Week 9 Waiver Wire Pickups: Tyrone Tracy Tops The List

Week 9 is the ideal spot to reinforce rosters to prepare for the playoff push. 

There are also streaming kickers and a defense to consider adding, plus underperforming players that you can consider dropping. 

Waiver wire targets are generally available in at least 70% of ESPN leagues and are ranked in order of priority by position.

Your bid should vary by format and situation. Need RB help? Prioritize that position. All set there? Then no need to chase the top guys.

Week 9 Byes: 

• Cleveland Browns
• New York Jets
• Philadelphia Eagles
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

Jump to:

• Priority Target
• Need Help Now?
• Deep-League Flex Plays
• Upside Stashes
• Injuries to Watch
• Top RB Handcuffs
• Top Streaming Defense
• Top Streaming Kicker
• Drop Candidates

Priority Target of the Week

Tyrone Tracy, RB, New York Giants

Blind Bid Recommendation: 33-50%

What Changed?

Cam Skattebo will miss the remainder of the 2025 season after suffering a dislocated right ankle in the second quarter of New York’s 38-20 loss to the Eagles.

Since taking over as the Giants’ starter in Week 4, Skattebo averaged 22 touches, 99.5 scrimmage yards, and 1.0 TDs in his four full games. 

Tracy, who opened the season as New York’s starter, will reclaim that role. After Skattebo exited the game, Tracy carried the ball seven times and drew a pair of targets. 

What’s the Outlook?

Tracy played 63% of the Giants’ snaps and turned 13 opportunities into 53 yards on Sunday. 

Devin Singletary only played eight snaps (15%) and got three touches. We saw similar usage in Weeks 1-2, when Tracy outsnapped Singletary 78-14. 

New York’s backfield now belongs to Tracy. In 12 starts last season as New York’s starter, Tracy averaged 13.4 PPR points per game. That is mid-range RB2 production.

That makes Tracy the top waiver wire target for Week 9. 

Kareem Hunt, RB, Kansas City Chiefs

Blind Bid Recommendation: 30-35%

What Changed?

Isiah Pacheco suffered an MCL sprain late in Monday night's game that has him "week-to-week," according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. That sure seems to indicate we should expect Pacheco to sit out at least this Sunday's trip to Buffalo (and maybe more).

What's the Outlook?

Hunt already delivered 42 total yards and a pair of TDs despite working behind Pacheco in both the run and pass game against Washington.

If Pacheco sits, we're betting Hunt takes a true lead role, with rookie Brashard Smith likely trailing further behind him than Hunt has behind Pacheco.

Hunt's first such opportunity would come against a Buffalo defense that ranks 30th in run-defense DVOA and seventh-friendliest to RB scoring by our adjusted fantasy points allowed.

We saw Hunt leading last year's Chiefs backfield while Pacheco was out, averaging 20.1 carries and 2.7 targets per game from Week 5 through Week 12.

Hunt might not garner quite so much work this time around -- with Smith on hand and a healthier pass offense -- but he'll bring plenty of fantasy-scoring potential for as long as Pacheco remains out.

Hunt sits high in RB2 territory in our Week 9 rankings.

Bam Knight, RB, Arizona Cardinals

Blind Bid Recommendation: 25-30%

What Changed?

The Cardinals on Monday released Michael Carter, who started in Weeks 5 and 6. Carter averaged just 3.3 yards per carry in those two starts. 

Knight is now listed as Arizona’s starter. Emari Demercado, who hasn’t played since Week 6 or received more than 3 carries in any game, is also on the roster. 

D’Ernest Johnson, who played 14 snaps in Week 7, is likely to be promoted to the active roster unless the Cardinals make a move for another RB. 

What’s the Outlook?

For now, Knight should lead Arizona’s backfield in carries in Week 9, and the matchup could hardly be better for the Cardinals. 

Arizona emerges from its Week 8 bye and travels to Dallas to take on a Cowboys’ defense that has surrendered the fourth-most fantasy points to RBs so far in 2025.

Dallas has allowed three RBs to top 110 rushing yards in their last four games. Nine RBs have topped double-digit fantasy points against the Cowboys in eight games. 

