Week 11 started with an absolute Thursday night stinker, but it has been on fire ever since. We began this morning with an overtime thriller in Germany, then multiple of the first set of afternoon games came down to the wire. Even the not-close games had some interesting storylines, including the Dolphins’ shocking 30-13 upset of the Bills. But none of that is what we are here for. Right now, our goal is to find the best early fantasy football waiver wire pickups for Week 11. Without further ado, here they are.
Early Week 11 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups
Troy Franklin (WR – DEN) | 57.7% Rostered
In that aforementioned Thursday Night Football game filled mostly with offensive incompetence, Troy Franklin still managed a solid day. The sophomore caught five of a team-high nine targets for 40 yards and a touchdown.
This was also Franklin’s third straight game leading the Broncos in routes, ahead of Courtland Sutton. In fact, Franklin has operated as Denver’s No. 1 WR in essentially every way over the last three weeks. He leads the team in not just route participation rate (88%) but also target share (28%) and air yards share 48%. With those numbers, he should be rostered — and considered as a starting option — in 100% of leagues.
Alec Pierce (WR – IND) | 30.1% Rostered
Alec Pierce had a big day in Germany, catching four out of seven targets for 84 yards and a touchdown — 16.4 half-PPR points. And this shouldn’t have been a surprise. Coming into this week, Pierce had been seeing a 19% target share and a 45% air yards share in the Colts’ hyper-efficient offense. He also ranked 12th among all wide receivers with over 70 receiving yards per game.
The only thing keeping Pierce from consistent fantasy production was the fact that he had yet to hit the end zone. Now that he’s broken that drought, it’s even clearer that Pierce can be a viable Flex play as the deep threat in this Indianapolis offense.
Tyler Allgeier (RB – ATL) | 32.9% Rostered
Jonathan Taylor posting yet another multi-touchdown game was the story of the early game this morning. But Taylor wasn’t the only running back to reach pay dirt more than once in Germany… and it wasn’t Bijan Robinson, either. Tyler Allgeier scored two one-yard touchdowns, adding 55 yards on his other nine carries to finish with 17.7 points on the day.
Don’t get me wrong, Allgeier is still clearly behind Bijan Robinson in Atlanta’s backfield. But he has a consistent role as an early-down and short-yardage hammer for the Falcons. That role allows him to occasionally provide solid fantasy outings, as this was his fourth double-digit fantasy outing of the season.
Even if his standalone value won’t crack your lineup, Allgeier still has massive contingent value as arguably the best handcuff in the league. He is a talented rusher and would dominate touches if Robinson were to miss time. Especially as we approach the fantasy playoffs, he is a great player to stash on your bench in almost all formats.
Parker Washington (WR – JAC) | 17.7% Rostered
Parker Washington had not one but two incredible touchdowns today. Only one of them came on offense, but they both accounted for part of his 16.4-half-PPR points. More importantly, Washington served as the Jaguars’ clear No. 1 WR, running 30 routes on 31 dropbacks from Trevor Lawrence while no other player was above 16. He also led the team in targets, although with just four. He caught three of those looks for 33 yards and the aforementioned sick touchdown (and lost four yards on two carries).
Going forward, Washington’s days as Jacksonville’s top wideout are numbered. At least, Brian Thomas Jr. should claim that job when he returns from injury. Jakobi Meyers may also surpass Washington in the pecking order as he continues to settle in after being traded to Jacksonville just a few days ago. But Washington is still worth adding in deeper formats if you need Flex or receiver help.
Mack Hollins (WR – NE) | 1.1% Rostered
With Kayshon Boutte sidelined by a hamstring injury, Mack Hollins easily led the Patriots’ receiver room with 30 routes on 36 Drake Maye dropbacks. The former Bill also led the team in targets, with 10. He caught six of those for 106 yards, finishing with 13.6 half-PPR fantasy points on the day.
With how well Maye has played this season, anyone running routes while he is under center for New England is worth considering. With Boutte unlikely to return for at least another week and Stefon Diggs stuck in a part-time role, Hollins is the favorite to continue leading the team in routes. He is worth adding if you’re looking for wide receiver help in deep leagues.
Theo Johnson (TE – NYG) | 38.3% Rostered
The second-year tight end has quietly had a solid role in the Giants’ offense all season. Coming into this week, he ranked 13th among tight ends in route participation rate (73%) and 12th in targets (42). He has been on the field even more of late, too, with an 81% route participation rate over the last four weeks heading into the week.
This week, Johnson turned that usage into a solid outing, catching seven out of eight targets for 75 yards. Given the state of the tight end position, that’s nothing to scoff at. He’s worth considering in deeper leagues or on rosters desperate for tight end help.
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Ted Chmyz is a fantasy football contributor for FantasyPros.com. Find him on Twitter and Bluesky @Tchmyz for more fantasy content or to ask questions.
