It is hard to believe that the NFL has reached week ten, but it has. Injury concerns, COVID-19 absent players and bye weeks have decimated fantasy teams throughout the land. Where is one to turn in these desperate times? You turn to Belly Up Sports, that’s what! We are here to help with this fantasy football waiver moves week ten edition. So, strap in and let’s get right to it!

Running Backs

No question, running backs have been hit the hardest out of all the positions in the NFL. Almost from the season’s opening whistle to the present, backs have gone down from coast to coast. There are still some players on the wire to choose from, but get to the store as early as possible. The top selections are pretty much gone.

Wayne Gallman, New York Giants, 15.5% owned

Fantasy football is a funny thing. Who would have thought we would have a discussion about the Giants backfield at this point of the season? Yet, here we are. Wayne Gallman leads off this waiver moves week ten edition after a solid game against a good Washington defense. Gallman carried the ball 14 times for 68 yards and scored a touchdown. He as one the key players as he helped New York beat Washington 23-20.

The touchdown was the third straight game in which Gallman scored. Gallman has also caught a pass in three straight. His average per carry was an excellent 4.9. Devonta Freeman is battling an ankle injury and his return is unknown. Even when he does, Gallman has shown that he deserves playing time and will be in the mix going forward.

J.D. McKissic, Washington Football Team, 34.2% owned

Regular readers of these articles have no doubt seen the name of J.D. McKissic before. Yet, he is still available in a large quantity of leagues. No question, the Giants are far from a good team, but their defense isn’t bad and McKissic put up solid stats against them. Solid stats in the passing game, at any rate. McKissic was targeted an eye opening 14 times, resulting in nine catches for 65 yards.

Any player that received 14 targets demands fantasy attention. And even though McKissic only rushed the ball three times, he averaged 5.7 yards per carry. Sunday was the third straight game that McKissic averaged over five yards per rush. The Detroit Lions are next up for Washington and their defense isn’t nearly as solid as New York’s.

The Lions have given up 34 points or more four times this season. If help at running back is needed, and McKissic is available, got get him post haste. McKissic is the top RB to shoot for on this waiver moves week ten edition.

Duke Johnson, Houston Texans, 16.5% owned

The Houston Texans have two DJs at the running back position. One is David Johnson, who is available to no one in fantasy football and suffered a concussion against Jacksonville Sunday. The other DJ is Duke Johnson, who replaced David after his injury. Duke was extremely effective against the Jaguars as he rushed 16 times for 41 yards. His 2.6 YPC would excite no one, but he did score a one yard touchdown.

Additionally, Duke caught all four of his targets for another 32 yards. A player that has 20 touches in a game is certainly fantasy relevant. It is unknown how long David will be out. At any rate, a player like Duke that’s this available can help a team cover other player’s absences. Next up for the Texans is a road clash against Cleveland, and no one ever knows what Browns team is going to show up.

After all, this is a defense that has allowed 30 points or move five times this season. If David is ruled out for this game, move swiftly to the register and pickup Duke without further delay.

Other recommendation- There will be players spoken of in this edition that were near invisible before now. The first name on that list is Kalen Ballage. After a four week absence on the practice squad, Ballage returned for the Chargers against the Raiders. He shined much brighter than Jackson or Kelley. Ballage is virtually unowned and with no bye week worries up coming, he could be worth a stash.

Wide Receivers

Wide receivers on the wire are in short supply at this point in the season, especially in larger leagues. Even with that being the case, fantasy football marches forward. Injured players need to replaced and this waiver moves week ten edition is the place to find them. Let’s get right to it, shall we?

Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Green Bay Packers, 10.1% owned

I can’t help but get a queasy feeling in my stomach whenever I recommend Marquez Valdez-Scantling. That happened in week four, after which he had four catches in three weeks. While he had only two catches on Thursday against the 49ers, they both went for touchdowns. One was a 52 yard catch that was a thing of beauty. Volume is not always going to come when dealing with Valdez-Scantling.

However, with the wire getting more and more barren by the week, a player that catches two TDs in a game can’t be ignored. That is especially true when his quarterback is Aaron Rodgers and he is on the same team as Davante Adams. The fact that Adams is a dominant receiver is known throughout the land and was clearly reestablished Thursday.

