Waiver Wire Week 10: Top Pickups and Drops

There are always two sides of the waiver process for fantasy football managers.

The fun one is the addition. Whether you're chasing the potential of an up-and-comer, looking for sneaky value ahead of an exploitable matchup or searching for a streamer to cover up a lineup absence, you're adding someone to your roster who can really make an impact.

The difficult one is the drop. These are never enjoyable, even if you're hoping for some addition by subtraction. Everything from injuries to byes to lackluster performances can move someone to the chopping block, and you can only hope you aren't too far from your initial investment.

We'll examine both sides of the coin with two adds—available in 50-plus percent of Yahoo leagues, per FantasyPros—and two drops for Week 10 of the 2021 NFL season.

Rashod Bateman lost the first five weeks of his rookie campaign after undergoing groin surgery in the preseason. He's been making up for lost time ever since.

The first-round pick out of Minnesota has been targeted at least six times in each of his three outings so far. On Sunday, he saw season highs in targets (eight) and receptions (five). And while they only yielded 52 receiving yards without a score, they kept hope alive that his breakout is coming soon.

Soon could be next week, by the way, when the Ravens draw the Miami Dolphins, which have allowed the third-most fantasy points to wide receivers this season, per NFL.com.

Even when Chuba Hubbard was at his best, there was always an expiration date on his fantasy value.

Christian McCaffrey's return on Sunday just pushed the 22-year-old past that point.

The Panthers didn't go wild with their star running back's usage (14 rushes, five targets), but his return still torpedoed Hubbard's value. One week removed from 24 carries, he received just three rushes for three yards, adding one catch on two targets for 33 yards.

Unless you're keeping the Oklahoma State product as a handcuff or playing in the deepest of fantasy leagues, there's no need for him on your roster anymore.

Keep an eye on the injury reports this week, as they could make or break this recommendation.

If Rhamondre Stevenson seems good to go after exiting Sunday's game against the Carolina Panthers early with a head injury, he'll command your waiver-wire attention.

The 23-year-old was New England's leading rusher (62 yards) and receiver (44 yards) in that contest, and he flashed some explosive ability that could one day make him the preferred player in this backfield.

Will that day come in Week 10? That's always hard to tell with the way the Patriots handle their running back room, but if Stevenson is good to go and Damien Harris (who also exited early with a head injury) isn't, then the Oklahoma product could have the green light for something close to a featured role.

If you rolled the dice and started Jordan Love in Week 9, don't be too hard on yourself for the decision. It made sense since he was starting against an exploitable defense and surrounded by playmakers.

But the 23-year-old's inability to capitalize on that situation says everything you need to know about his fantasy outlook. He became just the second quarterback to not throw for at least 222 yards against the Chiefs, finishing his day with 190 yards, a 55.9 completion percentage and one touchdown with one interception.

Those numbers alone should put Love on the chopping block, but his fate is sealed by the possibility that Aaron Rodgers could be cleared to return in time to play in Week 10.