Fantasy Football Week 9: Waiver Wire Goals

Each week I’ll list the best widely available fantasy football free agents — I define “generally available” as owned by about half of all ESPN or Yahoo leagues — and some guys who are probably better off in the free agent pool than collecting dust on your grill.

Follow me on X (formerly known as Twitter) @UTEddieBrown if you have questions throughout the week.

Here’s my NFL Week 9 waiver wire cheat sheet for all league sizes and formats, with players to add, remove, and stream in your fantasy football league:

ADD

WR Cedric Tillman, Browns (ESPN: 16%; Yahoo: 20%): Tillman has the most fantasy points in both standard and PPR formats since Amari Cooper was traded to Buffalo two weeks ago. The 2023 third-round draft pick has had at least nine targets in both games, tallying 15 receptions for 180 yards and two touchdowns since Week 7. My only caveat is that Cleveland will face a brutal schedule from top defenses, so temper your expectations. Expectations are somewhat high, but there is clearly upside. Also, Elijah Moore (ESPN: 1%; Yahoo: 3%) could develop a flexible appeal in deeper PPR leagues in the future. Moore has 14 receptions (on 18 targets) in two games without Cooper.

QB Matthew Stafford, Rams (ESPN: 19%; Yahoo: 39%): Stafford finished as the overall QB5 in Week 8 after both Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua returned to the lineup against the Vikings last Thursday night, throwing for 279 yards and four touchdowns at Minnesota. He had just three TD passes in his previous six games. It doesn’t sound like Kupp will be traded, and Stafford has premium matchups in two of his next three games (Seahawks, Patriots).

RB Tyrone Tracy Jr., Giants (ESPN: 46%; Yahoo: 52%): The rookie has surpassed Devin Singletary on the depth chart and has been the overall RB9 in standard formats (RB6 in PPR) since Week 5. It appeared he suffered a concussion late in Monday night’s loss at Pittsburgh, so keep an eye on the situation this week, but he will still be the guy moving forward.

WR Josh Downs, Colts (ESPN: 49%; Yahoo: 47%): I feel like I’ve put Downs on this list almost every week since he returned from injury six weeks ago. He’s been the overall WR12 in all fantasy formats since Week 3, and he’s had big games with both Joe Flacco and Anthony Richardson throwing him the ball.

TE Cade Oton, Buccaneers (ESPN: 59%; Yahoo: 63%): Otton has been the overall TE3 in standard formats (TE2 in PPR) since Week 3. The position was a mess this season with only one tight end averaging double figures in standard formats (George Kittle). Otton almost never leaves the field and runs more routes than almost anyone else at the position. He should be universally on the list and should start with Mike Evans sidelined for at least a few more weeks and Chris Godwin lost for the season.

BONUS: WR Keon Coleman, Bills (ESPN: 58%; Yahoo: 42%): Coleman has been the overall WR13 in standard formats (WR24 in PPR) since Week 3. The rookie has racked up nine receptions for 195 yards and a TD in two games, with new teammate Amari Cooper catching everyone’s attention. I expect the addition of Cooper to have an upward effect on Buffalo’s offense.

BONUS: RB Tyler Allgeier, Falcons (ESPN: 51%; Yahoo: 37%): Allgeier’s standalone value ebbs and flows, but over the next two weeks against the Cowboys and Saints, it flows. Dallas and New Orleans both feature bottom-tier defensive lines that have allowed the second- and eighth-most fantasy points for running backs this season.

BONUS: TE Taysom Hill, Saints (ESPN: 20%; Yahoo: 30%): If you don’t have a “set it and forget it” tight end, and honestly only a few of us in any league do, why not lock Hill up every week (assuming he’s healthy) and go you along on the wave. It’s not hard to imagine the Swiss Army Knife going off this week on the Panthers, one of the worst run defenses in the NFL.

BONUS: QB Bo Nix, Broncos (ESPN: 37%; Yahoo: 25%): At quarterback, only Lamar Jackson and Baker Mayfield have more fantasy points than Nix since Week 5. The rookie has completed 66.7% of his passes for 870 yards and seven TD passes against just one interception, while rushing for 149 yards and two TDs at 29 yards. carries in the last four games.

BONUS: WR Jalen McMillan, Buccaneers (ESPN: 42%; Yahoo: 49%): McMillan had just 35 yards on four receptions against the Falcons, but he saw at least seven targets for the second straight game. There’s a good chance Evans doesn’t return until after the bye with Tampa Bay, which means Week 12 against the Giants. Trey Palmer (ESPN: 7%; Yahoo: 4%) took over as an outside receiver when Evans aggravated his hamstring injury and that continued against Atlanta, with Rakim Jarrett giving him a breather at times. Sterling Shepard (ESPN: 10%; Yahoo: 13%) – Mayfield’s former college teammate – essentially took over for Godwin in the slot, a valuable role if he can fill it. They all have flexible upside in deeper leagues with Evans out, but I expect Mayfield to continue to focus heavily on Oton and his running backs without Evans and play the hot hand among this trio.

