Thomason: Top Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups For Week 10
By Jack Thomason-
(CBS) The home stretch is upon us. Some teams are vying for byes, and others are clawing away for a shot at the playoffs. There are two different strategies as the regular season winds down. The playoff contenders should be looking ahead, and the teams fighting to win need help now. This list will provide you with a mix of both. All teams must plan ahead though, as we have six teams on a bye this week again (Houston, Indianapolis, Washington, Minnesota, New England and San Diego) and six more teams to go over the next two weeks. I've included some tight ends in my "just missed" list that may help you this week with so many quality TE1s out.
Here are week 10's top 10 waiver adds with an eye on 10- or 12- team leagues.
1. Martavis Bryant (WR, Pittsburgh Steelers, available in 41% of CBS leagues) -- Ben Roethlisberger is coming off what could be the best two-game stretch in NFL history. He has thrown for 862 yards and 12 touchdowns in the past two weeks. Bryant has been involved in the offense for three games now. He may still be playing limited snaps, but they've increased week over week. He played on 51.3 percent of the snaps Sunday night and continues to do damage. His 17 targets and five scores over the last three games can't be ignored. He is a WR3/flex option and gets the abysmal New York Jets secondary next.
2. Tre Mason (RB, St. Louis Rams, 41%) -- We know he isn't going to give us much in the passing game, but he has 44 carries over the last three weeks. In each one of those games, he has been the leading ball-carrier for the Rams offense. He hasn't put up gaudy numbers yet, but the touches are there, and he's a few slips from breaking a big one. Mason has averaged 4.5 yards per carry on the season and could prove to be a valuable asset down the stretch. Zac Stacy saw zero touches last week, while Benny Cunningham continues to work in the pass game. Trey Watts saw one touch.
3. Alfred Blue (RB, Houston Texans, 75%) -- He would be No. 1 on this list if we knew more about Arian Foster's groin injury and the Texans weren't on a bye this week. If Foster is to miss extended time with this injury, then Blue will be the guy slotting into the Texans' starting running back role. In Week 3 when Foster was out with a hamstring pull, Blue totaled 14 touches for 88 yards. He wasn't anything special Sunday after Foster exited, as he totaled eight touches for 10 yards, but as always, the handcuff to stud running backs are a must-own at this point in the season. Shame on any stud RB1 owner if they don't have the respective handcuff.
4. Terrance West (RB, Cleveland Browns, 77%) -- Could this Browns backfield be any more confusing? West was a healthy scratch earlier this season, then Isiah Crowell was demoted due to fumbling issues; meanwhile, Ben Tate was the primary ball-carrier. Now, West has surged in front of Crowell and possibly even Tate. He led the backfield with 16 touches to Tate's 14 last week and was the more effective player. Tate has 41 carries for 65 yards in the last three games. That's good for a measly 1.58 yards per carry -- even I may be able to produce better than that, and I'm old, fat and slow! I still expect a committee going forward, but West is a must-own, as the Browns are committed to the run. He may have only averaged 3.1 yards per touch, but he scored the touchdown and led in productivity and touches. Browns coach Mike Pettine said West "earned those touches."
5. Allen Robinson (WR, Jacksonville Jaguars, 45%) – Allen Hurns was the star for the Jags this past week, but Robinson continues to receive high-volume targets. On Sunday, he was second on the team with eight looks and hasn't been targeted fewer than seven times since Week 3. While it was his second-worst statistical outing of the season Sunday, there's reason for optimism given the opportunities he receives. Couple that with the fact the Jaguars play from behind a bunch, and you have yourself a WR3.
6. Charles Sims (RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 62%) -- Here's one of the guys who owners may get some value out of this week but who's more of a "look ahead" prospect. Sims was activated Saturday but ended up a scratch for Sunday's game. He continues to be mentioned by the coaching staff as a player who will provide a "spark" to the run game. Bobby Rainey carried the load this past week, handling 20 touches for 121 yards. So, productivity can be had in this offense if your name isn't Doug Martin. Why not take a chance on the rookie who the Bucs want to be their future at running back?
7. Jonas Gray (RB, New England Patriots, 48%) -- He had 12 carries against Denver on Sunday and 17 the week before while playing the Bears. Gray is clearly the "thunder" to Shane Vereen's "lightning" in a New England offense that has averaged 40.2 points over the last five weeks. His touches will be game-flow dependent, but goal-line opportunities and clock-killing carries make him an RB3. He is on a bye this week but grab him if you have the room.
8. Adrian Peterson (RB, Minnesota Vikings, 44%) -- This is based upon the recent news that a plea bargain could be reached. ESPN's Chris Mortensen said on NFL Insiders that it's "very possible" Peterson could come back and play for the Vikings this year. From a fantasy owner's perspective, that's all you need to hear to qualify him as a pick-up and stash. Few, if any, would provide a team with the type of impact Peterson could. It may be a long shot -- but one worth taking. Especially if you're locked into a playoff berth or close to one.
9. Kenny Stills (WR, New Orleans Saints, 70%) -- Over the last three weeks, Stills had 14 receptions on 17 targets for 232 yards and a score. The Saints offense ranks third in the NFL in passing yards and fifth in scoring. Stills will continue to see a lot of single coverage due to teammates Jimmy Graham and Marques Colston. With the run game working and Drew Brees at the helm, look for Stills' home-run ability to cash in on some big plays. You could do worse for a WR4 or high-upside flex play.
10. Matt Asiata (RB, Minnesota Vikings, 67%) -- This isn't a personal favorite, but he has a trio of three-touchdown performances in 10 games. Asiata is feast or famine, but it's clear he isn't going away when it comes to touches. Jerick McKinnon had 16 to Asiata's 14 on Sunday, but it was Asiata who received the five red-zone looks while McKinnon saw three. On the season, those red-zone numbers are 18-8i n favor of Asiata. As much as I was screaming McKinnon's name as a top add a few weeks ago, he lacks in the passing game and that's an area Asiata excels. He's a RB4 after his bye is done this week.
Just missed: Mark Sanchez, Kyle Orton, Daniel Thomas, Damien Williams, Chris Polk, Kenny Britt, Greg Jennings, Jarvis Landry, Charles Clay, Owen Daniels and Mychal Rivera.
Jack Thomason is the winner of the 2014 Bud Light Fantasy Expert Contest, co-host of Fantasy Streamers and co-host of the Nerd Herd. You can listen to Fantasy Streamers every Sunday from 8-9 a.m. CT at 670thescore.com/listen. The Nerd Herd is on every Friday, starting at 11 p.m. and lasting until 1 a.m. on 670 The Score and online here. Follow him on Twitter @jthomason77 and feel free to ask fantasy questions.
