The NFL and fantasy football seasons have moved into their second halves. Fantasy managers are now adjusting and tweaking their rosters based on what we’ve seen through the league’s first nine weeks.
Working the waiver wire is the best way to improve your team for the stretch run and find a weekly advantage. To aid in that, here are some of the top Week 11 waiver wire claims fantasy football managers should consider.
And if your fantasy team is going downhill already, jump on over to Underdog Fantasy and dive into their weekly Best Ball tournaments, where players like those mentioned below could help you bring home the trophy each week. Sign up, and Underdog will match your initial deposit up to $100.
Top Waiver Wire Pickups in Week 11
Jared Goff, QB, Detroit Lions (37.8% rostered)
If we’re honest, this is not a good week for those streaming the QB position or looking for a waiver wire option for Week 11. It’s just one of those weeks where the matchups aren’t fantastic. Still, Jared Goff could be usable after throwing for 236 yards and a touchdown in the Lions’ Week 10 victory over the Bears.
Goff ranks inside the top 10 in passing yards (2,270) and touchdowns (15) and faces the Giants in Week 11. Although it’s not a fantastic matchup, as the Giants sit 14th in points allowed to the position, Goff has shown the ability to put up high-end QB2 numbers and could do that for you in a pinch off the waiver wire.
Marcus Mariota, Atlanta Falcons (37.6% rostered)
Since Week 5, Marcus Mariota is the QB6 overall and 13th in per-game scoring (17.5 PPR), which is impressive given Atlanta came into the week averaging just 23 passing attempts per game (31st).
The former Heisman Trophy winner had a decent game on Thursday Night against the Panthers, completing 19 of 30 passes for 186 yards with 43 yards on three carries with two touchdowns and one interception to finish with over 19 PPR points.
I expect a bounceback for the Falcons in Week 11 against Chicago, a defense that has allowed 544 passing yards and five passing TDs over the past two weeks and, despite sitting 13th in points allowed, is 27th in rushing yards surrendered. With an upcoming schedule against the Bears, Commanders, and Steelers, Mariota has sneaky rest-of-season value you can get for cheap off your Week 11 waiver wire.
Daniel Jones, New York Giants (59.4% rostered)
Week 11 is not your friend if you have been streaming quarterbacks. If there is a top option, it would be Daniel Jones. Last time out, Jones completed 13 of 17 pass attempts for 197 passing yards and two touchdowns while rushing five times for 24 rushing yards against the Texans.
Jones is the QB13 in points per game since Week 4 (17.3 PPR) and has multiple touchdowns in three of his last four games. Detroit is a fantastic matchup for any position as they sit last in points allowed to QBs (23 PPR) and the second-most rushing yards on the year to the position.
Deshaun Watson, Cleveland Browns (28.2% rostered)
On Monday, the NFL announced Deshaun Watson was cleared to resume practicing again and is set to return to action in two weeks against the Houston Texans. If you want to roster Watson, now the time to make the move. We won’t see him sub-50% again.
I do expect Watson to show some signs of rust in Week 11, but Watson, last we saw, was a top-three QB, and odds are he is a mid-QB1 once back under center. Even if I have a decent QB on my roster, I’d still add Watson to add as much talent as possible before the fantasy trade deadline clears and playoffs begin.
Rachaad White, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (24.4% rostered)
After trending in the right direction with increasing production and opportunities, rookie RB Rachaad White had the best game of his career. With the Buccaneers losing Leonard Fournette due to a hip injury, White rushed 22 times on Sunday for 105 yards. He received the start, and after Fournette played in the second series, the two split snaps, further illustrating White’s increased role.
Yet when Fournette was unavailable, White played on 80% of the snaps and had over 90% of the opportunities. Even though the Buccaneers have a bye in Week 11 and Fournette is expected to return, White makes a compelling case to be the top RB waiver wire claim for Week 11.
Isiah Pacheco, RB, Kansas City Chiefs (23.1% rostered)
You wouldn’t think Isiah Pacheco would still be listed as a waiver wire target after making his third start, but he’s rostered in less than a quarter of leagues. Pacheco took the majority of snaps on early downs with 33, which was more than both Jerick McKinnon and Clyde Edwards-Helaire combined (13).
MORE: Week 11 Fantasy Start/Sit Recommendations Include Isiah Pacheco
Pacheco gained 82 yards on 16 carries, yet unfortunately finished with only 6.2 PPR after a lost fumble. He loses some upside thanks to Edwards-Helaire’s presence and McKinnon’s usage in the receiving game, but Pacheco is the only Kansas City Chief RB I would roster now. He’s worth targeting in Week 11 for fantasy football, as his role should continue to increase.
