Tyler Allgeier, Emari Demercado, And 3 More Week 11 Running Back Waiver Wire Pickups

Week 11 waiver wire running back targets feature Emari Demercado, Tyler Allgeier, and three more potential fantasy breakout options amid injuries and bye weeks.

Atlanta Falcons running back Tyler Allgeier (25) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Indianapolis Colts during the NFL Berlin Game at Olympic Stadium. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Week 10 is now behind us, and it's time to start looking forward to Week 11. The first step towards next week is hitting our league's waiver wire. One of the most important positions to get right is the running backs. This could be a particularly big week for the running backs due to both injuries and bye weeks. 

Emari Demercado, Arizona Cardinals

Demercado continues to be the best running back in Arizona despite seeing limited opportunities. In Week 10, he took four carries for 64 yards at 16 yards per carry and caught three of his four targets for 40 yards. In the third quarter of the game, Bam Knight suffered an ankle injury and was not able to return to the game. His availability for Week 11 is very much in question, as is the availability of Trey Benson, who has not played since Week 4 due to a knee injury.

There is a real chance that Demercado is the RB1 in Arizona this week. Michael Carter also becomes a bit more intriguing if both backs are out, while Demercado would still hold value as the change-of-pace back regardless of who plays.    

Brian Robinson Jr, San Francisco 49ers

San Francisco 49ers running back Brian Robinson Jr. (3) warms up prior to the game against the Los Angeles Rams at Levi's Stadium. | Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

Christian McCaffrey has seen massive volume this season, but he hasn't been nearly as efficient as he had been in the past. That large amount of volume also makes him a higher injury risk. While Robinson is a player who is a must-own in case of a CMC injury, he also outperformed McCaffrey on the ground this week. Robinson carried the ball eight times for 41 yards and a touchdown, while McCaffrey rushed 12 times for 30 yards.  

Tyler Allgeier, Atlanta Falcons

We know that Allgeier is capable of this, but we often get impatient and frustrated with him. It's also very difficult to predict when he will boom and when he will bust. This week, he was the back to start in Atlanta. He took 11 carries for 57 yards and scored two TDs. Any given week, he can find the end zone and have a big game, making him a potential boom-or-bust flex option most weeks. 

Tahj Brooks, Cincinnati Bengals

Cincinnati Bengals running back Tahj Brooks (25) runs the ball before the NFL game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati on Oct. 16, 2025. | Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Brooks could see work for the Bengals this week. It flew a bit under the radar because of their Week 10 bye, but Samaje Perine suffered a high-ankle sprain in that game and is going to miss some time moving forward. With Perine out, Brooks could see a similar amount of work to what Perine had been seeing prior to the injury. 

D'Ernest Johnson, New England Patriots

This is only for the deepest leagues, but Terrell Jennings exited Week 10 and did not return, and Rhamondre Stevenson's status for Week 11 is very much up in the air. Johnson could step in and take over that short-yardage and early-down role that Jennings looked like he was doing before he got injured in the first quarter on Sunday. Don't just assume it's going to be all Henderson just because of the big week.