Week 10 is now in the books. There are numerous storylines to track, but perhaps the most significant is the players turning it on in time for the byes. There were a lot of defensive fireworks in Week 10, so there are more than a few intriguing names on the waiver wire in leagues of all sizes. Let’s take a look at some of the names that may be worth some of your free agent budget.

Defensive Line

Jerry Hughes (DE – HOU): 5%
Jerry Hughes continues to get it done for Texans, racking up four solos, one sack, and two tackles for loss in Week 10. He is now up to eight sacks on the season, good for a tie for sixth in the league. Hughes is up to four sacks in his last three games and is all but certain to set a new career high in sacks during his age-34 season. Treat him as an upside DL2 option for a plus Week 11 matchup against a Washington Commanders team surrendering the 14th most fantasy points per game to the defensive end position. Add Hughes in leagues of all sizes.

Alex Highsmith (DE/LB – PIT): 7%
Highsmith was excellent in Week 10, racking up three solos, two assists, two sacks, two tackles for loss, and one forced fumble. Tied for fourth in the league with 8.5 sacks, Highsmith has been a revelation for the Steelers and IDP managers alike. He should only get better now that T.J. Watt has returned to the lineup and projects as a high-upside DL2 option the rest of the way. For those of you still playing IDP at Yahoo for whatever reason, he is an LB only, so he loses a bit of value. Treat him as a high-end DL2 option for a plus Week 11 matchup against a Cincinnati Bengals team allowing the 16th most fantasy points per game to opposing edge rushers.

Aidan Hutchinson (DE – DET): 8%
Aidan Hutchinson has been impressing over the last couple of weeks, most recently piling up eight solos, one sack, and one tackle for loss. He has been as inconsistent as one would expect from a rookie but has flashed his upside on multiple occasions. He is still more DL3 than DL2 due to said inconsistency but is someone all competitive league managers will want on their roster down the stretch. Treat him as a potential DL2 option for a plus Week 11 matchup against a New York Giants team relinquishing the 10th most fantasy points per game to the defensive end position.

A.J. Epenesa (DE – BUF): 0%
Epenesa saw his snaps skyrocket with Greg Rousseau sidelined and figures to have at least a couple more weeks of increased fantasy relevance. He was impressive with his added opportunity, racking up three solos, one sack, one tackle for loss, one forced fumble, and two passes defended. He is still part of a rotation that includes Shaq Lawson, Boogie Basham, and Von Miller, but Rousseau’s absence leaves a massive snap hole to fill, and Epenesa was the biggest beneficiary in Week 10. Treat him as a DL3 for a neutral Week 11 matchup against a Cleveland Browns team allowing the 22nd most fantasy points per game to the position. Add Epenesa if you find yourself in a bye-week pinch.

Leonard Williams (DT/DE – NYG): 3%
Leonard Williams seems to be rounding back into form and needs to be rostered in all competitive leagues. A DT1/DL2 mainstay when healthy, Williams racked up five solos, four assists, 0.5 sacks, and a forced fumble in Week 10. He has posted back-to-back five solo outings, a sign that he is ready to produce like the monster, run-stuffing defensive tackle we all know and love. He has 1.5 sacks over his last two games, but with Williams, his value comes from his tackle consistency. Add him wherever roster space allows.

Others to consider: Julian Okwara (DE/LB – DET): 0%, Mario Edwards (DE – TEN): 5%, Marquis Haynes (DE – CAR): 0%, Zach Allen (DT/DE – ARI): 9%, Sam Williams (DE – DAL): 0%

Linebacker

Jack Sanborn (LB – CHI): 3%
Sanborn is heating up for the Chicago Bears, exploding for nine solos, three assists, two sacks, and two tackles for loss in Week 10. He has played nearly every snap since Roquan Smith was traded to the Baltimore Ravens and should be started in all competitive leagues as an LB2 option. He has already flashed his LB1 upside and can enter the conversation if he can string together another strong outing or two. We expected to him to start hot based on his preseason play, but he has likely exceeded everyone’s expectations through two weeks of action. Add Sanborn wherever possible.

Frankie Luvu (LB – CAR): 9%
Luvu was excellent on Thursday Night Football, racking up eight solos, four assists, two sacks, and two tackles for loss. Luvu has been an elite option when healthy and should continue to produce at an LB1 level when on the field. He looks to be rounding back into his pre-injury form and needs to be rostered as such. Treat him as an LB1 option for a plus Week 11 matchup against the Baltimore Ravens.

