Fantasy Football Week 9 Waiver Wire
By Brandon Lane
QUARTERBACK
Justin Fields, Chicago Bears
*Roster Percentage: 41%
Since Week 5 Fields has been one of the better fantasy quarterbacks options out there. He has finished as the QB13/QB8/QB5/QB5 over the last four weeks. The Bears are opening up the playbook and designing runs for their athletic QB. In Week 8 he completed 17-of-23 passes for 151 yards, two touchdowns while padding his day by rushing for 60 additional yards and another score. The Bears upgraded their WR corps by trading for athletic wide-out Chase Claypool at the NFL trade deadline.
Taylor Heinicke, Washington Commanders
Roster Percentage: 7%
Things don’t often need to look pretty to produce for fantasy. Heinicke completed 23 of his 31 passes for 279 yards and a score while also rushing six times for 29 additional yards and another touchdown. Heinicke does not have a big arm and tends to force the ball to his play-makers which can lead to unpredictable outings in fantasy. But if you are looking to stream in Week 9 you could do worse as Washington faces a Minnesota defense that has given up the 9th most fantasy points to quarterbacks.
Marcus Mariota, Atlanta Falcons
Roster Percentage: 26%
Just when you throw in the towel on the Falcons passing game they throw us a curve ball. In Week 8 Mariota completed 20-of-28 passes for 253 yards, three touchdowns. Sure he also threw two picks… but baby steps, am I right? And as we have come to expect the mobile QB gave us a bit of lagniappe rushing six times for 43 additional yards. These stats were bolstered by an overtime performance so keep expectations in-check. In Week 9 the Falcons head to LA to face the Chargers.
Others to Consider:
Deshaun Watson (21% week 13 return), Andy Dalton (14% @ BAL), P.J. Walker (6% @ CIN)
RUNNING BACK
If available:
D’Onta Foreman (76%), Khalil Herbert (64%), Tyler Allgeier (55%)
Jeff Wilson Jr., Miami Dolphins
Roster Percentage: 35%
The Dolphins acquired Jeff Wilson from the 49ers at the NFL trade deadline. The trade reunites Wilson with head coach Mike McDaniel from their time together in San Francisco. Wilson should immediately take on a timeshare role with starter Raheem Mostert and be given short yardage and goal-line opportunities.
Deon Jackson, Indianapolis Colts
Roster Percentage: 8%
The Colts shipped Nyheim Hines to the Bills opening up Deon Jackson to become the new pass catching back for Indy. Starter Jonathan Taylor has struggled with an ankle injury this season and was once again in-and-out of the Week 8 match-up. This could lead to more touches for Jackson moving forward. The Colts organization is going all in on their youth movement. We saw Jackson thrive in the absence of Taylor in Weeks 5 and 6 so grabbing him now could be a sneaky move your league-mates might not see coming.
Kenyan Drake, Baltimore Ravens
Roster Percentage: 32%
Here we go again…After the Ravens welcomed back Gus Edwards with open arms in Week 7 which led to Kenyan Drake falling off the map. Oddly in Week 8 Drake drew the start and rushed seven times for 62 yards tacking on four receptions for five yards and a touchdown. Edwards did see the bulk of the work but suffered a hamstring injury that could hold him out in Week 9 making Drake once again fantasy relevant.
Chuba Hubbard, Carolina Panthers
Roster Percentage: 43%
Hubbard was injured in Week 7 but is likely to return in Week 9. We saw teammate D’Onta Foreman explode in Week 8 rushing 26 times for 118 yards and three touchdowns so its possible Hubbard takes a back seat moving forward. But fantasy managers should be aware that after the CMC trade it was Hubbard who received the start in Week 7 and rushed nine times for 63 yards and one touchdown prior to going down. Hubbard is someone to stash if you have the depth to see how this plays out.
Kyren Williams, Los Angeles Rams
Roster Percentage: 45%
While many expected the Rams to activate Williams in Week 8 it appears he wasn’t quite ready. The Rams gave Ronnie Rivers a shot but he was clearly not the answer. This backfield is a mess right now and desperately seeking a solution and the answer could very well be rookie Kyren Williams. Keep an eye on reports to see when the Rams decide to activate him.
