Here are our suggested fantasy football Week 9 waiver wire pickups. Or, if you already know the players you’re after, skip straight to the initial release of our model’s complete Week 9 projections and rankings.
Bye weeks are now upon us in a big way as teams like the San Francisco 49ers and Pittsburgh Steelers are off this week, while four teams will get a break in Week 10. This means that fantasy managers need to not only be preparing for how to get through Week 9, but also how to navigate the next several.
Don’t panic though, we’ve got you covered with the latest information and advice to parse through as you set your waiver wire claims.
Week 9 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Advice
Running Backs
Jaylen Warren, Pittsburgh Steelers
Jaylen Warren was a popular pick in fantasy football drafts in the middle rounds coming into the year, but an injury early on sidelined him and prevented him from getting his feet under him in this new Arthur Smith offense.
It had begun looking like Warren had the potential to handle more and more opportunity as he became further removed from his injury, but he returned to just a complementary role behind Najee Harris in this backfield in Week 8.
Warren has the talent to be a key contributor for fantasy football if he’s ever given the opportunity this season. However, it’s looking less and less likely that Smith is going to take the ball out of Harris’ hand, putting Warren into the high-level insurance category for fantasy football.
Keep in mind that the Steelers do head out on their bye this week too, which means that you will not have an immediate option to plug in if you are in a pinch. Otherwise, Warren remains a very good target to secure and hold onto for the potential payoff down the line. He’s just not an immediate contributor.
Tyler Allgeier, Atlanta Falcons
It’s a thin week at the RB position on the waiver wire, so let’s continue to highlight the top insurance players that you need to roster moving forward. Tyler Allgeier has continued to make appearances on these waiver wire articles each week due to the value he possesses in the event of an injury to Bijan Robinson.
Based on consensus rostership percentages from both Yahoo & ESPN leagues, Allgeier is available in well over half of leagues out there. While he isn’t going to be an elite option with Robinson in the lineup, he would easily push top 12 status if Robinson were forced to miss any time.
He would easily be the top priority on the waiver wire that week, which means that it’s a smart move to scoop him up now for next to nothing and hold onto him if you have the space on your bench.
Zach Charbonnet, Seattle Seahawks
As discussed above with Allgeier, it’s incredibly important to identify the players in fantasy football that would instantly see their value skyrocket if the starter above them were to go down with an injury. Zach Charbonnet certainly falls into that category.
We’ve already seen what Charbonnet can do when Kenneth Walker is not in the lineup, as he finished as the RB17 and RB6 (in half-PPR scoring formats) in the two contests that Walker missed early on in the season. That type of production simply cannot be sitting out there on your waiver wire, but that’s what is happening as Charbonnet is rostered in just over 50% of leagues.
It’s time to start thinking about securing solid depth on your fantasy football roster versus taking chances on waiver wire dart throws if you’re in a spot to make a deep playoff run. Charbonnet should be a top priority for you if he is available in your league.
Wide Receivers
Cedric Tillman, Cleveland Browns
Cedric Tillman made an appearance on last week’s waiver wire article, so hopefully you have him secured onto your roster and you don’t have to think about dropping a significant amount of FAAB on him this week!
If you didn’t pick him up though before now, it’s time to prioritize Tillman as the No. 1 option heading into Week 9 after such a dominant performance with Jameis Winston commanding the Cleveland Browns offense. Tillman turned nine targets into seven receptions for 99 yards and two touchdowns, including the game winner to complete the upset over the Baltimore Ravens.
Over the last two weeks, Tillman has seen 21 targets – the second most in the NFL at the WR position over that time frame – and he’s finished as a top 15 WR for fantasy football each contest. He’s posted a 66.7% burn rate and he’s also making defenders miss after the catch with an average of 3.7 yards after catch.
He’s proving that his performance in Week 8 was not a fluke. With Winston looking as solid as he did this past week, Tillman may just be a top 24 WR moving forward. That’s someone that you need to target aggressively on the waiver wire.
Keon Coleman, Buffalo Bills
The acquisition of Amari Cooper from the Cleveland Browns awoke something in Keon Coleman, as he has now produced in a big way each of the past two outings for the Buffalo Bills.
Coleman has reeled in nine of 15 targets for 195 yards and one touchdown during that time frame, while also posting an incredible 13.93 burn yards per target. He seems to be settling in nicely into the No. 2 role in the offense, while Cooper commands the top attention from the opposing defense.
As the Bills offense gets rolling, with some very favorable matchups coming up, Coleman deserves to be picked up and started as a Flex option as early as Week 9.
Jalen McMillan, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The production wasn’t there for Jalen McMillan – just 35 yards on four receptions – in his first outing without Mike Evans or Chris Godwin, but there are some ancillary statistics that we can dissect that make him an intriguing waiver wire target here in Week 9.
McMillan has now seen 15 targets over the past two weeks, which is a good sign for his involvement moving forward. He ran 45 routes this past outing, which was tied for the most at the WR position across the NFL. Additionally, he posted an absurd 15.24 burn yards per target and a 85.7% open rate.
While the opportunity wasn’t turned into elite production this week, McMillan’s involvement in the offense and his ability to create separation are very good indicators that the success will come sooner than later. He’s a fine add off of the waiver wire going into Week 9.
Tight Ends
Zach Ertz, Washington Commanders
Zach Ertz continues to be one of the most undervalued TEs in all of fantasy football this season. Did you know that the veteran has finished outside of the top 20 TEs on the week just once so far this year? Otherwise, Ertz has been an incredibly consistent fantasy asset – while he continues to stick on waivers in the majority of leagues.
An 11-target performance in Week 8 might capture more people’s attention though, which could mean that you’ll have some competition for adding the veteran pass catcher off of waivers. If you’re in need of a solid and reliable TE, he’s worth prioritizing and playing immediately.
Be sure to check out our full Week 9 fantasy football projections and rankings, as well as our NFL, MLB, NBA, and college football coverage. And follow us on X, Instagram and Threads for more!
