We are heading into Week 10, and we have four teams on bye. It is make or break time for redraft managers everywhere. If you are a contender, now is the time to buy low on injured or struggling players with upside. If you are fighting for the playoffs, it is time to push all the chips in and go get your guy. In Dynasty Leagues, managers have to start planning for the playoffs or planning for the draft, and that ALL STARTS THIS WEEK!
More than just your standard waiver wire article, 5 Moves to Make will highlight players to watch, cut, and trade for, as well as players you should prioritize before waivers run. It’s your one-stop shop for improving your team week to week. I am excited to bring this article to QB List, and you can look for it EVERY SINGLE TUESDAY MORNING!
Now grab your caffeine, put on your do not disturb Teams and Slack statuses, and let’s get better for Week 10 together.
1. Buy Diontae Johnson
Diontae Johnson played sparingly in his Ravens debut. It was something we all expected, but his value still seems to have dropped since he left Carolina, which is a perplexing change in value. The Panthers are one of the worst teams in the NFL, with a bottom-of-the-league passing attack. He now joins one of the most high-powered offenses in the NFL in Baltimore with Lamar Jackson, who is once again playing at an MVP level. Johnson was averaging over a 25% target share in Carolina, and while it is true Zay Flowers will demand targets (27% target share this season), the Ravens offense can support two high-end fantasy wide receivers. I expect both players to settle in the 20-24% range for the remainder of the season, especially with the rollercoaster tight end usage we have seen for both Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely. You can expect low-end WR2 production from Johnson through the fantasy playoffs. If you are a contending team or trying to sneak into the playoffs, here are some players I wouldn’t mind trading for Johnson: Rachaad White or Bucky Irving, Tank Bigsby or Travis Etienne, Najee Harris, Jordan Addison, Courtland Sutton, and Josh Downs.
2. Buy DK Metcalf
DK Metcalf has been sorely missed by his fantasy managers after a strong start to his season. I have been telling folks to buy in on Metcalf since the offseason, but now is another prime opportunity to buy low on the star wide receiver. Jaxon Smith-Njigba just had his best game of the season, a trend that continues whenever Metcalf misses any time. The important thing to note is that usage doesn’t translate or even limit Metcalf’s usage when both players are healthy. Metcalf was on pace for over 153 targets on the season (9 per game) before his injury, a career-high. The Seahawks have been one of the fastest-paced offenses in the NFL this season, and Metcalf has benefitted tremendously, as he is on pace to score the second most fantasy points of his career. The talk out of Seattle is that they expect Metcalf to return after the team’s bye this week. There is a fair chance the Metcalf Manager is desperate for a win, which provides contenders who can wait a week for production an opportunity for huge production in the final stretch of the season. Some players I would be trading away for Metcalf right now would be James Conner, David Montgomery, JK Dobbins, Najee Harris, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and DeVonta Smith.
Dynasty League Moves:
3. Buy Caleb Williams
It is not news. Caleb Williams has struggled this season. There are a lot of factors at play here when watching the Bears tape. The first is that their already subpar offensive line is being forced to play its backups. Williams is consistently working with below league average time to get rid of the ball. It also has not helped that Shane Waldron’s play call is borderline criminal behavior. Waldron is proving he still has no idea how to adapt to the players he has, and it has cost the Bears offense in key moments and left Williams vulnerable to pressure and sacks. That is the outside of his control parts of Williams down rookie season. When it comes to what Williams needs to take credit for, it is relying too often on his playmaking ability and flat-out missing receivers multiple times a game, DJ Moore is often on the other end of these arrant passes. The silver lining for Williams in Dynasty leagues is that the coaching and offensive line should get a big boost this offseason. It is a foregone conclusion that Matt Eberflus and company are on the way out, something that the Bears organization always waits to do until the offseason. That could fix many of the issues above, not only that, but the Bears have three picks in the first two rounds in 2025 (Panthers 2nd round pick). You can expect at least two of those picks to be dedicated to the glaring holes to protect their young signal caller. If you find yourself looking to the future in your dynasty leagues, Williams presents one of the best buy low windows at the position.
4. Buy JJ McCarthy
We can keep this fairly brief since JJ McCarthy has not and will not play this season due to his recovery from a torn meniscus. McCarthy was an exciting but raw prospect coming out of Michigan, which means his time to learn Kevin O’Connell’s system off of the field bodes well for his future success. It also helps to see what the Vikings’ incredible coaching staff has done with Sam Darnold this year. McCarthy is incredibly cheap right now in dynasty leagues and could be a breakout in his second year in the NFL tied to some of the league’s most exciting pass catchers like Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, TJ Hockenson, and Aaron Jones.
5. Buy 2025 2nd Round Picks
Every year, the most easily acquired assets that can return immediate value are future 2nd round picks. Contenders are happy to move these picks for veterans who can bolster their chance to win a title, of course, but the real value comes in identifying the pretenders in your leagues who are fighting for a 5th or 6th seed but don’t stand a chance to hoist the trophy. Selling veterans to those managers provides you with incredible value that you can ride into your drafts, and they are assets that will continue to gain value until your rookie draft arrives. Today, it is a second round pick; tomorrow, it could be Ladd McConkey, Puka Nacua, or Jayden Daniels.
Photos by Icon Sportswire | Adapted by Aaron Polcare (@bearydoesgfx on X)