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The second half of the fantasy football season is approaching, and there are still opportunities to improve our rosters. Backfield injuries and changing roles have made this an interesting week to need a running back, while other positions offer more modest reinforcements. Our Week 9 waiver wire column covers priority pickups, worthwhile stashes, and options for managers simply trying to fill a lineup. Here’s who to pursue and how aggressively to go after them.
We don’t have the luxury of knowing how Sam Darnold performed this week as of this writing. Nevertheless, the Seattle Seahawks’ Week 9 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals puts him on the streaming radar.
If you need a quarterback to cover an injury or bye, Darnold is worth considering. The matchup gives us a reason to look his way regardless of whether his latest performance sends other managers rushing to add him.
Aggressiveness Rating: 1.0
Mike Washington didn’t produce much for fantasy managers because he offers nothing in the passing game, but 25 carries for 83 yards deserve our attention. He has taken over the Las Vegas Raiders’ lead rushing role from Ashton Jeanty, and I don’t see that changing.
Jeanty is one of the least talented runners in the NFL. He’s essentially the Raiders’ version of Rachaad White now. He can still help as a pass catcher, but he won’t be handling many carries, and he doesn’t have the goal-line role.
Washington’s lack of receiving work limits his margin for error, but the rushing volume and scoring opportunities make him the top add this week. Don’t wait for the touchdowns to arrive before making the move.
Aggressiveness Rating: 8.5
Tyler Allgeier is slightly above our usual roster threshold, but he needs to be called out. Jeremiyah Love sustained a new high ankle sprain, which should keep him out next week and likely for multiple weeks. Bam Knight also left the game with a concussion.
Meanwhile, Allgeier exploded for 191 total yards and two touchdowns. That’s certainly one way to work yourself back into your team’s good graces.
The next three matchups are brutal, so we shouldn’t expect anything resembling a repeat of this performance. Nevertheless, Allgeier should have enough work to be a volume-based RB3 at worst while Love is sidelined. He needs to be added wherever he’s available.
Aggressiveness Rating: 7.0
Dylan Sampson has reached double-digit fantasy points in both games since returning from IR. This week, he drew eight targets, catching six passes for 62 yards.
The Cleveland Browns should find themselves trailing more often than not, which favors Sampson’s involvement as a receiver. That gives him standalone value even with Quinshon Judkins healthy.
Sampson is also the clear handcuff to Judkins, giving him considerable upside if the starter misses time. A back who can help now while offering a path to a much larger role belongs on fantasy rosters.
Aggressiveness Rating: 4.0
Emmett Johnson’s massive receiving day against the Denver Broncos shouldn’t change how we view his standalone value. He had all of one carry for 15 yards. This still isn’t a player we can count on starting while Kenneth Walker is healthy.
Nevertheless, Johnson is talented, and the appeal as a handcuff is obvious. If Walker missed time, Johnson would essentially step into his role. He isn’t quite as talented, but that workload would make him a valuable fantasy asset.
Someone in your league has room to stash a running back with that kind of upside. If you have an available bench spot, make it you.
Aggressiveness Rating: 4.0
This was a truly ridiculous game. Baker Mayfield attempted three passes and didn’t complete any of them. As a result, Kenny Gainwell wound up handling 25 carries alongside Bucky Irving.
Please don’t take that workload as a sign of things to come. We can’t expect standalone value like this under anything resembling normal circumstances.
Nevertheless, Gainwell is the clear handcuff to Irving. That alone makes him worth a bench spot, even if this particular game tells us very little about what his weekly workload will look like.
Aggressiveness Rating: 2.0
Keenan Allen continues to dominate targets over Josh Downs. In a game the Indianapolis Colts were never competitive, Allen caught all seven of his targets for 67 yards.
There isn’t a particularly high ceiling here, but Allen gives fantasy managers a roughly 10-point floor most weeks. That’s useful when injuries and bye weeks leave you scrambling for someone who can simply contribute.
Allen is slightly above our usual roster threshold, but he should be rostered everywhere managers need reliable receiving depth.
Aggressiveness Rating: 4.0
Ryan Flournoy has seen only four targets in each of his last two games, but he’s now reached double-digit fantasy points in four straight. The limited volume makes it difficult to get too excited, yet he’s doing enough to be startable in a pinch.
Flournoy also offers the rare version of handcuff upside at wide receiver. If George Pickens or CeeDee Lamb misses time, his role could become considerably more valuable.
For now, he’s a useful bench receiver who can cover a lineup opening. The potential for more work makes him worth holding even when you don’t need to start him.
Aggressiveness Rating: 3.5
Omar Cooper Jr. didn’t catch a pass. Instead, it was Adonai Mitchell’s week, as he caught seven of nine targets for 142 yards and a touchdown.
Was this a fluke? There’s a good chance Mitchell and Cooper will trade useful games, making it difficult to know which one to start. Nevertheless, nine targets and a performance like this give us a reason to consider Mitchell.
Maybe this sticks. If you want to find out, you’ll have to add him now. Mitchell is worth a speculative pickup, even if we’re not ready to trust him every week.
Aggressiveness Rating: 3.0
Malik Washington isn’t exciting, and there isn’t much upside here. Nevertheless, he’s reached double-digit fantasy points in four of his last five games. That’s useful production when you’re trying to get through injuries and bye weeks.
The Miami Dolphins get the Detroit Lions’ pass-funnel defense next week, giving Washington another opportunity to contribute. You don’t need to be thrilled about starting him to recognize that he can help fill a lineup opening.
Washington is worth considering if you need a receiver for Week 9.
Aggressiveness Rating: 1.5
With Romeo Doubs on IR and no clear answer on when A.J. Brown will play again, DeMario Douglas is kind of the New England Patriots’ WR1 by default.
That didn’t translate into much volume this week, as Douglas saw only three targets. He did score a touchdown, though, giving fantasy managers something useful despite the limited opportunities.
There’s little reason to feel confident about starting him, but the depleted receiving corps keeps him relevant. Douglas is at least worth a desperation start if injuries or byes have left you short at wide receiver.
Aggressiveness Rating: 1.0
Michael Mayer continues to alternate duds with double-digit fantasy performances. This week, he caught five of six targets for 53 yards. He also has three other games with at least 12 fantasy points, so the useful outings aren’t particularly rare.
Mayer is pretty clearly the Las Vegas Raiders’ TE1 because Brock Bowers is effectively their WR1. There’s room for both to produce, even if Mayer’s inconsistency makes him frustrating to start.
You’re going to get some disappointing weeks, but that comes with most waiver-wire tight ends. Mayer remains a viable streamer if you need him.
Aggressiveness Rating: 2.0
Mike Gesicki just keeps scoring touchdowns. I’ve been refusing to believe this is legitimate, but at some point, I have to acknowledge the guy who has scored in six of seven games.
The volume still isn’t there. Gesicki has exceeded five targets just twice, making it difficult to trust him on a weekly basis. Nevertheless, the Cincinnati Bengals have no running game to speak of. Even a small share of this passing attack can be enough to produce.
If you need a spot starter, you can do worse than a tight end catching passes from Joe Burrow. Just understand how much you’re relying on another touchdown.
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