We are heading into Week 11 and 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!
The Teams on bye this week are below:
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Arizona Cardinals
New York Giants
Carolina Panthers
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 11 together.
1. Buy Malik Nabers at any price
Malik Nabers is an absolute superstar. There really are no questions or concerns about him as an NFL talent. Daniel Jones and the Giants’ offensive line are the only obstacles standing in his way from WR1 overall conversations. Since losing Andrew Thomas at left tackle, Nabers has not been able to crack the top 20 wide receivers in full-point PPR leagues, with his best finish since then being WR24. The good news for Nabers is that he has not dropped below a 29% target share this season, which has translated to target totals of 7, 18, 12, 15, 8, 13, 11, and 10. He has a bye week in Week 11. That is the only reason we are even having a BUY conversation around him. If a manager in your league sees Nabers as a low-end to mid-range WR2 that they have to be without this week, that is an enormous buy window for a contending roster. Heck, even if you are a four or five seed and are fighting to get to a bye in week one of the playoffs, Nabers is a worthwhile investment to make that can help you win as a frisky lower seed. Nabers’ Schedule after Week 11 is one of, if not the best, schedule for wide receivers. He faces just one team that ranks inside the top half of the league against opposing wide receivers, and from Week 14 on, he will face the Saints (Without Marshon Lattimore), the Ravens (Who just let Ja’Marr Chase post 250+ yards and 3 touchdowns), the Falcons, and the Colts. That is a league-winning schedule. Some players I would be selling for Nabers right now would be Kyren Williams, Joe Mixon, James Cook, CeeDee Lamb, Terry McLaurin, and Jayden Reed.
2. Buy Low on JK Dobbins if you’re locked into the playoffs
JK Dobbins saw his lowest running back snap share (56%) since Week 2 with the return of Gus Edwards. Edwards was also significantly more efficient on his 10 carries than Dobbins was on his 15. The good news for Dobbins was that he continued to dominate the passing down role for the Chargers, running just shy of 20 routes to Edwards’ 2. This was always going to be a tough matchup for Dobbins, as the Titan’s defense has been stout all season, especially against the run. The good news is that the schedule does have a soft spot from Weeks 15-18, which is the fantasy football playoffs. If you are a contending roster that is all but assured to claim a playoff spot or even have some strong running back depth that you wouldn’t need Dobbins to win you your matchups for the next few weeks, then now is the time to pounce. Dobbins is a mid to low-end RB2 from now until we hit playoff matchups, and the acquisition cost is on the lower end of that range right now in redraft leagues. I am not overly concerned about Gus Edwards for the duration of the season, and while he may limit Dobbins to around 60% of the work out of the backfield, Dobbins will face one of the easiest strengths of schedule for running backs during the part of the season that wins fantasy managers titles. That is always the end goal. Fantasy is a weekly game, but not all teams head into Week 11 needing the same thing, and this is a prime opportunity for you to look ahead and be grateful that you did. Some players I would look to trade for Dobbins are Tank Dell, Courtland Sutton, DJ Moore, Deebo Samuel, Aaron Jones, and Najee Harris.
3. Buy Jauan Jennings
Jauan Jennings saw a 32% target share last week, which led the 49ers pass catchers. Maybe even more notable than his target share numbers was how far ahead of Deebo Samuel and Ricky Pearsall he finished in target totals, seeing 11 to their 6 each. Jennings faces the Seahawks defense next week, which has not been a matchup to avoid this season. Not only that but there are managers out there that will need to find replacements for Malik Nabers and Marvin Harrison Jr. this week due to byes. He is not a sexy name, but that’s how the sharp managers win in fantasy football. In full PPR leagues, he should continue to see 7-10 targets per game, and even with some tough matchups ahead, I have no problem trading for Jennings if the price is right. Some players I would be moving to acquire Jennings right now would be Najee Harris, Javonte Williams, Austin Ekeler, Rashod Bateman, and Jaylen Waddle.
4. Sell or Drop Jaylen Waddle
Jaylen Waddle started off hot on Monday Night Football but quickly faded back to irrelevance. In his defense, the Rams defense played with the sole focus of stopping both Hill and Waddle, but this week’s lame-duck performance was more of the same for a player who has lost his shine throughout the last two seasons. The name value of Waddle has likely clogged your rosters, and maybe even your starting lineups, for the entire season, but it is time to move on in redraft leagues. He has posted just one week in full-point PPR inside the top 20 wide receivers, and that was in Week 1. Outside of that, he has not finished higher than the WR39. His upcoming schedule also doesn’t have a ton of opportunities for him to gain your trust before the playoffs arrive, and those are not the weeks to roll the dice on a struggling player like Waddle. He is averaging just 8.3 FPPG this season, including last night. If someone is buying, you should sell. Otherwise, he belongs on waivers so someone else can burn the roster spot. Dynasty Managers should know I am happy to hold or even buy low on Waddle depending on cost with the hopes that the Dolphins can regain their form or Tyreek Hill starts to decline in his age 31 season in 2025.
5. Add Jonnu Smith
Jonnu Smith is a TE streamer for the remainder of the fantasy football regular season. Smith is available in 75% of Yahoo leagues right now. This week alone, fantasy managers will be without Trey McBride, Cade Otton, and rookie breakouts Ja’Tavion Sanders and Theo Johnson. Smith is coming off of his lowest target total since Week 4 (4), so he may see his rostership drop even further. The schedule for Smith is strong for the remainder of the fantasy football regular season, facing only one team in the next four weeks that ranks higher than 15th against opposing tight ends. Week 11 is an especially good matchup, as Smith faces the 2-7 Raiders, who have been one of the worst teams in the NFL against tight ends. If you are fighting for a playoff spot and need help at TE, this is the kind of streamer that can give you multiple weeks of value and potentially get you over the hump in your league.
Photos by Icon Sportswire | Adapted by Aaron Polcare (@bearydoesgfx on X)
My league is a dead zone as far as trading goes. Do you think it’s worth just straight up dropping Waddle to pick up Jennings? Feels bad to drop Waddle given his name value and all that, but Jennings feels like a better bench filler/depth piece to have at this point.