Welcome back to the early waiver wire report. I’m here every Sunday going through the early games for potential waiver wire targets. These players are all rostered in fewer than 40% of leagues. Let’s dive in.

Fantasy Football Waiver Wire: Early Week 10 Pickups to Add

Quentin Johnston (WR – LAC)

Rostered: 21.0%

Sometimes rookies come in and dominate. Other times, players go weeks and even years before they break out. Quentin Johnston was drafted with the 21st pick in 2023 due to his hard-to-find combination of size and speed. He played in all 17 games last season and caught just 431 yards and two touchdowns.

Today, however, Johnston asserted himself. He caught four passes for 118 yards and a touchdown.

Johnston should be a priority add given his ceiling as a combination of scouting profile, Justin Herbert throwing the football and the lack of a dominant receiver on the Chargers. The reason for trepidation with Johnston, of course, is inconsistency. Due to his big-play propensity, you can’t expect weekly dominance quite yet.

Ray-Ray McCloud III (WR – ATL)

Rostered: 13.3%

Drake London was ruled out with a hip injury after catching a touchdown on Sunday. Ray-Ray McCloud seized the opportunity, catching a touchdown on Atlanta’s first drive after halftime.

McCloud is a Flex fantasy start sit option if London misses time. I’d strongly consider adding McCloud if you roster London and need a fill-in. If London plays, McCloud is fine to toss back to the waiver wire.

Xavier Legette (WR – CAR)

Rostered: 32.6%

Xavier Legette, the 32nd overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, caught his fourth touchdown in six games before exiting with a hand injury. He returned later in the game. Assuming this injury doesn’t keep him out for an extended period, he’s still worth adding in most formats. While he may still be a lower-end Flex play, his potential makes him worth stashing if possible.

Brandin Cooks (WR – DAL)

Rostered: 9.6%

Brandin Cooks landed on the injured reserve (IR) with a knee injury after Week 4. The Cowboys’ offense is reeling and the veteran receiver could see some work if he returns in Week 10. CeeDee Lamb left today’s game briefly. It looked like his shoulder was in excruciating pain. If Cooks returns and Lamb misses any time, Cooks could be a sneaky play.

DeMario Douglas (WR – NE)

Rostered: 27.5%

It’s a pretty simple equation… if Drake Maye is starting, DeMario Douglas becomes startable. In Maye’s three full games, Douglas has been targeted 21 times. That’s viable for fantasy considering how explosive of a player Douglas is.

Ray Davis (RB – BUF)

Rostered: 13.9%

Ray Davis caught a 63-yard touchdown pass in Week 9 en route to an 18-point fantasy day. With James Cook active, Davis is a low-floor Flex play. However, if Cook were to miss time (again), Davis is a must-start player. There’s no excuse for his being rostered in fewer than 15% of leagues.

Justice Hill (RB – BAL)

Rostered: 20.9%

Justice Hill is the third-down and change-of-pace running back in Baltimore, and he’s pretty good at it. He’s averaging nearly 11 yards per reception this season. The Ravens should have some closer games coming up against the Bengals, Eagles and Chargers, meaning Hill could be on the field more given his prominent role on passing downs.

If you are in desperate need of a running back, Hill is probably one of the best you’ll find on the waiver wire, barring an injury to a starter elsewhere.

Taysom Hill (TE – NO)

Rostered: 26.8%

Taysom Hill recorded nine touches for 60 yards and a touchdown on Sunday. Without Chris Olave for the foreseeable future and no Rashid Shaheed, the Saints are hurting for playmakers. Hill should see his fair share of touches going forward.

Daniel Jones (QB – NYG)

Rostered: 12.4%

I feel obligated to include at least one quarterback here. Daniel Jones is widely available and faces a bottom-10 passing defense in Carolina next weekend. Jones’ mobility gives him a viable ceiling, but as we know all too well, his turnovers match that ceiling with a grim floor.

Atlanta Falcons Defense/Special Teams

Rostered: 14.2%

The Atlanta Falcons play two more games before their Week 12 bye. Those games are in New Orleans and Denver, where they’ll face two bottom-half-of-the-league scoring offenses.

New York Giants Defense/Special Teams

Rostered: 4.5%

The New York Giants are far from a dominant football force, but their D/ST is the 11th-best in fantasy football heading into Week 10. They take on the Carolina Panthers in Week 11. Given this unit is rostered in fewer than 5% of leagues, they should be a strong consideration for you deep league streamers.

Subscribe: YouTube | Spotify | Apple Podcasts | iHeart | Castbox | Amazon Music | Podcast Addict | TuneIn