Week 9 Waiver Wire Pickups (QB, RB, WR, TE): Free Agent Adds Include Matthew Stafford, Cade Otton, Cedric Tillman, Jalen McMillan, Ricky Pearsall, more

Welcome to our Week 9 fantasy football waiver wire pickups article for the 2024 season. Of all teams, the Cleveland Browns might provide fantasy managers with some of the first real league-winning potential players. Jameis Winston has raised the bar for all Cleveland pass-catchers, most notably Cedric Tillman, who looks like he could be a potential league-winner.

The return of Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua makes Matthew Stafford a priority add. The injuries to Chris Godwin and Mike Evans have drastically helped Cade Otton's fantasy value. There are several high-end players fantasy managers should be looking to target this week.

Our rosters should never stay stagnant. There's almost always a spot on our roster that we can improve, and this article aims to help you identify who that upgrade can be. If you want to take advantage of our great premium tools, please use promo code "BOOM" to receive a 10% discount.

• Quarterback fantasy football rankings
• Running back fantasy football rankings
• Wide receiver fantasy football rankings
• Tight end fantasy football rankings
• Kicker fantasy football rankings
• FLEX fantasy football rankings
• Defense (D/ST) fantasy football rankings
• Superflex fantasy football rankings
• IDP fantasy football rankings
• Dynasty fantasy football rankings

Quarterbacks - Fantasy Football Waiver Wire for Week 9

High-End QB2 Options with Weekly Top-10 Potential

Jared Goff, Detroit Lions - 53.4% Rostered

Since the first two weeks of the season, Goff has been exceptional. He's thrown 18 incompletions during that span and 12 touchdowns. This Detroit offense has been on fire lately, and Goff has been a massive part of that. Over the last five games, he's averaged 20.2 PPG. That is despite not playing in the fourth quarter of last week's game and another contest against Dallas.

Jared Goff has the highest Comp Pct (83.0%) and Pass Rating (146.5) in a 5-game span in NFL HISTORY pic.twitter.com/KDUNAGGbKt

— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) October 27, 2024

He has thrown for two or more touchdowns in five straight games. The Lions face off against the Packers next week, and while their defense has been stingy to opposing quarterbacks, as long as Jordan Love is healthy, this will be a potential shootout. In Week 10, the Lions play against the Texans, another potential shootout.

Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams - 18.5% Rostered

This past weekend was the first time Stafford had Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp available for over 50% of the snaps all year. He threw for 279 yards and four touchdowns en route to 24.8 points against the Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings have been one of the best defenses this season.

Is Matthew Stafford back to being a top 12 fantasy quarterback. 🤔

NBC Sports | @Applebees

🎥 Prime, FOX pic.twitter.com/24b6Ai2zNL

— Rotoworld Football (@rotoworld_fb) October 25, 2024

The Rams' defense is not strong but is an excellent element for fantasy football success. With Kupp, Nacua, and running back Kyren Williams, Stafford has a strong trio of play-makers to help him keep the offense moving. Stafford has a sneaky top-12 upside for the rest of the season.

Sam Darnold, Minnesota Vikings - 46.5% Rostered

Darnold has had a career-resurgent season under head coach Kevin O'Connell. He's been exceptional, and he should be getting star tight end T.J. Hockenson back this week, giving him another elite pass-catching option. Darnold has thrown for two or more touchdowns in five contests through seven games this year.

He's scored 18 or more fantasy points in four out of his seven starts. Darnold has a great matchup in Week 9 against the Colts, who have allowed the 12th-most points to quarterbacks through the first seven weeks.

Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins - 47.2% Rostered

Tagovailoa returned this past weekend, and while he didn't light up the scoreboard, the potential for top-12 numbers was evident. He finished with 14.6 points after throwing for 234 yards and one touchdown. In his two full starts, Tagovailoa has thrown 37 and 38 passes. That volume and Tyreek Hill's and Jaylen Waddle's elite talents will keep Tua valued as a high-end QB2 for most weeks.

It's a small sample for the year, but Tagovailoa is averaging 286 passing yards in two complete starts. There's no reason not to expect the volume to continue, and as long as it does, the touchdowns will follow. He's thrown just one touchdown in each of his two complete games. That will surely increase.

Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks - 58.0% Rostered

The Seahawks continue to rack up pass attempts. The volume is there, and the neutral pass rate and pace of play are great. Eventually, his touchdown rate should normalize, drastically increasing his scoring. The return of D.K. Metcalf will help, as well.

Strong Bench and Streamer Options

Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars - 33.8% Rostered

Lawrence continues to play well and is starting to stack quality after quality starts. Over his last four games, he's averaging 19.2 PPG. He's scored 21.2 and 23.2 points in two of those contests. After throwing just two touchdowns in the first three weeks, he's thrown two in four of the last five starts.

His next three starts against upper-echelon teams, Philadelphia, Minnesota, and Detroit, present a lot of shootout appeal. While Jacksonville is unlikely to win any of those three contests, there is a high chance the Jaguars will be chasing points in all three.

Drake Maye, New England Patriots - 13.7% Rostered

Fantasy managers will need to track his injury status throughout the week. Maye was ruled out of their game this past weekend with a concussion. That puts his Week 9 status in doubt. However, Maye should be a priority add if he can pass through concussion protocol. Even if he's unable to pass through protocol, he's still worth an add.

In his first two starts, Maye scored 19.5 and 20.8 points. This past weekend, despite leaving the game in the first half, amassed 11.5 points. Through three starts, he's on pace for 578 rushing yards over 17 games, which could have been even higher had he not missed most of the game this past Sunday. Maye looks like the real deal, and he can score significant points with his legs.

Other Players to Consider: Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears - 59.8% Rostered, Jameis Winston, Cleveland Browns - 3.3% Rostered, Aaron Rodgers, New York Jets - 57.1% Rostered, Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers - 40.0% Rostered, Bo Nix, Denver Broncos - 35.7% Rostered, Russell Wilson, Pittsburgh Steelers - 27.% Rostered, Malik Willis, Green Bay Packers - 0.5% Rostered

Running Backs - Fantasy Football Waiver Wire for Week 9

RB3s with RB2 Upside

Alexander Mattison, Las Vegas Raiders - 54.0% Rostered

Mattison's rostered percentage is a bit outside our parameters, but he deserves mention here because he should be rostered in more than 54% of leagues. It won't always be the prettiest, but the sheer volume that Mattison is getting is worth a roster spot.

Alexander Mattison is a... Bell Cow?!

Averaging over 20 touches per game in October

Zamir White even returned last week, Mattison out-touched him 26-4 (!!)

Mattison has cracked my top-30 rest of season RB rankings

Full rest of season fantasy rankings ⤵️

— Josh Larky (@jlarkytweets) October 23, 2024

That was from last week, but the trend continued this past weekend. Mattison had 14 carries and five receptions. The next closest Raiders' running back had two touches. He's the clear bell cow for the Raiders.

Mattison isn't a great talent and the Raiders' offense is pretty bad, so there will be weeks like this past weekend when he busts, but fantasy managers can do far worse than having a running back getting 18 or more touches per game.

RB4s with High Contingency Value

Tyrone Tracy Jr., New York Giants - 46.2% Rostered

In Weeks 5-6, Tracy got a chance to start for the Giants, with Devin Singletary dealing with a groin injury. During that time, he racked up 237 scrimmage yards with 42 touches, seven of which were receptions. Singletary returned in Week 7, but Tracy still handled 67% of the snaps. Tracy also out-touched Singletary.

The Giants play tonight, so seeing how this backfield plays out now that Singletary is two weeks removed from his groin injury will be interesting. This backfield remains a committee, with Singletary and Tracy both receiving touches. That'll give both of them RB4 value with RB2/3 upside.

Fantasy managers must pay attention to which player handles the goal-line touches and who the team's primary pass-catcher is. This will help determine whose value is the highest among this duo.

Tyjae Spears, Tennessee Titans - 49.9% Rostered

Spears didn't play this past weekend. He was ruled out with a hamstring injury. However, if he's available, he's worth adding to your roster. The perception of Spears is likely more pessimistic than that of other players because there was a belief that the Titans' backfield would be a 50/50 split and that Spears had a chance to overtake Tony Pollard. That hasn't even remotely come to pass.

