The NFL and fantasy football seasons are over a month into the year and not slowing down anytime soon. Fantasy managers are now adjusting and tweaking their rosters based on what we’ve seen through the league’s first bunch of weeks.
Working the waiver wire is the best way to better your team and find a weekly advantage. To aid in that, here are some of the top Week 9 waiver wire claims fantasy football managers should consider.
And if your fantasy team is going downhill already, jump on over to Underdog Fantasy and dive into their weekly Best Ball tournaments, where players like those mentioned below could help you bring home the trophy each week. Sign up, and Underdog will match your initial deposit up to $100.
Top Waiver Wire Pickups in Week 9
Justin Fields, QB, Chicago Bears (26.2% Rostered)
Only a quarter of fantasy leagues roster Justin Fields, and it’s time for that to change. With 26 points against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, Fields has now put together three straight QB1 performances and just barely missed five straight due to a QB13 outing in Week 5.
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Although his passing total wasn’t great, throwing for 151 yards on 17 of 23 passing, Fields rushed for 80 yards and had three touchdowns on the day. He’s had over 40 yards on the ground in every game since Week 3, which is providing over a touchdown’s worth of fantasy production to his floor.
With upcoming matchups against the Dolphins, Lions, Falcons, and Jets, Fields might very well be a top-12 option for the rest of the season. Add him off the waiver wire if you have been streaming the position.
Taylor Heinicke, QB Washington Commanders (9.4% Rostered)
Maybe the answer was in front of Washington all along. Taylor Heinicke had another solid outing, this time against the Indianapolis Colts, completing 23 of 31 passes for 279 yards with two touchdowns in one interception. His 23 fantasy points placed him as the QB8 on the weekend, and he will continue to be the Commanders’ QB moving forward as Carson Wentz nurses a thumb injury.
There are plenty of options on this offense for Heinicke to target, including Curtis Samuel, Terry McLaurin, and even Antonio Gibson out of the backfield. With six teams on a bye, Heinicke has a decent matchup against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 9. He’s a QB to target off the fantasy waiver wire.
Chuba Hubbard, RB, Carolina Panthers (34.9% Rostered)
D’Onta Foreman looked like Derrick Henry the way he was running through defenders this weekend. Rushing 26 times for 118 yards with three touchdowns, Foreman took advantage of Chubba Hubbard’s absence.
However, that might change in Week 9, as Hubbard looks to return after missing Week 8 with an ankle injury. This is important to note as, in Week 7, Hubbard was getting the first opportunities, rushing nine times for 63 yards while adding ten through the air and scoring a touchdown before his exit.
If he is back this week, Hubbard could steal a portion of the workload from Foreman against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 9.
Khalil Herbert, RB, Chicago Bears (47.7% Rostered)
Chicago said they were going to ride the hot hand, and they are following that approach, as David Montgomery continues to be subbed out for Khalil Herbert, who looks to be the better back right now. Herbert rushed 16 times on Sunday and now has 564 yards compared to Macgomery’s 361 despite the latter having more carries.
Although I don’t think Chicago ultimately ships him off, Montgomery could be a trade candidate, thus propelling Herbert into the high-end RB2 range. Their schedule does open up over the back half, and with the ascending play of Justin Fields, Herbert is someone who should be rostered in most leagues.
James Cook, RB, Buffalo Bills (1.8% Rostered)
By no means am I guaranteeing consistent production from James Cook. I’m simply saying if you want to take a shot on the upside as the season hits the second half, there are worse options out there.
The rookie out of Georgia put up the best numbers of his career against the Green Bay Packers on Monday night when he ran five times for 34 yards and caught a 41-yard pass. Zach Moss was inactive, which shows Cook is a clear second on the depth chart.
Buffalo not only has one of the easier schedules remaining but has a chance to cement itself as having one of the best offenses we have seen since the Greatest Show on Turf. Any player in the Bills’ offense carries fantasy value, including Cook.
Isiah Pacheco, RB, Kansas City Chiefs (24.3% Rostered)
Coming off of the bye, Andy Reid has had time to figure out how he wants to attack the back half of the schedule. Few teams, if any, are better after a bye. If Week 7 was any indicator, Isiah Pacheco could be in for a busy next few weeks.
Pacheco led the team in rushing against the 49ers with eight carries for a team-high 43 yards in their blowout victory. While that stat line might be somewhat underwhelming, the fact that the rookie was listed as the starter should be a massive, massive consideration.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire will continue to be involved, but Pacheco’s time might be coming. If you are bullish on him, I’d act now before you need to fight with someone after the breakout happens.
Caleb Huntley, RB, Atlanta Falcons (5.5% Rostered)
Tyler Allgeier is receiving most of the praise, but Caleb Huntley was extremely active and productive on Sunday, rushing 16 times for 91 yards in the team’s victory over the Carolina Panthers.
Huntley was far more efficient with his carries, averaging 5.7 yards compared to Allgeier’s 2.8. What saved Allgeier’s day was his involvement in the receiving game, as the rookie caught all three of his targets for 46 yards in a score. Yet, that’s not his role. Cordarrelle Patterson has a chance of returning in Week 9, but if he doesn’t, Huntley might be the preferred option in the Falcons backfield for fantasy managers.
Rondale Moore, WR, Arizona Cardinals (46.3% Rostered)
Rondale Moore has been on the ultimate roller coaster this season. But he just had his best day of the year, catching seven of eight targets for 92 yards and a touchdown against the Vikings. Moore also rushed for 12 yards, which didn’t necessarily impact his day but was a nice bonus.
