Fantasy: Waiver Wire - Week 10

Every Monday during the season, theScore's Justin Boone runs down the recommended waiver-wire pickups.

Roster percentages are based on Yahoo leagues. Free-Agent Budget (FAB) amounts are based on a $100 salary cap. Only players rostered in less than 50% of leagues are considered.

Bye weeks

• Green Bay Packers
• Seattle Seahawks
• Cleveland Browns
• Las Vegas Raiders

Quarterbacks

Bo Nix, Broncos

A handful of quality quarterback options are available on most waiver wires this week, including Nix, Justin Herbert, and Drake Maye.

Nix might be the least talented of the bunch, but he's proven to have a high fantasy floor and a high ceiling. The rookie posted three top-10 weekly fantasy finishes in October. This week, Nix sits as the QB15 ahead of Monday Night Football.

His rushing production continues to boost his fantasy output, and he has the easiest rest-of-season schedule of the three passers I mentioned.

Nix, Herbert, and Maye are strong fantasy streamers and potential QB1s in good matchups.

Low-end QB1/high-end QB2: Justin Herbert vs. TEN (44% rostered), Drake Maye at CHI (11% rostered)

Streaming options: Aaron Rodgers at ARI (43% rostered), Daniel Jones at CAR (10% rostered)

Risky streaming options: Russell Wilson at WAS (16% rostered), Trevor Lawrence vs. MIN (48% rostered), Derek Carr vs. ATL (13% rostered), Joe Flacco vs. BUF (16% rostered)

Desperation streaming options (if starting): Cooper Rush vs. PHI (0% rostered), Bryce Young vs. NYG (3% rostered), Andy Dalton vs. NYG (4% rostered), Mason Rudolph at LAC (1% rostered), Will Levis at LAC (7% rostered)

Bye-week stashes: Jameis Winston (13% rostered), Gardner Minshew (4% rostered)

Long-term stashes: Drew Lock (0% rostered), Trey Lance (0% rostered)

Running backs

Khalil Herbert, RB, Bengals

The Bears traded Herbert to Cincinnati, where he'll immediately slide into a complementary role behind Chase Brown.

It was a necessary move for the Bengals since Zack Moss is sidelined indefinitely with a neck injury.

Herbert struggled to carve out a consistent role in Chicago but routinely flashed an intriguing skill set when given the opportunity.

Now, he should have an excellent chance to return value as a weekly flex option who would jump into the RB2 conversation if Brown gets injured.

High-upside backups

There isn't a clear plug-and-play running back on the waiver wire for the third straight week.

So, we'll use this space as a reminder about all the high-upside backups who should be rostered in most leagues, including:

• Zach Charbonnet (49% rostered)
• Braelon Allen (33% rostered)
• Blake Corum (16% rostered)
• Ray Davis (21% rostered)
• Trey Benson (16% rostered)
• Jaylen Wright (6% rostered)
• Kimani Vidal (8% rostered)
• Cam Akers (6% rostered)
• Roschon Johnson (13% rostered)
• Dameon Pierce (4% rostered)

Each of those backs is one injury away from a significant role in their respective offense, which could turn them into top-20 fantasy RBs.

Long-shot RB2 (if starters are out): Isaac Guerendo at TB (17% rostered)

Flex options: Tyler Allgeier at NO (39% rostered), Jaylen Warren at WAS (42% rostered)

Risky flex options: Justice Hill vs. CIN (20% rostered), Jaleel McLaughlin at KC (17% rostered), Samaje Perine vs. DEN (4% rostered)

Risky flex options (if healthy): Tyjae Spears at LAC (44% rostered)

Dart-throw flex options: Antonio Gibson at CHI (22% rostered), Audric Estime at KC (1% rostered), Dalvin Cook (9% rostered)

Dart-throw flex options (if healthy): Jamaal Williams vs. ATL (2% rostered)

Dart-throw flex options (if starter is out): Jeremy McNichols vs. PIT (2% rostered), Chris Rodriguez Jr. vs. PIT (0% rostered)

Trade-deadline stashes: Miles Sanders (3% rostered)

Other backups to roster: Sean Tucker (7% rostered), Kenneth Gainwell (1% rostered), Tyler Goodson (4% rostered), Clyde Edwards-Helaire (3% rostered), Gus Edwards (17% rostered)

Bye-week stashes: Jerome Ford (40% rostered), Zamir White (28% rostered), Chris Brooks (0% rostered), Emanuel Wilson (5% rostered)

Injured-reserve stashes: MarShawn Lloyd (5% rostered), Keaton Mitchell (10% rostered), Kendre Miller (3% rostered)

Wide receivers

Xavier Legette/Adam Thielen/Jalen Coker, Panthers

With Diontae Johnson traded to the Ravens, there's an opportunity for a player or two to emerge in the Panthers' receiving corps.