If the Cardinals don’t make a move for another RB, Knight will be on the RB2 radar for Week 9.

However, his time in that range will be short-lived. Trey Benson is eligible to come off IR in Week 10.

UPDATE: The Cardinals re-signed Carter, but Knight remains the RB to target.

Need Help Now?

Sam Darnold, QB, Seattle Seahawks

Blind Recommendation: 3-5%

What Changed?

Seattle entered its Week 8 bye on a hot streak, winning five of six games. During that six-game stretch, Darnold posted three top-12 finishes, throwing 12 TDs against 4 INTs. 

Darnold’s only down game since Week 1 came just before the bye against a stout Texans’ defense. Houston held Darnold to 213 passing yards, 1 TD, and 1 INT, but the Seahawks won comfortably. 

What’s the Outlook?

Week 9’s matchup isn’t as imposing for Darnold. Seattle travels to Washington to take on a Commanders defense that ranks fifth-most friendly to QB scoring by our adjusted fantasy points allowed. 

Darnold follows that with a usable Week 10 against Arizona, if you need him beyond this week. The schedule does get tougher after that, though, ranking seventh-worst for QB scoring from Week 11 on.

Tyjae Spears, RB, Tennessee Titans

Blind Bid Recommendation: 10-12%

What Changed?

Despite receiving two fewer carries than Tony Pollard, Spears led the Titans in rushing in Week 9. Spears gained 59 yards on his 9 attempts, while Pollard’s 11 totes accounted for 44 yards. 

Spears has seen his role grow over the past three games, following his Week 5 return from injury:

What’s the Outlook?

Spears out-snapped Pollard for the second time in three weeks in Week 8. Both backs earned 12 touches, but Spears was far more effective, generating 17.2 PPR points to Pollard’s season-low 6.3.

Since Mike McCoy took over as interim coach, Spears has played 3 fewer snaps than Pollard. Both backs have earned a 10% target share in those two games, but Spears has taken all the 2-minute snaps.

In those two games with McCoy at the helm, Pollard has touched the ball 24 times for 114 scoreless yards, while Pollard has turned his 20 touches into 122 yards and a TD. 

He has RB3/flex value in Week 9 versus the Chargers, who have allowed the 14th-most adjusted PPR points to RBs. 

Christian Watson, WR, Green Bay Packers

Blind Bid Recommendation: 10-15%

What Changed?

Watson played for the first time since tearing his ACL in January. He drew the start, leading Green Bay’s WRs in catches (4) and receiving yards (85). 

Watson played 35 of Green Bay’s 64 snaps (56%), encouraging usage for a player only nine months removed from a major knee injury. 

What’s the Outlook?

Evidently, Watson is fully recovered. His immediate usage boosts the WR’s fantasy outlook. 

Watson’s first game opened up Green Bay’s passing attack. Watson’s 18.0 ADOT helped open things up downfield and helped QB Jordan Love throw for a season-high 360 yards and 3 TD passes. 

16 of Watson’s 24 routes came from the perimeter. Romeo Doubs has run 83% of his routes outside, while Matthew Golden leads Green Bay with 88 routes from the slot. Expect Watson to line up mostly outside and run deeper routes to continue to open up Green Bay’s passing attack.

The Packers host a Carolina defense that allows the third-fewest fantasy points to WRs in Week 9 and then entertains Philadelphia in Week 10. 

After that, the schedule eases up enough to consider Watson a WR3/ flex option. 

Troy Franklin, WR, Denver Broncos

Blind Bid Recommendation: 10-15%

What Changed?

Franklin took advantage of soft coverage from an injury-depleted Dallas secondary and had his best fantasy game of the season in Week 8. Franklin caught six of eight targets, tied his season-high with 89 receiving yards, and produced the first multi-TD game of his career.

Denver has surpassed 400 yards of offense and scored 30+ points in back-to-back games. Franklin has caught 3 TDs over that span and reached double-digit PPR points in each game. 

Franklin now leads Denver’s WR corps with a 21% targets per route run rate. He also leads the team with six targets inside the opponent’s 10-yard line. 