Latavius Murray, Denver Broncos
Roster Percentage: 40%
The Broncos backfield will once again get a bit more crowded after they acquired Chase Edmonds at the trade deadline. In Week 8 Latavius Murray rushed 14 times for 46 yards and one touchdown. With Melvin Gordon still in town this is looking like a messy committee that might be worth avoiding in all but deeper leagues. The Broncos are on Bye this week, they take on the Titans in Week 10.
Others to Consider:
Alexander Mattison (45%), Isiah Pacheco (34%), Rachaad White (30%), Jaylen Warren (5%), Caleb Huntley (4%), Damien Williams (3%), Zack Moss (3%)
WIDE RECEIVER
If available:
Allen Robinson II (66%), George Pickens (64%), Kadarius Toney (58%), Devin Duvernay (54%), Darnell Mooney (51%)
Garrett Wilson, New York Jets
Roster Percentage: 37%
The loss of star rookie running back Breece Hall led the Jets to air it out in Week 8. Garrett Wilson was the main beneficiary taking on the alpha role reeling in 6-of-7 targets for 115 yards. Admittedly it’s hard to trust the Jets with QB Zach Wilson struggling under center but its likely the team will be forced to throw more moving forward. The Jets take on a stout Bills defense in Week 9 and then head into their Bye in Week 10.
Joshua Palmer, Los Angeles Chargers
Roster Percentage: 27%
Starter Mike Williams will likely be out a few weeks with a high ankle sprain thrusting second year wide out Palmer into the spotlight. Prior to the Chargers Bye we saw Palmer garner 12 targets catching 9 of those balls for 57 yards. I expect the Chargers to come out firing against an Atlanta defense which has given up the 2nd most fantasy points to wide-outs this season.
Rondale Moore, Arizona Cardinals
Roster Percentage: 36%
Predicting when you can use Moore can be difficult but if you took a chance last week it payed off when he caught 7-of-8 targets for 92 yards and a touchdown. Moore has won the slot role for the Cardinals and the return of WR1 Deandre Hopkins has opened things up for the shifty Moore. If you are seeking a WR4/Flex option on your squad this spicy little nugget could serve up some more sauce moving forward.
Others to Consider:
Romeo Doubs (47%), Jameson Williams (25%), Donovan Peoples-Jones (24%), Treylon Burks (17%), Terrace Marshall Jr. (1%)
TIGHT END
Greg Dulcich, Denver Broncos
Roster Percentage: 41%
Is it his flowing locks, the stache, his stylish dress or just that the rookie is flat out ballin’; whatever it is he is worthy of a pickup in most leagues even with the Broncos heading into a Week 9 Bye. In Week 8 Dulchich caught 4-of-5 balls for 87 yards while playing a season high 82% of snaps. If you have the room to pick him up and stash him during his Bye he should be a solid fantasy option rest of season.
Tyler Conklin, New York Jets
Roster Percentage: 12%
Can’t count out the Conk! As I mentioned previously the Jets pass catchers are a bit hard to trust with Zach Wilson under center but in Week 8 Conklin found the end-zone twice while catching 6 of his 10 targets for 79 yards. The season ending injury to RB Breece Hall might force the Jets to go to the air making Conklin once again fantasy relevant.
Evan Engram, Jacksonville Jaguars
Roster Percentage: 43%
In the tight end fantasy wasteland its hard to know who you can rely on week-to-week but Evan Engram apparently can be considered a low-end TE1 based on volume. In Week 8 he caught 4-of-6 targets for 55 yards and one touchdown. If you are streaming at the TE position in Week 9 Engram could be one of your better options as Las Vegas has given up the 3rd most fantasy points to tight ends this season.
Others to Consider:
Cade Otton (13%), Isaiah Likely (5%)
DEFENSE
Minnesota @ WAS
Miami @ CHI
Cincinnati vs CAR
Kansas City vs TEN
*Roster percentages based on Yahoo
