Gone are the days of Taysom Hill at tight end. It was one hell of a ride, but now he’s been relegated to the bland status of just quarterback-eligible. However, ESPN hasn’t kicked him out of my tight end slot yet and I have no plans of removing him on my own. Given the matchups coming up I still think he’s worth rostering (and starting) in superflex leagues. As the game progressed he looked more comfortable and played a lot better. So if you were one of the few who had your victory laps saved as a draft on Twitter for possibly fading Hill, I don’t feel sorry for your disappointment. But we’ll turn our attention to Week 11. You’re about to get a landslide of content this week. All the DFS Coaches will be available by Wednesday this week and we get the always fun Thanksgiving DFS slate. And I have a bit of news and I’m going to make this as bold as possible:

I WILL NOT BE IN THE NFL SEASONAL CHAT ANSWERING WAIVER QUESTIONS TUESDAY NIGHT!

I will be working overnight Tuesday into Wednesday morning so I’m not going to be around in the chat. Now some of you have taken advantage of the email that I made (dantasyfootballfa@gmail.com) and I can’t stress this enough: you need to advantage of this Tuesday. I’ll be checking it all day and will respond to all emails that come in before 6:00pm ET. I do apologize for missing the chat at a crucial time in the season, but I couldn’t say no to making a little extra money during the holidays. Alas, let’s check out the best waiver options for this week!

Quarterback

Derek Carr (OAK) After three straight games that left a lot to be desired, Carr bounced back with a three-touchdown performance Sunday night against the Chiefs. As long as he’s playing the Chiefs he’s a lock in your fantasy lineups. Sadly both games against Kansas City have come and gone. However, Carr’s next two games provide a solid floor against the Falcons and the Jets. The Falcons allow on average 26.0 fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks in four-point per passing touchdown leagues. They held Taysom Hill to zero touchdowns but he’s the exception, not the rule. Carr is having possibly the best season of his career. He has 19 touchdowns to just three interceptions and we could be looking at another three-or-four touchdown performance against Atlanta’s awful secondary. FAAB Bid: 10-13%

Kirk Cousins (MIN) Cousins is on a heater recently and I’m hoping he doesn’t cool off anytime soon. Over his last four games he has nine touchdown passes and just one interception. He’s also been throwing it a little more over the last few weeks as well. Let’s be honest when you have Dalvin Cook at your disposal you don’t necessarily need to throw it a lot, so it’s worth mentioning Cousins is a little dependent on game flow. Cousins faced off against Carolina in Week 12 and prior to facing Matthew Stafford and the Lions, the Panthers had allowed four straight quarterbacks to drop at least 280 passing yards on them. Expect more of the same from Minnesota this week: they’ll run Dalvin Cook early, but they’ll open up the passing attack more as the game progresses. We also need to keep an eye on Adam Thielen ’s status. He’s Cousins’ favorite target but he’s currently on the NFL’s COVID/IR list so he’ll need to provide some negative tests in order to play. FAAB Bid: 8-9%

Daniel Jones (NYG) Not that it’s any secret, but if you can land Carr or Cousins over Jones, by all means do so. But in deeper leagues if you’re trying to replace Joe Burrow then Daniel Jones is in a good spot this week facing Burrow’s Bengals. Jones and the Giants are coming off their bye week for date with the Cincy Kitties. There aren’t a ton of nice things one can say about Daniel Jones. He’s typically due for a turnover per game, but the Bengals provide a nice matchup for opposing quarterbacks. Alex Smith may not have taken advantage, but Jones and the Giants are in the hunt for the NFC East title and Jones isn’t afraid to tuck the ball and run. He has at least 20 rushing yards in all but two games this year and at least 40 rushing yards in five-of-ten. We may be looking at a 20-point fantasy week from Jones in Week 12. If Tua Tagovailoa is available in your league you could give him a look. He got benched in Week 11, but he’s been named the starter for Week 12 against the Jets and streaming quarterbacks against the Jets is relatively safe. FAAB Bid: 6%

Running Back

J.K. Dobbins (BAL) He’s likely only available in shallower leagues, but there’s been a gradual shift to making him “the guy” in Baltimore’s backfield. However, he tested positive for COVID-19 and has been placed on the COVID/IR list. It’s highly unlikely he plays Thursday. I don’t get the NFL’s COVID protocols. There are never positive tests on Sunday, they all seem to come on Monday. It’s truly baffling. But it’s very unlikely he makes an appearance Thursday night so for that reason, Dobbins won’t be the only Baltimore running back making the waiver column. But Dobbins did see 63% of the offensive snaps and turned 15 carries into 70 yards and a touchdown. You won’t have him this week, but we’re possibly looking at a RB2 in fantasy. FAAB Bid: 15-18%

Salvon Ahmed (MIA) If he’s somehow still available on your waiver wire then he’s a fantastic grab this week. He faces the Jets who actually have a decent run defense, but if we’re looking at volume and opportunity then flexing Ahmed at the very least is in order. He left Sunday’s game with a shoulder injury but it doesn’t seem to be all too concerning at the moment. Perhaps the more promising aspect of his game was that he had five catches to compensate for the lack of production on the ground. FAAB Bid: 12-13%