That's okay. We just need to alter our expectations. Through the first four weeks of the season, before he left their Week 6 game early with a hamstring, he had averaged seven carries and three receptions per game. Any running back getting ten touches per game can be started.

During those first four games, Spears scored 8.1 and 10.9 half-PPR points in two of those games. He can give you RB4 with RB3 upside as a starter. He also offers RB2 contingency value if Pollard were to miss time.

Pure Handcuffs

Ray Davis, Buffalo Bills - 16.8% Rostered

James Cook has been terrific this season, but Davis has also shown he's fully capable of being an effective running back in Buffalo's offense. Cook missed one game this year, and Davis had 97 rushing yards, three receptions, and 55 receiving yards en route to 16.7 half-PPR points.

After that performance, Davis solidified his status as Buffalo's No. 2 running back behind Cook. If he were to miss time, Davis would vault inside the top 20.

Braelon Allen, New York Jets - 24.8% Rostered

Based on his Week 8 performance, Allen may deserve to be in the category above, RB4s with high contingency value. However, in Weeks 6-7, Breece Hall dominated the team's backfield snaps and touches. Those were the first two games under new play-caller, Todd Downing.

The touch share this past weekend was drastically different than what we saw in Weeks 6-7. This makes it difficult to know the team's plan moving forward with Allen.

Breece Hall over the last two weeks with new OC Todd Downing:

– 84% snaps (ranks RB2)
– 83% of team carries (RB1)
– 67% route share (RB1)

in Weeks 1-5...

– 74% snaps (RB7)
– 58% carry share (RB16)
– 52% route share (RB8)

— Graham Barfield (@GrahamBarfield) October 22, 2024

This past weekend, Allen had 12 carries to Hall's 16. Allen also got one of the carries inside the five-yard line, which he was able to punch in for a score. He wasn't very effective with his touches, finishing with just 32 yards, but if he continues to get ten touches per game with some of the goal-line touches, he can be started as a desperation flex play.

Fantasy managers should continue valuing him purely as a handcuff until we get a more defined idea of how the team will use these two running backs under their new play-caller.

Trey Benson, Arizona Cardinals - 16.6% Rostered

Benson holds no standalone value and hasn't gotten many opportunities this season, but he remains the most likely beneficiary if James Conner were injured. Benson would likely be valued as a top-25 running back in such an event.

Ty Chandler, Minnesota Vikings - 28.7% Rostered

Chandler's role has decreased this season. He played just two snaps on Thursday night in Minnesta's loss to the Rams. Minnesota also traded for Cam Akers a few weeks ago, which could put Chandler's No. 2 status behind Aaron Jones in doubt.

However, as of right now, fantasy managers should still assume Chandler is Minnesota's preferred No. 2 running back. Jones has dealt with hip/hamstring injuries this season and struggled with hamstring injuries last year, so he could be worth stashing.

Blake Corum, Los Angeles Rams - 16.9% Rostered

Corum has become more involved in the offense in recent weeks. That doesn't mean anything because he wasn't even playing the first few weeks of the season. However, it's still a good sign for his handcuff value, which is all he has right now.

He holds no standalone value, but he now seems like the clear No. 2 running back behind Kyren Williams. His upside could be massive if Williams misses time.

Roschon Johnson, Chicago Bears - 12.0% Rostered

Johnson is Chicago's No. 2 running back behind D'Andre Swift. He also doubles as the team's goal-line back, which gives him some desperation appeal in positive matchups for Chicago. Khalil Herbert is being rumored on the trade block, which keeps Johnosn's No. 2 role safe. If Swift were to get hurt and Herbert is traded, Johnson would have workhorse potential.

Sean Tucker, Tampa Bay Buccaneers - 7.6% Rostered

Fantasy managers shouldn't read too much into Week 8. Tampa Bay was chasing points for most of the game, which is not the game script Tucker needs to be effective. The team prefers Bucky Irving and Rachaad White in the passing game. Tucker is still nothing more than a handcuff and needs an injury to one of them to become fantasy-relevant. Should one of them miss time, Tucker would be a flex-level starter.

Kimani Vidal, Los Angeles Chargers - 6.5% Rostered

Vidal is now the Chargers' No. 2 running back behind J.K. Dobbins. Gus Edwards is on IR and has been dreadfully inefficient this season. There's no guarantee he will get his role back as Dobbins' backup once he's healthy. With Dobbins' injury history, Vidal is a handcuff running back worth stashing on your bench.