Defenses will have to roll double teams to Adams, which should leave Marquez-Scantling with single coverage. Jacksonville is next up for the Packers, and that is a plus matchup for the team and Marquez-Scantling. Settle your stomach with some Pepto if needed, but get him on your team. He is the WR to target on this waiver moves week ten edition.

Richie James, San Francisco 49ers, 0.1% owned

Much like Valdez-Scantling, the recommendation of Richie James comes with much hesitation. It certainly wasn’t because he didn’t perform Thursday against the Packers. Indeed, James was one of the few bright spots for the 49ers in their 34-17 loss. James came out of literally nowhere to record an incredible 13 targets, catching nine passes for 184 yards. He scored a touchdown and averaged an eye popping 20.44 YPC.

After a performance like that, why would there be hesitation? The problems for San Francisco in general, and their wide receivers in particular, are well known. However, it is likely that both Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel will play sooner rather than later.

When they return, James will slide back down the depth chart. Even so, a player that puts together the kind of game he did Thursday needs to be stashed until the S.F. situation is clear. Is the team thin at receiver? Add James and have him ready to pounce if necessary.

Danny Amendola, Detroit Lions, 6.9% owned

Just about when everyone is ready to write off Danny Amendola, he pops up to remind us all that indeed still plays football. And based on his performance against Minnesota Sunday, Amendola still has a lot to give. Are there fantasy managers interested in targets? How about 10 of them? Anyone interested in catches, especially in PPR? How does seven sound? Amendola turned those catches into 77 yards. All in all, not a bad day’s work.

Of course, this recommendation has a lot hinging on the health of one Kenny Golladay. The Lion star receiver suffered a hip injury against Indianapolis. Golladay could return in week ten, but that won’t be known most likely until at least Friday. In the meantime, Amendola is widely available and can help a fantasy team get bye if needed.

Other recommendation- Jalen Reagor, recommended last week, is still widely available. He is the top target of all wide receivers on this week’s waiver wire.

Tight Ends

As in previous weeks, the tight end position is razor thin. A really good pair of night vision goggles might be required to spot anyone of value. Fortunately, we just happen to have a pair handy, so let’s see what can be found on this waiver moves week ten edition.

Logan Thomas, Washington Football Team, 15% owned

To be honest, there isn’t a lot in Sunday’s game that demands that Logan Thomas get a recommended for week ten. So, why is he here? The answer, as usual, is targets. Thomas was targeted six times against the Giants, the most times in the past five games. He came into the game against NY with touchdowns in his previous two contests. He averaged a season high 15 YPC against Dallas.

It looks like Thomas is returning to the potential he showed in his first three 2020 games in which he was targeted 24 times. With the position being as thin as it is, a starter that is only owned in 15 percent of leagues can really help a fantasy team. As with McKissic above, two poor defenses in Detroit and Cincy are up next. If the need is there, grab Thomas and hold on for dear life.

Ross Dwelley, San Francisco 49ers, 3% owned

It was unclear until game time Thursday which 49er tight end would see the most playing time. Would it be Ross Dwelley or Jordan Reed? We now know the answer, and that is Dwelley. With all everything TE George Kittle out for weeks, or maybe even the season, Frisco has a huge hole at the position. Dwelley did all he could to bridge the gap against the Packers.

He caught all three of his targets for 52 yards. It would certainly be easier to list him here if he had more targets than that. At this point in the season, though, we take what we have to. The good news is that Dwelley was targeted four times the previous week against Seattle, In addition, he averaged an excellent 17.33 YPC Thursday night. That is certainly useful.

And what of Jordan? He came off the injured list to record just one catch and two targets. No question, that won’t do in real life or fantasy. If another tight end possibility exists on the wire or trade, pursue that option. If not, add Dwelley and keep your fingers crossed.

Jacob Hollister, Seattle Seahawks, 0.1% owned

Has the Seattle tight end to own finally been identified? Is it veteran Greg Olsen? No, he had just two catches Sunday. Does Will Dissly fill the bill? No, he had one catch against Buffalo. The answer is much more clear after Jacob Hollister hauled in five of seven targets for 60 yards. His yards per catch was 12.0, which is outstanding for a tight end.

