Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Week 10: Colston Loveland, Alec Pierce & J.J. McCarthy Headline Must-Add Pickups

Bears TE Colston Loveland headlines this week's must-add players after a massive two-touchdown game, while Colts WR Alec Pierce continues to showcase his deep-threat upside. Meanwhile, J.J. McCarthy's Vikings return provided both passing and run game upside, sparking the Vikings to a divisional road win against the Lions.

With bye weeks and injuries stacking up, this week’s waiver wire is loaded with impact stashes — from breakout QBs and emerging rookie RBs to high-upside WRs and a potential TE1 breakout. Below are the top fantasy football waiver wire adds for Week 10, organized by position and FAAB recommendation.

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Top Waiver Priorities (Overall)

1. Colston Loveland (TE – Bears)

2. Alec Pierce (WR – Colts)

3. J.J. McCarthy (QB – Vikings)

4. Dylan Sampson (RB – Browns)

5. Tank Bigsby (RB – Eagles)

6. Christian Watson (WR – Packers)

7. Tory Horton (WR – Seahawks)

8. Dalton Schultz (TE – Texans)

9. Luke Musgrave (TE – Packers)

10. Darius Slayton (WR – Giants)

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Quarterbacks

J.J. McCarthy (Vikings) – 29% rostered | FAAB: 6–8%

McCarthy’s return from injury reminded everyone why he was a preseason stash candidate. In Week 9, he completed 14 of 25 passes for 143 yards and two touchdowns, while adding another score on the ground. That was good for 23 fantasy points against one of the league’s highest-graded defenses.

His chemistry with Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison is improving every week, and he’s shown sneaky rushing upside with three rushing touchdowns in as many starts. With a favorable upcoming schedule (BAL, CHI, GB), McCarthy is now a viable QB2 with streaming potential — and long-term upside in dynasty formats.

Sam Darnold (Seahawks) – 37% rostered | FAAB: 3–5%

Darnold’s efficiency remains steady, posting another top-12 QB finish last week while leading Seattle to a 38–14 win. With Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Tory Horton emerging, he’s surrounded by playmakers and has upcoming matchups against ARI, LAR, and TEN — all bottom-half pass defenses. He’s a safe streamer in all formats.

Joe Flacco (Bengals) – 32% rostered | FAAB: 5–7%

Joe Flacco continues to defy time and expectations. The veteran QB erupted for 470 yards and 4 TDs in a Week 9 shootout, marking his third straight 25-plus point fantasy outing since taking over as Cincinnati’s starter. He’s averaged 25.5 fantasy PPG since Week 6, ranking top-five at the position over that span.

The Bengals are on a Week 10 bye, but Flacco is a smart stash with four of his next six matchups coming against defenses in the bottom-10 vs. quarterbacks — including Pittsburgh, who’ve allowed the second-most fantasy points to the position. If you need QB help for the playoff push, Flacco’s veteran arm in this high-volume passing offense is worth every bit of a mid-tier FAAB bid.

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Running Backs

Dylan Sampson (Browns) – 16% rostered | FAAB: 6–8%

With Quinshon Judkins sidelined (shoulder), Sampson is in line for expanded work. He caught five passes for 29 yards after Judkins’ exit and could see 15+ touches if the rookie remains out. Cleveland’s schedule (NYJ, BAL, LV) includes multiple soft spots for receiving backs, and Sampson has flashed enough versatility to hold short-term Flex appeal.

Tank Bigsby (Eagles) – 26% rostered | FAAB: 5–7%

If Saquon Barkley misses time, Bigsby becomes a plug-and-play RB2 behind one of the league’s best offensive lines. He showed burst in Week 8 (104 rushing yards on nine carries) before the bye. Even if Barkley returns, Bigsby is a must-stash handcuff entering the fantasy playoff stretch.

Devin Singletary (Giants) – 5% rostered | FAAB: 3–5%

With Cam Skattebo out for the season and Tyrone Tracy Jr. banged up, Singletary split work evenly in Week 9 (32 snaps to Tracy’s 25) and handled the goal-line duties. He’s the preferred early-down back in this offense and a desperation Flex option in 12+ team leagues.

