This week’s waiver wire has a unique twist that could really shake things up. The NFL trade deadline is today at 4 p.m. EST. With that said, if any positional players find themselves on the move to a new team, there could be fantasy football implications. Luckily for fantasy football managers, waiver wire transactions don’t usual process until Wednesday morning. So, there will be plenty of time to assess any major moves made today before putting in those final waiver wire claims.
Aside from the NFL trade deadline, there are injuries, byes, and an overall desire to have the best possible roster for Week 9 and beyond. It gets harder and harder to strike gold on the waiver wire this time of year, but value can still be had.
WEEK 9 BYES: DET, SEA, TB, WFT
Below, we’ll look at players at each position, who are on 50% or less of most fantasy football rosters, that could be considered on the Week 9 waiver wire.
Week 9 Waiver Wire Rankings
Running Back
Adrian Peterson and Jeremy McNichols, Tennessee Titans
Someone remind me what year it is. I can’t seriously be suggesting Adrian Peterson has fantasy value in the year 2021, can I? Unfortunately, Titans running back, Derrick Henry, looks like his fantasy football season is over. There is a chance he returns for the NFL playoffs. He will be out 6 to 10 weeks after suffering a Jones fracture in his foot on Sunday.
Which brings us to Adrian Peterson. He signed with the Titans Monday to play on his sixth team in his now 15 season career. Of course, nobody, and I mean nobody, is a 1-for-1 replacement to Derrick Henry. If the Titans are going to try, they could do much worse than the 2012 NFL MVP who has almost 15,000 career rushing yards.
While Peterson hasn’t played a snap since January, the 36-year old may benefit from the extended absence. Last season, with the Detroit Lions, Peterson served as the veteran presence in the backfield carrying the ball 156 times for 604 yards, finding the end zone seven times. He also caught 12 balls for an efficient total of 101 receiving yards. Peterson’s efforts were good enough for a 3.9 yards per carry. He even had back-to-back games where he scored two rushing touchdowns in Weeks 12 and 13.
If the Titans make a move for a running back ahead of today’s 4 p.m. EST NFL trade deadline, we will know before putting in our final waiver wire claims. If they were to add another running back, which I think they will, Peterson’s current value would take a hit. As of now, he is likely to lead the backfield in carries each week. The volume just simply won’t compare to what Henry’s has been.
As for Jeremy McNichols, he figures to be the primary pass-catcher out of the Titans’ backfield. He’s caught 21 of 27 targets this season with just seven carries. It is worth noting he’s the only running back that’s been with the team for the entirety of this season. He figures to just be one of many backs in a probable committee.
Boston Scott, Philadelphia Eagles
This is quite the pivot from all of the Kenneth Gainwell waiver wire content I’ve written this season. Following the injury to Miles Sanders two weeks ago, that’s landed him on the Injured Reserve, I thought for sure Gainwell would seize a prominent role in this backfield. He did lead the running backs in carries (13) on Sunday against the Detroit Lions. However, it was Boston Scott and Jordan Howard each carrying the ball 12 times apiece and each finding the end zone not once, but twice.
What’s more significant is that Boston Scott led the three backs in snaps with 29, compared to Gainwell’s 20 and Howard’s 16. He also averaged 5.0 yards per carry, which was the most of the three, as well.
If Scott isn’t a long-term solution at running back for the remainder of the fantasy football season, at least considering acquiring him on the Week 9 waiver wire. The Eagles are set to host the Los Angeles Chargers who are allowing the most rushing yards per game so far this season. If the Eagles do find themselves playing from behind, Scott is a proven pass-catcher. I have to think he will have a sizeable role this upcoming week. That makes him an immediate waiver wire priority for all league sizes.
Carlos Hyde, Jacksonville Jaguars
Carlos Hyde’s fantasy football value is directly correlated to James Robinson’s Week 8 bruised heel injury. Robinson exited Sunday’s game versus the Seahawks after just eight snaps. In his place, Hyde totaled 50 snaps, which is just under 36% of his season total. It was his most prominent showing yet this season.
With the increase in playing time, Hyde carried the ball nine times and caught six passes for 72 all-purpose yards. Robinson is likely to miss at least one game, if not more. Furthermore, Hyde’s history of playing under head coach, Urban Meyer, at Ohio State, should be evident in his usage moving forward.
Unfortunately for Hyde and the Jags, their short-term schedule isn’t too kind, starting with a Week 9 matchup against the Buffalo Bills. It’s unlikely Hyde will be used any time soon as a clock-killer with a lead, assuming Jacksonville continues to fight to stay in games. Regardless, he will be the feature back as a runner and pass catcher, therefore, boosting his fantasy football value.
If you’re in a pinch and need an immediate starting running back, Hyde is a volume-based plug-in option until Robinson returns.