Moore looks to be the clear WR2 alongside DeAndre Hopkins, as no other Cardinals wide receiver had more than 12 yards in Week 8. With that said, a little bit of faith is needed going forward.
Managers need to hope that Kliff Kingsbury doesn’t relegate Moore to dink-and-dunk-type plays. Instead, Moore’s value would be better served by him in the intermediate window of the field. And, Kyler Murray needs to care more about wins and losses on the field than in S&D. If these things hold true, Moore becomes a solid WR3 or Flex option next week against the Seattle Seahawks.
Romeo Doubs, WR, Green Bay Packers (47.3% Rostered)
I’m sure playing from behind certainly helped, but Romeo Dobbs made the most of his opportunity on Monday night against the Bills. The fourth-rounder from Nevada caught four of his seven targets for 62 yards, including a touchdown to finish with 16 PPR points, the most he has scored since Week 3. He made an acrobatic catch to snag a 19-yard touchdown as the Packers wide receivers, for the first time this year, made plays for Aaron Rodgers.
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It unquestionably helped the rookie’s production that Allen Lazard was out and Christian Watson was removed from the game due to a concussion, but Doubs has continuously been considered a top option for the Packers. Next week, they get the Detroit Lions which places Doubs in Flex consideration, if not higher, if Lazard remains out.
Terrace Marshall Jr., WR, Carolina Panthers (0.7% Rostered)
I feel like I’ve been waiting three years for this, but Terrace Marshall Jr. is finally showing the promise that he displayed at LSU when he filled in after Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson left for the NFL. Playing on roughly 90% of the snaps, Marshall had the best game of his career by catching four of his nine targets for 87 yards.
Although DJ Moore stole the show, Marshall’s performance is worth a second look, as he appears to be the clear second receiver and has taken over the role vacated by Robbie Anderson. He’s still only 22 years old and was a productive player in college. With the way P.J. Walker is playing right now, Marshall is at least worth a look on the Week 9 waiver wire.
Kadarius Toney, WR, Kansas City Chiefs (54% Rostered)
Don’t mistake me for putting Kadarius Toney as a waiver wire pickup for me having any information on what’s going to happen this week. Your guess is as good as mine. But at the same time, the talent of Toney is legit, as is the upside with him on the Kansas City Chiefs roster.
There are conflicting reports about his health. Toney is saying that he’s okay, but apparently, he wasn’t good enough for the Giants. He played in 12 of 24 possible games and caught 41 of 60 targets for 420 yards with no touchdowns since he was drafted last year.
He flashed his ceiling last season in a 10-189 game against the Cowboys but remains a true wildcard. With that said, Tony is a wildcard worth having on your roster, as he could turn into your ace up the sleeve down the road.
Van Jefferson, WR, Los Angeles Rams (11.8% Rostered)
Van Jefferson made his season debut on Sunday, playing on north of 50% of the snaps with a 60.5% route participation. Those are positive signs for the future.
The injury to Cooper Kupp (low ankle sprain), as you would expect, has dominated the storylines, but the return of Jefferson could be a much-needed boost for the Rams’ offense. He had the quietest 800 yards you’ll ever find last season and could step into the No. 2 or No. 3 role for the Rams offense. In leagues with deeper benches, Jefferson is a sleeper that needs to be rostered in Week 9.
Evan Engram, TE, Jacksonville Jaguars (32.2% Rostered)
Much like his career, Evan Engram has been inefficient in 2022, but there has been volume. And with opportunities come scoring chances. Engram took advantage of that against the Denver Broncos, catching four of his six targets for 55 yards and a touchdown in the team’s loss in London.
Engram now sits as a TE1 on the season and has hauled in 19 of 29 targets for 231 yards and a score over the past four games. That is quite a difference from his first four weeks of the season, where he caught 13 of 16 for only 99 yards. Given how weak the position is, Engram is a sleeper worth adding that you can start in Week 9.
Greg Dulcich, TE, Denver Broncos (34% Rostered)
Denver wasted no time getting Greg Dulcich acclimated to their offense. In his first two games, he had a 17.1% target share and a 74.4% route rate. On Sunday, Dulcich put it all together by catching four of five targets for 87 yards. While the bulk of his yards came on a single drive, it’s hard to overlook the production, as he’s finished as a top-12 tight end every single week that he’s played.
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Denver is on a bye this week as they return from across the pond, which makes it a bit tougher to stash him, but I think it’s worth it. The upcoming schedule against the Titans, Raiders, Panthers, and Ravens would make Dulcich a starting-caliber tight end every week.
Isaiah Likely, TE, Baltimore Ravens (1.7% Rostered)
Mark Andrews didn’t practice at all last week due to a knee injury but started on Thursday night. Unfortunately, this return was short-lived, as he suffered a shoulder injury in the second quarter and was ruled out shortly after halftime. In his place, Isaiah Likely, a rookie from Coastal Carolina, had his best game of the season and one of the better performances we saw all week.
Playing on the vast majority of snaps following Andrew‘s absence, Likely caught seven passes for 77 yards and a touchdown and became one of the unlikeliest contributors of the weekend.
His value is dependent on the availability of Andrews. If the star tight end is available, he’s the Ravens’ No. 1 option. With that said, the multi-week absence of Rashod Bateman could give Likely more reps, even if Andrew is out there, as the ravens would run more 12 personnel.
The matchup against the Saints is not great, which makes Likely a borderline fantasy starter at best, but given the state of the position this year, I would certainly take a look at Likely off the Week 9 waiver wire.