I hope the Monday night game was just as confusing for you as it was for me. Right from the get go, it felt like the Bills were actively trying to lose the game. James Cook fumbled on the very first play and was immediately benched. Josh Allen threw 2 interceptions, one of which should have been an easy catch by Gabe Davis. Despite the 3 first half turnovers, the Bills only trailed by 4 going into the half. James Cook would redeem himself in the second half and finish the game with 100+ rushing yards. He almost fumbled again but by some miracle the ball ended up back in his hands. Josh Allen would later run in a touchdown to put the Bills up 22-21 late in the fourth. With one last chance the Broncos pushed their way down the field with a defensive pass interference penalty setting up their game winning field goal. The first kick went wide but the Bills had 12 men on the field resulting in a penalty and a rekick. Will Lutz did not miss again and time expired. In all honesty, the Broncos had no reason to win this game. Their offense was stagnant and they could have done so much more with the mistakes the Bills were committing. From start to finish, the Bills handed it to them on a silver platter. As a nice little cherry on top of it all for Bills fans, the team decided to fire their offensive coordinator, Ken Dorsey, this morning. His legacy in Buffalo will forever be remembered.
As we head into week 11, here are my favorite waiver wire additions.
Keaton Mitchell (Rostered in 23.3% of ESPN leagues)
Mitchell made last week’s list after an explosive performance against the Seahawks. He came back down to Earth this week but was still able to put up 13.6 fantasy points thanks to an early rushing touchdown. While he only had 3 carries on the day, he made the most of them and should be more involved moving forward. He did have an injury designation (hamstring) before Sunday’s game which could have impacted his snaps. Mitchell is a must add.
Ty Chandler (Rostered in 2.8% of ESPN leagues) Genius Pick of the Week
It’s starting to be that time of year where guys like Ty Chandler start to gain fantasy relevance. Cam Akers is out for the year with an achilles injury opening the door for increased snaps. On Sunday against the Saints, Chandler saw 15 carries and punched in a touchdown. A lot of snaps were due to Alexander Mattison getting knocked out of the game with a concussion. Should Mattison miss time, Chandler would assume starting duties and would be worth playing in fantasy leagues.
Tyjae Spears (Rostered in 32.5% of ESPN leagues)
Weekly plug to stash this guy as an elite handcuff or desperate flex play. Spears has out-snapped Derrick Henry 5 times this season and twice now in back to back games. He is not taking over RB1 duties but the opportunity is there should anything happen to Henry.
Noah Brown (Rostered in 27.1% of ESPN leagues)
Brown has now had 2 back to back weeks of scoring 20+ fantasy points. While he is the third wide receiver on the depth chart, the Texans are determined to throw so he should be involved moving forward. 20+ points won’t happen every week but Brown is a nice boom or bust flex option. Snag him while you can.
Brandon Cooks (Rostered in 49.1% of ESPN leagues)
What a breakout game from Brandon Cooks! Against the Giants, Cooks put up 9 catches for 173 yards and a touchdown. This sort of performance is not going to happen every week but it is tough to say no to a guy who just scored 30+ fantasy points. Cooks should come back down to Earth a bit but the Cowboys have a fairly easy stretch of games coming up which makes Cooks a bit more appealing. Buyer beware but Cooks could be a nice flex option in that span.
Demario Douglas (Rostered in 27.2% of ESPN leagues)
Douglas finished Sunday’s loss against the Colts with 6 catches for 84 yards. He was targeted 9 times in what was an overall poor offensive performance for the Patriots. He is just about the only wide receiver with any fantasy relevance. He has a fairly easy schedule after his team’s BYE which makes him an intriguing flex option to close out the year.
Tyler Boyd (Rostered in 57% of ESPN leagues)
Many will highlight Boyd’s week 10 as one marred by a dropped game winning TD against the Texans. What should be highlighted (for fantasy purposes) is that he was targeted a season high 12 times. Tee Higgins should continue to miss time with a short week against Baltimore on Thursday. It is also worth mentioning that Higgins is dealing with a hamstring injury which can tend to reaggravate causing potentially more missed time later on. In a tough game against a division rival, I think Boyd will step up. If you are feeling extra frisky or have no other options, Trenton Erwin (rostered in 4.3% of ESPN leagues) could be a hail mary type of roster add.
Rashid Shaheed (Rostered in 27.3% of ESPN leagues)
In Sunday’s loss to the Vikings, Shaheed saw 9 targets which is encouraging. He managed to convert those into 5 catches and 24 yards. That is not very eye-popping as it was only good for 7.4 fantasy points. However, Michael Thomas suffered a knee injury on the Saints first drive. Head coach Dennis Allen would later call the injury “fairly significant”. If Thomas were to miss an extended period of time, Shaheed could see his involvement in the offense increase as the Saints head into their BYE week. Stash if you have an extra roster spot.
Trey McBride (Rostered 50.8% of ESPN leagues)
McBride has scored 20+ fantasy points in 2 of his last 3 games. In that span, he has seen 28 total targets.The Texans offer a juicy matchup for tight ends which could lead to a big day. This is likely the last real chance to go and get this guy after his most recent performance.
Pat Freiermuth (Rostered in 36.5% of ESPn leagues)
Pat Freiermuth is designated to return from IR and could play this week against the Browns. Freiermuth has been out since week 4 after he sustained a hamstring injury against the Texans. This guy is a reliable target for Kenny Pickett and could help elevate their offense a bit.
Joshua Dobbs (Rostered in 38.9% of ESPN leagues)
In his first official start as a Minnisota Viking, Dobbs threw for 268 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 44 and a touchdown. A threat through the air and on the ground, Dobbs is showing he has what it takes to not only be a starting NFL QB but a starting fantasy one as well. Gotta give credit where credit is due and Joshua Dobbs continues to ball out. Justin Jefferson is slated to return soon, giving another bump to Dobb’s fantasy stock. Absolutely worth a roster add.
*Point totals mentioned assume full point PPR scoring
Want to tell me who I left off or needs to be added? Follow me on twitter at @The_FFGenius and let me know!