James White (NE) Rex Burkhead ’s knee injury is obviously unfortunate, but it does open the door for James White . White’s ownership has dropped to under 40% in some formats and he’s the obvious beneficiary to the check down targets from Cam Newton . In Sunday’s loss to the Texans, White caught six passes on nine targets for 64 yards. Sony Michel is more likely to cut into Damien Harris’ workload (although I’m still not that concerned for Harris) than he is White’s. Michel had 19 catches total between 2018 and 2019 and this is a role White is more than familiar with so in PPR formats he’s a very strong addition off waivers as a potential flex option. FAAB Bid: 12%

Gus Edwards (BAL) Gus is going to be popular and a heavily featured player in any waiver wire column this week. JK Dobbins and Mark Ingram tested positive for COVID and the Ravens play Thursday night. So it’s highly unlikely they’ll yield the necessary negative tests in time to play. So based on opportunity alone, Edwards makes too much sense. Do we wish the matchup was better? Haha Duh. The Steelers allow the seventh-fewest rushing yards per game to opposing running backs and they’re the top-ranked defense against running backs in fantasy. They haven’t allowed a rushing touchdown in three straight games, although that could change if Lamar Jackson gets his act together. But we’re looking at a running back who could see 15-20 touches Thursday night so we have to jump on volume. If you’re desperate for a win, you might spend 15-20% of your FAAB to start this guy. But if you’re set at running back and just want a little depth, take a more tame approach. FAAB Bid: 10%

Carlos Hyde (SEA) It’s pretty likely that Chris Carson returns to action next Monday night against the Eagles. But given how good Hyde looked last Thursday against the Cardinals we can target him on waivers for much needed depth as we inch closer to the fantasy playoffs. Carson’s coming off an injury that kept him out a little longer than most fantasy managers expected. So while I’m not hoping he gets hurt again, based on what we’ve seen in 2020 it’s certainly on the table and this is one backup you can stash in the short-term. With Hyde active last week it was pretty clear how the Seahawks felt about him compared to DeeJay Dallas. FAAB Bid: 8%

Frank Gore (NYJ) I'm adding Gore as a late member of the waiver wire column given the news that Perine is heading to IR with a high ankle sprain. Surely this opens up opportunity for Gore, but I'm not particularly excited about his prospects. He did find the end zone last week and had 17 touches. We preach volume as if it's scripture and Gore is in line for a good amount. FAAB Bid: 7-8%

Cam Akers (LAR) Akers has seen his ownership drop considerably in recent weeks. And just a week ago I predicted Cam Akers wouldn’t find the end zone in 2020. Sure enough, Monday night he scores against the Bucs. So if there is such a thing as a Twitter victory lap, I deserve whatever is on the other end of the spectrum. I’ve been touting Darrell Henderson all year. He appeared in the first two series Monday night and had involvement late into the game. But it was Akers who found the end zone and Sean McVay has said he expects bigger things for Akers in the second half. If he doesn’t score, he probably doesn’t crack the waiver column. But this is still a talented rookie that will continue to frustrate fantasy managers. He’s not a “must add” but he’s worth stashing if you have the bench space. FAAB Bid: 6-7%

Wide Receiver

Michael Pittman (IND) Pittman is probably the “must add” wide receiver if there was one this week. He only saw three targets last week but he caught all of them for 66 yards and he found the end zone. He was coming in with back-to-back weeks with at least seven targets but it’s clear he's become the WR1 in Indianapolis. The frustrating aspect of his game is that Philip Rivers tends to distribute the ball evenly. In total, 11 different players on the Colts caught a pass from Rivers on Sunday. The week prior they had ten different pass catchers. That’s just how Rivers operates. But we’re in the midst of seeing this kid breakout so he’s definitely the best wide receiver option available this week. FAAB Bid: 12-14%

Corey Davis (TEN) I’m officially on board with Corey Davis . I’ve been very skeptical, but he has had a really good year. He has returned double-digit points in PPR formats in seven of the eight games he’s been active and he has 36 targets over his last five games. And he now has 55 targets in eight games so he’s seeing roughly seven targets each week, which is a really nice number for a player that’s just floating on waivers. He has that “bust” stigma that’s haunted him the last few seasons, but if you took away the name Corey Davis and looked at the production in PPR formats he’s easily a player you’d want on your roster. The schedule is a little difficult this week against Indianapolis, but the following three games are against the Browns, Jaguars, and Lions. FAAB Bid: 8-10%

Tim Patrick (DEN) In a week where I don’t love the pass-catching options on waivers, there’s a good argument for Tim Patrick . Naturally I have more interest in Jerry Jeudy and Noah Fant based on pedigree, but Patrick has quietly been involved in Denver’s offense more and more. He’s averaging seven targets per game over his last six contests with three 100-yard performances in that span. He doesn’t find the end zone as much as we’d like but he’s a great vertical threat that Drew Lock hasn’t had trouble connecting with. FAAB Bid: 7-8%

