Week 9 Waiver Wire: MUST ADD Players, Injury Replacements & Streamers (11/3 Fantasy Football Podcast)

Status is unclear; team is at Minnesota this week.

The source lists Alconqua (Adam Trautman) at the top of tight end recommendations for Week 9 waiver wire, but strictly as a bye-week replacement; he is available in two-thirds of leagues.

Mitchell is a boom-bust number three wide receiver in a messy Jets receiving core where Garrett Wilson has a defined target share, but Mitchell and Omar Cooper compete for secondary volume; his target per route run rate is 25.7% (15th best among qualifying WRs), and he has scored over 12 PPR points in both week two and last week when comfortable, but faces a bad floor if Cooper gets going and Wilson dominates.

Antonio Williams is one of two rookie receivers highlighted as a top waiver priority; though he didn't have his best game, he was involved and is scratching the surface of his potential, with seven targets and room to grow as pass volume increases with Terry McLaurin out.

Bam Knights is in the concussion protocol, removing him from consideration for week nine and elevating Algier as the primary back.

Knight is currently in the concussion protocol and his availability for week nine is uncertain, which affects the Giants running back rotation and opportunity distribution among other backs.

Robinson is mentioned as a target for acquisition via trade; the source suggests that disgruntled Robinson managers should be approached with package offers like DeAndre Swift plus Luther Burden, implying Robinson's current value is depressed and his manager may be frustrated.

Bijan Robinson is positioned as an elite trade target; the source suggests packaging Swift and Luther Burden to acquire him from a manager with receiver depth, indicating his high value in the current market.

Among the top two corner quarterbacks for Week 9 streaming; source lists him alongside Malik Willis as the primary targets at the position.

Source would start Nix over Darnold and would drop Bryce Young for him; considered a viable streaming option.

Hired Drew Rosenhaus to try to get back in the NFL; still on the 49ers roster but would need to be traded or cut if reinstated, creating uncertainty around his availability.

Expected to stay with the Jets and play this week at the Chiefs.

Drop-o-meter rating of 5 out of 10; source would drop him for Malik Willis, Bo Nix, or JJ McCarthy as better streaming options.

Came back and looks really good; source is 72% confident he'll have a good game facing the Lions this week, though stops short of saying he must be started.

Caleb Williams played well but deserved more fantasy points in his recent performance, suggesting his actual output underperformed his on-field play quality.

Caleb Williams played really well in Week 9 against Seattle, scoring a touchdown on the first play of his first drive; the source views him as playing on schedule with pretty ball placement and consistent route availability; positioned as a must-start quarterback going forward.

Williams is a low-end starter for Week 9 against Tampa Bay, which is playing well against quarterbacks; he's in conversation with Cousins, Malik Willows, and Matthew Stafford as a streaming option. The source notes he's not a set-it-and-forget-it play this week but will have huge games when the schedule lightens up; he's already had two such games this season.

Carson Beck is the number two quarterback option behind Gardner Minshew for the Ravens.

Source mentions throwing a little Carson Wentz on the Superflex situation as a potential streaming option.

Listed as limited in practice; team faces Baltimore on Thursday.

Dealing with a hamstring strain; team is at the Raiders this week, which is described as a great matchup.

Colston Loveland has performed well enough to be considered a must-start tight end for the Bears; three straight games of quality production; had a fumble in Week 9 but otherwise solid performance; benefited from adjustments the Seahawks made defensively.

Loveland is taking advantage of adjustments the Seahawks made in the Bears' creative offense under Ben Johnson; the source highlights him as a beneficiary of the team's route concepts and quarterback play.

Said he is fine; team is at Minnesota this week.

DeAndre Swift scored three touchdowns in Week 9 against Seattle; the source views him as a must-start running back for the Bears going forward.

Swift has been an unbelievable value despite averaging 3.8 yards per carry going into Week 9; he has 10 rushing touchdowns, already a career high. The source cautions that when Kyle Menonga returns, the workload could shift to a 55-45 split, and recommends selling Swift as part of a package deal (e.g., Swift plus Luther Burden) to acquire Bijan Robinson from a disgruntled manager.

D'Andre Swift benefited from consistent route availability in Week 9 against Seattle; the same route was open repeatedly for him and Rome Odunze, showing the Seahawks' defensive scheme allowed for repeated success on the same concepts.

Swift has been performing better than expected; the source suggests he could be packaged with Luther Burden to trade for Bijan Robinson if the Bijan manager has receiver needs, indicating Swift's value is sufficient to anchor a trade proposal.

