Week 10 Waiver Wire: Top Pickups and Drops

Winter is coming. In fantasy football, that means the playoffs are coming. And to reach the playoffs, you have to use every resource at your disposal to make sure you find points, even if they come from the unlikeliest of places. 

That often means scouring the waiver wire each week for the next breakout star. Luckily for you, I've done the work for you. Because I know that when you play the game of fantasy, you win or you die. There is no middle ground.

Well, OK, you don't die. That's a bit dramatic. But you do lose. And losing stinks.

Mark Sanchez, QB, Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles just might have the most quarterback-friendly offense in the NFL. You shouldn't need more proof than the fact that Mark Sanchez stepped in for the injured Nick Foles and led the Eagles to a win over the Houston Texans, finishing 15-for-22 with 202 passing yards, two touchdowns, two interceptions (one of which deflected off the hands of receiver Josh Huff and should have been caught) and 12 fantasy points.

Those are pretty promising numbers for a player stepping on in relief duty, and when you consider how explosive this offense is and how many weapons they possess, it isn't hard to see Sanchez thriving. 

"He obviously has a big-time arm, he's got an NFL arm, he's got NFL feet, he's really, really smart, he's sharp, great work ethic, very athletic," Chip Kelly told Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com. "He had all the things we're looking for in a quarterback. He's a hell of a quarterback and we're excited that we got him."

Sure, his days with the New York Jets might frighten you. Fear not—the Eagles are not those Jets. Nick Foles was having a poor season and was still posting solid fantasy points. It's hard to see Sanchez being much worse. He should absolutely be the main priority for Foles owners and anyone who has a quarterback on a bye in the coming weeks, as he has legitimate QB1 upside.

Ryan Tannehill, QB, Miami Dolphins

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Very quietly, Ryan Tannehill is having a nice season for the Miami Dolphins. And even more quietly, he's become a viable fantasy consideration for your starting lineup each week. 

Tannehill now has 17 or more fantasy points in four of his last five games, including this week's epic performance against the San Diego Chargers (288 passing yards, three touchdowns, 47 rushing yards, 27 fantasy points). 

No, he's not a great start this week against the Detroit Lions. But he's owned in just 40.5 percent of ESPN leagues, meaning you might be able to snag this borderline QB1 for free. Do it.

Bobby Rainey, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

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It remains to be seen when Doug Martin will return from injury—and it's hard to know just what Charles Sims' role will be when he's active—but for the moment, the player to own in Tampa's rushing attack is Rainey. 

Frankly, he's probably the man to own moving forward. Martin owns an atrocious 2.9 yards-per-carry average and simply doesn't resemble the rookie who lit up the NFL in 2012. Rainey has done fairly well with his chances as the main man, however, and is coming off a performance with 121 yards from scrimmage on 20 touches.

At this point, he's at least earned an equal timeshare with Martin, if not the starting gig outright. Sims' role remains unseen, but for the moment I'd roll with Rainey in Tampa Bay.

Terrance West, RB, Cleveland Browns

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Isaiah Crowell might flash more overall talent and Ben Tate might be the veteran acquisition who was expected to be the main man in the backfield this year, but it looks as though Terrance West is starting to take over the starting role for the Browns. 

West led the Browns in rushing attempts (15) and rushing yards (48) this past week, and managed to score a touchdown in the passing game. It would appear that a full-blown committee situation is emerging in Cleveland, but Brown is a player to stash if he indeed emerges as the clear starter. 

For the moment, it would appear Cleveland's backfield is trending in that direction. 

Mike Evans, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Surprisingly, Evans is owned in just 31.6 percent of ESPN leagues, a low number when you consider that he now has 15 receptions for 257 yards and three touchdowns in his last three games. More importantly, he's had far more fantasy value during that time and appears to be slowly taking over the WR1 duties for Tampa Bay. 

At this point, Evans should at least be considered for your flex every week. Facing an Atlanta secondary that is giving up a total of 23.3 fantasy points to opposing wide receivers per game, Evans is a clear fantasy starter this week.

Martavis Bryant, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers

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When fantasy breakout stars look as though they're emerging, I always give myself the following advice: One week can be a fluke, two weeks can be a fad but three weeks is a trend. And for three weeks now, Martavis Bryant has posted double-digit fantasy points for owners, securing 10 catches for 167 yards and five touchdowns. 

Yes, the extreme reliance on scoring plays for fantasy value worries me—a lot, especially when Antonio Brown is always going to be the volume receiver in this offense. Generally speaking, you can rarely trust a player who is solely reliant on touchdowns for value, especially when they are young breakout receivers.

On the other hand, Ben Roethlisberger has 12 touchdown passes in the past two weeks. Yes, 12. While that output is unsustainable, there's no doubt that Bryant has added another dimension to this offense and gives the Steelers a nice weapon to utilize in the red zone.

Can you start him every week? No, play your matchups. But he should absolutely be owned across the board.

Mychal Rivera, TE, Oakland Raiders

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If you've been streaming tight ends, Mychal Rivera is an interesting player to consider this week. The Raiders tight end has 15 receptions for 121 yards and two touchdowns in the past two weeks, and next faces a Denver Broncos defense that has allowed 12 or more fantasy points to opposing tight ends five times this season. 

Rivera isn't a weekly starter, but he's worth a look if you're streaming or your main option is on bye this week.

Players to Drop

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It's starting to look as though you can drop Nick Foles altogether, if the reports from Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer are to be believed:

For most folks, that's championship week. It's probably worth holding onto Foles until we know for sure what his duration on the sidelines will be, but it's sure looking like he's a player worth dropping.

There are a few running backs you can drop like a bad habit at this point. Zac Stacy has been completely phased out of the St. Louis Rams offense. Maurice Jones-Drew doesn't have anything left in the tank. While you probably can't drop Tate just yet, he's getting close to that point, with just 65 total rushing yards in the past three weeks.

I'm about done with receivers like Keenan Allen and Wes Welker. Welker has reached double-digit fantasy points just once this season and Allen has done so twice, and neither appear likely to reverse the trend. They won't be easy to cut, I know, but at some point current production—or the lack thereof—has to be more heavily weighted than a player's past.

All point totals, points-against statistics and ownership percentages via ESPN standard-scoring leagues. Hit me up on Twitter—I'll answer your fantasy questions and make some corny jokes, too. It's more fun than sitting down and scoring touchdowns with Anthony Fasano.