Waiver Wire Week 10: Noah Brown, Keaton Mitchell, Otton Highlight Pickups to Know

Week 9 of the 2023 NFL season isn't quite finished, but the waiver wire is already being populated by potential pickups for Week 10.

The best fantasy football managers will do their research early, so they know exactly who to target once waiver claims can be submitted.

While some weeks' recommendations are largely driven by injuries to others, these are all performance-based. Each of the following three players put up numbers Sunday, and the chance for more numbers down the road is reason enough for fantasy managers to put them on the radar.

Noah Brown, WR, Houston Texans

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HOUSTON, TX - OCTOBER 15: Houston Texans wide receiver Noah Brown (85) looks to cut back inside after a pass reception in the flat during the football game between the New Orleans Saints and Houston Texans at NRG Stadium on October 15, 2023, in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Ken Murray/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Houston's receiver room is crowded, but Noah Brown is doing what he can to get himself noticed.

And C.J. Stroud is certainly noticing him.

Entering Sunday, Brown had seen five targets in back-to-back contests. That number climbed to six in Week 9, and he made the absolute most of his opportunity, catching all six passes for 153 yards and his first touchdown of the campaign.

Brown may never see a ton of targets in this offense, but with his big-play ability, he won't need to. Sunday marked his third consecutive contest with at least one reception spanning better than 30 yards.

Keaton Mitchell, RB, Baltimore Ravens

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BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - NOVEMBER 05: Keaton Mitchell #34 of the Baltimore Ravens is tackled by Derick Hall #58 of the Seattle Seahawks during the first half at M&T Bank Stadium on November 05, 2023 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

An undrafted rookie out of East Carolina, Keaton Mitchell turned heads in training camp and the preseason, but that was pretty much it in terms of exposure.

Until Sunday.

With Baltimore buying itself plenty of breathing room by way of a 37-3 knockout of the Seattle Seahawks, the Ravens had chances to involve Mitchell, and they took advantage of that. He wound up handling nine carries and converting them into 138 yards and a score. He was so electric that he scored on a 40-yard run, and it wasn't even his best highlight of the day.

With the quickness and agility to squeeze into open spaces and the back-end speed to turn decent runs into game-changing breakaways, Mitchell looks way too electric for Baltimore to bump back down the depth chart. He may not take over this backfield, but he could certainly become the lightning to Gus Edwards' thunder.

Cade Otton, TE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

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HOUSTON, TX - NOVEMBER 05: Cade Otton #88 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers catches a touchdown pass against the Houston Texans during the second half at NRG Stadium on November 5, 2023 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)

Barring injury, it's hard to find a potential starter off waivers this late in the season.

Cade Otton might be an exception.

The tight end position has been so hit or miss that anyone making a dent on the stat sheet deserves your attention. Otton left a much bigger imprint than that, converting a season-high nine targets into six receptions for 70 yards and two touchdowns.

Otton had six targets in both of his previous two outings, so Tampa clearly is looking to involve him in this offense. Even if he's more of a volume play than anything, that could be enough to make him at least worthy of streaming consideration at this shallow, largely uninspiring position.