Waiver Wire Week 11: Top Pickups, Drops and Expert Analysis

For the second straight week, the New England Patriots suffered a major injury to a key offensive player, which has many fantasy owners running to the waiver wire. However, unlike last week, they’ll likely find a useful addition for the rest of the season.

With wide receiver Julian Edelman suffering a foot injury that is expected to keep him out six to eight weeks, according to Albert Breer of NFL Network, the clear choice to replace Edelman is Danny Amendola, and we saw plenty of evidence of that in Week 10. It’s a much more obvious and helpful waiver addition compared to grabbing running back James White when Dion Lewis went down with a torn ACL.

For the most part, it’s a weak group of options, but that shouldn’t be surprising this late in the season. The quarterback position is about finding someone who can be useful for multiple weeks, such as Chicago Bears QB Jay Cutler. Running back gives us another flavor of the week in Matt Jones of the Washington Redskins. And as usual, the tight end position is a wasteland.

I’ll take this opportunity to remind you how important it is to handcuff your top back as soon as possible. Ask the (former) owners of Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell how they felt if someone else grabbed DeAngelo Williams before they realized what a major mistake it was not to grab him sooner. Looking at you, people who have Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch but not Thomas Rawls.

Quarterbacks

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Note: Based on high ownership percentages in both ESPN and Yahoo formats, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo is likely unavailable in your league, as he’s probably been stashed away for weeks. If he’s available, snatch him up, since he’s expected to return to action in Week 11.

Jay Cutler, Chicago Bears

Percent Owned: ESPN — 26.3, Yahoo — 40 

If you stayed away from Jay Cutler in Week 10, it was based on the logic of him playing on the road against a solid St. Louis Rams defense. He proceeded to throw for 258 yards and three touchdowns without a turnover in a dominating 37-13 victory to keep the Bears alive at 4-5 in the NFC North.

I include Cutler atop the quarterback additions this week not because of whom he plays in Week 11 (Denver Broncos) but because his schedule after that tough matchup. He’ll face the reeling Green Bay Packers, San Francisco 49ers and Washington Redskins in Weeks 12-14. If you’re trying to hang on to a streamer for multiple weeks and can afford to roster him without using him this week, snatch him up.

Obviously, this is a brutal week to use him against a great Broncos defense, so stay away if you can. I’m adding him with the hope he can continue his great play late in the season once he gets through with the Broncos.

Week 11 Projection: 210-220 yards, 1 touchdown, 2 interceptions

Mark Sanchez, Philadelphia Eagles

Percent Owned: ESPN — 0.3, Yahoo — 1

For the second straight season, the Philadelphia Eagles will call on Mark Sanchez to step into the starting job following an injury in front of him on the depth chart. Sam Bradford suffered a concussion and a non-throwing shoulder injury in Week 10 that will keep him out Week 11 and possibly Week 12, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

Sanchez stepped in during the second half of Week 10 against the Miami Dolphins to go 14-of-23 for 156 yards with an interception. It was your typical Sanchez performance in that he showed flashes of promise followed by a crushing turnover. 

The key is that he does know the offense from last season and has a rapport with wide receiver Jordan Matthews—at least he did last year. Sanchez gets consideration because of his schedule, which includes the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Detroit Lions and New England Patriots in the next three weeks. He’s a multiweek streamer if Bradford can’t go during that span.

Week 11 Projection: 255-265 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 interception

Droppable Players: Sam Bradford, Kirk Cousins

Running Backs

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Matt Jones, Washington Redskins

Percent Owned: ESPN — 58.9, Yahoo — 48

Coming into Week 10, Matt Jones hadn’t been a useful fantasy option since he blew up for 146 total yards and two touchdowns back in Week 2 against the St. Louis Rams. With the matchup favoring him in Week 10, he was able to return to fantasy relevance with 56 yards on 11 carries and three receptions for 131 yards and a touchdown against the New Orleans Saints. 

While he’s definitely the top waiver-wire add at the running back position for this week, I do wonder if he can keep this up. In the same game, Alfred Morris played 40 percent of the snaps (to Jones’ 37 percent) and actually missed time in the first half with a rib injury. Morris still managed to rack up 92 yards on 15 carries and three receptions for 14 yards.

Besides his performance, the excitement for Jones is based on his schedule, as he’ll face the Carolina Panthers, New York Giants, Dallas Cowboys and Chicago Bears in the next four weeks. The presence of Morris still looms large enough for me to have some trepidation as it relates to Jones’ continuing to produce at such a high level.

Week 11 Projection: 12 carries, 58 yards, 3 receptions, 25 yards

Jay Ajayi, Miami

Percent Owned: ESPN — 9, Yahoo — 19

Even though the Miami Dolphins have gotten a ton out of running back Lamar Miller in recent weeks, they still felt the need to see more Jay Ajayi in his second performance of the season against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 10, and he didn’t disappoint. He ran for 48 yards on six carries and played just 19 percent of the snaps.

On the flip side, Miller was on the field for 81 percent of the snaps and wound up with 16 carries for just 43 yards, but he saved his fantasy owners with six receptions for 50 yards and a touchdown in the victory. Miller still seems to be the top option for the Dolphins in both fantasy and reality, but Ajayi isn’t going anywhere.

I’d consider Ajayi the clear handcuff at this point, but he may have value independently of that if you’re really desperate to grab a running back for depth or are stuck this week. He gets the Dallas Cowboys, which is a good matchup, especially with the injuries they’ve dealt with in recent weeks.

