Vikings running back Ty Chandler headlines this week’s list of fantasy football waiver wire targets.
Following the Denver Broncos’ game against the Buffalo Bills on Monday Night Football in Week 10, fantasy football managers will begin putting in waiver wire claims for Week 11.
So, who are the best waiver wire targets this week? Our list includes options at running back, wide receiver, tight end, quarterback and kicker. The list is highlighted by a pair of young RBs who might be on the verge of getting larger workloads.
In Baltimore, Gus Edwards continues to lead the Ravens’ backfield (he had 11 carries on Sunday), but rookie Keaton Mitchell won’t go away. Mitchell only got three carries in Week 10, but he turned them into 34 yards and a touchdown. He also caught one pass for 32 yards.
In Minnesota, Ty Chandler might be on the verge of taking over the Vikings’ backfield. Chandler (15 carries) was more involved than Alexander Mattison (eight carries), and the second-year RB also scored a touchdown.
Chandler and Mitchell are the top priorities on the waiver wire this week.
Each player’s rostered percentage in ESPN fantasy football leagues is listed in parentheses. Ready? Let’s get to the full list!
The Minnesota Vikings were in a position to let the New Orleans Saints come back and potentially take the game away. They held on for a 27-19 win and had an excellent performance, especially in the first half.
All season, the Vikings have overcome adversity and injuries to find a way to win games nad were really close in four others. The Vikings are 5-4 in one-score games this season and could have pulled their four losses out with one less turnover in each game.
Sunday’s game showed a lot from the Vikings on how they feel about their roster. Here is the analysis of the snap counts from Sunday’s game, including the cornerback position.
The Vikings held off the Saints for a big NFC victory. Saivion Mixson looks at who’s stocks rose and whose stocks fell in the pivotal win.
The Minnesota Vikings held off the New Orleans Saints for a crucial 27-19 victory at U.S. Bank Stadium.
The Vikings ended up holding off a fiery comeback attempt after starting quarterback Derek Carr went down and backup Jameis Winston lit a spark under the Saints offense.
While he also helped extinguish the flame with two late turnovers, the Vikings showed some issues that may have seen some stocks drop.
On the flip side of the coin, the explosive first half that allowed the Vikings to jump out to a 24-3 halftime lead helped some stocks rise.
In this exercise, we outline both sides of this proverbial coin, as we see whose stocks fell and whose stocks rose after this vital victory.
It’s victory Monday and Chris Spooner takes a look at the good, bad, and ugly after the Vikings beat the Saints 27-19.
A win is a win. The game was a lot closer than it maybe should have been, but the Minnesota Vikings walk away from their game against the New Orleans Saints with a win 27-19. The win pushes Minnesota’s win streak to five games, and gives them a win over a Saints team they’re competing for a playoff spot against.
The Vikings started the game firing on all cylinders. The rushing attack showed life for one of the first times this season with the addition of Ty Chandler to the mix. Josh Dobbs, with a full week of practice, looked comfortable in the offense.
He was throwing the ball all over the field and the connection with tight end T.J. Hockenson was particularly strong. Hockenson had 10 receptions in the first half, and the Vikings went into halftime with a three-touchdown lead.
As good as the Vikings looked in the first half, they looked about as bad in the second half. All of the good work they did in the first half was nearly completely wiped away in the second.
The Vikings defense allowed Jameis Winston — who came in after starting quarterback Derek Carr suffered a concussion — to come roaring back with two touchdowns and two two-point conversions. The offense got away from everything they were doing well in the first half, barely targeting Hockenson at all, and sputtering to a measly three points all half.
The only saving grace for the Vikings in the second half was Winston’s tendency to turn the ball over. Pressing to get the Saints all the way back, Winston made some mistakes and gave the Vikings defense two crucial turnovers towards the end of the fourth quarter to seal the game.
What should have been a blowout turned into a nail-biter at the end, but Minnesota ultimately moves to 6-4 on the season. It was an exciting — maybe a bit too exciting for some — with a lot of good, bad and ugly.
Tunnel Vision – a look back at Sunday for fantasy free agents, injuries and notable performances.
