Waiver Wire Week 11: Reviewing Top Pickups and Drops Likely Available

With 10 weeks of the 2019 NFL season down, most season-long fantasy leagues are approaching the playoffs. This means that it's more important than ever to work the waiver wire while ditching players who aren't going to pay off in the immediate future.

There's little point in holding onto hope with a player if you're not going to be in the postseason to utilize him.

Here, we'll examine some of the top bye-week fill-ins and spot-starters who could be available on the waiver wire. We'll also take a look at some players worth dropping to make room. Just a reminder, the Green Bay Packers, New York Giants, Seattle Seahawks and Tennessee Titans are on bye this week

Week 11 Adds

QB Kyle Allen, Carolina Panthers

QB Nick Foles, Jacksonville Jaguars

RB Brian Hill, Atlanta Falcons

RB Alexander Mattison, Minnesota Vikings

WR James Washington, Pittsburgh Steelers

WR Cole Beasley, Buffalo Bills

TE O.J. Howard, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

TE Jacob Hollister, Seattle Seahawks

Add: Nick Foles, QB, Jacksonville Jaguars

Frank Augstein/Associated Press

If you need a bye-week replacement, spot-starter or a new late-season quarterback, Nick Foles might be the answer. Now off injured reserve, the former Super Bowl MVP has been reinstated as the Jacksonville Jaguars starting quarterback.

This means that it's worth adding Foles, who is available in 79 percent of Yahoo leagues, according to FantasyPros. It's also worth dropping Gardner Minshew II, who returns to the Jaguars bench.

Could Minshew regain the job if Foles struggles? Sure, but it's unlikely. Jacksonville seems to have total confidence in their returning quarterback.

"If he didn't get hurt, he'd be competing for MVP of the league right now," defensive lineman Calais Campbell told ESPN's "First Take".

It's not worth hanging on to Minshew. It is worth starting Foles against the suddenly stumbling Indianapolis Colts.

Add: Alexander Mattison, RB, Minnesota Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings have a superstar running back in Dalvin Cook. However, Cook doesn't completely dominate Minnesota's backfield like some workhorse backs tend to do. Rookie Alexander Mattison has had some notable games as a change-of-pace back, including an eight-carry, 52-yard performance against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 10.

Mattison could see an increased workload in the coming weeks, as the Vikings may try saving Cook for the playoffs. He's worth a flex start in Week 11, as Minnesota hosts the Denver Broncos. The Broncos have allowed an average of 107.6 rushing yards per game (17th) and four yards per carry this season.

On top of being an option to play in Week 10, Mattison is valuable as a handcuff to Cook. It's not worth holding him just for this purpose at this point in the year, but that is added value for your roster spot.

Mattison is available in 71 percent of Yahoo leagues, according to FantasyPros.

Week 11 Drops

QB Gardner Minshew II, Jacksonville Jaguars

QB Jared Goff, Los Angeles Rams

RB LeSean McCoy, Kansas City Chiefs

RB Malcolm Brown, Los Angeles Rams

WR Robby Anderson, New York Jets

WR Antonio Callaway, Cleveland Browns

TE Cameron Brate, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

TE Luke Willson, Seattle Seahawks

Drop: Jared Goff, QB, Los Angeles Rams

Keith Srakocic/Associated Press

Last season, Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff was fantasy gold. He finished with 4,688 passing yards, 32 touchdowns and 12 interceptions to help take many fantasy managers to the promised land.

This season, Goff has been more likely to steer fantasy managers to the loser's bracket. He and the entire Rams offense are struggling. The yards have been there—Goff has 2,610 through nine games—but so have the turnovers. Goff has committed 14 of those while passing for just 11 touchdowns.

Los Angeles is still without wide receiver Brandin Cooks (concussion), and it recently lost starting center Brian Allen for the season. Offensive tackle Rob Havenstein is expected to miss time as well:

This only adds to the pending misfortune of Goff, who has a tough schedule coming up. Over the next two weeks, the Rams will face the Chicago Bears and the Baltimore Ravens.