Week 10 Waiver Wire: Trade Deadline Winners and Who to Avoid

The NFL trade deadline has come and gone, and it reshuffled more than a few fantasy values. A quarterback went home to Minnesota, Indianapolis sold off two receivers, and the biggest name on the block didn't move at all.

Here's what changed, who's hot on the wire before your waivers run, and who to stay away from.

On bye in Week 10: Bears, Broncos and Eagles. If you're short at a position because of byes, plan for it now.

The deadline deals that matter for fantasy
Kirk Cousins: Raiders to Vikings

The biggest fantasy move of the deadline. Minnesota gave up a third-round pick to bring Cousins back to Kevin O'Connell's offense, and it couldn't come at a better time. Kyler Murray is hurt, and Carson Wentz went 8-of-25 for 81 yards with three turnovers in Monday's 23-6 loss to Buffalo.

Justin Jefferson ⬆️ BIG WINNER. Jefferson is averaging a career-low 56 receiving yards a game. With Cousins, he averaged about 98. He goes from frustrating to a locked-in WR1 again.
Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson ⬆️ Both get a more reliable passer. Hockenson is a solid TE1 again.
Fernando Mendoza ⬆️ The rookie now starts in Las Vegas. Volatile, but a real streaming option for QB-needy teams, especially in games where the Raiders will be throwing from behind.
Brock Bowers ➡️ Still a must-start. He's the focal point no matter who's throwing.
Ashton Jeanty ⬇️ Trending down, but his pass-game role keeps him an RB2.
Tre Tucker and Michael Mayer ⬇️ Stay away until Mendoza proves he can feed more than two players.
Keenan Allen: Colts to 49ers

San Francisco sent a sixth-round pick for the 34-year-old Allen, who averaged 10.1 fantasy points in eight games in Indianapolis. Brock Purdy's accuracy should help him on short and middle routes.

Keenan Allen ⬆️ A flex play in PPR leagues while Mike Evans and Deebo Samuel are out. He's rostered in only about 46% of ESPN leagues.
Jordan Watkins ⬇️ He had a big Week 9, but a veteran target hog just walked in the door. When Evans and Samuel return, the room gets even more crowded.
Josh Downs: Colts to Chiefs

Kansas City picked up Downs for Day 3 picks. Xavier Worthy is out at least a couple of weeks with a hamstring injury, which opens the door right away.

Josh Downs ⬆️ He goes from a struggling Colts offense to Patrick Mahomes. He averaged just 8.3 points a game in Indy, but the opportunity is real. Worth a bench spot as he learns the offense.
The Colts' fire sale

Indianapolis moved Allen, Downs, Quenton Nelson and DeForest Buckner. It did not move Jonathan Taylor.

Tyler Warren ⬆️ WINNER. With Allen and Downs gone, Warren is the unquestioned top target in the Colts' passing game. Think of a Trey McBride-style role. If he's on your wire, he's a priority add.
Jonathan Taylor ⬇️ Staying put on a losing team isn't ideal. He's been under 10 points two weeks running, and the Colts could limit his work in a lost season. Still start him, but lower your expectations.
Seth McGowan ⬇️ Last week we told you to add and stash him in case Taylor was traded. Taylor wasn't, so McGowan goes back to being a handcuff. Hold him only if you have the bench room.
The rest of the Colts' receivers ⬇️ Laquon Treadwell and Ashton Dulin aren't worth your time, and the QB situation may change too.
Jacoby Brissett: Cardinals to Ravens

With Lamar Jackson on IR, Baltimore traded for a steady bridge quarterback. That's a modest boost for Zay Flowers and Mark Andrews, who were stuck in a really ugly QB room.

🔥 Who's hot: add before your waivers run

Audric Estime, RB, Saints (about 4% rostered on Yahoo): led New Orleans' backfield in touches in his first game. His value shrinks when Travis Etienne returns, but for now he's the lead back.
Corey Kiner, RB, Patriots (about 4%): gets the early-down work while Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson are out. A reasonable RB2/flex.
Keenan Allen, WR, 49ers (about 46% on ESPN): PPR flex with real targets.
Fernando Mendoza, QB, Raiders: the best new QB streamer.
Darren Waller, TE, Panthers (about 7%): the No. 1 tight end of Week 9, and a streaming option against the Saints.
Konata Mumpfield, WR, Rams (about 1%) and Tyler Higbee, TE, Rams (about 18%): with Puka Nacua hurt and Davante Adams out, someone has to catch the ball in LA.
Caleb Douglas, WR, Dolphins (about 29%): clearly Miami's best receiver right now. He went over his line on our GAP Board Sunday with 70 yards.
Antonio Williams, WR, Commanders (about 31%): the primary target since Terry McLaurin's season-ending injury.

Stash list
Josh Downs, WR, Chiefs: opportunity with Worthy out.
Emmett Johnson, RB, Chiefs: gold if anything happens to Kenneth Walker III.
Samaje Perine, RB, Bengals: the top handcuff to Chase Brown.
Shedeur Sanders, QB, Browns: likely the Week 10 starter after a strong debut, with a good schedule after Cleveland's Week 11 bye.
🚫 Who to stay away from
Tre Tucker and Michael Mayer, Raiders: too much uncertainty with a rookie QB.
Jordan Watkins, WR, 49ers: a one-week rental now that Allen has arrived.
Kayshon Boutte and Tank Dell, WR, Texans: big Week 9s, but Houston has too many mouths to feed in a five-man rotation. Don't chase the points.
Kaleb Johnson, RB, Packers: only matters if Josh Jacobs misses time, and even then it's a shared backfield.
Mike Washington Jr., RB, Raiders: a rough Week 9, and not startable in Week 10. Depth only.
Carson Wentz and Max Brosmer, Vikings: Cousins is coming. Done.
Who to cut
Michael Wilson, WR, Cardinals: out for the season with a neck injury.
Xavier Worthy, WR, Chiefs: droppable in shallow leagues. He's out at least a couple of weeks, and Downs now competes for his role.
Adonai Mitchell, WR, Jets: too inconsistent, with Garrett Wilson due back and Omar Cooper Jr. now the No. 2.
Don't drop: Kyle Monangai (Bears, back after the bye) and Devaughn Vele (Saints, out-snapped Jordyn Tyson 70-18 in Week 9).
The receipts: Monday night

We had three GAP Board props on Monday night, and all three missed:

Keon Coleman under 2.5 receptions: 3
James Cook over 1.5 receptions: 0. Buffalo gave him 31 carries instead.
T.J. Hockenson over 40.5 receiving yards: 33. Wentz's 81-yard night sank every Vikings pass-catcher.

That takes Sunday's NFL board to a final 13–12. Not the finish we wanted, but every pick gets graded in public, good nights and bad. The full record is on the Bounty Board.

Make the move in your league

Every league's wire is different. Top Waiver Wire shows only the players actually available in your league, with the points each one would add to your lineup this week. Then check Start 'Em / Sit 'Em before you set your Week 10 lineup.

Who's your top add this week? Tell us at r/GAPodds.

References
ESPN: Fantasy football impacts of the NFL trade deadline
ESPN: 2026 trade deadline winners and losers
FanDuel Research: Fantasy winners and losers after the trade deadline
CBS Sports: Week 10 trade chart and rest-of-season rankings
FantasyPros: Week 10 waiver wire, players to add, stash and drop
Yahoo Sports: NFL trade deadline tracker
ESPN: Bills 23, Vikings 6