If Ferguson returns, Goedert cannot be trusted; Ferguson's presence eliminates confidence in Goedert's fantasy viability.

Daniel Jones is going to start for the Giants for now, with upcoming matchups against Dallas and Miami.

No recent update, but source indicates he is getting close to a return; team is at the Chargers this week.

Njoku has a matchup of death this week against the Rams; while the Rams are seventh-best against tight ends overall, they have been really, really good against elite tight ends like McBride and Bowers, which suggests Njoku will struggle in this matchup.

Expected to return this week alongside Mike Evans; source highlights both as key returning players for Week 9.

Expected to return; source notes he was one of the names initially left out of the injury update.

Devin Singletary is the third waiver priority for week nine; with Cam Scadaboo day-to-day and Tyrone Tracy on IR, Singletary is positioned as the 1B running back for the Giants in a favorable matchup, likely to get a third to half of snaps and 10-12 touches even with Scadaboo playing.

With Scadaboo dealing with injury and day-to-day status uncertain, Singletary is positioned to become a meaningful fantasy running back; expected to receive a third to potentially half of snaps, which could translate to 10-12 touches even with Scadaboo playing. Singletary has an easier path to playing time this week given the Giants' bye week timing and the presence of other injured backs (Bam Knight in concussion protocol, Jeremiah Love competing). Source ranks him in top three waiver wire running backs for week nine.

Devontae Smith remains out, which keeps Makai Lemon relevant for the Eagles with consistent target volume.

The source explicitly states they want nothing to do with Stoner as a Rams tight end option, preferring Ferguson instead.

If Jonathan Taylor is traded, DJ Giddens would probably get some opportunities to play alongside Seth McGowan; positioned as a potential backup option in deep leagues if the Colts make a trade.

Drew Locke has an elbow injury and was the third-string quarterback in the recent game, limiting his immediate fantasy relevance despite being considered as a pickup in super flex leagues.

Emmanuel Wilson only played on special teams after Price and Charbonnet returned from injury, indicating he has lost his role in the Seattle backfield. The source recommends dropping him, particularly in super flex leagues where roster spots are premium.

Gardner Minshew is the preferred waiver wire quarterback pickup over Joe Flacco, though the source questions how much to spend on him given his upcoming schedule (Seattle, Rams, Chiefs) and uncertainty about how long he'll remain the starter.

Smith faces the Chiefs this week, who have not played great quarterbacks; the source groups this matchup with other favorable streaming DST opportunities, suggesting Smith is a weak matchup for fantasy purposes.

Greg Dulcich is highlighted as a standout tight end option for Week 9, with the source noting he has played very well over the last two weeks when excluding his performance against the Lions defense, suggesting strong recent form and potential matchup appeal.

Dulcich has scored 8.3 PPR points or more in back-to-back games and faces a dream matchup against the Lions defense, which has allowed 13.3 PPR points or more to every tight end this season except Darren Waller; the Lions are missing their middle linebacker and possibly their best safety.

Greg Dulcich is available in 84 percent of leagues and makes the cut as a tight end waiver wire option; also noted as available in only 15 percent of leagues in a separate mention, suggesting recent pickup activity.

Tight end is hurt; impacts tight end situation.

Third-tier streaming option after Willis and Nix; did not have a strong fantasy game against the Texans but played well mechanically (20 of 28 passing, 252 yards, one rushing yard). Source likes his upcoming schedule (Philadelphia, Washington, Jacksonville, Indianapolis) and wants to see him use his legs more, but sees reasons to buy into him as a streamer.

Source has a feeling McCarthy may suffer an ankle injury and sit for a month, similar to how the Vikings handled his previous injury; this uncertainty affects his streaming value.

Jacoby Brissett is ranked as the number three quarterback option this week, behind Minshew and Beck, with upcoming matchups against Seattle, Rams, and Chiefs.

Price returned from injury against the Bears and had a couple of good runs in his first game back; however, the source identifies him as the trap back in the Seattle backfield, suggesting limited long-term upside compared to Charbonnet. He should be held but is not expected to be a must-start running back.

Tight end is hurt; impacts Dallas tight end situation.

Not playing well right now; will be solid in good matchups against Arizona and Las Vegas the next two weeks, but current form is a concern.

Could be activated soon, which would significantly impact the Cardinals backfield and complicate waiver wire decisions for other Cardinals running backs.

