We are getting to the point in the fantasy football season where waiver claims could potentially help you earn a playoff spot in your leagues. With injuries to a wide array of elite fantasy players, most of you are going to find yourself in a pinch when the waiver wire opens up a tad later this week.
Don't fret, we are here to help you.
In looking at players with less than a 50 percent ownership in Yahoo! contests, here are eight waiver-wire claims you should consider for Week 10 of the NFL season.
Tyrod Taylor, Quarterback, Buffalo Bills
Not only is Taylor rosterable in 12-team leagues, you can play matchups and potentially start him throughout the season. He's proven it time after time this season, and Sunday was no different. Returning from a sprained MCL, Taylor completed 11-of-12 passes for 181 yards with one touchdown and zero picks against the Miami Dolphins. He also added 44 yards on 10 rush attempts.
While there should be some concern over whether the Bills will put the ball in the air enough (three-to-one run/pass ratio on Sunday), Taylor has proven himself to be more than a capable fantasy play. Including Sunday, Taylor has put up above-average fantasy performances in all six of his starts this season.
Marcus Mariota, Quarterback, Tennessee Titans
It's a downright travesty that Mariota is owned in less than 50 percent of 12-team leagues right now. While some were concerned with keeping/picking him up during his two-game absence with a knee injury, the reigning Heisman winner has proven himself to be more than capable of being a solid fantasy performer.
On Sunday against a disastrous New Orleans Saints defense, Mariota finished as the third-best fantasy quarterback behind Cam Newton and Aaron Rodgers. He completed 28-of-39 passes for 371 yards with four touchdowns and zero picks. This has him averaging the 10th-most fantasy points at the quarterback position.
James Starks, Running Back, Green Bay Packers
Now that Eddie Lacy is dealing with another injury — this time to his groin — it's becoming readily apparent that Starks will be the primary ball carrier moving forward this season. That was magnified by the 122 total yards he accumulated on 16 touches against a stout Carolina Panthers team on Sunday.
Even is Lacy somehow nears 100 percent soon, there's no reason to believe he will overtake Starks as the Packers top rusher. The harsh reality of the situation here is that Lacy just hasn't been that good.
Not only is Starks a rosterable option in 12-team leagues, he's a potential start every week. With defenses forced to focus on the Packers' passing attack, any running back with talent will have success in the team's offense. It appears that guy is Starks right now.
Shaun Draughn, Running Back, San Francisco 49ers
Here's someone you should consider if you are low on the waiver priority. San Francisco is entering a bye this upcoming week, and there's a chance Carlos Hyde returns from his foot injury in Week 11. If so, no real harm in exhausting a low-priority waiver claim on Draughn. If not, you could very well hit lightning in a bottle.
Getting carries over both Pierre Thomas and Kendall Gaskins in an injury-ravaged 49ers backfield, this street free agent racked up 92 total yards on 20 touches against an Atlanta Falcons defense that came into Sunday's action as the second-best in the NFL against the run.
Draughn won't necessarily be a solid FLEX play moving forward. However, he's a deep bench option that enables you to actually play matchups should you be in a pinch moving forward.
Antonio Andrews, Running Back, Tennessee Titans
New Titans head coach Mike Mularkey wasn't kidding when he indicated this past week that Andrews would be a workhorse for the team. In Mularkey's first game leading the club, Andrews racked up 19 of the Titans 28 rush attempts. In all, Andrews put up 111 yards on 20 touches.
The only hesitation here is that the Titans were going up against a Saints defense that's among the worst in the NFL. We are going to want to see what this dude can do against better competition. With that said, he's definitely worth an early-priority waiver claim.
Stevie Johnson, Wide Receiver, San Diego Chargers
This could have been said following reports of Keenan Allen's season-ending injury last week. Though, it's rather interesting to see that Johnson's ownership in Yahoo! contests didn't dramatically increase.
The concern for some owners out there is that Johnson hasn't performed at a stellar level since returning from a hamstring injury. He's put up just six catches for 78 yards in the two games since returning from said injury.
Now at 100 percent and as one of Philip Rivers favorite targets in a pass-happy offense, there's no real reason to avoid Johnson on the waiver wire should he be available. Remember, he did rack up 205 yards and two touchdowns in the Chargers first four games before suffering the hamstring injury.
Dorial Green-Beckham, Wide Receiver, Tennessee Titans
Another player that Mularkey indicated would be more involved in the team's offense, this rookie played a huge role in Tennessee's win on Sunday. After recording just seven receptions on 14 targets in his first seven games, Green-Beckham caught five passes for 77 yards on 10 targets against the Saints.
As with Andrews above, the concern here is that Tennessee played the league's worst pass defense on Sunday. We are going to want more of a sample size before inserting him into our lineups — something that shouldn't force you to avoid a waiver claim on him.
Jordan Reed, Tight End, Washington Redskins
By his standards, Reed didn't have an extremely productive game on Sunday. He recorded just three receptions for 18 yards after averaging seven catches for 70 yards heading into the game. Though, the young tight end was able to haul in his fourth touchdown of the season.
Still averaging more targets than Rob Gronkowski, it's rather obvious Reed will continue to play a huge role in Washington's offense. This makes him a near must start for those of you who have been lacking production from the tight end position.