The NFL Trade Deadline is right around the corner (next Tuesday, to be exact), which means chaos and opportunity are about to hit the fantasy football world. Every year, we see surprise moves that shake up depth charts, open up workloads, and turn benchwarmers into weekly starters overnight. Smart fantasy managers know that the best time to strike is before the chaos begins, and that’s exactly what this week’s stash list is all about.
Whether it’s a rookie poised for a bigger role, a backup who could take over after a trade, or a talented player flying just under the radar, Week 9 is the perfect time to load up your bench with potential post-deadline risers. We’ve highlighted a handful of names who could see their stock skyrocket in the coming weeks, who are the kind of sneaky stashes who might just help you win your league when it matters most. Let’s dig into this week’s Last-Minute Fantasy Football Week 9 Stashes and find your next breakout before everyone else catches on.
HEADS UP: Each player featured is rostered in 30% or fewer leagues on Yahoo! at the time of publication.
FANTASY FOOTBALL WEEK 9 STASHES
QUARTERBACK STASHES
JJ MCCARTHY, MINNESOTA VIKINGS (26% ROSTERED)
JJ McCarthy is back from his totally real ankle injury, not a quiet benching, definitely not that, which conveniently healed right around the time Carson Wentz hit IR. Funny how that works. With Wentz now out for the year after shoulder surgery, the former Michigan Man is once again in line to take the reins for the Vikings heading into Week 9 against the Lions. McCarthy told reporters his ankle feels “amazing” and “ready to go,” and he’s handled every first-team rep in practice this week, meaning all signs point to him reclaiming the QB1 job.
In his first two games, McCarthy flashed some fantasy intrigue with a 22-point debut before crashing back to Earth with just four points the next week. Still, he’s shown a bit of mobility (50 rushing yards and a TD in those two games) and gets a friendly rest-of-season schedule that includes the Bears, Commanders, Cowboys, and Giants. In Kevin O’Connell’s QB-friendly system, McCarthy’s got a shot to be more than just a stash; he could be a sneaky second-half streamer if things click.
OTHER QBs TO STASH: Michael Penix Jr., Falcons (20%); Bryce Young, Panthers (14%); Tyler Shough, Saints (3%)
RUNNING BACK STASHES
ISAIAH DAVIS, NEW YORK JETS (11% ROSTERED)
Alright, this should be the last time Isaiah Davis makes an appearance here… but with the NFL Trade Deadline looming and Breece Hall’s name swirling in trade rumors, we have to keep him on the radar. Davis made the most of his Week 8 action, rushing seven times for 65 yards while catching all five of his targets for 44 more yards in the Jets’ win over the Bengals.
Breece still led the way with 18 carries, but Davis is clearly carving out a meaningful role, especially on passing downs. He saw five targets to Hall’s three, showing the Jets trust him as a dual-threat option. With a bye in Week 9 and a home matchup against the Browns up next, Davis is worth stashing as a potential post-bye breakout. If Hall really does get moved, Davis could vault into full-blown workhorse territory, the kind of late-season fantasy lottery ticket that could pay off big.
TANK BIGSBY, PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (26% ROSTERED)
Tank Bigsby finally showed some juice in Week 8, rumbling for 104 yards on just nine carries in the Eagles’ 38-20 win over the Giants. Most of that damage came after Saquon Barkley exited early in the fourth quarter with a groin injury, but it was still an eye-opening performance for the former Jaguar, who had just 23 rushing yards on the season coming into Sunday. Bigsby looked explosive and decisive, which is exactly what you want to see from a guy trying to carve out a backup role in one of the league’s most dominant rushing offenses.
With the Eagles heading into a Week 9 bye, Barkley gets some extra time to recover, but if he’s not ready for their Week 10 matchup against the Packers, Bigsby could be thrust into a significant role. We’ve seen what Philly’s lead backs can do behind that offensive line, and Bigsby has the power-speed combo to capitalize. He’s a must-stash handcuff and potential fantasy streamer if Barkley misses any time.