SUNDAY SALUTES
Quarterbacks
Pass-Rush
TD
Dak Prescott
404-17
5
Justin Herbert
323-15
4
Sam Howell
312-17
3
Joshua Dobbs
268-44
2
Geno Smith
369-8
2
Running Backs
Yards
TD
Brian Robinson
8-38
6-119
1
Jahmyr Gibbs
14-77
3-35
2
Devin Singletary
30-150
1-11
1
Austin Ekeler
19-67
4-48
1
Christian McCaffrey
16-95
6-47
0
Wide Receivers
Yards
TD
Keenan Allen
11-175
2
CeeDee Lamb
11-151
1-14
2
Brandin Cooks
9-173
1
Amon-Ra St. Brown
8-156
1
Mike Evans
6-143
1
Tight Ends
Yards
TD
T.J. Hockenson
11-134
1
Trey McBride
8-131
0
George Kittle
3-116
1
Jake Ferguson
4-26
1
Dalton Schultz
4-71
0
Placekickers
XP
FG
Jason Meyers
2
5
Dustin Hopkins
1
4
Matt Prater
1
4
Riley Patterson
5
2
Chris Boswell
2
3
Defense
Sack – TO
TD
49ers
5-4
0
Colts
5-2
0
Ravens
4-2
1
Buccaneers
4-1
0
Browns
3-2
1
Bumps, Bruises and Bowouts
QB Derek Carr – Shoulder / Head
QB Taylor Heinicke – Hamstring
QB Baker Mayfield – Thumb
QB Deshaun Watson – Ankle
TE Gerald Everett – Back
RB Alexander Mattison – Concussion
WR Michael Thomas – Knee
WR Jamal Agnew – Shoulder
Chasing Ambulances
QB Derek Carr – Injured his shoulder and potentially was concussed. Jameis Winston came in and threw two second-half touchdowns and two interceptions. The Saints are on their bye in Week 11, so Carr has two weeks to heal up.
QB Taylor Heinicke – Hurt his hamstring and did not return to the game. Desmond Ridder replaced him in time to ensure the eventual loss to the Cardinals. Like Derek Carr, the Falcons have their bye this week and Heinicke will have two weeks to heal. But HC Arthur Smith also has two weeks to decide what he wants to do.
QB Baker Mayfield – Hit his hand on the facemask of a defender and injured his thumb in the middle of the fourth quarter. He still finished the game and later said it was okay. The Buccaneers play in San Francisco this week, so he’ll need to be healthy to keep the Bucs in that matchup.
QB Deshaun Watson – Injured his ankle in the second quarter during a rough tackle (one of many), but still played the balance of the game. It became notable when he left the locker room with a walking boot but said that he’d be fine. It is something to track this week and the Browns face a critical matchup when they host the Steelers.
RB Alexander Mattison – The Vikings starting running back left in the third quarter of the win over the Saints with a concussion. Ty Chandler replaced him and rushed for 45 yards on 15 carries with one touchdown. Mattison will enter the protocol this week and his availability to play in Denver on Sunday depends on how he progresses.
WR Michael Thomas – Left the loss to the Vikings early in the first quarter after taking a hard hit and hurting his knee. He was officially ruled out in the second half. He already had a legal situation with an arrest last week. The Saints enter their bye, so he has time to heal up and deal with any repercussions from his arrest.
Free Agents, Flops and Other Notables
RB Ty Chandler (MIN) – The Vikings already lost Cam Akers, and then Alexander Mattison suffered a concussion in the win over the Saints. Ty Chandler ran for 45 yards and a score but never had a target. The Vikings play in Denver this week and will go against one of the worst defenses versus running backs. He’s a need pick for the Mattison owner but a luxury for any other fantasy team unless Mattison misses games.
QB Bailey Zappe (NE) – Bill Belichick benched Mac Jones in the loss to the Colts, and Zappe only completed 3-of-7 for 25 yards during the matchup in Germany. But the Pats slipped to 2-8 and the time to get desperate has already passed. The Patriots, shockingly, are reaching the point where changes need to be made, if only to look like they haven’t given up. That could involve Zappe or any of the Pats’ other players. This is all new territory for the Patriots and a situation that Belichick hasn’t dealt with in decades.
QB Joshua Dobbs (MIN) – Playing in his first start with the Vikings, the ex-Cardinal threw for 268 yards and a touchdown, plus rushed for 44 yards on eight runs. He’s slipped in quickly and already engineered a win. Dobbs not only has his next opponents of the Broncos, Bears, and Raiders, he may be getting Justin Jefferson on the field this weekend.
RB Devin Singletary (HOU) – Dameon Pierce was inactive this week so the Texans had to rely on Singletary. The ex-Bill responded well to his first start in Houston when he ran for 150 yards on 30 carries and caught an 11-yard pass. Pierce is out with an ankle injury and never practiced last week. The Texans’ next three opponents are all at home – Cardinals, Jaguars, and Broncos. The Jags are above-average against running backs but the Cardinals and Broncos are two of the worst.
RB Rico Dowdle (DAL) – The Cowboys dominated the Giants on Sunday, but Tony Pollard only gained 55 yards on 14 rushes (3.7 YPC). The Cowboys stuck with Pollard in the first quarter when they reached the Giants’ goal line but turned the ball over on downs, unable to score. Dowdle was given 12 rushes and gained 79 yards (6.6 YPC) and punched in a one-yard score in the fourth quarter. Dowdle saw more use in this blowout, but he had been limited to just five carries in all previous games. This week, the Cowboys play in Carolina against the No. 30 defense versus running backs. Pollard was unsuccessful at home against the No. 26 defense, so maybe Dowdle is slowly buying more playing time.
