Waiver Wire Week 10: Top Pickups and Drops

Winter is coming. And, with it, the fantasy football playoffs loom nearer each week. Most leagues begin theirs in Week 14, leaving just a few weeks to iron out your rosters and ensure you head into the postseason with your Sunday best. 

With those needs in mind, we've got the top adds and drops at each offensive position for Week 10. As of Monday evening, the drops are owned in over half of Yahoo leagues, while the pickups, to ensure maximum availability, are owned in under one-third of Yahoo leagues. 

For each, a variety of players are listed first before some analysis on the more prominent options. Six teams are on bye in Week 10, so a few adds are longer-term upside plays while others may be able to help immediately.  

Top Pickups

• Ryan Tannehill, QB, Tennessee Titans (18 percent owned)
• Kalen Ballage, RB, Miami Dolphins (10 percent owned)
• Derrius Guice, RB, Washington Redskins (32 percent owned)
• Ty Montgomery, RB, New York Jets (3 percent owned)
• Nelson Agholor, WR, Philadelphia Eagles (17 percent owned)
• A.J. Brown, WR, Tennessee Titans (19 percent owned)
• Zach Pascal, WR, Indianapolis Colts (20 percent owned)
• Hunter Renfrow, WR, Oakland Raiders (2 percent owned)
• Noah Fant, TE, Denver Broncos (12 percent owned)
• Dallas Goedert, TE, Philadelphia Eagles (26 percent owned)
• Jacob Hollister, TE, Seattle Seahawks (0 percent owned)

Quarterback Add: Ryan Tannehill, Tennessee Titans

Since assuming starting quarterback duties for Tennessee, Tannehill is averaging 23.7 completions on 33.7 attempts for 278.7 passing yards and two touchdowns to one interception per game. The big man is more slinger than scrambler, but he's still iced that air-volume cake with 42 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown.

The volume is legit, and his pass-catchers are, too. It's easier to beat the Kansas City Chiefs on the ground than through the air but neither is particularly difficult, so Tannehill remains a great pickup for Week 10 and potentially beyond if you decided to hold him through Tennessee's Week 11 bye.

Running Back Add: Kalen Ballage, Miami Dolphins

While injuries dictate the viability of each other running back pickup this week, Ballage has been gifted a starting role by the NFL's conduct and substance abuse policy. As reported by ESPN's Cameron Wolfe, Mark Walton is suspended for four weeks after violating the league's policies. 

With Kenyan Drake traded to Arizona, that leaves Kalen Ballage as the most battle-ready back in Miami.

Derrius Guice is returning from injury in Week 11, and Ty Montgomery is worth monitoring now that Le'Veon Bell had an MRI on Monday (per ESPN's Rich Cimini). We've seen both of those potential pickups be good at football, but their opportunity outlook is uninspiring.

Conversely, Ballage, who is averaging two yards per carry and a 33.3 percent catch rate, is the expected starter for one of the worst teams in recent memory. It may not be pretty, but volume is king and Ballage is worth rostering just to see if a starter's workload is enough to get him into some sort of rhythm.

Tight End Add: Jacob Hollister, Seattle Seahawks

Since Noah Fant and Dallas Goedert are both on bye this week, Hollister gets the analysis. And it's pretty simple.

Will Dissly hasn't played since Week 5 and, four weeks later, he's still the TE9 overall. Russell Wilson is good at throwing to tight ends that he likes. Hollister's snap count jumped to 80 percent in Week 9 as Wilson gifted him six targets for four receptions, 37 yards and two touchdowns. He's not the same level of talent as Dissly, but few risks have higher payoff potential than gambling on a tight end who plays 80 percent of the snaps for Wilson.

Wide Receiver Add: Zach Pascal, Indianapolis Colts

T.Y. Hilton is out for weeks with a calf injury and so is Parris Campbell after undergoing hand surgery on Monday. That leaves Pascal, who excels when called upon, as the team's top option.

In Week 9, the undrafted free agent put up 76 yards and a touchdown on five receptions in Hilton's stead. Even with Hilton and Campbell, the Old Dominion product has performed all year when the Colts have thrown the ball. In games where they throw 30-plus passes, the 24-year-old averages 4.3 receptions, 76.8 yards and one touchdown per game.

Pascal practically won the game for Indianapolis by snagging an absurd toe-tapper to get the Colts into field-goal range while losing by two with two minutes left in the fourth quarter. They missed the kick and lost, but your fantasy team may be better-equipped to capitalize on his talents and win during the most crucial time of year.

Top Drops

• Gardner Minshew II, QB, Jacksonville Jaguars (65 percent owned)
• Tarik Cohen, RB, Chicago Bears (57 percent owned)
• Mark Walton, RB, Miami Dolphins (50 percent owned)
• DeSean Jackson, WR, Philadelphia Eagles (56 percent owned)
• Sterling Shepard, WR, New York Giants (64 percent owned)
• Marquez Valdes-Scantling, WR, Green Bay Packers (64 percent owned)
• Eric Ebron, TE, Indianapolis Colts (71 percent owned)
• Jimmy Graham, TE, Green Bay Packers (70 percent owned)
• Greg Olsen, TE, Carolina Panthers (83 percent owned)

Quarterback Drop: Gardner Minshew II, Jacksonville Jaguars

Don't cry because it's over; smile because it happened. Minshew Mania was a magical time for us all and will not be forgotten. Unfortunately, it may have come to an end as Minshew's disastrous outing in Week 9 means Nick Foles is likely to be Jacksonville's quarterback in Week 11 following their bye. 

Minshew completed just 57.5 percent of his passes in Week 9 against Houston while taking three sacks, throwing two interceptions and losing two fumbles. Barring sentimental, spiritual value, he does not need to be held through his bye week and should be dropped everywhere. 

Running Back Drop: Tarik Cohen, Chicago Bears

The Human Joystick has been unplugged this season. Cohen is only getting 7.6 looks (4.3 receptions and 3.3 rushes) for 32 total yards and 0.1 touchdowns per game this season. As ugly as those stats are, the Bears offense is uglier.

David Montgomery is the starting back, and Matt Nagy has shown no ability to make creative use of Cohen's talents. Unless you're in a point-per-reception, point-per-punt-return league, Cohen is a comfortable drop.

Wide Receiver Drop: Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Green Bay Packers

While DeSean Jackson (abdominal tear) and Sterling Shepard (concussion protocol) are drops because they may not see the field again this season, Valdes-Scantling is a drop because he is not seeing the ball.

Since Week 4, Valdes-Scantling has received just 13 targets. That's 2.6 targets per game in four contests without Davante Adams. Without Adams, MVS got minimal work. With Adams back in Week 9, MVS turned two targets into zero receptions.

Every waiver wire has more interesting options than a guy who, among Green Bay pass-catchers, is only averaging more targets per game than backup tight end Marcedes Lewis since Week 4.

Tight End Drop: Eric Ebron, Indianapolis Colts

More target talk, and not the adorable bull-terrier type. Ebron hasn't received more than five targets in a game all season. He has topped over 50 yards in a game just once. He does have three touchdowns in eight games, though. So that's kind of nice?

If you start this guy, you're banking on that 37.5 percent chance of a touchdown. The tight end wasteland may be desolate enough for that to sound appealing, but it puts an absolute wrecking ball to your team's ceiling. Have some fun playing fantasy football and choose boom-or-bust potential at TE instead of OK-or-bust potential.