Jaylen Wright, Miami Dolphins - 7.0% Rostered

Right now Wright is just a handcuff to either De'Von Achane or Raheem Mostert, but Wright could become fantasy-relevant if either one gets hurt. That gives him two potential outs compared to the other handcuff running backs with only one.

Mostert had just 19 yards on nine attempts this past weekend. Meanwhile, Wright had had 18 yards on two carries. Wright's better efficiency could lead to him eventually moving ahead of Mostert on the depth chart, especially if Miami continues to fall further out of playoff contention.

Dameon Pierce, Houston Texans - 3.0% Rostered

The team traded Cam Akers to the Vikings. Pierce's role as Joe Mixon's backup is solidified with that move. That makes him one of the better handcuffs in fantasy football. Mixon has been one of the best fantasy running backs this season. If Mixon were to miss time, Pierce would step into one of the most fantasy-friendly backfield roles in the NFL.

Antonio Gibson, New England Patriots - 33.9% Rostered

Gibson is New England's No. 2 running back behind Rhamondre Stevenson. Earlier this year, when Stevenson missed a game, Gibson was utilized as the team's workhorse back and handled most of the team's backfield touches. If Stevenson were to miss any more games, Gibson would again have flex value.

Upside Stashes

MarShawn Lloyd, Green Bay Packers - 7.7% Rostered

Lloyd is eligible to return from IR this week. With Jordan Love on the mend with a groin injury that Matt LaFleur stated "is highly concerned about", the team may implement a very run-heavy game plan. If Lloyd can return to the field, Lloyd could immediately walk into 7-12 touches.

It's a bit of a stretch to think he'd immediately leap-frog Emanuel Wilson, but that potential is there. Given his draft capital, we should assume the Packers had planned on him operating as their No. 2 running back. If that were to happen, Lloyd could have an RB4 value with a high-contingency value if Jacobs misses time.

Kendre Miller, New Orleans Saints - 7.7% Rostered

Miller seems to be the Saints' No. 2 running back. Alvin Kamara stated he had been playing with a broken hand. Miller would likely be the biggest beneficiary if Kamara were to get hurt. If the Saints' season continues to go south, the team could choose to incorporate Miller further into the game plan.

Possible Trade Candidates

Khalil Herbert, Chicago Bears - 4.2% Rostered

There are rumors Herbert could be traded. He's Chicago's No. 3 running back. If he were to be traded, the Dallas Cowboys could be one of the potential landing spots. It's a long shot, but if that were to happen, it's not hard to envision him becoming their No. 1 running back over Rico Dowdle and Ezekiel Elliott.

Miles Sanders, Carolina Panthers - 8.2% Rostered

Sanders has also heard his name on the trade block. With Jonathon Brooks's return imminent and Chuba Hubbard playing as well as he is, Sanders could be expandable. If he were traded to Dallas, he could also have flex value. Like Herbert, this is a long shot.

Wide Receivers - Fantasy Football Waiver Wire for Week 9

Potential League-Winner

Cedric Tillman, Cleveland Browns - 15.4% Rostered

Is calling Tillman a potential league winner getting carried away? Maybe, but I'd rather swing and be wrong than not swing. He had 12 targets, eight receptions, 81 yards, and 14.1 half-PPR points last week. He followed that up with nine targets, seven receptions, 99 yards, and two touchdowns this past weekend en route to 25.4 half-PPR points.

I WILL SAY AGAIN… NFL REDZONE WAS MADE FOR DAYS LIKE TODAY🚨

Jameis Winston finds Cedric Tillman to take the lead‼️

pic.twitter.com/ikY0mZm98A

— PlayerProfiler (@rotounderworld) October 27, 2024

He's had target shares of 23.0% and 21.9% in the past two weeks. He seems to have solidified himself as Cleveland's No. 1 receiver. David Njoku will continue being a major component of their passing attack, but Jerry Jeudy is best viewed as an ancillary piece. Tillman has major upside, and fantasy managers should be extremely aggressive in obtaining him.

