This article is part of our NFL Waiver Wire series.
This column is geared toward "standard" 12-team leagues and based upon a $100 free-agent budget. Please, please adjust for your league based on both the number of teams (I'm in a 24-team league, for example) and budget. This column will run every Tuesday to, hopefully, accommodate the various waiver schedules. I'll update it in the comments section during the week; please keep in mind a lot can change from Tuesday to Sunday.
QUARTERBACK
Hail Mary
Landry Jones, PIT - Ben Roethlisberger will miss this week's game with a foot injury, but the Steelers hope to get him back after their Week 11 bye. Jones is interesting for a couple reasons this week. He'll make his second start at the friendly confines of Heinz Field and has a good matchup against the Cleveland Browns. The Browns give up more than 17 fantasy points per game to quarterbacks, including 15 touchdown passes and only five interceptions. With DeAngelo Williams catching passes out of the backfield and Antonio Brown and Martavis Bryant working the sidelines there's enough talent for Jones to make a splash this week. FAAB: $8-12
RUNNING BACKS
Primary Targets
Karlos Williams, BUF - While it's only 51 carries, Williams has one of the best yards per carry marks in the league at 6.6. LeSean McCoy hurt his shoulder Sunday, sat out practice Monday and may not suit up in what is a tough matchup with the Jets on Thursday night. Williams has scored in every game he's played
This column is geared toward "standard" 12-team leagues and based upon a $100 free-agent budget. Please, please adjust for your league based on both the number of teams (I'm in a 24-team league, for example) and budget. This column will run every Tuesday to, hopefully, accommodate the various waiver schedules. I'll update it in the comments section during the week; please keep in mind a lot can change from Tuesday to Sunday.
QUARTERBACK
Hail Mary
Landry Jones, PIT - Ben Roethlisberger will miss this week's game with a foot injury, but the Steelers hope to get him back after their Week 11 bye. Jones is interesting for a couple reasons this week. He'll make his second start at the friendly confines of Heinz Field and has a good matchup against the Cleveland Browns. The Browns give up more than 17 fantasy points per game to quarterbacks, including 15 touchdown passes and only five interceptions. With DeAngelo Williams catching passes out of the backfield and Antonio Brown and Martavis Bryant working the sidelines there's enough talent for Jones to make a splash this week. FAAB: $8-12
RUNNING BACKS
Primary Targets
Karlos Williams, BUF - While it's only 51 carries, Williams has one of the best yards per carry marks in the league at 6.6. LeSean McCoy hurt his shoulder Sunday, sat out practice Monday and may not suit up in what is a tough matchup with the Jets on Thursday night. Williams has scored in every game he's played this season and is the goal-line back for the Bills. Obviously his value increases if McCoy misses Thursday's game, but Williams (who is roughly one-third owned) should at the least be on your bench. FAAB: $15-20
James Starks, GB - It wouldn't surprise if the Packers started giving the bulk of the workload to Starks given Eddie Lacy's struggles this season. Starks benefited from the game flow Sunday as the Packers found themselves in a deep hole and were forced to throw a lot during the second half. He finished with six catches for 83 yards and a score, adding 39 rushing yards. The schedule sets up nicely for the Packers, and if Lacy's nagging groin turns into something serious, Starks may be in for a huge workload. FAAB: $15-20
Brandon Bolden, James White, NE - It's never an easy task to handicap the Patriots backfield, and there's always the chance they ride LeGarrette Blount the rest of the season. However, Bolden got four targets in the pass game after Dion Lewis left injured, turning one into a touchdown. It appears Bolden is the "next man up" and the preferred target between him and White. Bump Bolden's up value in PPR as Blount didn't see one target thrown his way Sunday. FAAB: Bolden - $10-15; White - $3-6
Hail Mary
Shaun Draughn, SF - Someone has to carry the ball for the 49ers, and it appears Draughn is the man to fill that role. He finished Sunday with 96 yards from scrimmage, his 16 carries far more than Kendall Gaskins (seven) or Pierre Thomas (four). Draughn would be higher on this list, but he's on the bye this week and then returns for a tough matchup against the Seahawks Week 11. FAAB: $2-4
WIDE RECEIVER
Primary Targets
Dorial Green-Beckham, TEN - It looks as if the coaching change coupled with Kendall Wright's injury has elevated DGB to the top receiving option for the Titans. His 5-77 game Sunday doesn't look overly impressive, but his 10 targets stick out. At 6-foot-5, 237, he's a physical freak who also has the speed to get open behind defenses. Green-Beckham has the potential to make an impact over the final half of the season and quietly has two touchdowns already this year. FAAB: $8-12
Secondary Targets
Devin Funchess, CAR - Funchess had a lot of sleeper buzz in preseason but hasn't contributed much thanks to rookie growing pains. He might be finally breaking out, though, after posting a 3-71-1 line Sunday. Funchess is a physical player who almost looks like a tight end and has the ability to go up in traffic and make plays as he did Sunday on the touchdown grab. The other wide-receiver options in Carolina are pretty limited. FAAB: $4-8
TIGHT ENDS
Secondary Targets
Richard Rodgers, GB - Rodgers only totaled 19 receiving yards on five catches Sunday but turned two of those catches into touchdowns. His nine targets were a season high, and he may have earned Aaron Rodgers' trust as a red-zone target. If there's a knock on Rodgers it's that he's not a threat to post 100-yard games given his lack of volume, making his fantasy value touchdown dependent. This week, the Packers get the Detroit Lions, a team that's given up six touchdowns to opposing tight ends. FAAB: $5-10
