There are only four weeks left in most fantasy football regular seasons in 2025. That means the playoff push has begun.

By now, most of the reliable starters who could lift you to the pretend postseason are long gone — but not all. November and December is a stage for fantasy football legends to emerge from the ether, rise up from the waiver wire and baffle owners who suddenly find their seasons ended by players like Isaac Guerendo, Noah Brown or Alexander Mattison.

Our job in this column is to try and identify those guys so you can snap them up off the waiver wire without losing a key contributor in the process. These are FTW’s waiver ladders, where NFL betting expert Mike “the Rhode Island Scumbag” Boyadjian and I look at the guys rising up the waiver wire and whether or not they can sustain a hot Week 10 performance — and who we’d drop to make room for them.

Let’s dive right into things with a former 1,000-yard rusher now stuck behind the most dynamic tailback in the game.

RB Tyler Allgeier, Atlanta Falcons (33 percent owned in Yahoo! Fantasy leagues)Week 10: 11 carries, 57 yards, two touchdowns

The Falcons’ coaching staff got to Berlin and everyone turned into Arthur Smith. We saw Kyle Pitts’ role shrink – his two catches were his lowest of the season, though Michael Penix Jr.’s sudden lack of accuracy played a part. We also saw Atlanta’s power back earn his first multiple touchdown game since 2023’s season opener. Allgeier only had 23 snaps vs. Bijan Robinson’s 54, but he got the ball on nearly half his plays (11 carries) and had five red zone touches to Robinson’s one.

The concern is, as it has been since 2023, that Allgeier’s path to big numbers is blocked by one of the most dynamic athletes in the NFL. The former BYU star has also been done few favors up front; he’s averaged 3.6 yards per carry this season but 3.7 yards per carry after contact, which means a) defenses know he’s coming and b) they’re regularly getting to him at the line of scrimmage or worse.

Still, he persists. The boom/bust aspect of his game will always be there, especially with no passing game impact (six targets in nine games). But as far as platoon tailbacks go, you could do worse.

vs. Tennessee Titans RB Tyjae Spears (36 percent)

Spears has performed well as a change of pace back behind Tony Pollard, though the numbers suggest a larger role would have a limiting effect on his efficiency. While Pollard is roughly a league-average tailback (0.0 rush yards over expected (RYOE) per carry), Spears clocks in at a career-worst -0.8 RYOE/carry despite his 5.1 yards per handoff.

The coaching switch from Brian Callahan to Mike McCoy has modestly increased his role, but he’s always going to be limited by the fact he plays for Tennessee – a team destined to trail throughout the second half of its games. However, his utility as a receiver – 14 targets and 64 routes per game in his last four weeks – makes him the better play in PPR leagues.

Verdict: Allgeier in non-PPR leagues, Spears everywhere else.

vs. Arizona Cardinals RB Trey Benson (61 percent)

Opportunity knocked for Benson when James Conner was lost to injured reserve. That lasted 1.5 games before the 2024 third round pick suffered a knee injury that’s put him on the shelf since Week 4. His return date is still murky, but RB1 carries await when he returns thanks to uneven performances from Michael Carter, Bam Knight and Emari Demercado over the last month.

Benson was efficient in small doses in September; his 1.8 RYOE per carry are better than Jonathan Taylor’s 1.7 this fall. He’s got home run speed and had 15 targets in his last three games. But you’re stuck betting on his return here, which could still be weeks away and eventually land him in a committee approach for an offense where nothing makes a ton of sense at the moment. His upside is high, but if you need immediate contributions to stay in your playoff race, holding here is tough.

Verdict: Benson, unless you really, truly need a running back in Week 11.

vs. Kansas City Chiefs RB Isiah Pacheco (71 percent)

On paper, this should be a romp for the Chiefs tailback who runs like he’s trying to stab the ground. In reality, it’s much closer than you might expect. Pacheco has been an unimpressive cog in a broken running machine. His 60.2 PPR points this season are nearly 10 fewer than Allgeier’s output so far (albeit in one fewer game).

After uneven usage early in the season, Pacheco has hit at least 40 snaps in each of his last four games. But that’s only resulted in 219 total yards (202 on the ground, 17 on five receptions). He has a single touchdown this season. While he’s the more consistent option, Kansas City’s backs are a bit of a black hole – only one team has fewer broken tackles than the Chiefs’ six this season. If you need a boom-bust option instead of a player likely to get you six to 10 points each Sunday, this is a tougher call than you’d expect.

Verdict: Pacheco, but I don’t like it.WR Jayden Higgins, Houston Texans (14 percent owned)Week 10: Seven targets, five catches, 42 yards and a touchdown

Higgins has been a bit inscrutable as a second round rookie. He was largely a non-factor early in the season but had eight targets in Week 8 and seven in Week 10, leading to touchdowns and double-digit fantasy points in the process. Week 9? One target and four yards.

C.J. Stroud’s absence due to a head injury didn’t help, but it’s clear Higgins is beginning to build more trust in a receiving corps light on dynamic playmakers. Christian Kirk was a non-factor in Week 10 and Jaylin Noel got only four targets, leaving his former Iowa State teammate as Houston’s WR2. The question now is whether it can stay that way.

vs. New England Patriots WR Mack Hollins (zero percent)

Well here’s an interesting thing. Hollins, drafted as a safety valve, blocker, occasional downfield threat and overall good vibes guy (just look at those pregame fits!) has two games with 15-plus fantasy points in his last three outings. Though Kayshon Boutte’s absence has played a role, it’s clear he’s found a place in Drake Maye’s expanding circle of trust.

