Here are my top recommended waiver wire and streaming targets ahead of the coming week. Waiver Wire targets are designed to be multi-week roster-worthy options while streaming options are designed to be one-week lineup options based on matchup, injuries, and/or situation. To be eligible as a waiver wire target, streaming option, or stash, the player must be available in over 60% of Yahoo leagues.
See If They're Available:
There are always a few players that don't technically make the cut here as a waiver wire option as they're available in under 60% of leagues, but these players should be on a roster. If they're not on a roster yet, they should be a higher priority than those listed as waiver wire targets below.
Anthony Richardson (QB - Indianapolis Colts)
In a bit of a surprise move, the Colts went back to Anthony Richardson this past week as their starting QB after having previously claimed that Joe Flacco would close out the season as the starter.
After sitting for a few weeks, Richardson looked like what he was supposed to be in 2024:
20/30 for 272 yards, 1 TD, and 0 INTs passing
10 carries for 32 yards and 2 TDs on the ground
28.1 fantasy points (QB3)
We could be looking at a singular 'got hot' game against a Jets team that has had that effect on opposing QBs or we could be looking at a maturation moment for Richardson that he may build on (similar to Bryce Young sitting and looking substantially better after returning).
It's anyone's guess which it will be, but that's a 50/50 chance that he'll be a top-10 QB the rest of the season given his rushing abilities. He's sitting at just a 47% rostered percentage so make sure he's not available in your league(s).
Tyler Allgeier (RB - Atlanta Falcons)
This one's not performance or workload-related, especially with Allgeier going through a bit of a cold stretch as of late with just 7+ touches in two of his last five games and not hitting 8+ points in any of those games.
This is purely a handcuff move to insure against a potential Bijan Robinson injury. Should Bijan go down at any point following the Falcons' bye, Allgeier immediately becomes a top-12 fantasy RB.
Make sure he's not available in your league as this is the time of the year to begin prioritizing handcuffs over borderline roster players coming off just one or two promising performances.
Jonnu Smith (TE - Miami Dolphins)
Smith has consistently been established as the 4th receiving threat in this Dolphins' offense (behind Hill, Waddle, and Achane) and, in some instances, been the 2nd or 3rd option, registering 6+ targets and 4+ catches in 5 of his last 6 games.
He's had just one game under 7.5 points since Week 4, something that you can't say about many TEs, and is coming off the overall TE3 performance in Week 11 with 6 catches for 101 yards and 2 TDs (28.1 points).
He's owned in 53% of leagues on Yahoo, so not typically available, but close enough that you should make sure he's not sitting on waivers.
Quentin Johnston (WR - Los Angeles Chargers)
It's looking more and more like Quentin Johnston was just a late bloomer after a very underwhelming rookie season, having turned it around with five games of double-digit fantasy points this season, including three consecutive games of at least a TD and 10+ points.
He has quickly become a very involved piece in the Chargers' more emphasized passing offense over the last month and looks a pretty enticing option down the stretch here, at least as a borderline-WR3/FLEX option.
Make sure he's not floating around on waivers as he's owned in just 41% and has a make-up that aligns with a potential late-season success story/league-winner.
Top Waiver Wire Targets of the Week:
These are your players to target on waivers this week - these aren't typically supposed to be a one-week solution but rather a longer-term answer for your team.
Demario Douglas (WR - New England Patriots)
It's very clear that as long as Drake Maye is the QB of the New England Patriots, Demario Douglas is a viable lineup option in PPR formats.
In the 6 games where Maye has played over 30% of the snaps (excludes the game he exited due to injury), Douglas has posted 5+ targets, 4+ catches, and 9+ fantasy points in all but one game.
He's not blowing away the competition on the stat sheet due to just 1 TD on the season, but he's as steady of an option as they come, especially via the waiver wire, averaging 5.2 catches, 7 targets, and 53 yards per game with Maye at QB.
He's a quality WR3/solid FLEX option going forward and shouldn't be on waivers in PPR formats.
Elijah Moore (WR - Cleveland Browns)
The Browns' receiving corps continues to be a volume machine with Jameis Winston at QB, now featuring 40+ passing attempts in all three of Winston's starts this season.
It is that volume that has translated into fantasy relevancy for Elijah Moore, who has hit 8+ targets in each of Winston's starts and has hit 10+ points in three of the four games in which Winston has been the primary QB.
He's very much in consideration for a FLEX spot each and every week given the volume in the Browns' passing offense.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (DST)
You may be asking: "What in the world is a defense doing here?"
The answer is, look at the Bucs schedule the rest of the fantasy season, and you'll understand why.