Must Add WR3s

Jerry Jeudy, Cleveland Browns - 49.8% Rostered

With Amari Cooper now in Buffalo and Jameis Winston under center, if Jeudy is available, fantasy managers should prioritize him. Winston passed the ball 41 times and finished with 334 yards and three touchdowns. Granted, it was against one of the worst secondaries in the NFL, but Winston raised the bar for all Cleveland pass-catchers.

Browns pass catchers with Jameis Winston today:

Elijah Moore: 29% targets, 23% air yards, 16.5 points 📈
Cedric Tillman: 22%, 39%, 28.9 📈
Jerry Jeudy: 20%, 24%, 12.9 📈
David Njoku: 17%, 15%, 17.1 📈

Upgrades everywhere. pic.twitter.com/0Itwf8eL52

— Dwain McFarland (@dwainmcfarland) October 27, 2024

Jeudy has been No. 3 in targets each of the past two weeks. Since Winston will have some ups and downs and Cleveland's offense, Jeudy won't be a consistent fantasy producer, but Jeudy now has WR3 upside. He finished with eight targets, five receptions, and 79 yards with Winston under center. He had 10.4 half-PPR points and should be a priority add.

Jalen McMillan, Tampa Bay Buccaneers - 40.5% Rostered

The final point tally wasn't what fantasy managers were hoping for. Still, McMillan's role in Tampa Bay's first game without Mike Evans and Chris Godwin was one fantasy managers should be optimistic about. He was tied for second on the team in targets.

Buccanneers passing attack without Chris Godwin and Mike Evans in Week 8:

Cade Otton: 29.1 points, 88% routes, 22% targets
Jalen McMillan: 9.2, 92%, 15%
Sterling Shepard: 4.8, 74%, 11%
Trey Palmer: 4.9, 78%, 5%

Percent slot: Shepard 60%, McMillan 33%

McMillan still alive.

— Dwain McFarland (@dwainmcfarland) October 27, 2024

Ideally, his slot percentage would have been higher, but he had the highest route percentage among receivers and paced all receivers in targets. He turned seven targets into four receptions and 35 yards. He also chipped in one carry for 17 yards, a good sign the team wants to get the ball in his hands.

He still has WR3 potential but might do better once Evans returns. Theoretically, this would push McMillan into the slot at a far higher percentage than he had this past weekend. Fantasy managers should add him and stay the course.

WR4s and WR5s Who are Solid Bye-Week and Injury Replacements

Ricky Pearsall, San Francisco 49ers - 20.7% Rostered

Brandon Aiyuk is on IR. Jauan Jennings is dealing with a hip injury and was ruled out this past weekend. Deebo Samuel left Sunday night with a rib injury. The 49ers' offense is depleted, specifically at receiver. Pearsall was a first-round selection in this year's draft.

With all the injuries piling up at receiver, Pearsall's role could significantly increase soon. He showed a lot of potential last night when he secured four receptions for 38 yards. He also had a 39-yard rush attempt and finished with 9.7 half-PPR points. If Samuel's rib injury causes him to miss time or Jennings cannot return next week, Pearsall could find himself as a top-36 receiver next week.

DeMario Douglas, New England Patriots - 35.1% Rostered

Douglas has disappointed the past two weeks. After having 18 targets, 12 receptions, 151 yards, and a touchdown from Weeks 5-6 in Drake Maye's first two starts, he's returned to Earth the past two weeks.

However, he was under the weather in Week 7 and played just 33% of the snaps after clearing 62% in Weeks 5-6. This past weekend, Maye also left the game with a concussion.

Demario Douglas has an absurd 40.5% target share when sharing the field with Drake Maye.

We already saw the Pats take on the Jets once this season. "Pop" Douglas in that game:
+ 38% target share
+ 58% receiving yardage share

— Jacob Gibbs (@jagibbs_23) October 23, 2024

As long as Maye is under center and Douglas isn't sick, Douglas is WR4 with WR3 in PPR scoring leagues. Try to block out the past two weeks. They are all noise. He's still a worthwhile add.

Xavier Legette, Carolina Panthers - 24.1% Rostered

Fantasy managers must be stashing Legette just in case Diontae Johnson is traded. He's in the final year of his deal, and teams like the Buccaneers, 49ers, Commanders, Ravens, Steelers, and Cowboys could all have real interest in Johnson.

