Notable Injuries from week 11:
- Josh Jacobs (knee)
- Kimani Vidal (Thigh)
- Jaylen Warren (Ankle)
- Emari Demercado (Ankle)
- Ja’Marr Chase (Suspended)
- Drake London (Knee)
- Calvin Ridley (Fibula)
- Chimere Dike (Concussion)
- Michael Penix Jr. (Knee)
- Dillon Gabriel (Concussion)
- Aaron Rodgers (Wrist)
Teams on a BYE week:
- Denver Broncos
- Los Angeles Chargers
- Miami Dolphins
- Washington Commanders
Waiver Wire Targets
Emanuel Wilson (Rostered in 5.8% of ESPN leagues)
Waivers are pretty sparse this week in my opinion but there are a few good options. One of those is Emanuel Wilson. Josh Jacob left Sunday’s game with a knee injury and is still questionable to play at the time of me writing this. With Jacobs out, Wilson would close the game out with 40 yards on 11 attempts and a touchdown. Keep an eye on Jacobs but should he miss week 12’s matchup against the Vikings, Wilson would be a must start. Even if Jacobs plays, Wilson is still a prime handcuff option.
Kenneth Gainwell (Rostered in 42.2% of ESPN leagues)
This is in the same vein as Emanuel Wilson. With Jaylen Warren hurt, Gainwell is primed for more work. Much like Wilson, you need to keep an eye on Warren.
Chris Rodriguez (Rostered in 6.7% of ESPN leagues)
Man, this Washington Commanders team has been such a let down this year. Coming off a trip to the NFC Conference Championship game, there were high hopes for this team in the offseason. A couple of big name signings like Von Miller, a trade for Deebo Samuel and an electric runner who broke out during the early stages of the year in Jacory Croskey-Merritt. The sky was the limit but here we are at this point in the season and the Commanders are 3-8 fresh off a tough loss to the Dolphins. Croskey-Merritt had so much hype and people scrambled to pick him up or draft him. Things haven’t quite panned out for him and it seems like there is a changing of the guard in DC. Chris Rodriguez is starting to emerge as the guy. Since week 8, he has seen his offensive snaps steadily rise from 4% all the way up to 45% while Croskey-Merritt has declined week to week (57% to 27%). The rest of the Commander schedule is tough for running backs but there are a few exploitable matchups sprinkled in there (I’m looking at you Dallas Cowboys). Headed into their BYE week, Rodgriguez is at least a pick up and stash should you need RB help.
Tyler Allgeier (Rostered in 33.6% of ESPN leagues)
I said it last week, Tyler Allgeier is worth having on rosters both as a potential flex play and as a handcuff option. While he didn’t get many attempts, he made at least one of them count and punched in a goal line TD. God forbid anything happen to Bijan Robinson, but if he went down with an injury, Allgeier would be the guy.
Alec Pierce (Rostered in 40.7% of ESPN leagues)
I’ll be honest that I’ve missed the train for Alec Pierce and am now trying to catch up. That is likely for a couple of reasons. The first being is I’ve been there before in years where I’ve decided to buy in and then been burned by a meager outing or lack of consistency. Not this time. Pierce has been great for the Colts this year and has seemingly developed a solid relationship with Daniel Jones. This season, Pierce has only seen less than 5 targets twice and is averaging just over 73 yards a game. The Chiefs present a tough challenge but Pierce is definitely in the flex category and is worth having on your roster.
Jayden Higgins (Rostered in 19.7% of ESPN leagues)
In the last handful of weeks, Jayden Higgins has been more involved within this Texans offense. His snap share is higher than it was during the first half of the season and he has seen a pretty decent amount of targets these past 4 weeks (Excluding week 9). The targets alone warrant a look especially for PPR leagues. A nice matchup against the Bills could push Higgins into fantasy relevance for week 12.
Darnell Mooney (Rostered in 37% of ESPN leagues)
Remember when I said waivers were sparse? Yeah, it’s Darnell Mooney time. Drake London is hurt which moves Mooney up the depth chart. If there was ever a time for him to produce fantasy, now would be the time. Downside is that Michael Penix is out for the year potential leaving the Falcons with Kirk Cousins at center. Maybe he hits a redemption arc or maybe they just funnel everything through Bijan. Only time will tell. I only recommend Mooney if you are hit hard with injuries or need a flex play with 4 teams on a BYE week.
Juwan Johnson (Rostered in 35% of ESPN leagues) Genius Pick of the Week
The Saints are coming off their BYE week and this is a reminder to snag Johnson if you didn’t heed my advice last week.
Here’s what I had to say last week:
At this point, there is no justifiable reason for Juwan Johnson to still be on waivers. Even with the likes of Tyler Shough and Spencer Rattler throwing him the ball, Johnson has been a bright spot for the Saints when it comes to fantasy production. The current TE 6 on the year, snag him as the Saints go into their BYE week.
Shedeur Sanders (Rostered in 1.5% of ESPN leagues)
Normally I wouldn’t even entertain a Browns QB but the matchup is just too easy. With Dillon Gabriel likely out with a concussion. Sanders will be the starter against the Raiders. The Raiders have been atrocious this year which bumps up Sanders for me. This is definitely a desperation play if you need a QB with the potential for a decent return.
*Point totals mentioned assume full point PPR scoring
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