not coughed it up just before crossing the goal line. With new OC Nathaniel Hackett calling the plays the Jaguars displayed a much more balanced offense which makes Ivory a high-end RB3 against Houston.

Adrian Peterson – There’s not a great chance of him returning, however, I’d be willing to pick him up to find out. He likely wouldn’t return until late December, but if he does, cha-ching.

DuJuan Harris – With Carlos Hyde out for another week, DuJuan Harris turned in one of his best performances of his career. He ended up with 59 yards on 10 carries while adding 83 more yards on five receptions and a touchdown. Despite a solid day, he’s a risky RB3 at best with Carlos Hyde returning from a shoulder injury, plus he get’s a Cardinals defense that has yielded the fifth-fewest fantasy points to running backs.

Damien Williams – Doesn’t offer much standalone value, but could be a meal ticket if anything happens to Jay Ajayi.

Alfred Morris – Probably the second most valuable handcuff behind DeAngelo Williams. Should be owned in all formats.

CJ Prosise – Prosise appears to be locked in as the change-of-pace back. He led the backfield in snaps Monday night against the Bills. Although, he didn’t do much with them. It was encouraging to see the Seahawks offense finally put together a strong performance, despite the over ineffectiveness of the backfield. With Prosise’s spike in snap share and the middling Christine Michael, things are looking up for the rookie runner. However, as things stand he’s nothing more than a speculative add.

Andre Ellington – Heaven forbid anything happens to the GOAT David Johnson, but if anything does Andre Ellington instantly becomes a viable RB2. This is the time of the yeat where fantasy owners are stashing handcuff backs.

Wide Receivers

Sammy Watkins Jamison Crowder Rishard Matthews JJ Nelson Sammie Coates Cameron Meredith Brian Quick Tyler Lockett Chris Hogan DeVante Parker Mohamed Sanu Robert Woods Taylor Gabriel Cordarrelle Patterson Quincy Enunwa Adam Humphries Tyreek Hill Eli Rogers Quinton Patton Seth Roberts Dorial Green-Beckham Marqise Lee Dontrelle Inman Percy Harvin Tyler Boyd Tajae Sharpe Phillip Dorsett Pierre Garcon Kamar Aiken Bryce Treggs Anquan Boldin Kenny Stills Jeff Janis Devin Funchess Chris Conley Jeremy Kerley Andrew Hawkins Robby Anderson Roger Lewis Torrey Smith Justin Hunter

Sammy Watkins – He’s still widely available and continues to progress in his recovery from a foot injury. He’s eligible to practice on Friday and could be ready to roll in just a few weeks. The time is now to add Watkins. I’d use a top waiver priority or a large chunk of FAAB if you have the bench space. There is no player that you can pick up off of waivers that have his ceiling.

Jamison Crowder – It’s odd to see a player who is currently the WR16 and is owned in only 53% of ESPN leagues. He currently has 498 yards and four touchdowns on the season. He’s a weekly WR3 and should be owned in all formats.

Rishard Matthews – All he does is score touchdowns. He’s now scored a touchdown in four of the last five weeks and posted his best fantasy week against the Chargers on Sunday. He hauled in six-of-10 targets for 63 yards and two touchdowns. I’m not sure how much longer he can continue this torrid pace, but if he continues to lead his team in targets than he makes for a weekly WR4 on most weeks.

JJ Nelson – Dude balled out Week 8 with 79 yards and two touchdowns and now gets to face the 49ers coming out of the bye. He has the look of a burner but has proven to have a more refined route-tree. He has already surpassed Michael Floyd on the depth chart and is now on the heels of John Brown. Nelson remains one of my top waiver adds this week.

Sammie Coates – The Steelers offense was absolutely disgusting coming out of their bye against the Ravens. Coates was held without a catch, which doesn’t do anything for any fantasy owners to have much confidence in him. Coates is an explosive player and should have plenty of usable fantasy weeks. The Steelers get another test this week with a matchup against the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys allow the tenth-fewest fantasy point to WRs. With this being a home game for the Steelers, I would expect for the offense to get back on track despite the matchup.

Cameron Meredith – Everyone has jumped ship with Brian Hoyer out and a terrible performance against the Vikings before their bye. Well, call me an optimist but I’m still buying into the fantasy value of Cameron Meredith. If he’s available and judging by his current ownership, he should come cheap with FAAB and should be had with a low waiver priority. He should be the second option for Cutler and will right the ship against a Buccaneers defense that has allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to wide receivers.

Brian Quick – He continues to see a healthy dose of targets each week and fantasy gamers just ignore him. He’s on pace for 800 yards and six touchdowns and already has four double-digit PPR weeks under his belt, yet, he’s available in 90% of Yahoo leagues. I get it, he plays fo the Rams, but his floor makes him a viable WR4 most weeks.

Tyler Lockett – Monday Night was the most explosive we have seen him all season. If this is a sign of things to come, then fantasy owners should take notice. Lockett has had a rough start to the season and it didn’t help that he was nursing a knee injury. With that in the past, the second half could be where he puts it all together.

DeVante Parker – He’s literally done next to nothing since Week 3, but the Dolphins schedule opens up the second half of the season. He’s worth a bench stash at the least.

Taylor Gabriel – Two weeks in a row with double-digit fantasy points and is being used in both phases of the offense. He hauled in all five targets for 52 yards and also took a nine-yard reverse for a touchdown. Even with two straight solid weeks of production, he’s more of a stash to this point and could be a decent WR4 for fantasy owners in a pinch.

Quincy Enunwa – Just when we start to buy in, he lays an egg. He finished with one catch (on four targets) for 25 yards. This is going to be a frustrating situation moving forward, but one that will bear some fruits.

Seth Roberts – He’s touchdown dependent. More of a WR4 in deeper formats or a bye week fill-in.

Tight Ends

CJ Fiedorowicz Cameron Brate Lance Kendricks Julius Thomas Jack Doyle Dennis Pitta Austin Hooper Charles Clay Vance McDonald Ladarius Green Vernon Davis

CJ Fiedorowicz – He’s been a beast and continues to get peppered by targets by Brock Osweiler. He’s a weekly TE1 on a weekly basis.

Cameron Brate – He’s scored double-digit fantasy points in back-to-back weeks. He hauled in five-of-six targets for 43 yards and a touchdown. This week will be a bit tougher taking on a Bears defense that allows the eighth-fewest points to TEs. He should be viewed as a TE2.

Lance Kendricks – He hauled in 7-of-12 targets for 90 yards in the Rams loss to the Panthers. He’s a better option in PPR formats, but hold decent appeal in standard leagues because of his high target share.