Willie Gay Jr. (LB – KC)
Gay was excellent in Week 10, tallying six solos, two assists, one sack, one tackle for loss, and one pass defended. This was his best game since returning from suspension, and while his snaps have yet to reach the 92 percent he saw in Week 2, he is hovering around the 70 percent mark, which is enough for him to have LB3 value most weeks. However, when he gets an elite matchup like he had in Week 10, and like he will have in Week 11, he is an LB2 with LB1 upside. Gay will draw a Los Angeles Chargers team allowing the most fantasy points per game in Week 11, so fire him up with confidence as a top-25 option.

Kaden Elliss (LB – NO): 0%
Kaden Elliss played 96 percent of the snaps in Week 10 and needs to be rostered universally while Pete Werner is sidelined. Elliss exploded for three solos, four assists, one sack, one tackle for loss, and one forced fumble against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He looks like he will settle in as an LB2 option when he is making spot starts and is just that for Week 11 despite a tough on-paper matchup against a Los Angeles Rams team surrendering the sixth-fewest fantasy points per game to the position. Elliss is a strong enough pass rusher to get edge snaps, so he gets a boost against the turnstile known as the Rams offensive line.

Alex Anzalone (LB – DET): 8%
Anzalone was solid again in Week 10, this time racking up six solos, four assists, one forced fumble, and one pass defended against the Chicago Bears. Anzalone has proven LB2 upside but seems to have settled in as more of an elite LB3 option in recent weeks. Treat him as just that for a neutral Week 11 matchup against New York Giants offense allowing the 14th most fantasy points per game to opposing linebackers. Add Anzalone where needed.

Others to consider: Isaiah McDuffie (LB – GB): 0%, Quay Walker (LB – GB): 9%, Sione Takitaki (LB – CLE): 2%, Jayon Brown (LB – LV): 0%, Jamin Davis (LB – WAS): 3%

Defensive Back

Grant Delpit (S – CLE): 5%
Grant Delpit was solid in Week 10, posting six solos and four assists in a plus matchup against the Miami Dolphins. Delpit has been a little inconsistent in his first season as a starter but has established himself as a strong DB2 option that has matchup-based DB1 upside. He will be a DB2 option for a neutral Week 11 matchup against a Buffalo Bills team allowing the 21st most fantasy points per game to the position. Add him where needed.

Andrew Adams (S – TEN): 1%
Adams was at it again in Week 10, racking up six solos, one assist, and one tackle for loss. He has been excellent as a spot starter for the Titans this season and should continue to produce when called upon. Adams has at least six solos in each of his last three starts and looks to be in line for another strong outing in Week 11 against a Green Bay Packers team allowing the second most fantasy points per game to the safety position. Add him where possible with an eye on rolling him out there as a DB2 option.

Kerby Joseph (S – DET): 1%
Kerby Joseph has been balling for the Detroit Lions, most recently posting five solos and two assists in Week 10. He has recorded at least five solos in each of his last three contests, and as his two interception Week 9 proved, he has DB1 upside when everything is clicking. Kerby gets a tough Week 11 matchup, which makes him more of a low-end DB2 option, as the New York Giants have allowed the ninth fewest fantasy points per game to the position. Add Kerby where needed.

Myles Hartsfield (S/CB – CAR): 6%
Hartsfield all but vanished in Week 10, posting just one assist, but had been incredibly consistent coming into the contest, recording at least six solos in three of four, at at least five in his previous six games. He will continue to have value as long as the next man on our list remains sidelined and should be rostered universally in the interim.

Jeremy Chinn (S – CAR): 14%
Chinn should return to action within the next week or two, so if you happen to play in a league where he was dropped by an impatient manager, make the add immediately. Chinn is locked in as a DB1 option when healthy and should be rostered and stashed in leagues of all sizes. Treat him as a DB1 for Week 11 if active.

Others to consider: Adrian Amos (S – GB): 5%, Rayshawn Jenkins (S – JAC): 6%, Johnathan Abram (S – GB): 2%, Kamren Curl (S – WAS): 7%, Marcus Epps (S – PHI): 1%

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Raju Byfield is a featured writer for FantasyPros. For more from Raju, check out his profile and follow him @FantasyContext.