Mark Ingram, New Orleans Saints
Ingram is right at home with the Saints, where he spent the first eight seasons of his career. Following a trade with the Houston Texans, Ingram returned back to New Orleans to serve as one of the backups to Alvin Kamara.
With just a few days to get re-acclimated, Ingram still saw six carries and two targets on just 22 snaps. Ty Montgomery played more than Ingram but did not record a single carry in the Saints’ big divisional 36-27 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
While Ingram’s reunion in New Orleans is worth celebrating, quarterback, Jameis Winston, is lost for the year following a torn ACL suffered in Sunday’s game. Luckily, Trevor Siemian looks like he can hold his own, but more importantly, Taysom Hill sounds like he is ready to return after missing time with a concussion.
Given the potential for insufficient quarterback play from either Siemian or Hill, the Saints may focus on running the ball, decreasing the stock value of their wide receivers and increasing the value on running backs. Last season, Kamara averaged just over 11 carries per game. He’s averaging nearly 17 this season. I expect Ingram to have more of a role moving forward, but more importantly, he becomes extremely valuable in the event of any sort of Kamara absence.
Ingram is worth stashing on the bench for now, but all managers with Kamara on their roster need to make Ingram a must-add on this week’s waiver wire.
Other Running Backs to Consider
Jaret Patterson is a surprising add to this week’s waiver wire piece. For the first time in weeks, Antonio Gibson was left off of the Washington Football Team injury report. Yet, Patterson carried the ball three more times (11) than Gibson (8) in Sunday’s loss. Patterson played the most he has all season, yet was third in snaps behind J.D. McKissic and Gibson, in that order. He’s worth the stash in 12 or more team leagues in case his role expands.
Sony Michel is Darrell Henderson’s backup on the Rams, but played the same amount of snaps in Week 8 as he did in Weeks 6 and 7 combined. As the season progresses, handcuffs will become more important to have on rosters. Having Michel, on a top-five scoring offense, is worth grabbing sooner than later. There’s also a legitimate possibility Michel works in more to lighten Henderson’s load, especially as the Rams’ playoff dreams become more of a reality.
Phillip Lindsay and Rex Burkhead become more interesting waiver wire options for deeper leagues if the Texans trade David Johnson at any point today. They’ve already moved Mark Ingram out of Houston. Clearing up this backfield could produce some more consistent value for fantasy football purposes.
Marlon Mack is only worth considering if he’s on a roster other than the Colts’ when you put in your waiver claims tonight. It’s doubtful the Colts would send Mack to their divisional rival, the Titans. If he does remain in Indianapolis, you can forget about getting him on your fantasy football roster this season.
More fantasy football fun for Week 9: Waiver Wire | FAAB Guide | Start & Sit | Loves & Hates | Stock Watch | Sleepers & Streamers | D/ST Streamers
Week 9 Rankings: QB | RB | WR | TE | Kicker | D/ST | PPR | Flex
Wide Receivers
DeVante Parker, Miami Dolphins
It’s been an up and down season for Parker so far. He’s battling hamstring and shoulder injuries that have kept him out two of a possible eight games. Still, Parker has managed at least 77 receiving yards in half of his games played this season. Furthermore, he’s averaging seven targets per game.
On Sunday, against a stingy Bills pass defense, Parker recorded a season-high number of targets (11), receptions (8), and receiving yards (85). That’s a great sign, considering the injuries and matchup.
Parker is still second in team targets despite missing two games. When he’s on the field, he provides a safe floor for fantasy football purposes. If he remains a Miami Dolphin following the NFL trade deadline, Parker is an obvious target on the waiver wire. He’s available in far too many leagues.
Rashod Bateman, Baltimore Ravens
Bateman got two games in following a six-week absence due to injury and just before the Ravens Week 8 bye. In those two games, he saw six targets in each of them. That’s 31.5% of the wide receiver target share, but just 17.6% of the Ravens’ target share in those games.
Hopefully, the Week 8 bye will do the rookie some good. Missing crucial practice time at the beginning of the season, especially time to build a rapport with Lamar Jackson, is not how anyone wanted Bateman’s career to begin. However, getting a two-week break to get more acclimated could be the thing to jumpstart a potential breakout. This team is desperate for another playmaker.
Bateman isn’t worth sliding into a starting spot on any fantasy football roster just yet. The talent and immediate, consistent handful of targets in each of his first two games make him worth a look on the waiver wire. If you have the bench spot, I would stash him for a week. His breakout could come in Week 10 against the Miami Dolphins. They’re allowing the second-most passing yards per game, just behind the Ravens. That’s a shootout waiting to happen.
Brandon Aiyuk, San Francisco 49ers
I’m not going to say Brandon Aiyuk is “back” after one mediocre fantasy football performance. Though, since he is arguably the most disappointing fantasy football player so far this season, I’m at least encouraged by what I saw in Week 8.
Let me make sure I’m clear here. Aiyuk is not getting plugged back into starting lineups. He is a waiver wire add in leagues where he’s likely been cut by frustrated managers.