Elijah Mitchell, RB, San Francisco 49ers (51.0% rostered)
Making his return after a stint on the IR, Elijah Mitchell saw more reps than I was expecting, given the 49ers have Christian McCaffrey on their roster now. Having moved past his knee injury, Mitchell led the team in rushing, carrying the ball 18 times for 89 yards, and lost one yard on his lone reception (two targets).
Kyle Shanahan never had an issue feeding Mitchell last year when available, and now that he is back, we likely have the most annoying committee imaginable where now McCaffrey is losing opportunities. Something that has never happened before.
McCaffrey had 18 touches of his own and a score with 77 yards, but the three-touchdown game the other week now feels like a month ago after seeing how things have shifted. McCaffrey is still the preferred RB to roster as Mitchell brings little to no PPR value, but he needs to be rostered as this offense can support multiple starting-caliber RBs.
Gus Edwards, Baltimore Ravens (33.6% rostered)
Gus Edwards missed the last two weeks due to a hamstring injury, but he should be the starter once again when he’s back and healthy. Edwards had had 11 carries and 60+ yards or more in each of his last two games, including a two-touchdown season debut back in Week 7.
Kenyan Drake has done a solid job holding down the ship, but the Ravens love Edwards, and the latter has been extremely productive in this offense in the past. Assuming his health improves, Edwards would hold top-24 value as soon as Week 11.
Jaylen Warren, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers (11.7% rostered)
After spending the last week and a half hearing how he would lose his job, Najee Harris rushed 20 times for 99 yards on Sunday for his best day of the year. But even that didn’t stop Jaylen Warren from recording 91 total yards on 11 touches with a touchdown.
With Chase Claypool out of the picture, I wouldn’t be surprised if we saw Warren more involved in the receiving game, as he served as the team’s third-down back over the last couple of weeks. He would likely need an injury to surpass Harris on early downs, but Warren has the type of production and profile you look for off the waiver wire this time of year.
Kyren Williams, RB, Los Angeles Rams (15.4% rostered)
We finally got to see Kyren Williams as a part of the Rams’ offense for the first time, and there were some positive takeaways. Williams was involved in all areas, minus short-yardage carries, and while he only rushed for nine yards on his single carry, he caught three passes for 30 yards, which led the room.
Neither Darrell Henderson nor Cam Akers had a good day, each finishing with less than 25 yards. While Williams is no sure thing, his college film is littered with ways he can impact this offense and become more than just a sleeper. He was actually my favorite RB to watch film in this offseason but is still facing an uphill battle. It would depend on league size and roster depth, but if you have the available room to grab Williams off the Week 11 waiver wire, it certainly is worth considering.
Kadarius Toney, WR, Kansas City Chiefs (47.5% rostered)
Coming into the week as a top-12 receiver, JuJu Smith-Schuster took a devastating hit against the Jaguars, forcing him out of the game and putting next week’s availability up in the air. In his place, the Chiefs rotated several wide receivers, including Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Justin Watson, Skyy Moore, and Kadarius Toney, who had the best day of them all.
Toney caught four of his five targets for 75 yards with a touchdown but also rushed for 33 yards on two carries to finish with 19.0 PPR points. Valdes-Scantling also finished with a touchdown and 60 yards as he took over primary slot receiver duties following Smith-Schuster’s injury.
It’s worth noting that Watson played on 92% of the snaps following Smith-Schuster’s injury, but Toney looks to be the big winner, especially if Mecole Hardman doesn’t return after an abdominal injury kept him inactive for Week 10. While Watson is a waiver wire target in deep leagues, Toney is the top waiver wire claim at WR where available.
Donovan Peoples-Jones, WR, Cleveland Browns (21.9% rostered)
I’ve been highlighting Donovan Peoples-Jones for the past couple of weeks, and it’s way past time for fantasy managers to take notice. Peoples-Jones was the top receiver for the Browns, catching five of nine targets for 99 yards on Sunday. He’s now recorded 70+ yards in five of his last six games, and since Week 4, he is the WR31 in points and is 10th in the NFL in receiving yards.