Jeremiah Love is not expected to play in week nine, opening the door for Algier to be the primary back for the Packers.

Love is competing for carries in the Giants backfield and represents one of several injury-related uncertainties affecting the running back rotation this week alongside Scadaboo's day-to-day status and Bam Knight's concussion protocol.

Joe Flacco hurt his knee, creating uncertainty at the quarterback position for Baltimore.

Jonah Coleman is available in Yahoo and Sleeper leagues at approximately 70% rostered, and unavailable in most CBS leagues at 90% rostered. The source identifies him as a top waiver wire priority, recommending he be picked up as a first priority if available.

Could practice this week, but source does not expect him to return to play yet; timeline remains uncertain.

Status is unclear; he might practice this week.

Tyson is getting closer to return and could be a significant league winner down the stretch if healthy; the Jets remain top five in pass attempts for the season, providing substantial receiving opportunity in his role.

Facing off-field legal issues with multiple abuse accusations; however, Packers head coach Matt LaFleur says he anticipates Jacobs being a member of the team moving forward, suggesting no immediate roster action despite the controversy.

Out for the season.

Kirk Cousins is the number six quarterback per game in fantasy through eight weeks of the season, rostered in 73% of CBS leagues and 56% of Yahoo leagues. The source notes it's notable that a top-six fantasy quarterback is only rostered in 73% of leagues, suggesting potential value despite upcoming schedule concerns.

Kirk Cousins is the sixth-best quarterback in fantasy but is only rostered in 73% of leagues and 56% of Yahoo leagues, suggesting significant undervaluation in the waiver wire market.

Source references Cousins in context of the Vikings' offensive strategy, noting that the team needs better production from the run game to avoid putting Cousins in situations where he has to win games single-handedly through comeback efforts, which affects the overall offensive approach and running back usage.

Cousins faces the 49ers, who are getting DeForest Buckner back in the middle of their defense and may get Nick Bosa back; this could be a rough game for Cousins and his passing attack, with potential for turnovers if the Vikings fall behind.

Source trusts Cousins; he came through against Kansas City and the Vikings are expected to throw a lot; source does not expect Mendoza to play until the Vikings' bye week despite recent speculation about his job security.

Kyle Williams is available in over 90 percent of leagues as a Patriots wide receiver option; relevant as a deep league target given uncertainty around A.J. Brown and Romeo Dobbs' return timelines.

Kyler Murray came out of a game with injury concerns that warrant monitoring and discussion on the waiver wire update segment.

Kyler Murray has hamstring tightness heading into a matchup against Buffalo this week.

Identified as a shallow league waiver wire option alongside Sam Darnold and Kirk Cousins.

Lamar Jackson is going to be out for a while, possibly for the remainder of the season.

Burden is mentioned as part of the Bears' route concepts where the same routes were open repeatedly; he's also suggested as a potential trade package piece (alongside DeAndre Swift) to acquire Bijan Robinson from a disgruntled manager.

Luther Burden is mentioned as a potential trade piece to package with D'Andre Swift to acquire Bijan Robinson from a manager with receiver depth, indicating he has sufficient value to be part of a trade proposal for an elite running back.

Makai Lemon is a top waiver priority for the Eagles with back-to-back games of 8+ targets and 11+ PPR points; he remains relevant as long as Devontae Smith and Wicks stay out, and can be used as a starter in three-receiver leagues.

Top streaming quarterback for Week 9; gets the Lions this week with a favorable upcoming schedule. Has scored at least 18 fantasy points in three consecutive games; one recent game was impacted by a fluky interception off a defender's helmet. Source notes Willis should ideally use his legs more after not doing so last week, but in the two previous games he combined for 100 rushing yards and two touchdowns.

Source would start Willis over Darnold and considers him a viable streaming option; also prefers him over Bryce Young.

Did not practice but still played in the previous game, suggesting his injury status may not be as severe as practice participation indicates.

Matthew Stafford came out of a game with injury concerns that warrant monitoring and discussion on the waiver wire update segment.

Matthew Stafford has arm soreness; his next two games are at Washington and at Arizona, creating uncertainty about his availability.

Mayer faces the 49ers, who look good on paper against tight ends but have the sixth worst completion percentage allowed on pass attempts of zero to seven yards; McBride had a nice game, Okonkwo had 69 yards, and Kyle Pitts caught a touchdown against them, suggesting this is not a tough matchup for Mayer and he represents a comparable waiver wire option this week.

Hopes to return in Week 10 after the bye, providing a defined timeline for his return.

