With each passing week of the 2025 NFL season, it seems like more and more fantasy waiver-wire options are becoming true priority targets. Ahead of Week 10, we are now halfway through the real-life regular season, and over halfway through the fantasy football regular season, so it’s time to consolidate your roster into a playoff-ready squad.
The fantasy playoffs are right around the corner, and you don’t want to be just another first-round exit. However, if you are still outside of the playoff picture in your fantasy football league, there is plenty of time to move up the standings. While we know where many players stand in terms of fantasy value this year already, you can still make some impactful moves to shore up your roster for the final stretch of the regular season.
Many of these moves could be waiver-wire pickups. Grabbing some instant-impact players at a position of need on your roster could be the quickest way to get back into contention in your league’s standings. There are plenty of options currently owned in less than half of all ESPN fantasy leagues that could provide a much-needed boost to your lineup.
Let’s go over the four best options on the fantasy football waiver wire ahead of Week 10 of the NFL season while also breaking down some honorable mentions!
Note: Remember that if you don’t see a certain player on this list who you think deserves to be mentioned, it could be because we have already listed them in a previous article in this series!
J.J. McCarthy (QB, MIN)
25.3% Rostered in ESPN Leagues
In quarterback J.J. McCarthy’s first action since Week 2 against the Atlanta Falcons, the sophomore (rookie) quarterback looked sharp against a talented Lions defense. The Michigan product threw for 143 passing yards, two passing touchdowns, and one interception, while also adding in 12 rushing yards and another score on the ground.
McCarthy certainly brought a spark back to a Minnesota offense that struggled to find an identity without their starting quarterback. After being sidelined for over a month with an ankle injury, McCarthy looks ready to produce for fantasy managers going forward.
As a fantasy asset, J.J. McCarthy presents solid value. He’s flying fairly under the radar due to his lack of experience, but he has shown flashes of brilliance across his first three NFL starts. He will likely see more passing volume as he gains the trust of the coaching staff, and two rushing touchdowns in three games is a promising statistic on the ground.
Overall, J.J. McCarthy is a very intriguing fantasy quarterback option with a high ceiling and a low floor. He’s worth grabbing now as a stash in case he has a strong second half to the 2025 season.
Tory Horton (WR, SEA)
7.2% Rostered in ESPN Leagues
Rookie wideout Tory Horton has been fantastic so far for the Seattle Seahawks in his first year out of Colorado State. He has provided immediate production to a blossoming Seahawks passing attack that includes names like Sam Darnold and Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
Horton has developed a knack for making big plays, scoring a whopping five touchdowns in his first 13 receptions in the NFL, including a two-touchdown performance against Washington on Sunday Night Football in Week 9. This means that the rookie has scored on nearly half of his receptions so far this season.
Veteran wide receiver Cooper Kupp has struggled to stay healthy over the past few seasons and missed Week 9 with a hamstring and a heel injury. It wouldn’t be a major jump in logic to assume that Horton would start to receive more opportunities in this offense as a young, cheap, high-upside option.
If Cooper Kupp were to miss more time, Horton would have the chance to see some sustained value. It’s not out of the question to assume that Horton has already earned a role in this offense, especially after his most recent outing. If he takes on a larger role, the rookie will become fantasy relevant in an efficient and explosive passing offense.
Tory Horton is a low-risk, high-upside option going forward in fantasy football who should be rostered in many more leagues than he is currently.
Colston Loveland (TE, CHI)
23.6% Rostered in ESPN Leagues
Rookie tight end Colston Loveland, the tenth-overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft, finally had the breakout game of his rookie year, gashing a weak Cincinnati defense for six receptions, 118 receiving yards, and two receiving touchdowns.
Loveland came up big in Chicago’s thrilling win over Cincinnati on Sunday, providing the game-winning touchdown on the second of his two scores. The Michigan product had an impressive catch-and-run of 58 yards all the way into the end zone, leaving just 17 seconds on the clock and effectively ending the game.
While this performance was very promising, I have reason to believe that Loveland’s production could extend past this week. The rookie tight end was drafted highly for a reason: his skills as a receiver are extremely impressive. Coming out of Michigan, he displayed elite route-running skills for the tight end position and receiver-like athleticism.
If he can earn a true role in head coach Ben Johnson’s offense, Loveland could provide some serious production during the second half of the regular season. He has the talent to contribute; all he needs are the targets, which he finally seems to be getting.
Theo Johnson (TE, NYG)
33.1% Rostered in ESPN Leagues
Second-year tight end Theo Johnson has seen a rise in fantasy production ever since Jaxson Dart took over as the Giants’ starting quarterback back in Week 4, scoring five receiving touchdowns in that span. It’s clear that Johnson and Dart have some real chemistry, as the tight end’s most consistent production and volume have come with the rookie quarterback under center.
At a position where steady production is hard to find, Theo Johnson could provide some big weeks if he continues to find the end zone. The former Penn State tight end has logged at least three receptions in five of his last six games, which is pretty decent production for a tight end who was off the fantasy roster coming into this season.
In the end, I believe that Johnson could be a solid tight end to stash on your bench in case his production continues to improve.
HM. Joe Flacco (QB, CIN)
HM. Michael Penix Jr. (QB, ATL)
HM. Olamide Zaccheaus (WR, CHI)
HM. Alec Pierce (WR, IND)
HM. Parker Washington (WR, JAX)
HM. Dalton Schultz (TE, HOU)