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Wide Receivers

Alec Pierce (Colts) – 26% rostered | FAAB: 8–10%

Pierce has officially entered every-week Flex consideration. He dominated in Week 9 with 13 targets, 6 receptions, and 115 yards, leading all Colts receivers. His 20.4-yard average depth of target gives him high-ceiling upside every week, and he’s averaging 10.6 PPR points per game despite not finding the end zone yet this year.

With the Colts facing a string of pass-friendly matchups down the stretch, Pierce is a priority add and a potential playoff difference-maker once his touchdown luck evens out.

Christian Watson (Packers) – 29% rostered | FAAB: 4–6%

Watson’s role in Green Bay’s offense is quietly trending up. Over the last two weeks, he’s posted a 75% route share and averaged 71.5 yards per game with an 11.7% target share and an 18.3-yard aDOT, signaling a return to his field-stretching role. With Tucker Kraft out and Jayden Reed banged up, Jordan Love will continue leaning on Watson as his vertical playmaker. Matchups against the Giants and Vikings — both ranking top-10 in fantasy points allowed to perimeter WRs since Week 4 — make Watson a high-ceiling WR3/Flex option with touchdown upside. If you need explosive boom potential for the playoff push, this is the week to stash him before he hits.

Darius Slayton (Giants) – 35% rostered | FAAB: 3–5%

With Jaxson Dart continuing to push the ball downfield, Slayton has quietly become the Giants’ most consistent perimeter weapon. In Week 9, he earned a 21% target share, catching 5 passes for 62 yards, narrowly missing a long touchdown after a big hit. His usage and chemistry with Dart are trending upward — especially with Tyrone Tracy Jr. and Cam Skattebo out, forcing New York to rely more on its vertical passing game. Upcoming matchups against Chicago and Green Bay both favor downfield receivers, giving Slayton high-end Flex appeal in 12-team formats. He’s a prime stash-and-start candidate for managers needing wide receiver depth heading into the fantasy playoffs.

Tory Horton (Seahawks) – 5% rostered | FAAB: 3–5%

Horton made the most of his opportunity with Cooper Kupp sidelined, hauling in 4 catches for 48 yards and 2 touchdowns in Seattle’s dominant Sunday night win. He played over 85% of snaps in two-receiver sets and saw a 16.6% target share, showcasing reliable route-running and chemistry with Sam Darnold in the red zone. The rookie’s ball-tracking and contested-catch ability stood out — both scores came on timing routes where Darnold trusted him to win one-on-one.

With Seattle leaning more on 11 personnel and Darnold spreading it around efficiently, Horton could maintain a meaningful role even when Kupp returns.

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Tight Ends

Colston Loveland (Bears) – 23% rostered | FAAB: 10–12%

Loveland’s long-awaited breakout finally arrived — and it was massive. The rookie erupted for 6 catches, 118 yards, and 2 TDs, including the game-winning 58-yarder against Cincinnati. With Cole Kmet sidelined (concussion), Loveland ran 46 of 52 snaps and looked every bit like a featured weapon for Drake Maye.

Even if Kmet returns, Loveland’s dynamic skill set makes him impossible to fade. He’s a rest-of-season TE1 candidate and a top priority add in all formats.

Luke Musgrave (Packers) – 0% rostered | FAAB: 3–5%

With Tucker Kraft lost for the year (ACL), Musgrave steps into a full-time role. He caught all three targets for 34 yards in Week 9 and should see a bump in red-zone usage moving forward. Green Bay’s offense funnels targets to the tight end, making him a strong speculative add in 12+ team leagues.

Dalton Schultz (Texans) – 21% rostered | FAAB: 3–5%

Schultz remains a steady veteran option, averaging 12.0 PPR points per game since Week 5. He’s Houston’s most consistent chain-mover and draws a favorable Week 10 matchup against Jacksonville, who rank in the bottom 10 vs. tight ends.

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Final Thoughts

Week 10 is the turning point of the fantasy season — the time to prioritize playoff upside over short-term patchwork. Colston Loveland offers rare breakout potential at tight end, Alec Pierce continues to trend toward every-week starter status, and J.J. McCarthy could emerge as a league-winning QB streamer down the stretch. Don’t wait for your league mates to catch up — grab these players now and prepare your roster for the postseason push.