Coming back next week from injury; concern is not about his return but rather that the Colts are running the ball so well, which may limit his receiving opportunities.

Playing with broken ribs; source suggests this should be taken into account when betting on Gardner Minshew's performance.

Expected to play this week against the Raiders.

Expected to return this week; source notes his imminent availability as a key returning player alongside Debo Samuel.

Mike Washington is the top waiver wire priority for week nine after playing 60% of snaps versus Ashton Jente's 40% last week, positioning him as the potential lead running back for the Raiders going forward.

Washington just recorded 25 carries for 83 yards in week nine, establishing a significant workload; however, source cautions that this may be a temporary situation tied to Gentie's poor performance (four fumbles in five games) rather than a permanent role shift. Rand Carthon evaluation suggests Washington is a better fit for Clint Kubiak's scheme, but source advises caution because Gentie remains the team's primary back and game flow in upcoming difficult stretch likely favors increased Gentie usage. Don't spend heavily on waiver wire despite the workload.

Mike Washington is a better fit for Clint Kubiak's offensive scheme than Ashton Gentie, per Rand Carthon's evaluation; expected to handle running downs while Gentie takes passing downs. Could be the lead running back for the Raiders rest of season on running downs, with potential to be a major factor in fantasy playoffs (weeks 14-17 vs. Chargers, Broncos, Titans, Cardinals), though next two matchups (49ers week 9, Seahawks week 10) feature elite run defenses.

Cooper has too much upside to drop and looked good last week despite not getting targets; he is a preferred hold over other wide receivers, though the source would drop him for established starters like Williams, Lemon, or Flannoy if needing a flex starter this week.

Had 92 yards at halftime in a game where the Rams only had 94 passing yards total, illustrating how dysfunctional the Rams' passing attack is; the receiving core is described as terrible and a major weakness.

Ricky Pearsall is described as probably the most available tight end option on waivers for deep league pickups.

Rome Odunze benefited from consistent route availability in Week 9 against Seattle; the same route was open repeatedly for him and D'Andre Swift, showing the Seahawks' defensive scheme allowed for repeated success on the same concepts.

Sam Darnold played poorly in the recent game, throwing careless interceptions and displaying reckless decision-making with nine interceptions on the season. The source is on red alert about his play, noting he threw a stupid end-zone interception that was only negated by penalty. However, from a fantasy perspective, he should not be dropped because he has good matchups ahead (Arizona, Las Vegas) and typically performs well in favorable matchups, though his actual play quality is concerning.

Identified as a shallow league waiver wire option; source would start Willis and Nix over Darnold but considers them close in value.

Barkley has a revenge game opportunity against the Giants this week; if he performs well, it could change the defensive streaming calculus, but the Giants' weak second-half offense makes them a strong streaming DST play regardless.

Could practice this week; team plays at Washington and Arizona in next two games.

Terrence Ferguson is available in 19 percent of leagues and is mentioned as another tight end option to consider on waivers.

Terry McLaurin is out, which is expected to increase pass volume for other Commanders receivers including Antonio Williams, Traylon Burks, and Makai Lemon.

Traylon Burks has shown good production lately with film that the source liked; big receiver with speed who will play on the perimeter for Washington as a downfield threat but also capable of working intermediate routes; will get target share in games where Washington can't run the ball or is chasing points.

Higbee is not recommended as a waiver wire target; the source explicitly states they want nothing to do with him, especially if Ferguson returns, as there are many other tight ends playing better; while the Commanders have been giving up PPR points to tight ends (15.5 in week seven, 17.9 in week six), Ferguson's potential return eliminates any appeal for Higbee.

Tyler Huntley has a toe injury and will miss some time, limiting his availability as a backup quarterback option.

Tyrone Tracy is on IR, removing him from the Giants' backfield and elevating Devin Singletary as the primary backup to Cam Scadaboo.

Higby (Will Dissly) is ranked second on the source's tight end waiver wire list for Week 9, though the source notes he has been underperforming and offers limited appeal, with a ceiling around 10 PPR points.

Cannot feel good about Worthy; source is rescinding a positive rating, indicating declining confidence in his fantasy outlook.

Charbonnet returned from injury and showed encouraging involvement in the passing game against the Bears; the source prefers him over Price, noting he will eventually settle into the short-yardage, goal-line, and passing-down role he held last year. He is rated as a high flex play this week and is the preferred back in the tandem.

Atlanta wide receiver is not going to play this week.