WR Noah Brown (HOU) – He replaced the injured Nico Collins in Week 9 and gained a career-best 153 yards and a score on six catches in the Texans win over the Panthers. With Collins out again, Brown turned in seven receptions for 172 yards. The ex-Cowboys is buying himself more playing time. Nico Collins missed the last two practices last week with a calf injury. He’ll start against the Cardinals this week if Collins remains out.
WR Brandin Cooks (DAL) – Entering into Week 10, Cooks had not gained more than 49 yards in any game for the Cowboys but had scored in Weeks 6 and 8. Facing the Giants, Cooks abused them for 173 yards and a touchdown on nine catches. His three scores over the last four games are more impressive than the high-yardage blip from last Sunday.
QB Kyler Murray (ARZ) – The Cardinals quarterback debuted against the Falcons on Sunday. While he only threw for 249 yards and an interception, he scored on his six runs for 33 yards and led six drives that ended in scores, including the drive in the final 2:33 in the game when he brought the Cards down to the ATL 16-yard line where they kicked the walk-off winning field goal.
TE Trey McBride (ARZ) – Expectations for the second-year tight end were higher this year and he already had a 95-yard performance in Week 8. His first game with Kyler Murray this season resulted in a career-best 131 yards on eight receptions in the win over the Falcons. They play in Houston this week against the No. 31 defense against tight ends.
Huddle player of the week
Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
Dak Prescott – After starting the year with marginal passing stats, Prescott perked up against the Rams and Eagles. He just upped those games with 404 yards and four passing scores versus the visiting Giants and even ran in a touchdown. The Cowboys had the game already well in hand before the second quarter but continued the bombing while scoring the entire game through the final two minutes. Fantasy football loves a big score and the NFL’s absence of a mercy rule.
Salute!
Drama 101 – Somebody has to laugh, somebody has to cry
The Minnesota Vikings had a lot of studs in their 27-19 win over the New Orleans Saints
What a way for the Minnesota Vikings to get their fifth-straight win. They beat the New Orleans Saints by a score of 27-19 and they made things interesting in the second half.
After jumping out to a 27-3 lead early in the third quarter, the Saints scored the final 16 points and had multiple opportunities to get the final eight points. The Vikings defense held their ground throughout the fourth quarter, intercepting quarterback Jameis Winston twice to help seal the game.
Looking at the game, it’s hard to find a lot of faults with how the players performed. Today’s rendition of studs and duds will focus much more on the studs with only a singluar dud.
Ty Chandler’s first touchdown could not come at a better time, as the Vikings take the lead against the New Orleans Saints
With Cam Akers out, second-year running back Ty Chandler had to take on a bigger role if the Minnesota Vikings wanted to pull out the victory against the New Orleans Saints.
Chandler rewarded Minnesota’s confidence in him with an early touchdown to give Minnesota the early 10-3 lead.
A little trickery.@Channdler_35 scores his first career TD.
After Dobbs showed off his ability to create in the run game, seeing him motion out of the play on the two-yard line was surprising.
But Chandler made the most of his opportunity, going off-tackle and walking into the end zone for an easy score to cap off the impressive 11-play, 75-yard drive.
Chandler has started off this game very well, with 18 yards on his four carries, averaging 4.5 yards on each of his touches.
This Minnesota team relies on the run game to get going, especially with a fairly new back-up in Dobbs running the show. Chandler and Mattison have answered the call so far.
Stay tuned with Vikings Wire for more live game updates.
These four players are ones to watch as the Vikings take on the Saints on Sunday
The Minnesota Vikings are taking on the New Orleans Saints for the third time in the last four seasons on Sunday afternoon.
Last season’s game was a fun one, as the Vikings pulled out a thrilling victory by a score of 28-25 with multiple field goal attempts over 50 yards highlighting a fun back-and-forth contest.
Going into this seasons matchup, both the Vikings and Saints sit at 5-4 with the latter being the leader in the NFC South. The Vikings are also sitting in playoff position, but are currently 1.5 games behind the Detroit Lions for the division lead.
Heading into Sunday, our staff highlighted four players to watch.
The former fifth round pick is set for an increased workload
When the Minnesota Vikings lost running back Cam Akers for the season, there were some questions about what the team would do to supplement Alexander Mattison. In speaking to the media on Tuesday, offensive coordinator Wes Phillips had a very simple answer.
“You’ll see more Ty Chandler.”
The Vikings fifth-round pick from 2022 has played sparingly this season. Before the acquisition of Akers, Chandler was rotating in for a series here or there. Chandler is also the only running back on the roster who averages more than four yards per carry (5.2).
His skillset is based mostly in burst and speed. Listed at 5011 and 204 lbs, Chandler has enough size and power to break tackles but is at his best bursting through the hole and running past defenders.
Chandler is also good in terms of pass-blocking and catching the ball out of the backfield. His biggest issue is consistency, which ahs kept him off the field.
Moving forward, Chandler has an opportunity to make a difference for both the team and his future.