The rest of the fantasy football regular season, they face:
New York Giants (4th-most PPG to DSTs)
Carolina Panthers (12th-most PPG to DSTs)
Las Vegas Raiders (Most PPG to DSTs)
Then, in the fantasy playoffs, they get 2/3 amazing matchups:
Los Angeles Chargers (6th-fewest PPG to DSTs)
Dallas Cowboys (8th-most PPG to DSTs)
Carolina Panthers (12th-most PPG to DSTs)
They're both a short-term and a long-term option for anyone who is either chasing a playoff spot, jockeying for playoff positioning, or are simply sitting and waiting for the fantasy playoffs to get underway.
Trey Benson (RB - Arizona Cardinals)
He was on his bye this past week, and while he's not the starter, he's gradually seen an increased role as his rookie season has progressed, now having hit 9+ touches and 10+ fantasy points in back-to-back games.
At the moment, he's purely a handcuff stash, but he is a handcuff to James Conner, who has never played a full season in his entire NFL career. Should Conner go down, Benson would be a weekly top-15 option, especially with what is an incredible end-of-season schedule for RBs.
Worth a stash if you have the roster space and he is available.
Cam Akers (RB - Minnesota Vikings)
Akers very surprisingly had a notable role in Week 11 even with Aaron Jones a full-go this past week as the recently-acquired back ended up with 10 carries and 12 total touches.
He wasn't overly efficient with that work, tallying just 25 rushing yards and 36 total yards, but he did find the endzone and got just 4 fewer touches than starting back Aaron Jones (16) in a tightly-contested game vs Tennessee.
It's unclear if this was just an attempt to take some work off of Jones in lieu of a recent injury or if the Vikings are truly anticipating a 1A/1B type of approach, but even the former would leave some value for Akers as a handcuff.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling (WR - New Orleans Saints)
Last week it was made clear that MVS would be stepping into the "Rashid Shaheed" role with a pair of long catches that included a TD. This past week he doubled down on that narrative in true Rashid Shaheed fashion with a 2-catch, 87-yard, 1-TD stat-line on 4 targets (16.7 points).
He's got back-to-back 16+ point performances and remains a weekly boom-or-bust player based on whether he hits that deep TD or not.
The Saints are heading on their bye in Week 12 but MVS will likely put up another 2-3 of these types of performances the remainder of the season. That potential is something that can be valuable to at least have in your back pocket if you are in true need of a "home run" in your FLEX come the end of the season.
Zach Ertz (TE - Washington Commanders)
It wasn't pretty, with a large portion of his production coming on the final drive of the game, but Zach Ertz has now made it five of his last six games with 4+ catches and 7+ fantasy points (four of those six with 11+ points).
He's definitively the Commanders' 2nd/3rd receiving option on every given week (rotating with Austin Ekeler) and has a relatively stable volume for PPR formats in any game that isn't a complete blowout of the opposition.
Very few TEs offer his security but most TEs offer more upside. He's a quality TE2 option that you can plug and play whenever you need and you can be confident you'll walk away with 8-10 points at a minimum.
Ray-Ray McCloud (WR - Atlanta Falcons)
Darnell Mooney exited the game vs the Broncos with a hamstring injury. The Falcons do have their bye in Week 12, so it's unclear if Mooney will be forced to miss any time, but should he, McCloud ends up as a FLEX option for every game that he's the 2nd WR in Atlanta.
Kayshon Boutte (WR - New England Patriots)
Nick Westbrook-Ikhine (WR - Tennessee Titans)
Top Streaming Options of the Week:
These aren't the same as waiver wire targets. Yes, you are still getting these players off waivers, but these are purely the best options for this week and this week only. Players can be a streaming option and a waiver wire target, which means they're a solid option to play this upcoming week and potentially beyond.
Quarterbacks:
Drake Maye (at MIA)
Jameis Winston (vs PIT)
Will Levis (at MIA)
Runningbacks:
Ameer Abdullah (vs DEN) - If both Alexander Mattison and Zamir White are inactive
Cam Akers (at CHI)
Trey Benson (at SEA)
Wide Receivers:
Demario Douglas (vs LAR)
Ricky Pearsall (vs SEA)
Elijah Moore (at NO)
Tight Ends:
Zach Ertz (vs DAL)
Theo Johnson (vs TB)
Isaiah Likely (at LAC)
Defense/Special Teams:
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (at NYG)
Washington Commanders (vs DAL)
Arizona Cardinals (at SEA)
Top Stashes Ahead of Next Week:
These aren't players that you should be playing this week, but rather ones that have greater potential to be a solid option and likely end up being a waiver wire target sometime down the line. You won't see immediate value but these are the guys that possibly could go under the radar and see a notable role shortly.
Devaughn Vele (WR - Denver Broncos)
Braelon Allen (RB - New York Jets)
Roschon Johnson (RB - Chicago Bears)
Blake Corum (RB - Los Angeles Rams)