MORE: Week 11 PPR Fantasy Football Rankings
Not only has Peoples-Jones played on 75% or more of the snaps and every game this year, but he’s peeking at just the right time with Deshaun Watson set to return in two weeks. And although we could expect some rust for Watson, his deep ball ability, which made Will Fuller such a dangerous threat, could be pushed onto Peoples-Jones just in time for the fantasy football playoffs. He is the WR who I feel could give the most consistent production off the Week 11 waiver wire.
Christian Watson, WR, Green Bay Packers (5.8% rostered)
What I said about Christian Watson in his pre-draft profile remains the same. He could be great or the next Marquez Valdes-Scantling as a boom-or-bust receiver. On Sunday, we saw what that ceiling could be.
Channeling his best Randy Moss impression, Watson caught four of his eight targets for three touchdowns, including one of the best catches you will ever see. A hamstring injury had compromised his 4.3 speed for most of the year, but Green Bay found success with more over-the-middle reads, which capitalizes on Watson’s athleticism and after-the-catch capabilities.
It takes time for rookies to learn the NFL, and it also takes time to rebuild your offense after trading away one of the best players in the world at their position. I think what we saw on Sunday offensively will be a pattern moving forward, but I’m not sure you want to force Watson into your lineups in Week 11. Regardless, he needs to be added off the Week 11 waiver wire due to his upside.
Odell Beckham Jr., WR, Free Agent (30.0% Rostered)
There is a ton of buzz around Beckham with the likelihood of multiple teams getting into a bidding war to acquire the wide receiver. When that will be and who it will be for remains a massive question, as does his role once he signs. However, most signs point towards this happening right after Thanksgiving.
Although he finished as a top-36 receiver in five of his last seven games during the regular season, you could not tear your ACL any later than during the Super Bowl. Therefore until we see him on the field, we can only guess what his actual health is outside of the reports circulating.
But this late in the year, if you’re taking a shot solely for upside, I doubt you’ll find anyone with more upside than what Beckham provides for the rest of the season.
Nico Collins, WR, Houston Texans (6.7% rostered)
Although Brandon Cooks returned after missing last week, things are not quite the same. Cooks was stripped of his captain status before the game and played on just over 60% of the targets, catching four passes for 37 yards. He was limited during practice, so perhaps that led to it, but it’s puzzling nonetheless.
Instead, Nico Collins had a solid outing and deserves more attention. Playing his first complete game since Week 7, Collins caught five of 10 targets for 49 yards and a touchdown. I wouldn’t call it a fluke, as Collins averaged six targets and 62 yards per game between Weeks 2 through 5. Although the offense certainly has issues, there is an opportunity for Collins to take the No. 1 role unless things are patched between Cooks and the team.
Devin Duvernay, WR, Baltimore Ravens (6.7% rostered)
Coming off of their bye, the Ravens have had time to develop their plan of attack without Rashod Bateman, who is done for the season (not that he was active for much of the season, anyway). Based on what we have seen this year, Devin Duvernay looks to be the top option.
He saw an 80% roster participation against the Saints and sits 38th in per-game scoring thanks to his three touchdowns on 25 receptions. Although he only caught one pass against the Saints, Duvernay should see more targets than he did in previous weeks (14.5% target share – No. 2 for BAL). Even on a run-first offense, Duvernay will have WR3/4 value.
Trey McBride, TE, Arizona Cardinals (0.3% rostered)
The hits just keep coming, as Zach Ertz has been ruled out for the remainder of the season due to a knee injury. Second-round rookie Trey McBride took over the primary role and played on all but one of the snaps over the last three quarters of the game.
He only caught one pass for seven yards, but that’s honestly on Colt McCoy hyper-targeting his WRs, not McBride. Despite what Greg Dulcich has done, McBride was the clear No. 1 tight end of this rookie class, and based on the role he is filling in town, it would not surprise me if he was a top-eight tight end over the rest of the season. He has so much potential.
Cole Kmet, TE, Chicago Bears (38.8% rostered)
I’ve been waiting two years on a Cole Kmet breakout, and I think we’re finally starting to see it. After a lack of targets to start the season, Kmet has a 26% target share over the last two weeks and caught four of seven targets for 74 yards and two touchdowns in the team’s loss to the Lions. He is also the TE2 over the last two weeks while averaging 23.4 PPR.
After not scoring for the first seven games, Kmet scored five times in the last three games. Sure, touchdown regression was expected, but now we’re on the other end of that scale as this rate is unsustainable. Still, Kmet is unquestionably worth targeting for your fantasy team in Week 11 to solidify your TE position.