5 Best Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups For Week 11
By Liam McKeone
Welcome to The Big Lead's weekly fantasy football waiver wire column. It pairs wonderfully with our weekly start 'em, sit 'em column. Just in case you wanted to satisfy the fantasy itch to the fullest extent possible. (All stats via ESPN PPR leagues)
Trey McBride, TE, Arizona Cardinals (Available in 99 Percent of ESPN Leagues)
This entry is in direct response to Zach Ertz's season-ending injury. It is not 100 percent certain whether McBride or Stephen Anderson will get the lion's share of the snaps going forward, but smart money says it's McBride. The Cardinals used a second-round pick on him this past draft for this exact scenario and he's been the de facto No. 2 in terms of snap count through the first 10 weeks of the year. Kyler Murray ended up targeting Ertz quite a bit this season so there is a chance his targets transfer more or less directly to McBride. A low floor but big upside here.
Christian Watson, WR, Green Bay Packers (Available in 94 Percent of ESPN Leagues)
I usually try to limit the crossover between start 'em, sit 'em and waiver wire but I couldn't help it here. Watson had his first big day of the season on Sunday, ranking in the top five of all wideouts in fantasy points as he scored three TDs on four catches. Given how available he is due to the injury problems he's dealt with, Watson is a no-brainer pickup with huge upside as the number of people Aaron Rodgers trusts in the Packers' offense can be counted on one hand. If this week proved Watson to be one of them, he's going to get the ball in great quantities.
Rachaad White, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Available in 73 Percent of ESPN Leagues)
The Bucs looked like a whole new team running the ball with White in the backfield instead of Leonard Fournette. Maybe it was something in the German beer. Maybe White is simply better. Regardless of what the answer is, it doesn't take a genius to survey the landscape and realize who will be getting more touches in the upcoming weeks. Grab White while you can and hope you're riding the wave of a reborn Tampa Bay offense. If not, he should still be good for double-digit touches and a few TD opportunities. Even if he's not playing next week, he's worthy it.
Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, WR, Tennessee Titans (Available in 99 Percent of ESPN Leagues)
Someone had to step up at some point to catch play-action passes from Ryan Tannehill. The team hoped it would be Treylon Burks or Robert Woods. Instead, it was Westbrook-Ikhine, who recorded five catches for 119 yards and two TDs this past Sunday against a pretty darn good Broncos defense. Is this replicable next week against Green Bay? Probably not. But he's worth a grab, if only for the possibility of becoming Tannehill's new favorite target. After a day like he had on Sunday, that isn't out of the question, either.
Darius Slayton, WR, New York Giants (Available in 95 Percent of ESPN Leagues)
Is it risky business to bet on anybody catching passes from Daniel Jones? Yes. Yes it is. However! Slayton has recorded at least 50 yards in four of his last five games and scored two TDs in his last three contests. It isn't a sign that Slayton is going to explode and become a top fantasy option in the second half of the year, but it is a sign that Brian Daboll has begun to trust him more and the chemistry is there with Jones. For this week, at least, Slayton feels like a good pickup as the Giants host the Lions and their horrendous secondary on Sunday.