Week 10 Waiver and Free Agent Pickups
Byron Lambert, Rosterwatch.com

It’s time to begin making the critical and educated moves that catapult you into serious playoff contention. We provide the intelligence. You pull the trigger.

If you paid attention last week, you might have picked up Carson Palmer or Russell Wilson for their fantasy monsters. Or, you might have chosen Matt Hasselbeck for his usual 14 points against a filthy Bears defense instead of Ryan Fitzpatrick who we knew couldn’t handle his tough matchup with Houston.

Bye Week Teams – Cleveland, Green Bay, Arizona, Washington

Quarterback:

Carson Palmer (@BAL), QB OAK
We’ve been preaching it for weeks. Somehow he is still only 50% owned, which is the cutoff for this article. If a few of you would just pick him up you won’t have to see him here again next week. One bad game, a ton of good games, and one huge, unbelievable monster on Sunday. Palmer should be owned in almost every league. If you already have a top-shelf QB, so what? Pick him up. Palmer would be the ultimate insurance in an injury scenario. Interesting fact: Palmer is on pace to throw for an incredible 4,700 yards this season. I’m actually mulling over dropping Matt Stafford for him.

Russell Wilson (vs NYJ), QB SEA
A three touchdown performance on Sunday, he has been really good lately. Wilson has been a great fantasy play at home all season. I’d have no problem rolling him out in Week 10 at home against the Jets. Double digit points is a lock. I’d put monopoly money on 15-20 points.

Matt Hasselbeck (@MIA), QB TEN
I’d be remiss if I didn’t start with Andrew Luck’s record setting 433 yard 2 td performance against the Dolphins in Week 9. Miami’s defense has been solid all year and that game was on the road, but still. Hasselbeck scored 14 more fantasy points on Sunday like he does every single week (literally) and that was versus a very tough Bears defense. I like him for 12-15 more points next week.

Ryan Tannehill (vs TEN), QB MIA
Lately, he’s been up one game and down another. He has decent upside, scoring 15-20 points in 4 of the last 7 games. I like him at home against a great fantasy matchup.

Ryan Fitzpatrick (@NE), QB BUF
Sometimes he is really good, sometimes he is really bad. This game is on the road, but I like him in Week 10 at New England. Fitzpatrick scored 27 fantasy points in Week 4 against this familiar division foe.

Running Back:

Isaac Redman (vs KC), RB PIT
The problem is that last week this was Jonathan Dwyer. The truth is, I think the Steelers run blocking has improved to a new level. We are seeing an effective power run game no matter who is toting the rock. Redman had 26 carries for 147 yards and a touchdown on Sunday. Roll the dice and pick him up. Next week is a dream matchup that should involve plenty of rushing attempts.

Joique Bell (@MIN), RB DET
He’s been a 5-8 point guy literally all season. That’s already useful flex production in it’s own right. We saw some upside on Sunday. In a game that wasn’t a total blowout, he saw the same number of touches as starter Mikel Leshoure. Bell’s 109 yards were more than LeShoure did with his touches and Bell found the endzone. All of a sudden Minnesota is not good against fantasy running backs. I wouldn’t blink an eye if I had to start Bell in Week 10.

Daniel Thomas (vs TEN), RB MIA
He’s been splitting touches with Reggie Bush the last few weeks and his workload is increasing. Thomas virtually duplicated Bush’s production on the ground Sunday. He’s averaged 8 ppg over the last two. Next week is a nice matchup at home. We could see double digit fantasy points.

Ronnie Brown (@TB), RB SD
A stop-gap measure, Brown has scored 7+ points in 3 of his last 4 games. I don’t love the matchup, but desperate times can call for desperate measures. At least Brown has been doing something.

Marcel Reece (@BAL), RB OAK
We’ve seen Reece’s explosiveness and versatility for a few years now. With Darren McFadden and Mike Goodson both in doubt for Week 10, I think Reece is the beneficiary. Many fantasy players will pick up third string back, Taiwan Jones, but I’m sticking with Reece. He had 95 yards and a touchdown on 9 targets on Sunday. Despite what a beastly player he looks like, people forget Reece was a WR in college, and when Oakland goes to the air against Baltimore, Reece will be heavily involved once again out of the backfield.

Chris Ivory (vs ATL), RB NO
With Darren Sproles on the sidelines the Saints held true to form. The running back by committee just moved one slot down the depth chart. Ivory was a big beneficiary scoring a touchdown. He is a good player. As long as Sproles is out, Ivory has value.

Shane Vereen / Brandon Bolden (vs BUF), RB NE
Bolden may still be iffy. Vereen scored a touchdown in his last game. Monitor the situation. I like the Pats RB2 in a dream matchup for fantasy running backs. Danny Woodhead is always a consideration here as well.

James Starks (Bye), RB GB
I don’t trust him and it may be too early to pick him up with a bye on the horizon. Some people are desperate for running back help and Starks could be a good stash if you have the roster room. He quietly led the backfield with 17 carries for 61 yards on Sunday. Alex Green has been terrible and Starks had a lot of offseason acclaim. I never mind taking crack at a possible starting running back on a high scoring offense. It’s worth a shot.

