Welcome to the Fantasy Football Waiver Wire for Week 9.
Week 8 was a strange one, through and through. Can we chalk that up to Halloween? Maybe.
Perhaps the biggest headline is that Lamar Jackson came back after missing three games with an ankle injury and his return lasted all of one play, and now he’s on IR and might miss the rest of the season with a thumb injury. That’s going to negatively impact all of the Ravens. Throw in other injuries and the steady drumbeat of bye weeks, and the waiver wire
is once again going to be busy this week.
Unfortunately, it’s one of the weaker free agent crops of the season – so far.
The Process: Each week, I try to identify the top Waiver Wire targets and evaluate the short- and long-term prospects of those players. I also do my best to reveal which players who are coming off a big week are fool’s gold. Finally, I look at streamers who might help you in a pinch (this is usually more important during Bye weeks).
Some players discussed won’t be available in your league. I try to list players who are available in more than 50% of leagues. But what does that even mean? A 10-team league with six bench spots will have a much larger Free Agent pool than a 14-team league with eight. Most leagues fall somewhere in between. This isn’t “one size fits all.” By way of example, I won’t list Kirk Cousins, Jonah Coleman, Rachaad White, Makai Lemon, Jordyn Tyson, DeVaughn Vele, T.J. Hockenson, or Brenton Strange, among others who probably aren’t available in any of your leagues.
Note that I’m writing this column BEFORE the Week 9 Monday night game (CHI @ SEA).
WEEK 9 BYES: Steelers and Titans
Week 9 Waiver Wire
Quarterback:
Geno Smith makes my list again, and the veteran QB is delivering in his return to the team that drafted him. His last two outings: 24.5 and 19.0 fantasy points. Kansas City in Week 9 isn’t a good matchup, but the schedule is favorable for the following three games (Bills, Chargers, and Dolphins).
Let’s stay in New York (OK fine, New Jersey). J.J. McCarthy has looked outstanding through five quarters as a Giant. As in, he’s completely unrecognizable – so far – from the quarterback who was so atrocious on Minnesota last season. That excellence didn’t translate to big fantasy points in their last game (an OT upset win in Houston), but those will come if he keeps hitting his weapons all over the field, and using his legs as needed. If you need a second QB in a Superflex he’s a good target, as the first-place Giants have been moving the ball and scoring. And if he turns back into a pumpkin, it was worth the risk (same as for Big Blue).
Jacoby Brissett and Daniel Jones got benched in Week 8. I don’t know what that means long-term, but Gardner Minshew and Anthony Richardson could be in line for some starts for at least a little while. Minshew has already been named the starter for Week 9. The Colts are in free-fall, and maybe the whole team should just be avoided, minus Jonathan Taylor if he’s still there. Richardson — if he starts some games —can run and that always has value. The Cardinals throw the ball a ton and Minshew has produced at times in the past. Arizona is at Seattle this week, so you won’t want to start Minshew in Week 9. But the Colts host the Cowboys and their terrible defense, so if you really want to gamble…Anyway, of the two, I prefer Minshew.
Need a Week 9 streamer? Malik Willis gets the Lions and their generous defense.
Running Back:
There are some very good options here, but availability will vary a lot. Some of the publicly available roster percentages on the guys I’m about to list feel lower than they actually are, in practice.
Mike Washington, Jr. got the first six touches in the Raiders’ win over the Jets on Sunday and ended up with 25 carries to just two for Ashton Jeanty. He didn’t have any catches, though, and Jeanty (who may have been in the doghouse) is still dominating the third down and passing game work. This is a situation to watch. Washington is a high priority add if he’s somehow available in your league.
Tyler Allgeier had a monster game on Sunday (RB1 for the week!). It was against Dallas (the league’s worst run defense), and Jeremiyah Love is still not at 100%. It was Allgeier’s first game with more than more than 6.5 fantasy points in a month. So yeah, it’s an outlier performance. Still, he’s a very capable back, and Arizona can score. He’s a good player to have on you roster for spot starts and maybe more.
Seth McGowan should be rostered everywhere, while we all wait and see whether Jonathan Taylor gets moved. It might just get so ugly in Indianapolis that it’s an offense to completely avoid, but “first string” running backs should always be rostered. In the same vein, both Tyjae Spears and Nick Singleton are speculative adds, as Tony Pollard could possibly get traded as well.
Kenny Gainwell erupted for a monster game Sunday, but the Bucs only attempted three passes in the rain and ran both of their backs down Atlanta’s throat. I don’t think this performance is all that repeatable, and Gainwell has mostly disappointed this season after his mini-breakout last season. Still, he should be rostered.
Devin Singletary is worth a roster spot. It’s possible that New York could be adding a back via trade, but with Tyrone Tracy, Jr. on IR and Cam Skattebo straining his hamstring at the end of the Week 7 game, Singletary should be in for more work on a productive rushing offense.
Emmett Johnson and Kaelon Black are exciting rookie backups who’ve shown plenty of burst when given the chance and are in great handcuff situations. Did you see Johnson’s long TD catch-and-run at Denver? Wow. Both can be flexed in an emergency and are lottery tickets that should be rostered.
Jonathon Brooks (IR stash) is another to consider if you want to speculate.
Wide Receiver
The cupboard is pretty bare at receiver this week.
Here’s something I thought I’d never write: The Jets have a lot of weapons. A week after everyone ran out to get Omar Cooper, Jr., Cooper goose-egged and Adonai Mitchell, who put up zero points the week before in his return from injury, exploded for 7-142-1. Welcome to fantasy football! It’s going to be frustrating at times, but both players will have good games, and bad ones, on an offense that’s constantly chasing points. Cooper probably isn’t available in your league, but Mitchell might be.
De’Zhaun Stribling is an intriguing IR stash, given how banged-up the 49er receivers are. DeMarcus Robinson is too, for that matter.
Need depth? I’ll repeat a bunch of names I’ve listed in recent weeks, together with some new ones: Antonio Williams, DeMario Douglas, Keenan Allen, Malik Washington, Jahan Dotson, Caleb Douglas, Travis Hunter, Jakobi Meyers, Savion Williams, and Tank Dell.
Speculative stashes: I’m slightly intrigued by Treylon Burks, who is getting deep shots and has the frame and high catch point to be useful in the red zone, and Kyle Williams, given all the injuries to New England’s receivers.
I don’t think I’d chase Chimere Dike’s big Week 8, unless you get points for return yardage. He’s likely to go back to a very part-time role in the offense once Carnell Tate is back, and the Titans are on a bye this week which gives Tate another week.
Tight End:
Mike Gesiscki has a TD in five straight games, and six on the season. We can’t continue to ignore this. A bonus: This week he even caught a few other passes. Joe Burrow is playing out of his mind. The volume is low, and maybe the TD production isn’t sustainable, but Gesicki is scoring more fantasy points than a lot of guys who are in fantasy starting lineups each week.
Eli Raridon gets a nice bump if Hunter Henry misses time, and especially with so many New England receivers banged up.
Chig Okonkwo is now a mainstay in this column. He’s making plays, even if the volume isn’t great. Terry McLaurin’s injury has opened the door for multiple players to see more targets.
Terrance Ferguson is still an IR stash, although good luck guessing which Rams’ tight end to play every week.
It’s a low-scoring offense, but if you need depth, Greg Dulcich is getting decent volume (at least four catches and five targets in three straight games).
That’s all I’ve got. Good luck with your waiver claims!
***This column appears each Monday right here at Big Blue View. Each Thursday, my weekly fantasy preview with my rides, fades and sleepers (start/sit) appears here, and on Fridays you can find my weekly Giants Props of the week, also right here. ***
