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.
Jauan Jennings (WR - San Francisco 49ers)
He's been on here each week since Aiyuk's season-ending injury and he's going to continue to be on here until his rostered percentage (currently just 51%) hits a reasonable level.
Same exact story as the last few weeks: extremely productive the first month, will be the WR2 for San Francisco, and may still be on waivers given his recent absence due to injury plus the bye.
Make sure he's not on waivers. He's a WR3/FLEX the rest of the way with top-15 upside.
Jerry Jeudy (WR - Cleveland Browns)
Since Jameis Winston took over as the starter, Jeudy has steadily been more involved with each week, going from 6 to 8 to 11 targets in the three games with Winston at QB, including back-to-back 5+ catch, 70+ yard, 13+ point performances heading into the Browns' bye week.
He shouldn't be available on waivers given that volume, but it's worth checking as he's sitting available in just over 50% of leagues. If he's not currently available, keep a close eye on the waiver wire throughout the week - he may find his way there with the Browns on their bye week.
Jaylen Warren (RB - Pittsburgh Steelers)
We're just starting to see Jaylen Warren truly being incorporated into the Steelers' Arthur Smith offense, having recorded 25 touches in his last two games after returning in Week 6 from a 2-and-a-half week absence.
This isn't an indication of Najee Harris being replaced or taking a lesser role (he was even one of my top trade targets this past week), but the schedule going forward does imply we will be seeing a bigger emphasis on the RBs, particularly Warren in the passing game as Pittsburgh enters their gauntlet of a second-half schedule.
They get Washington, Baltimore twice, Cleveland twice, Cincinnati twice, Philadelphia, and Kansas City the rest of the way. They're likely going to be favored only twice (vs Cleveland) - maybe three times (at home vs Cincy). Those game scripts suggest they will be passing much more than the first half of the season, which is a major positive for Jaylen Warren.
He won't be a league-winner (barring a Najee Harris injury), but he should be a viable RB3/borderline-FLEX option the rest of the way. Just make sure he's not sitting on waivers as he's somehow only rostered in 42% of leagues on Yahoo.
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.
Xavier Legette (WR - Carolina Panthers)
Legette is emerging as a realistic lineup option, even as a rookie in a rather questionable Panthers' offense, having posted 11+ points in four of his last six games and back-to-back performances of 4+ catches, 6+ targets, and 13+ fantasy points.
He was already a waiver wire target last week, but now with Diontae Johnson traded to Baltimore and rumblings of Adam Thielen being moved by the deadline once he returns from IR, Legette should definitively be the Panthers' WR1 the rest of the way this year.
For the foreseeable future, he should be a borderline FLEX option, not someone sitting on waivers.
DeMario Douglas (WR - New England Patriots)
In three full games with Drake Maye, Douglas has garnered 21 targets and two games of 6+ catches, 9+ targets, and 10+ fantasy points.
The volume leaves him as a matchup-based FLEX option in PPR formats. He isn't going to explode for 20+ but he should be a fairly consistent lineup option. Neither of those things can be said about many if any, other waiver-wire WRs.
Taysom Hill (TE - New Orleans Saints)
Taysom Hill is turning back into the TE weapon we originally anticipated going into the season, having posted 6+ points in each of his last three games and 14+ points in two of those three. This week was the perfect encapsulation of what he will bring going forward: a modest receiving role due to a lack of weapons in the Saints' offense (5 targets, 4 for 41), a modest rushing role as a change-of-pace option from Alvin Kamara (5 carries, 19 yards), and a goal-line threat (1 rushing TD).
He's not going to be an every-week double-digit performer, but in a position with such inconsistency, Hill is playing himself into a borderline startable spot, especially with the weekly 50/50 chance of him finding the endzone. With Chris Olave (concussion) likely out for a few weeks and the lingering potential for New Orleans to reduce Alvin Kamara's workload (broken ribs and hand) as the season becomes more out of reach, Hill may be the go-to guy in these absences.
He's worth a stash on the bench unless you already have a definitive top TE.
Elijah Moore (WR - Cleveland Browns)
The narrative still remains the same for Elijah Moore (and the rest of the Browns' receivers) with Jameis Winston at QB: the volume will be there on a weekly basis. This now makes all three weeks under Winston ones where Moore registered 6+ targets and he's posted 10+ targets in back-to-back weeks.
The volume should continue to be there down the stretch, especially with the schedule becoming even more competitive for the Browns in the sense that game scripts should lean more pass-heavy. He's a borderline FLEX option going forward.
Brandin Cooks (WR - Dallas Cowboys)
He wasn't necessarily blowing away the competition prior to his injury, but he did have 6+ targets in two of his three full games prior to landing on IR after Week 4.
He's likely to return in the very near future, if not in Week 10, and draws a rather favorable schedule going forward with the Cowboys set to be desperate in their push for a playoff spot.
Worth a pickup as a WR4/depth option on the bench with some upside, especially given his emergence in the second half of 2023 (WR14 in points from Week 10 onward last year).
Quentin Johnston (WR - Los Angeles Chargers)
Ray Davis (RB - Buffalo Bills)
Ricky Pearsall (WR - San Francisco 49ers)
Nick Westbrook-Ikhine (WR - Tennessee Titans)
Drake Maye (QB - New England Patriots)
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:
Russell Wilson (at WAS)
Daniel Jones (at CAR)
Joe Flacco (vs BUF)
Runningbacks:
Tyler Allgeier (at NO)
Braelon Allen (at ARI)
Ray Davis (at IND)
Wide Receivers:
Xavier Legette (vs NYG)
Demario Douglas (at CHI)
Demarcus Robinson (vs MIA) - if Puka Nacua is suspended
Tight Ends:
Taysom Hill (vs ATL)
Zach Ertz (vs PIT)
Jonnu Smith (at LAR)
Defense/Special Teams:
Atlanta Falcons (at NO)
New York Giants (at CAR)
New England Patriots (at CHI)
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.
Parker Washington (WR - Jacksonville Jaguars)
Trey Benson (RB - Arizona Cardinals)
Theo Johnson (TE - New York Giants)
Jaylen Wright (RB - Miami Dolphins)
Noah Brown (WR - Washington Commanders)