Christian Kirk was also routinely mentioned in trade rumors, but he broke his collarbone. That could increase Carolina's leverage for Johnson. If Johnson is traded, Legette's value increases significantly.

Since Adam Thielen went on IR, Legette has played four games with a snap share higher than 40%. There was a fifth game, but he left in the first half. In those four other games, he has 24 targets, 15 receptions, 126 yards, and three touchdowns. Assuming Andy Dalton regains his starting job once he's healthy, Legette has WR3 upside if Johnson is traded.

Josh Downs, Indianapolis Colts - 48.9% Rostered

Anthony Richardson has significant limitations as a passer, but ignore all of that. Downs is just a flat-out good football player. Since Week 4, Downs has scored over 11.0 half-PPR points in four out of five games. Most came with Joe Flacco at center, but Downs scored 20.2 half-PPR points with Anthony Richardson.

Downs has nine or more targets in four out of his last five games. With Richardson at quarterback, Downs will be a boom-or-bust player, but I'd rather have a gamble on Downs' talent. There's also the chance that, eventually, the team goes back to Flacco.

Christian Watson, Green Bay Packers - 48.2% Rostered

Watson is going to be a boom-or-bust player to some degree. That's the nature of his game and role on the Packers' offense. Dontayvion Wicks and Watson essentially share one position, with Romeo Doubs working as their full-time X receiver and Jayden Reed as their full-time slot receiver. In Week 7, Wicks led in routes run. This week was Watson.

Christian Watson vs. Dontayvion Wicks: Round 2

Watson: 77% routes, 22% targets
Wicks: 30% routes, 7% targets

No clue what this will look like going forward. Pretty unstable situation each week.

— Dwain McFarland (@dwainmcfarland) October 27, 2024

Watson finished with six targets, four receptions, and 39 yards. He had 5.9 half-PPR points but can always take one to the house. The downside is that Jordan Love injured his groin, which will likely keep him out next week. The Packers have a bye in Week 10, so Watson can't be confidentially started until Week 11.

Still, with the way the Packers' offense is clicking (with Love under center), stashing a big-play receiver like Watson on a top-ten offense isn't the worst thing.

Rashod Bateman, Baltimore Ravens - 22.9% Rostered

Before Week 8, Bateman had a three-week streak of having four receptions and over 55 yards in each game. He finished this past weekend with five targets, one reception, and 28 yards, but it should've been far more than that. It won't show up in the box score, but fantasy managers should take solace that there was a possible touchdown that he dropped.

Football meets Rashod Bateman's facepic.twitter.com/w09mwCDh80

— The 33rd Team (@The33rdTeamFB) October 27, 2024

He's had nine or more half-PPR points in four of his eight games this season. He's had four targets or more in seven games. He's eclipsed 50 yards in four out of eight games. He's become a legit flex option.

JuJu Smith-Schuster, Kansas City Chiefs - 28.1% Rostered

Smith-Schuster left their Week 7 game very early after re-aggravating a hamstring injury he dealt with leading up to the game. He was ruled out and didn't play in Week 8, either. In Week 5, however, he had eight targets, seven receptions, 130 yards, and 16.5 half-PPR points.

It's unknown when he'll return from his hamstring injury, but if you have the roster space to stash him, he could become a solid bench contributor once he gets back on the field. The Chiefs are still desperate for pass-catching help. However, the acquisition of DeAndre Hopkins could significantly hinder his potential.

Elijah Moore, Cleveland Browns - 1.3% Rostered

Moore is No. 3 or 4 on the team's target hierarchy, so the fact that Cleveland has thrown 93 passes in the past two weeks has helped him. In weeks when their passing volume is more typical, say around 33-38, Moore will likely be pinched. However, after garnering 18 targets in the past two weeks, he's earned a mention here.

Moore has had six and eight receptions in his past two games, giving him strong appeal in PPR scoring leagues. He's scored 7.1 and 12.5 half-PPR points in the past two weeks. His upside isn't very high, but Moore is worth a stash in deeper leagues.

Upside Stashes

Dontayvion Wicks, Green Bay Packers - 20.1% Rostered

Wicks continues to shine in his limited opportunity. According to PlayerProfiler, he has a target rate of 32.8%. He continues to draw targets when he's on the field. The problem is he's splitting snaps with Christian Watson. Doubs and Reed are close to full-time players. It's difficult to start with Wicks as long as the other three receivers are healthy.