Nelson Agholor (LV) I’ll be quick on Agholor because this isn’t the first time he’s made the waiver wire column. He’s a hit-or-miss player. He’s found the end zone in six-of-ten games this season and when he hasn’t scored he’s been a train wreck. But the schedule for Las Vegas is pretty inviting at the moment with matchups against the Falcons and Jets on the horizon. And looking forward to the fantasy playoffs they have three straight home games in Weeks 14-16 against the Colts, Chargers, and Dolphins. He only has two games with more than five targets this year, but he’s a threat to find the end zone each week. FAAB Bid: 6-7%

Russell Gage (ATL) Julio Jones was a little beat up in Sunday’s game against New Orleans. He had to frequently exit the game and Russell Gage found himself earning 12 targets and he finished the day with seven catches for 58 yards. Temper expectations here. We saw Gage get off to a hot start earlier in the year in a similar situation with Julio getting hurt and then he was an afterthought by Week 3. I wouldn’t go crazy with the FAAB bid considering you should probably just pay up for Michael Pittman. Gage cracks the waiver column based on presumed opportunity, but he could very well disappoint this week. FAAB Bid: 4-5%

Damiere Byrd (NE) Not that it needs to be said, but we shouldn’t expect anything close to the production we saw on Sunday. With the entire fantasy community’s eyeballs fixated on Jakobi Meyers and his near 40% target share heading into the week, it was Byrd and his six catches for 132 yards and a touchdown that stole the show for New England. The big performance is why he’s here. We won’t see Cam Newton throw it 40 times all that often and we can probably expect Meyers to bounce back next week against the Cardinals, but at the same time Byrd’s a potential streamer in deep leagues for the in the same matchup. FAAB Bid: 4-5%

Tight End

Jordan Reed (SF) I mentioned Reed last week and the argument remains the same: this position sucks and he’s in an offense that is designed to involve its tight ends. If you’re looking to replace Taysom Hill (as weird as that is to say), Reed’s in play. He could see about five or six targets in a given week so there is certainly upside for him and he should be involved as long as he stays healthy. Next week it’s a tough matchup against the Rams, but he will garner targets and for a position where we have little certainty, we can take a shot on Reed. FAAB Bid: 8%

Dalton Schultz (DAL) Andy Dalton surely likes him some Dalton Schultz . It helps when they share a common name, but the Dalton-to-Dalton connection is worth mentioning. Schultz now has at least six targets in three straight games and while two of those games were without Andy under center, we shouldn’t shy away from his involvement. Now he only caught four passes for 25 yards, but he did find the end zone. Basically with any tight end this year (aside from Travis Kelce and Darren Waller ) you’re just praying they score. In seven-of-ten games this season the Football Team has allowed at least four catches to opposing tight ends. That’s not sexy, but it’s got teeth. FAAB Bid: 5-7%

Defense/Special Teams

Seattle Seahawks – If you need to throw a little FAAB at Seattle this week, so be it. They’ll be worth it for a few weeks. Their next three games are against the Eagles, Giants, and Jets. These teams giftwrap turnovers for opposing defenses and ever since Seattle brought in Carlos Dunlap , the pass rush has been better with 13 sacks over their last three games. In my Hot Takes article, I did note that I’m truly not opposed to throwing a little FAAB at the Seahawks and I stand by that. A 3-4% bid could pay off for with this D/ST over the next three weeks.

Looking for more of a reason to add the Seahawks defense? Check out the newest article form Jon Impemba where he breaks it all down for you. - https://www.fantasyalarm.com/articles/JonImpemba/92379/fantasy-football-waiver-wire-the-seahawks-defense-is-a-must/

Washington Football Team – Egg on my face, I jumped the gun in last week’s D/ST Coach on Fantasy Alarm by accidentally listing the Football Team against the Cowboys. The error was corrected, but I was a prematurely excited about this matchup. The Cowboys offense looked much better on Sunday coming off their bye and giving Andy Dalton a full week to work with the first-team offense. But I still really like Washington’s pass rush in this matchup. I have my concerns regarding the Cowboys offensive line and this is a good spot on a short week for Washington to get some sacks. In their last game against Dallas they racked up six sacks and in four games against NFC East competition, the Football Team has amassed 20. I prefer Seattle since they are useful for three weeks, but Washington isn’t a bad secondary option.

Green Bay Packers – The Packers are playing the Bears at home. The Bears have seen arguably the worst quarterback play across the entire league. Nick Foles has thrown an interception in seven of his eight appearances for Chicago and if he does rack up the passing yardage it’s largely due to the fact that he has to throw it over 40 times. Last Monday night he barely eclipsed 100 passing yards against the Vikings on 26 attempts and Green Bay has a significantly better secondary than Minnesota does. This shapes up to be a fantastic spot to stream Green Bay.