On Sunday, he saw a season-high seven targets. One of those targets was an end zone target. He later did find the end-zone for a two-point conversion. All in all, Aiyuk managed 10.5 fantasy points on four receptions. It’s nothing spectacular, but he was far and away the second-most targeted 49er behind Deebo Samuel.
San Fran head coach, Kyle Shanahan, continues to frustrate fantasy football managers with his approach toward playing time for certain players. Aiyuk is no different. If he is finally on Shanahan’s good side, then perhaps he can get back to the level of play everyone expected at the beginning of the year. For that reason, adding him on the waiver wire may not be a bad idea.
Other Wide Receivers to Consider
Tim Patrick leads the Denver Broncos wide receivers in snaps played from their Week 8 win over the Washington Football Team. Even with Jerry Jeudy back, Tim Patrick’s role remained prominent. Although he only saw three targets, he averaged just over 21 yards per catch. Given the volatility of the position this season, Patrick is worth the waiver wire add to all benches. Depending on league size, he’s good for a flex role on most fantasy rosters depending on the matchup.
Elijah Moore may be one of the next rookie breakouts to emerge. With Mike White, the QB2 in Week 8, under center for the Jets, Moore racked up a season-high 67 receiving yards on six targets. Corey Davis, the team’s top wide receiver, remains sidelined with a hip injury and Jamison Crowder could be on the move ahead of the NFL trade deadline. Moore’s fantasy relevance could boom in the coming weeks.
Van Jefferson is also a late season breakout candidate. With Desean Jackson requesting a trade, and Tutu Atwell heading to the Injured Reserve, Jefferson figures to be the third pass catching option on the Rams’ top-five scoring offense. In the last two weeks especially, Jefferson’s target share has increased with at least six targets in each game. While it seems like every Rams receiving touchdown goes to Cooper Kupp, Jefferson has seen his fair share of end zone targets, as well. 12-team leagues need to be adding Jefferson on the waiver wire this week. 10-team leagues can probably wait and see how Week 9 plays out.
Tight End
Cole Kmet, Chicago Bears
Kmet is quietly getting more involved in the Bears’ offense. His production isn’t anything to write home about. However, he now has four weeks with at least five targets, including the last three games straight. He is third in team targets with just eight less than Allen Robinson.
No Bears pass-catcher is lighting it up this fantasy football season. Kmet is an interesting add on the waiver wire for larger leagues based on the target share. Furthermore, if Allen Robinson does find himself on a different team on Wednesday morning, Kmet’s target share would surely increase.
Pat Freiermuth, Pittsburgh Steelers
Pat Freiermuth put together his best performance of the season on Sunday. Coming off of the bye, Freiermuth logged his highest snap count yet (78%) and recorded his second-straight seven target game. He’s now seen more than half of his targets this season in the last two games. Also, 102 of his 202 receiving yards have come in his last two games played. If Freiermuth continues to play a prominent role in this offense, he will be a set and forget starter in all formats moving forward.
Quarterback
Taysom Hill, New Orleans Saints
Following Jameis Winston’s season-ending knee injury diagnosis, Hill’s return from a concussion couldn’t come at a better time. Specifically for fantasy football, Hill’s potential as the Saints’ starter moving forward makes him a potential league winner.
In four starts last season, from Weeks 11 to 14, Taysom Hill averaged 21.57 fantasy points per game. He slotted in as the QB6 during that time. His ability to run the ball boosts his value beyond most other quarterbacks, specifically in fantasy football. Of Hill’s 86.26 total points during his short 2020 stretch as a starter, 44.9, or 52%, of his points were a result of him running the ball. To compare to 2021’s current QB1, Tom Brady, just 9.9, or 4.7%, of his total fantasy points are from running the football.
Hill’s dual-threat ability is a good boost to any fantasy lineup. More specifically, if you have a hole in your lineup from an injured player or underachievers, Hill can help add extra value at the quarterback position. It’s hard to consider adding a second, or newly emerging, fantasy quarterback at this point in the season, but Hill is a uniquely valuable opportunity to do so.
Justin Fields, Chicago Bears
The Justin Fields we saw on Sunday is the Justin Fields I pounded the table for fantasy football managers to target ahead of the 2021 season. Better late than never, right? What’s significant here is that Bears head coach, Matt Nagy, has been away from the team due to a positive Covid-19 test. He’s been singled-out as the reason for Fields’ struggles so far this season. Now that he’s not calling the plays, it’s conceivable Fields has more freedom to play his own game.
With that said, Fields has an unappealing schedule moving forward. In his next three weeks, he plays at Pittsburgh, then the Bears are on bye, then they host the Ravens. I’d want to see more from Fields before considering him as my fantasy football starting quarterback. He’s already burned me before. However, his Week 8 performance is enough to consider stashing him on your bench during this week’s waiver wire period.
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