Week 11 Projection: 8 carries, 45 yards

Droppable Players: Brandon Bolden

Wide Receivers

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Danny Amendola, New England Patriots

Percent Owned: ESPN — 21.6, Yahoo — 31 

Two weeks, two big injuries for the New England Patriots, and that means fantasy owners are scrambling to figure out who to grab next. When Julian Edelman got hurt in the first half of Week 10 against the New York Giants and slammed his helmet down on the sideline, he knew his injury was a big one. Enter Danny Amendola.

Without missing a beat, the Patriots integrated Amendola into Edelman’s role and fed him 11 targets, 10 of which he caught for 79 yards in the victory over the Giants. On the season, he has 40 receptions for 403 yards on 48 targets, so it’s not like he’s been totally out of the mix. In fact, he has at least nine targets in three of his last five games. 

Amendola immediately shoots to the top of the waiver wire and should provide fantasy players with a legitimate WR2 because we know his role and know he has a great quarterback in Tom Brady. Plus, the Patriots are still trying to replace the loss of running back Dion Lewis, so there’s another reason Amendola could be busy. He’ll have plenty of chances against the Buffalo Bills in Week 11.

Week 11 Projection: 8 receptions, 89 yards, 1 touchdown

Dorial Green-Beckham, Tennessee Titans

Percent Owned: ESPN — 19.4, Yahoo — 26 

If you picked up Dorial Green-Beckham at any point in time before Week 10, you were wise to keep him on the bench in a tough matchup with the Carolina Panthers. He didn’t have a catch on either of his two targets. The Titans suffered a big loss when wide receiver Justin Hunter fractured his ankle. The team announced Hunter is out for the season.

So with Hunter out for the year and wide receiver Kendall Wright battling an MCL injury that puts his status in question on a short week with a matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday, Green-Beckham looks a lot more important to this offense. Even though he didn’t have a catch, his snaps were over 60 percent for the fourth straight game. 

Tight end Delanie Walker is likely the top option for the Titans passing attack, but they should want to see what Green-Beckham can do in a big role as a rookie. The matchup against the Jaguars is a favorable one, so hopefully DGB can take advantage in front of a prime-time audience.

Week 11 Projection: 5 receptions, 69 yards

Kamar Aiken, Baltimore Ravens

Percent Owned: ESPN — 45.8, Yahoo — 47

I’m surprised to see how widely available Kamar Aiken still is knowing he’s the top option for the Baltimore Ravens the rest of the way. The highly touted fantasy bonanza between the Ravens and Jacksonville Jaguars never lived up to the hype, but Aiken was busy with seven receptions for 73 yards on 14 targets. 

Aiken led the way in all those categories and was only missing a touchdown to have a big fantasy day. All in all, it went as expected, so more should be coming for Aiken as the top wide receiver for a team with a bad defense and a lack of options on offense. 

Consider Aiken a perfect WR3 on your fantasy roster since he’ll get targets but doesn’t have much upside. Things may be a little tough when he faces the Rams in St. Louis in Week 11, though.

Week 11 Projection: 5 receptions, 58 yards

Droppable Players: Julian Edelman, Kendall Wright

Tight Ends

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Richard Rodgers, Green Bay Packers

Percent Owned: ESPN — 51.9, Yahoo — 45

The tight end position is drying up in a hurry, but that’s not a surprise because if you’re worth anything at a weak position, you’re not staying on the waiver wire for long. The list is short and sweet this week with Richard Rodgers as the best available option.

In the Week 10 loss to the Detroit Lions, Rodgers had five receptions for 32 yards and a touchdown on five targets. It was his third touchdown in two games and fifth of the season. Rodgers played 60 percent of the snaps but had competition from fellow tight end Justin Perillo, who played just 20 percent of the snaps but had five receptions for 58 yards and a touchdown.

The Packers are low on talent, so if someone is producing, he should capture the eye of quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Richard Rodgers has come through in the last two weeks and has an average matchup against the Minnesota Vikings, with Green Bay having a chance to get a share of first place in the NFC North.

Week 11 Projection: 4 receptions, 42 yards, 1 touchdown

Droppable Players: Julius Thomas

Defenses

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Tennessee Titans

Percent Owned: ESPN — 18.3, Yahoo — 8

Even though the Jacksonville Jaguars have provided us with multiple reliable fantasy options this season, they’ve still struggled on offense, and opposing defenses have taken advantage. In its last four games, Jacksonville has allowed 14 sacks, including nine in its last two games.

That brings us to its opponent this week, the Tennessee Titans. It’s a short week for both teams to prepare, and the Jaguars could be without wide receiver Allen Hurns (abdomen) and running back T.J. Yeldon (foot), so they’re vulnerable. The Titans have had a better defense in reality than fantasy, but this matchup gives them a chance to come through for both.

Week 11 Projection: 21-24 points allowed, 3 sacks, 1 interception, 1 forced fumble

Kickers

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Cairo Santos, Kansas City Chiefs

Percent Owned: ESPN — 12, Yahoo — 20

Cairo Santos has been one of the better fantasy kickers all season, but as you can see by his ownership percentage, you can likely find him on your waiver wire this week. In Week 10, he carried the scoring with five field goals on six attempts and a pair of extra points. That marked the second time this season he hit at least five field goals. 

Because the Chiefs have a shaky passing attack but a great running back in Charcandrick West, Santos is getting plenty of chances to score since the offense is merely good, not great. That’s a sweet spot for fantasy and perfect for Santos to keep it up against the San Diego Chargers in Week 11.

Fantasy leaders provided by NFL.com. Targets provided by ESPN.com. Snap counts provided by ProFootballFocus.com.