Each week throughout the NFL regular season, we will discuss the top fantasy football streaming options. These are deeper-league targets who have shown viable production or fit as a matchup-dependent play to give you a boost in the lineup this week.
Players listed below are rostered in under 50% of ESPN leagues entering Week 10's waiver wire period. Although you might notice overlap with Eric Moody's waiver wire column that publishes Mondays, an important distinction is that the options mentioned in this column are focused solely on this week's matchup and not on the players' values for the remainder of the season.
With several big-time quarterbacks on byes this week -- Patrick Mahomes, Jalen Hurts, Tua Tagovailoa -- we'll start under center, looking at a group of viable streaming options. I also targeted wide receivers here, with four players who are seeing enough volume to produce in deeper leagues. We'll also hit on the running back position, and an emerging tight end in the NFC South.
All references to fantasy points are for PPR leagues.
Quarterbacks
Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (56.8% rostered in ESPN leagues; vs. Titans): I think Mayfield is playing his best football of the season, with multiple TD throws in back-to-back games and at least 16 fantasy points in his past three starts. Plus, the Buccaneers are creating explosive plays in the passing game, as Mayfield has logged four completions of 20-plus yards in three consecutive contests. With Mahomes, Hurts and Tagovailoa all on byes this week, Mayfield is a strong streaming option versus the Titans.
Will Levis, Tennessee Titans (36.0% rostered; at Buccaneers): This is an upside play with Levis, who only posted 8.68 points in Thursday's loss to the Steelers, one week after throwing four touchdowns against the Falcons in his first pro start. However, this Tampa Bay defense was just shredded by Texans QB C.J. Stroud for 470 passing yards and five touchdowns. This sets Levis up for on-schemed vertical throws to attack the third-level voids. It's a good fit for managers in 12-team leagues.
Joshua Dobbs, Minnesota Vikings (37.5% rostered; vs. Saints): I don't love the matchup for Dobbs against the Saints defense. That's a top-10 unit versus opposing quarterbacks. However, Dobbs can make plays outside of structure that create production in your lineup. Dobbs came off the bench this past week in his first game with the Vikings and dropped 24.92 points on the Falcons defense. He also logged 66 yards rushing on seven carries in that one and has recorded at least 43 yards rushing in three of his past four starts.
Derek Carr, New Orleans Saints (29.9% rostered; at Vikings): Carr has been a steady fantasy producer over the past five weeks, scoring at least 15 points in each game, with multiple TD throws in three of them. Now, the Vikings can create issues for opposing quarterbacks with their mix of pressure and post-snap movement, but Carr fits here as a streaming option with the perimeter talent at wide receiver to win matchups versus Vikings corners.
Wide receivers
Noah Brown, Houston Texans (17.4% rostered; at Bengals): Brown finished with 27.3 points in the Week 9 win over Tampa Bay, catching all six of his targets for 153 yards -- including a 75-yard TD reception. Brown has now seen at least five targets in each of his past three games, and he has a pretty defined role in an explosive Houston pass game. With Stroud's ability to throw with touch and location at the third level, Brown is an upside WR3 this week in deeper leagues.
Demario Douglas, New England Patriots (27.2% rostered; vs. Colts): I'll take the target volume with Douglas here, plus the potential upside on manufactured touches in the Patriots offense. Over his past three games, Douglas has caught 14 out of 20 targets, with one rushing attempt in all three. He's an underneath target for Mac Jones, with the skill set to get loose on screens and fly sweeps. He's a deeper-league option versus the Colts defense this week.
Khalil Shakir, Buffalo Bills (7.2% rostered; at Broncos): Shakir caught all four of his targets for 57 yards in Sunday night's loss to the Bengals and has now caught a perfect 10-of-10 over his past two games, which includes two explosive play receptions. While he's at his best working the short-to-intermediate levels from slot alignments, there's enough volume here for Shakir as a deeper-league WR3 option in the Monday night game against the Broncos.
Jayden Reed, Green Bay Packers (15.5% rostered; at Steelers): We need to keep an eye on the injury report for Packers WR Christian Watson, who left Sunday's game with multiple injuries. If he's down this week versus the Steelers, then Reed should elevate in the Packers' route tree. Reed has caught at least three passes in each of his past three games, and we know he has the ability to work every level of the field from slot alignments.
Trey Palmer, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0.6% rostered; vs. Titans): Palmer is flashing on the tape, working the middle of the field windows, and he's seeing enough volume from Mayfield to jump into the discussion as potential deeper league WR3 this week. Over his last two games, Palmer has caught six of 10 targets, and Mayfield is throwing the ball decisively, too. If Tampa can continue to get him free access off the ball, with formation and alignment, Palmer will have opportunities to find the zone voids against the Titans defense.
Tight ends
Cade Otton, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (21.6% rostered; at Titans): Otton produced his best numbers of the season in the Week 9 game at Houston, catching 6 of 9 targets for 90 yards, with a pair of red zone TD receptions. Plus, over his past three games, Otton has caught 14 of 21 targets. Even with a tougher matchup this week versus the Titans, we can't look past his recent deployment as a middle-of-the-field/underneath target for Mayfield.
Running backs
Keaton Mitchell, Baltimore Ravens (23.2% rostered; vs. Browns): Gus Edwards has scored six rushing touchdowns over his past three games. Justice Hill saw 13 carries in the Ravens' Week 9 win over the Seahawks, too. It's a crowded RB room in Baltimore, but we can't ignore Mitchell's tape from Sunday, as the rookie had 20.9 fantasy points, rushing nine times for 138 yards. We all saw his open-field juice on the 60-yard TD run. In deeper leagues, I'd take a shot this week on Mitchell and his 4.3 speed, as long as his hamstring injury doesn't cause him to miss the game.
Tyjae Spears, Tennessee Titans (32.7% rostered; at Buccaneers): Spears has caught at least three passes in five of his past six games, with five-plus carries in three. Yes, the volume doesn't really jump here, and Spears will continue to be a rotational player behind Derrick Henry, but he has the traits to create explosive plays and the receiving usage does give him some upside as a deeper-league flex.
Ezekiel Elliott, New England Patriots (36.4% rostered; vs. Colts): Elliott has totaled just 13 rushing attempts in his last two games, but I like the matchup against the Colts defense this Sunday for managers in deeper non-PPR formats. Indianapolis ranks in the bottom five versus running backs in fantasy this season, and they are allowing an average of 125.6 yards rushing per game. I believe the Patriots lean more on the rushing game this week, which could open the door for Elliott to see carries in the low red zone.
D/ST
Green Bay Packers (30.2% rostered; at Steelers): This is a tough week to pick a defense to stream when looking at the matchups, but I'll go with Green Bay here against Pittsburgh. The Packers have produced double-digit points in two of their past four games, and Steelers QB Kenny Pickett has thrown for a total of just two touchdowns over his past five starts.