WR Leaders by Separation Win Share*

1. George Pickens - 44.3%
2. Malik Nabers - 44.3%
3. Diontae Johnson - 43.8%
4. Dontayvion Wicks - 41.5%
5. Chris Olave - 41.4%

*The percentage of his team's charted separation "wins" the player is responsible for while on the field

— Fantasy Points Data (@FantasyPtsData) October 23, 2024

Wicks has WR2/3 upside if any of those three starters were to get hurt. He continues to show that he's a really good football player who just needs more opportunities. That was the story with him last year, as well. If you can stash him, he's a high-end receiver handcuff with three outs. The downside right now to Wicks and every Packers' pass-catcher is Love's new groin injury.

Troy Franklin, Denver Broncos - 4.1% Rostered

Franklin is a fourth-round rookie, and the Broncos' offense is a work in progress. Bo Nix leaves a lot to be desired yet and struggles with weekly consistency. All those elements will make it challenging to trust Franklin, but he started showing some potential in Weeks 6-7. He had nine targets, seven receptions, 81 yards, one touchdown, and 18.1 half-PPR points. He scored 7.5 half-PPR points or more in both contests.

He disappointed this past weekend with just two targets, one reception, and six yards. Franklin and Nix went to Oregon together, and that chemistry could pay dividends if they could get on the same page. He's worth a stash in deep leagues.

Ja'Lynn Polk, New England Patriots - 9.2% Rostered

Maybe we should give up on Polk. His rookie season has been dreadful. However, Maye's play has raised the bar of the New England offense. Polk was drafted at No. 37 in this year's draft, indicating that New England was very high on him as a player. Some rookies need more time than others. His chances of breaking out this season are getting smaller, but theoretically, there's still untapped potential here.

Others to Consider (Deep-Bench Options):

• Tutu Atwell, Los Angeles Rams - 16.1% Rostered
• Jordan Whittington, Los Angeles Rams - 2.6% Rostered
• Jalen Tolbert, Dallas Cowboys - 27.0% Rostered
• Adam Thielen, Carolina Panthers - 21.1% Rostered
• Quentin Johnston, Los Angeles Chargers - 22.0% Rostered
• Tre Tucker, Las Vegas Raiders - 13.8% Rostered
• Michael Wilson, Arizona Cardinals - 12.6% Rostered
• Noah Brown, Washington Commanders - 1.3% Rostered
• Kayshon Boutte, New England Patriots - 0.3% Rostered
• Bub Means, New Orleans Saints - 2.3% Rostered
• Tyler Boyd, Tennessee Titans - 4.7% Rostered
• Sterling Shepard, Tampa Bay Buccaneers - 10.0% Rostered

Tight Ends - Fantasy Football Waiver Wire for Week 9

Must-Add Tight End

Cade Otton, Tampa Bay Buccaneers - 58.2% Rostered

Otton has been on a tear lately. With the injuries to Godwin and Evans, the target competition has become significantly less imposing. That's led to back-to-back games with ten targets. He's also racked up 17 receptions over the past two games, securing eight and nine. In Week 7, he had 100 yards before finishing with 81 yards this past weekend.

13. Cade Otton in 3 games Mike Evans has been out or missed significant time to injury:

*19.1% target share
*65.3 receiving YPG
*18.9 FPG

Bucky Irving and Jalen McMillan tied for 2nd on the team today with 14.0% target shares each.

— Ryan Heath (@RyanJ_Heath) October 27, 2024

Otton has scored 14.0 and 24.6 half-PPR points in the past two weeks. He found the end zone twice in Week 8 and seems to be one of Baker Mayfield's most trusted pass-catchers. He's a must-add.

Cole Kmet, Chicago Bears - 62.2% Rostered

Kmet disappointed coming out of the bye, but he's still a top-10 tight end for the season. He's scored over 20 half-PPR points in two contests and has shown a weekly upside that most tight ends do not have.

TE2 with Upside

Pat Freiermuth, Pittsburgh Steelers - 58.4% Rostered

Russell Wilson has improved the Pittsburgh passing game. That should eventually pay dividends for Freiermuth. The team is lacking options behind George Pickens, which should continue to keep Freiermuth as Pittsburgh's No. 2 target-earner.