Beanie Wells (IR), RB ARI
He’s set to come off the IR after Week 11. Wells should be available to start in Week 12. Again, a desperation move if you can swing it. LaRod Stephens-Howling is not a good starter and Wells is talented with first-round pedigree. I could see him making a difference in crunch time when he plays STL and NYJ in the final two weeks of the fantasy regular season. If you want him, you probably need to grab Wells this week.

Bryce Brown (vs DAL), RB PHI
I wouldn’t recommend playing him yet. He is the definitive handcuff for LeSean McCoy owners. While he is not a huge back, Brown is a north/south slasher that runs with power and the Eagles look to be getting him more involved. The Philly run game has always been criticized for its lack of physicality and straightforward ability. I think the Eagles see some help there in Brown who looks terrific.

Wide Receiver:

Nate Washington (@MIA), WR TEN
Consistently one of the absolute best waiver plays there is. Check his game log, you can bank on 5-10 points almost every time out. Another 10 fantasy points on Sunday.

Chris Givens (@SF), WR STL
Somehow he is still only 15% owned. He is our favorite Rams receiver and I don’t believe the return of Danny Amendola will have a huge impact on his production. His last four fantasy scores: 12,9,11,14

Ryan Broyles (@MIN), WR DET
Minnesota has been giving up big games to opponents WR2. I believe Broyles is quickly taking the #2 job in Detroit. The guy has a history of being a ball hog and touchdown producer. Broyles had the second most targets(6) on the team in Week 9 registering 52 yards.

T.Y. Hilton (@JAC), WR IND
An exciting rookie with big play potential. Hilton has been getting more looks lately. Judging by the way Luck was tossing the ball up to him on Sunday, he clearly has his quarterbacks trust. Hilton had 102 yards and a touchdown on 11 targets versus Miami on Sunday.

Justin Blackmon (vs IND), WR JAC
I said I liked this move in last week’s edition. He had 9 targets and a touchdown on Sunday. He is worth a sniff. The opportunities should continue for the Jags high first round draft choice.

Cecil Shorts (vs IND), WR JAC
Even with Laurent Robinson back in the fold Shorts was the Jags leading receiver on Sunday. His 56 yards were modest but Shorts isn’t going anywhere. He’s a fairly safe play and has double digit upside.

Donald Jones (@NE), WR BUF
Stevie Johnson is banged up and Jones has been serviceable lately. Targeted a whopping 9 times for a respectable 65 yards in Week 9.

Rod Streater (@BAL), WR OAK
The way Carson Palmer is slinging it around there is plenty of action for everyone. Streater was an offseason gem. He emerged on Sunday with 10 targets for 54 yards and a touchdown. It’s also worth noting that Darrius Heyward-Bey is only owned in 55% of leagues. He’s been very solid and should be owned before Streater.

Kevin Ogletree (@PHI), WR DAL
Dez Bryant was obviously less than 100% on Sunday whether it be physical or mental issues. Kevin Ogletree benefited with 16 fantasy points. If Bryant’s woes continue Ogletree becomes relevant. If push came to shove I’d roll him out in Week 10 against a leaky Philly defense.

Brandon Stokley (@CAR), WR DEN
I never frown on buying stock in Peyton Manning. As long as the two are together, Stokley is always a great desperation play. I like the matchup at Carolina.

Jets WR (@SEA)
Jeremy Kerley and Stephen Hill are worth a flyer. It’s hard to trust Mark Sanchez and it’s a tough matchup but I sure as heck don’t see Shonn Greene doing anything.

Vikings WRs (vs DET)
If Percy Harvin misses time with his ankle injury look for someone else to step up. Jerome Simpson is the big play guy but I have a sneaky feeling we see the possession receiver Michael Jenkins get a bigger bump in activity.

Tight End:

Brandon Myers (@BAL), TE OAK
He’s been the model of consistency. The first week Myers didn’t score exactly 5 points. Finally he hit paydirt and registered a 13 target ,2 td, 18 pt monster on Sunday. The best backup fantasy tight end there is, you could live with starting Myers every week.

Joel Dreessen (@CAR), TE DEN
I’d been on a rant lately about Dreessen. Then he did nothing in Week 8. He went back to his old ways on Sunday with 38 yards and a touchdown. He is the tight end to own in Denver. We trust in Manning.

Dwayne Allen (@JAC), TE IND
Allen has emerged as Andrew Luck’s favorite tight end. He had 75 yards on 7 targets in Week 9. Allen has posted back to back seven points games. Nothing to write home about but enough to get you by.

Defenses:

Tampa Bay (vs SD)
The Bucs show tenacity on defense. After a strong start to the fantasy season the defense hit a swoon. They’ve rebounded with solid games back to back. I like them at home against a bad Chargers team traveling cross country.

Denver (@CAR)
I’m not sure why the Trashman picked Denver up for Week 10 in our personal league. But, he did so I am putting them on here. I think he made a mistake dropping Tampa for Denver. We’ll have to see how that shakes out.

Dallas (@PHI)
Almost any defense facing Philadelphia has been a good fantasy play this year. Dallas has been underwhelming but I can see a lot of quarterback pressure in this one.