OTHER RBs TO STASH: Kyle Monangai, Bears (28%); Dylan Sampson, Browns (17%); Brian Robinson Jr., 49ers (25%); Ollie Gordon II, Dolphins (14%); Jaydon Blue, Cowboys (9%); Blake Corum, Rams (8%); Samaje Perine, Bengals (8%); Emanuel Wilson, Packers (7%); Devin Neal, Saints (3%); Keaton Mitchell, Ravens (1%)
WIDE RECEIVER STASHES
CHRISTIAN WATSON, GREEN BAY PACKERS (28% ROSTERED)
Christian Watson made his long-awaited return in Week 8 and wasted no time reminding everyone what he can do. In his first game since tearing his ACL less than 10 months ago, Watson caught all four of his targets for 85 yards while playing 56% of Green Bay’s offensive snaps in Pittsburgh. The Packers wisely kept him on a pitch count to ease him back in, but Watson looked explosive and confident, which is a great sign for someone coming off major knee surgery. More importantly, his presence seemed to unlock Jordan Love and the Packers’ passing game as a whole.
Green Bay’s receiving corps has been a weekly guessing game, but Watson’s vertical speed and field-stretching ability give him the kind of upside no one else on the roster offers. As he ramps up to full health, he has the potential to emerge as the true WR1 in an offense that’s finally starting to find its rhythm. If he’s still floating on your waiver wire, stash him now because this is exactly the type of post-injury breakout that can swing fantasy leagues down the stretch.
CHIMERE DIKE, TENNESSEE TITANS (17% ROSTERED)
We’ve been raving about Elic Ayomanor all season, but another rookie wideout is starting to make serious noise in Tennessee: Chimere Dike. The former Florida standout has been on a heater lately, catching seven of eight targets for 93 yards in Sunday’s loss to the Colts after breaking out the week before. Dike has now racked up 163 of his 189 receiving yards over the last two games, and he’s quickly building chemistry with Cam Ward.
With Calvin Ridley still sidelined by a hamstring injury and potentially on the trade block, Dike’s role could grow even further after the deadline. He’s caught 11 of his last 12 targets over the last two games, flashing the kind of reliability coaches love and fantasy managers crave. If Ridley misses another game or gets shipped out, Dike could be the biggest winner in the Titans’ passing game. The arrow’s pointing way up, and managers should stash him before the breakout becomes obvious.
OTHER WRs TO STASH: Cedric Tillman, Browns (11%); Elic Ayomanor, Titans (27%); Alec Pierce, Colts (26%); Jayden Higgins, Texans (23%); Tre Harris, Chargers (3%); Luther Burden III, Bears (8%); Jaylin Noel, Texans (7%)
TIGHT END STASHES
COLSTON LOVELAND, CHICAGO BEARS (23% ROSTERED)
Colston Loveland got his first real taste of NFL starting action in Week 8, stepping in for an injured Cole Kmet (back) and catching three of five targets for 38 yards in the Bears’ loss to the Ravens. The rookie looked ready to roll early, hauling in Caleb Williams’ first pass of the day, but both he and the offense sputtered from there. Still, it was a solid showing for the Michigan product, who has flashed enough talent to stay on the fantasy radar heading into the back half of the season.
Kmet had never missed a regular-season game before Sunday and isn’t expected to land on IR, but even if he sits out another week, Loveland has streamer potential against a Bengals defense that’s been shredded by tight ends all year. He’s athletic, he’s getting targets, and he’s in an offense led by Caleb Williams, who should rely on his safety valves. Stash Loveland now and stream him if you have to, because he has TE1 upside this week.
OTHER TEs TO STASH: Theo Johnson, Giants (29%); Mason Taylor, Jets (23%); Chig Okonkwo, Titans (20%); AJ Barner, Seahawks (9%); Noah Fant, Bengals (3%)