BONUS: QB Jameis Winston, Browns (ESPN: 3%; Yahoo: 6%): Winston finished as the overall QB10 in his first start since Week 3 of 2022. He threw for 334 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions in an upset win over the Ravens. There will probably be weeks you’ll want to avoid (and avert your eyes), but volume brings benefits, and I expect Cleveland to be an underdog in most future games.

BONUS: TE Zach Ertz, Commanders (ESPN: 53%; Yahoo: 28%): Ertz had his best game of the season against the Bears on Sunday, catching seven passes for 77 yards on 11 targets. The veteran is the overall TE10 in standard formats (TE9 in PPR) for eight weeks.

BONUS: WR Xavier Hutchinson, Texans (ESPN: <1%; Yahoo: 1%): Stefon Diggs was scheduled to undergo an MRI on Monday after suffering a non-contact knee injury against the Colts. Houston is already missing Nico Collins, who was placed on injured reserve in Week 5 with a hamstring injury.

BONUS: WR Parker Washington, Jaguars (ESPN: <1%; Yahoo: <1%): Brian Thomas Jr., Christian Kirk and Gabe Davis were all injured in the Week 8 loss to the Packers. Kirk (broken collarbone) was lost for the season, and Thomas (chest) and Davis (shoulder) will need to be monitored in practice this week. Washington could be the last man standing and would have a flex appeal based on the assumption that Trevor Lawrence can’t throw every pass to Evan Engram.

BONUS: RB Miles Sanders, Panthers (ESPN: 8%; Yahoo: 2%): With second-round pick Jonathon Brooks closing in on his debut and Sanders taking a backseat to Chuba Hubbard, it makes a lot of sense that teams like the Cowboys and Raiders would be interested in potentially trading for the six-year veteran.

BONUS: WR Troy Franklin, Broncos (ESPN: 3%; Yahoo: 4%): Since Josh Reynolds landed on injured reserve, Franklin has been more involved in Denver’s pass attack. There’s a chance Courtland Sutton could be dealt before the trade deadline. If that happens, Nix’s teammate would likely be the Broncos’ top target going forward.

BONUS: WR Xavier Legette, Panthers (ESPN: 24%; Yahoo: 15%): It’s becoming increasingly likely that Diontae Johnson (and possibly Adam Thielen) will be traded sometime between now and next week. Legette is the overall WR34 in standard formats (WR35 in PPR) since Week 4 and has scored a TD in three of the last five games.

BONUS: D/ST Bengals (ESPN: 39%; Yahoo: 31%): Cincinnati gets the Raiders home after being beaten there by the Eagles. Las Vegas has allowed the second-most fantasy points to opposing defenses, including 17 turnovers, 25 sacks and three defensive TDs in eight games.

BONUS: D/ST Commanders (ESPN: 20%; Yahoo: 12%): Washington has allowed 15 or fewer points in four of the last five games and is the fifth-highest scoring defense in fantasy since Week 4. The Commanders face the Giants this week, who have allowed the third-most fantasy points to opposing defenses, including 12 sacks in the last two games.

BONUS: D/ST Patriots (ESPN: 4%; Yahoo: 5%): New England travels to Tennessee to face an offense that has seen most of its fantasy points go to opposing defenses this season, including 16 turnovers in seven games and four defensive TDs.

DROP

WR Christian Kirk, Jaguars: Kirk is expected to miss the rest of this season due to a broken collarbone he suffered in the fourth quarter of Jacksonville’s 30-27 loss to the Packers on Sunday.

QB Anthony Richardson, Colts: I was hoping that Richardson’s rapid upward movement would help compensate for his terrible demise, but that hasn’t happened yet. He’s completing just 44.4% of his passes, including 20 of his last 56. There’s a chance of regret, but at this point I’d rather take a chance on someone like Nix, who has shown he can rush upside and seems to be much further. a passerby.

TE Isaiah Probably, Raven: Probably the overall TE19 in standard formats (TE24 in PPR) if you throw out his monster performance in Week 1 against the Chiefs.

RB Zack Moss, Bengals: Chase Brown has usurped the top spot in Cincy’s backfield. Moss hasn’t scored a touchdown since Week 4 and hasn’t seen double digits since Week 5.

WR Alec Pierce, Colts: In fantasy, Pierce is the biggest boom-or-bust prospect every week. With Richardson currently missing barn width on most of his throws, it’s unlikely Pierce has many boom weeks left in him. If you throw out his performance in Week 5 against the Jaguars – three receptions for 134 yards and a TD – he has just five receptions for 79 yards and no scores on a paltry 17 targets since Week 3.