He has four or more receptions in four out of seven games. He scored five or more half-PPR points in five out of seven games. His ceiling is not as high as other tight ends, but he has a nice floor.

Hunter Henry, New England Patriots - 41.5% Rostered

Throw this weekend out. Ignore it. Maye started. He left early due to a concussion. In the four games in which Jacoby Brissett played 100% of the snaps, the Patriots offense averaged 29.2 pass attempts, 149.5 yards, and 0.5 touchdowns per game. Brissett completed just 57.2% of his passes.

Since Drake Maye took over, they have averaged 35.0 pass attempts, 259.5 yards, and 2.5 touchdowns per game. He’s completed 65.7% of his passes. The Patriots passing game has gotten a serious jolt, and there is now a ceiling that fantasy managers can be excited about weekly.

How has this impacted Henry? From Weeks 1-5 with Brissett, Henry averaged 5.0 targets, 3.2 receptions, and 36 yards. He didn’t score once. In his two games with Maye, Henry has averaged 7.0 targets, 5.5 receptions, and 66.5 yards. He’s also found the end zone in one of those games.

He averaged 5.2 half-PPR PPG in Weeks 1-5. He scored under 4.5 half-PPR points in four out of five games. Since Maye has been the starter, Henry has averaged 12.4 half-PPR PPG and has scored double digits in both contests.

Others to Consider: Zach Ertz, Washington Commanders - 52.9% Rostered, Dalton Schultz, Houston Texans - 51.8% Rostered, Noah Fant, Seattle Seahawks - 8.8% Rostered, Jonnu Smith, Miami Dolphins - 7.1% Rostered, Colby Parkinson, Los Angeles Rams - 23.7% Rostered

Team Defenses (D/ST) - Waiver Wire Streamers for Week 9

• Los Angeles Chargers - 59.8% Rostered (at Cleveland Browns)
• Chicago Bears - 47.2% Rostered (at Arizona Cardinals)
• Philadelphia Eagles - 40.9% Rostered (vs Jacksonville Jaguars)
• Cincinnati Bengals - 39.5% Rostered (vs Las Vegas Raiders)
• New Orleans Saints - 38.9% Rostered (at Carolina Panthers)
• Washington Commanders - 19.4% Rostered (at New York Giants)

Kickers - Waiver Wire Streamers for Week 9

• Jake Bates, Detroit Lions - 57.0% Rostered (at Green Bay Packers)
• Jake Elliott, Philadelphia Eagles - 53.8% Rostered (vs Jacksonville Jaguars)
• Will Reichard, Minnesota Vikings - 23.2% Rostered (vs Indianapolis Colts)
• Cairo Santos, Chicago Bears - 19.1% Rostered (at Arizona Cardinals)
• Tyler Bass, Buffalo Bills - 17.7% Rostered (vs Miami Dolphins)
• Brandon McManus, Green Bay Packers - 5.6% Rostered (vs Detroit Lions)
• Jason Sanders, Miami Dolphins - 3.1% Rostered (at Buffalo Bills)

Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Parameters

A few rules before we get started. Every league is different. Different roster formats. Different roster sizes. That makes this one of the more challenging articles because every league’s waiver wire can look dramatically different.

Even what host site you use matters. ESPN has rankings that are different from those of Yahoo!, which have rankings that are different from those of CBS or NFL, and all of that impacts which players are drafted or not drafted. This year, we’ll be using ESPN’s roster percentages.

The vast majority of players use ESPN. It’s a simple numbers game. We’ll only identify quarterbacks and tight ends with a roster percentage of less than 55%. For running backs and receivers, that number will drop to 45%. We won’t be diving into defenses and kickers too much, but I’ll identify a few streamers to target at those positions each week with a roster percentage below 60%.

Each position will be arranged based on who you should prioritize first at that position. In an attempt to cater to leagues of all sizes, you will see many players listed at each position, but remember, they're arranged in the order in which you add them. Hopefully, this makes the article relevant to even those playing in deep 12-team leagues or 14-team leagues.

As a reminder, please use promo code "BOOM" at checkout for 10% off any premium purchase.

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