As we enter Week 9 of the fantasy football season, the waiver wire is heating up with hidden gems and breakout studs ready to make a difference in your lineup. Injuries, underperforming players, and bye weeks create the perfect storm for fantasy managers to snag season-changing players off the fantasy football Week 9 Waiver Wire.
Let’s dive in.
Others to Consider: Jalen McMillan, Xavier Legette, Ricky Pearsall, Mike Gesicki, Kayshon Boutte, Jerry Jeudy, Hunter Henry, Will Dissly, Parker Washington, Tyler Conklin, Jermaine Burton, Blake Corum, Xavier Hutchinson
Note: Roster % based on Yahoo!
FANTASY FOOTBALL WEEK 9 WAIVER WIRE PICKUPS
10.) Michael Wilson, WR Arizona Cardinals (16%)
While both Marvin Harrison Jr and Trey McBride get most of the attention on Cardinals pass catchers, don’t be sleeping on Michael Wilson as a strong WR2 in Arizona’s offense. Wilson connected with Kyler Murray for a red zone score and finished the afternoon with five receptions for 32 yards. He has yet to fully blow up, with 78 yards as his season-high, but he makes noise as their third pass-catcher and would have massive upside if anything were to happen to Marv. The Cardinals offense also has a favorable schedule coming up for Wilson to make some noise.
9.) Matthew Stafford, QB Los Angeles Rams (39%)
Matthew Stafford finally has all his toys back at his disposal, and he showed just how good he is, throwing for 279 yards and four touchdowns against the Vikings’ tough defense. Obviously, the return of Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua will make a huge impact, and it doesn’t sound like Kupp will be going anywhere after some trade rumors. The Rams are also right back in the playoff hunt, so there are more high-scoring games on the horizon.
8.) Zach Ertz, TE Washington Commanders (28%)
Father Time has yet to fully sink his teeth into Zach Ertz. The 33-year-old has turned in a top-ten tight end season thus far after two down years thanks to his new QB that’s taking the NFL by storm. Washington has a high-powered offense, and they’ve been racking up yards and points at a blistering pace.
Ertz has developed good chemistry thus far with Jayden Daniels, seemingly the clear-cut second option in the receiving game by a large margin over the third. As the Commanders look to improve their red zone offense, Ertz will be looking to improve his own stock in the touchdown department after finally breaking the seal this week.
7.) Josh Downs, WR Indianapolis Colts (47%)
Josh Downs would have an argument for the top spot if he weren’t on the receiving end from the most inefficient quarterback in the league. But here we are. Downs caught four of nine targets for 109 yards, highlighted by a 69-yard bomb, but his quarterback can’t throw the ball into the ocean. If Shane Steichen has seen enough of Anthony Richardson, Downs would get a significant upgrade with Joe Flacco, but until then, it’s very hard to trust the Colts’ pass-catchers on a weekly basis.
*Editors Note* – Richardson has been benched for Joe Flacco in Week 9. This is a huge rise to Downs’ stock that pushes him towards the top of the Waiver Wire in the top tier.
6.) Isaac Guerendo, RB San Francisco 49ers (8%)
The rookie out of Louisville dazzled in his opportunity with the 49ers after starting RB Jordan Mason left Week 8 with a shoulder injury. Mason has been injured for the last few weeks, which could leave the door wide open for Isaac Guerendo to take more touches and opportunities in this offense should the injuries linger longer after the bye week.
The 49ers can seemingly put anyone in the backfield and line them up for success with their scheme. Guerendo looked great though, showing burst through the line of scrimmage and the ability to make defenders miss, racking up 85 rushing yards and a score on 14 carries. Who knows how this backfield will shape up the rest of the season, but if Guerendo finds himself as the lead dog one week, he’d be a lock for a starting fantasy spot.
5.) Braelon Allen, RB New York Jets (37%)
Braelon Allen took a backseat to Breece Hall once the team made a play-caller change, but that changed on Sunday when the rookie saw a career-high 12 carries and found the end zone against the Patriots. It would make sense for the Jets to lean on its rookie a bit more as their season becomes less meaningful by the week. Allen will continue to be a top RB handcuff with massive upside if anything happens to Hall.
4.) Elijah Moore, WR Cleveland Browns (2%)
A season revived thanks to a new quarterback, Elijah Moore seems to be back from the dead after a 12-target day that resulted in eight catches for 85 yards. The biggest benefactor is the increased yards per target for Moore, who had been stuck with little dinks and dunks in low target numbers. Now, the offense is flowing, and Moore is showing an ability to get open in space. The talent has always been in there; it seems now we’re finally tapping back into it.
3.) Jameis Winston, QB Cleveland Browns (6%)
In his first start of the season, Jameis Winston played masterfully, throwing for 334 yards and three scores on the day. It was the first time all season the Browns had thrown for over 300 yards, so Winston is certainly here to stay. He’s always had a big arm and a willingness to throw the ball deep and to take chances. This play style results in high-scoring opportunities and more fantasy points for Winston and the Browns offense.
2.) Bo Nix, QB Denver Broncos (25%)
The hottest QB in the fantasy right now happens to be rookie Bo Nix. After taking three weeks to throw a touchdown pass, he’s now thrown seven over his last four games. And that doesn’t even factor in his rushing upside, which is taking his fantasy outlook to another level. Nix continues to adjust and is becoming more comfortable in this offense. If he can keep up this play, while still padding his stats on the ground, he could end up in fantasy QB1 territory sooner rather than later.
1.) Cedric Tillman, WR Cleveland Browns (18%)
The No. 1 receiver over the last two weeks, surprisingly, has been Browns receiver Cedric Tillman. The Amari Cooper trade to Buffalo opened the door for Tillman to step into a full-time role, playing over 80% of snaps. Tillman rocked a 15-180-2 stat line in these two games on 21 targets. The offense looks like it’s opening up with Jameis Winston under center, and there’s no reason for Tillman to slow down over the rest of the season. More big games are on the horizon for the young stud.