Legette profiles as the best fantasy option as a first-rounder who should only improve in the second half of his rookie campaign. He can be added as a fantasy WR3/flex.

Thielen, who caught 103 balls for 1,014 yards last season, is hoping to be activated off injured reserve this week. It's also possible that Carolina trades the veteran to a contender before Tuesday's deadline, so keep that in mind. While the ceiling isn't high for him, Thielen's worth stashing - especially in PPR formats.

Coker is another promising rookie. He led the Panthers' wideouts in receiving yards this week, but all that took was 36 yards. Head coach Dave Canales revealed that the young wideout sustained a shoulder injury in the game. As long as he's healthy, Coker is more of a dart-throw pickup who'd benefit if Thielen were dealt.

Cedric Tillman and Jauan Jennings are at or over the 50% rostered mark but should be rostered in all leagues.

WR4/flex options: Ricky Pearsall at TB (28% rostered), Quentin Johnston vs. TEN (16% rostered), Demarcus Robinson vs. MIA (12% rostered), Jalen Tolbert vs. PHI (23% rostered), Sterling Shepard vs. SF (6% rostered)

Flex options: Noah Brown vs. PIT (2% rostered), Rashod Bateman vs. CIN (33% rostered), Joshua Palmer vs. TEN (13% rostered)

Risky flex options: Mike Williams at WAS (9% rostered), DeMario Douglas at CHI (22% rostered), Parker Washington vs. MIN (4% rostered)

Risky flex options (if starter is out): Ray-Ray McCloud at NO (16% rostered), Andrei Iosivas at BAL (4% rostered)

Risky flex options (if healthy): Darius Slayton at CAR (16% rostered), Gabe Davis vs. MIN (15% rostered), Jalen McMillan vs. SF (34% rostered)

Dart-throw flex options: Jonathan Mingo vs. Phi (0% rostered), Alec Pierce vs. BUF (16% rostered), Michael Wilson vs. NYJ (15% rostered), Kayshon Boutte at CHI (1% rostered), Kendrick Bourne at CHI (0% rostered), Jalen Nailor at JAX (2% rostered), Calvin Austin III at WAS (1% rostered), Nick Westbrook-Ikhine at LAC (1% rostered), Trey Palmer vs. SF (2% rostered)

Dart-throw flex options (if healthy): JuJu Smith-Schuster vs. DEN (17% rostered)

Dart-throw flex options (if starter is out): Cedrick Wilson Jr. vs. ATL (0% rostered), Jahan Dotson at DAL (4% rostered), Mack Hollins at IND (0% rostered), Mason Tipton vs. ATL (0% rostered), Jalen Brooks (0% rostered), KaVontae Turpin vs. PHI (2% rostered)

Bye-week stashes: Christian Watson (47% rostered), Jerry Jeudy (48% rostered), Elijah Moore (14% rostered), Dontayvion Wicks (29% rostered)

Other backups to roster: Rakim Jarrett (0% rostered), Jacob Cowing (0% rostered), Johnny Wilson (0% rostered)

Injured-reserve stashes: Brandin Cooks (11% rostered)

Tight ends

Mike Gesicki, Bengals

Gesicki has taken advantage of Tee Higgins' absence the last two weeks and emerged as a strong fantasy starter.

The Bengals' tight end posted stat lines of 7-73-0 and 5-100-2 in those contests and could keep that going if Higgins doesn't play Thursday night versus the Ravens.

It's also worth noting that Erick All Jr.'s season-ending ACL tear means Gesicki has less competition for targets on the tight end depth chart.

Consider Gesicki a low-end TE1 with upside for however long Higgins remains sidelined.

Low-end TE1/high-end TE2: Taysom Hill vs. ATL (37% rostered)

Streaming options: Hunter Henry at CHI (36% rostered), Zach Ertz vs. PIT (39% rostered), Jonnu Smith at LAR (9% rostered)

Risky streaming options: Ja'Tavion Sanders vs. NYG (5% rostered), Theo Johnson at CAR (1% rostered)

Risky streaming options (if starter is out): Grant Calcaterra at DAL (1% rostered)

Dart-throw streaming options: Chigoziem Okonkwo at LAC (5% rostered), Will Dissly vs. TEN (2% rostered), Tyler Conklin at ARI (19% rostered), Juwan Johnson vs. ATL (3% rostered), Noah Gray vs. DEN (2% rostered), Colby Parkinson vs. MIA (13% rostered), Foster Moreau vs. ATL (1% rostered), Drew Sample at BAL (0% rostered)

Dart-throw streaming options (if healthy): Isaiah Likely vs. CIN (39% rostered)

Dart-throw streaming options (if starter is out): Charlie Kolar at BAL (0% rostered)

Defenses

Week 10 streamers

Favorable upcoming schedules: Lions DEF (47% rostered), Browns DEF (50% rostered), Dolphins DEF (27% rostered), Rams DEF (10% rostered)

Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.