Week 10 Waiver Wire: Fantasy Football's Top Breakout Candidates and Pickups

Week 9 of the NFL season was a veritable celebration of rookies and unheralded players alike.

Rookie Houston Texans wideout Tank Dell was the top wide receiver in fantasy this week at the conclusion of the Sunday late afternoon games, scoring a whopping 29.60 points (in points-per-reception formats).

Dell's quarterback, C.J. Stroud, was similarly the top-scoring fantasy quarterback this week ahead of Sunday Night Football.

Another player meets both of those qualifications; he's an undrafted free agent rookie who topped 100 rushing yards and found the end zone this week in his first signficant game.

He appears on our list of breakout candidates to target on waivers this week, as do two other candidates who are likely to be popular targets in your league.

Players were considered to be breakout candidates if they were rostered in fewer than 40 percent of leagues by the conclusion of Week 9 play. And two of the players on our list are rostered in only 1 percent. Let's take a closer look at them.

Noah Brown, WR, Houston Texans

Ken Murray/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

HOUSTON, TX - NOVEMBER 05: Houston Texans wide receiver Noah Brown (85) is tackled by Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Christian Izien (29) during the football game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Houston Texans at NRG Stadium on November 5, 2023, in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Ken Murray/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Rostered: 1 percent

Week 9 stats: 6 rec, 153 rec yds, 1 rec TD, 27.30 pts

Noah Brown landed on the Houston Texans' injured reserve list after Week 1, when he suffered a groin injury against the Baltimore Ravens. When he returned in Week 6, most fantasy managers didn't take notice, given that Nico Collins, Tank Dell (a former waiver-wire recommendation when he broke out this season) and Robert Woods command the majority of the targets in Houston's offense, along with tight end Dalton Schultz.

Brown had modest showings in Weeks 6 and 8 before and after the Texans' bye. But in Week 9, he proved that he is a trustworthy recipient of rookie C.J. Stroud's deep ball; 75 of Brown's 153 receiving yards came on one reception, on which he also found the end zone.

Given the plethora of options Stroud has on any given play, Brown isn't a starter. But he's a terrific option to stash on your bench in case any of the Texans' pass-catchers miss time with injuries in the second half of the season.

Keaton Mitchell, RB, Baltimore Ravens

Patrick Smith/Getty Images

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - NOVEMBER 05: Keaton Mitchell #34 of the Baltimore Ravens runs the ball during the first half in the game against the Seattle Seahawks at M&T Bank Stadium on November 05, 2023 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

Rostered: 1 percent

Week 9 stats: 9 att, 138 rush yds, 1 rush TD, 20.40 pts

Baltimore Ravens fans have been excited about undrafted free agent rookie Keaton Mitchell since training camp, but he's been quiet so far this season as the Ravens have leaned on Gus Edwards to keep the ball moving on the ground, in addition, of course, to quarterback Lamar Jackson, who has almost as many rushing yards as Edwards on the season.

When given his first real opportunity against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 9, however, Mitchell hit the ground running as the Ravens dominated 37-3. Mitchell carried the ball nine times and amassed 138 rushing yards and found the end zone.

Mitchell's performance was, to say the least, unexpected:

As of the conclusion of the late afternoon games Sunday, Mitchell was the fourth-highest-scoring running back in fantasy with more than 20 points (using points-per-reception scoring).

No doubt, Mitchell will be one of the most popular waiver-wire adds in your league this week. If you lost your Week 9 matchup, your higher priority is at least something to smile about.

Jonnu Smith, TE, Atlanta Falcons

Alex Slitz/Getty Images

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - NOVEMBER 05: Jonnu Smith #81 of the Atlanta Falcons runs the ball in for a touchdown during the third quarter of the game against the Minnesota Vikings at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on November 05, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)

Rostered: 28 percent

Week 9 stats: 5 rec, 100 rec yds, 1 rec TD, 21 pts

Rostered in a little more than a quarter of Yahoo leagues, Jonnu Smith has a slightly lower likelihood of being available in your league than either of Noah Brown or Keaton Mitchell, who are virtually unrostered in all leagues.

But if Smith is available in your league, and you're in need of a change at tight end, it seems that his role in the Falcons offense is finally taking shape.

Week 9 marked the first game this season in which Smith amassed at least 100 yards, but he's come close, with 95 in Week 4. He's an intriguing waivers candidate because of what he's able to do after he gets the ball in his hands. He took a screen 60 yards to the house on Sunday and was also involved in a jet sweep on the goal line.

Setting aside the obvious jokes about managers who have Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts and running back Bijan Robinson rostered, you should have Smith on your bench at the very least as he continues to earn more opportunities.

Rostered percentage and scoring totals via FantasyPros