His 1.7 yards per route run (YPRR) is better than Courtland Sutton or Ladd McConkey, albeit in about half the playing time, and ranks in the top third of qualified wide receivers. But that’s also the highest mark of his career. His place as a downfield/intermediate target will give way to a returning Boutte, so while he’s a solid, inexpensive daily fantasy option he lacks the season-long upside of the younger Higgins.

vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR Tez Johnson (32 percent)

Johnson will keep getting targets as long as the Bucs’ top wideouts keep getting hurt. Which means he’ll probably be viable through the end of the fantasy campaign, at least. His two touchdowns made him a potential game-breaker in Week 10, but the underlying numbers aren’t as optimistic.

Johnson ran 40 routes in Week 8 and got a career-high nine targets. He ran 39 against the Patriots, often matched up against the Pats’ non-Christian Gonzalez cornerbacks and managed only five passes thrown his way. While he maximized those looks, his 1.1 yards per target were his lowest in a game since Week 4.

Still, he seems better entrenched in the Bucs offense than Higgins in the Texans and has a more stable quarterback, at least at the moment. 

vs. Jacksonville Jaguars WR Parker Washington (41 percent) 

Washington has seen his star rise and fall in Liam Coen’s offense, getting 11 targets in Week 3 and then fading to the background as Brian Thomas Jr. slowly came back online and Travis Hunter earned a larger role at wideout. But with that pair injured he’s run 105 routes the last three weeks, resulting in 26 targets, 15 catches, 175 receiving yards and a touchdown (plus a return touchdown in Week 10).

That’s a lot of work for a former sixth-round pick who has already matched his career high in targets. But who will relieve him of his duties? Thomas will be back from his ankle injury but has been uneven this season, giving Washington more of a chance to work into Trevor Lawrence’s trust tree. Hunter will miss at least two more games. The opportunity should persist for Washington, and his explosiveness makes him too appealing to pass up.

TE Cade Otton, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (42 percent owned)Week 10: 12 targets, nine catches, 82 yards 

There’s a healthy amount of impactful tight ends floating around out as the fantasy playoff push begins. Otton has hit double digits in four of his last five games and put up eight in the one miss in that stretch. His 1.12 YPRR, however, ranks only 43rd among 70 qualified tight ends – making him about as efficient as Luke Musgrave or the desiccated husk of Evan Engram despite playing in an offense that’s lost its biggest veteran skill players for long stretches this fall.

That’s not a deal breaker at tight end, but it shows how Otton is out there spending much more time in the slot or split wide than as an in-line blocker, but only has modest throws to show for it. Sunday was only his second game with more than six targets this fall.

vs. Houston Texans TE Dalton Schultz (34 percent):

Schultz is being targeted closer to the line of scrimmage than any year but his 2017 rookie campaign. But given Houston’s lack of experienced pass catchers, that’s been a boon for whomever is throwing passes. He’s on pace for 85 catches and 827 yards – both of which would be career highs. 

He’s also only had four red zone targets in nine games, which explains his lone touchdown. That will limit his ceiling, but his floor is looking pretty dang sturdy — especially when you consider Otton only has one red zone target this fall.

vs. Cleveland Browns TE David Njoku (56 percent):

Njoku is in a tough spot. He’s playing for a young quarterback who is checking down often; Cleveland’s has run two tight ends on the field at the same time (12 personnel) about half its snaps this season. Njoku and Harold Fannin Jr. make up roughly 32 percent of the team’s targets. 

Njoku’s routes run and targets have fallen steadily as the season wears on. Fannin has run 54 routes over the last two weeks to Njoku’s 40 and earned more than twice as many targets (15 to seven). The veteran is an important piece of the Browns’ rebuilding offense, but that doesn’t mean he should be on your fantasy roster.

vs. Minnesota Vikings TE T.J. Hockenson (72 percent):

Hockenson has been a reliable blocker but relative non-factor in the receiving game. His average target distance of 4.3 yards downfield is half as far as it was last season with Sam Darnold at quarterback. His 0.82 yards per route run are the lowest of his career and 59th best among 70 tight ends.

Hockenson is a tantalizing player with proven past production. But he’s being utilized differently in 2025 to prop up J.J. McCarthy. The name value is there; the actual value is not. But hey, maybe someone will trade for him!

Week 11 stash pick (player who is 10 percent owned or less who can help your team down the line)

Christian: RB Devin Neal, New Orleans Saints

Alvin Kamara has been a below average runner for several seasons. His -0.7 RYOE per carry is the worst of his career. His -10.6 receiving EPA are similarly a personal worst.

First year head coach Kellen Moore knows he needs guys who can help Tyler Shough reach his potential, so it makes sense to have an adult in the room for a depleted offense. But he also knows he’s building to a future, which means figuring out what Neal can bring to the table. Neal had four carries for 22 yards and three catches on three targets in Sunday’s win over the Carolina Panthers. Expect his role to grow for a franchise that needs to figure out what its keepers are.

Mike Boyajian, aka the Rhode Island Scumbag: WR Adonai Mitchell, New York Jets

Mitchell has a major opportunity ahead with Garrett Wilson re-injuring the same knee that kept him out previously. Itching for a second chance, he’s a player that can make something out of nothing, and with the Jets that’s exactly what he will have to do. He has eight games to show his new team the talented individual that was a highly regarded draft pick with all the intangibles just 19 months ago.