For any tight end to put up those kinds of numbers against the solid Buffalo defense is noteworthy. It doesn’t get much easier in week ten with a trip to play the Rams looming. However, the position has returned to the dry wasteland that is familiar to fantasy managers. As with the previous players, if a better option exists elsewhere, peace be with you. If not, add Hollister, even if you have to hold your nose while doing it.

Quarterbacks

Signal callers have been hit with injury and other issues just like every other position. However, there still are quarterbacks on waivers that can help a fantasy team. As always, get to the front of the line early for the best bargains.

Teddy Bridgewater, Carolina Panthers, 29.7% owned

Teddy Bridgewater has been viewed with skepticism this season, even as he has played well for the most part. After his performance against Atlanta in week eight, it is easy to see why. After what Bridgewater did against the Chiefs on the road, though, that perception needs to change. Bridgewater blew the doors off the the place Sunday as he completed 36 of 49 passes for 310 yards. He threw two touchdowns and didn’t turn the ball over. An interception was extremely costly the previous game against the Falcons.

No worries this time, though. No doubt enjoying the return of star running back Christian McCaffrey, Bridgewater went toe to toe with Patrick Mahomes on his home turf. The fact the Panthers lost 33-31 doesn’t diminish Bridgewater’s performance at all. The passing wasn’t the only part of his game that made Bridgewater stand out.

He also rushed twice, one resulting in a four yards score. Carolina has another tough defense to deal with in week ten as Tampa comes to town. After that, however, the schedule turns in the favor of the Panthers with Detroit and Minnesota after the Bucs. Bridgewater has proven himself this season and he deserves a fantasy home. Won’t you help him out? He is the top QB target on this waiver moves week ten edition.

Nick Foles, Chicago Bears, 13.5% owned

When glancing at the 17 total points scored by the Bears Sunday, it is difficult to understand how Nick Foles put up 46 ESPN fantasy points. Yet, that is exactly what Foles did. He accomplished that by completing 36 of 52 passes for 335 yards and two touchdowns. Foles was under heavy pressure the entire game and yet was able to post impressive numbers. He now has four TDs and one interception in his last two games. Foles has completed nearly 70% of his passes in his last three games.

Fortunately, the going gets easier for Foles as his week 10 opponent is the Minnesota Vikings. Their defense has looked better the past two games statically. However, that’s due to Dalvin Cook running wild and keeping the other team’s offense off the field. The Bears run defense is better than the Packers or Lions, so that should give Foles opportunities to make some plays.

True, the Bears offense has been shaky all season. In smaller leagues, there are certainly better options on the wire than Foles. If an owner is in a larger or two QB league, though, there’s probably nowhere else to turn. If you are in that situation and Foles is available, even if you have to dream of your happy place, go ahead and claim him.

Jake Luton, Jacksonville Jaguars, 2.2% owned

We have talked about players coming from the great beyond and playing impressively in week nine. Without question, none of them crashed the big stage as impressively as Jake Luton did. Luton was making his professional debut against the Texans due to an thumb injury to Gardner Minshew. His first NFL completion was a 73 yard touchdown. For the day, Luton completed 26 of 38 passes for 304 yards. Not only that, but Luton also scored a 13 yard TD on the ground. Welcome to the NFL Jake Luton!

It is unknown how long Minshew will be out. However, he is also dealing with a fractured hand and could be on the sideline for a while. That puts Luton in the driver’s seat. Next up is Green Bay. Their defense has been unspectacular this season and Luton is in line to put up some solid stats for the second week in a row. It is certain that Foles doesn’t thrill anyone. If an owner is willing to roll the dice, Luton is the answer.

Thanks all for joining me for this fantasy football waiver moves week ten edition. Always feel free to leave a suggestion or comment on the players that should be added or removed to the list. I welcome your input. Have a great fantasy football week ten! Follow me on twitter @kevin62wilsea, and be sure to turn to Belly Up Sports and Belly Up Fantasy Sports and Picks for all the latest NFL and sports news!