What’s the Outlook?

Franklin now ranks among the top 30 fantasy WRs for the season, but this week presents a tough task. Houston has been the second-toughest defense on WR scoring by our adjusted fantasy points allowed.

Week 10, however, will find Franklin on the WR2/3 radar for a home date with the Raiders. They’ve allowed the fourth-most PPR points to WRs. 

Franklin is a strong flex target with weekly upside. 

Deep-League Plays

Jayden Higgins, WR, Houston Texans

Blind Bid Recommendation: 8-10%

What Changed?

Nico Collins (concussion) and Christian Kirk (hamstring) missed Week 8. In their place, the Texans went young, and the results were promising. Houston passed for a season-best 318 yards in their 26-15 victory over the 49ers.

Higgins led Houston’s WRs  in snaps (66) and targets (eight) against the 49ers and scored inside the red zone.

What’s the Outlook?

Higgins has seen his snap count grow for seven consecutive games. With a second-round pedigree, he could cut into Xavier Hutchinson’s snaps once the Texans are back to full strength. 

Higgins leads the Texans, lining up outside on 84% of his snaps. He also leads the team with an 11.6 ADOT. Xavier Hutchinson continues to factor in, but, as our own Matt Schauf wrote, “we’re betting on Higgins taking a bigger role than Hutchinson the rest of the way and mitigating the latter's value.”

Houston’s remaining strength of schedule for WRs ranks 11th after this week’s matchup against Denver, which will be playing without top CB Pat Surtain.

Consider Higgins an upside stash in deeper leagues until we get clarity on how snaps are divided up once the Texans are back at full strength.

Chimere Dike, WR, Tennessee Titans

Blind Bid Recommendation: 2-4%

What Changed?

After running a route on just 39% of Tennessee’s snaps in their first six games, Dike has exploded to a 79% route rate and 18% target share over the past two games.

Dike entered Week 7 with a total of 9 catches for 26 yards for the season. The past two weeks have gone much better:

Dike has averaged an impressive 16.6 PPR points in his last two games, but that output comes with a caveat: Calvin Ridley has missed both games with a hamstring injury. 

What’s the Outlook?

Ridley’s return might reduce Dike’s target share, but he should remain a fixture in Tennessee’s passing attack. The Titans released Tyler Lockett last week. 

Lockett had an 83.6% slot rate, while Dike has run 73.7% of his routes inside. Ridley (24.7% slot rate) and Ayomanor (16.4% slot rate) will predominantly line up on the perimeter, freeing up Dike to command slot targets. 

The Titans are projected to lose all of their remaining games, which sets up a favorable game script. But Tennessee has the second-toughest remaining strength of schedule for WRs, including the Chargers in Week 9 and Houston following Tennessee’s Week 10 bye. 

QB concerns and volume once Ridley returns make Dike an add to consider only in deeper leagues. 

Mack Hollins, WR, New England Patriots

Blind Bid Recommendation: 1-3%

What Changed?

Despite ranking second in New England’s receiving corps in snaps (38.9 per game), Hollins had not hit 50 receiving yards or scored more than 8 PPR points in any game until Week 8. 

Against a quality Cleveland pass defense, Hollins had his best game of the season, catching all seven of his targets for 89 yards. All three of those marks led New England, and Hollins’ 30% target share was his highest of the season.

What’s the Outlook?

The fantasy production has been sporadic, but Hollins has played 60.5% of New England’s snaps and recorded multiple receptions in four of his last five games. 

In Week 9, Hollins gets a tough matchup against an Atlanta defense that has allowed the second-fewest fantasy points to WRs. 

But after that, Hollins offers deep-league flex appeal in a Week 10 trip to Tampa Bay. The Bucs have been the 10th-most friendly to WRs by our adjusted fantasy points allowed. 

Upside Stashes

Tyler Shough, QB, New Orleans Saints

Blind Bid Recommendation: 3-5%

What Changed?

Spencer Rattler was benched after an ineffective first half in Sunday’s loss to the Bucs. Throwing 3 INTs in a loss at Chicago the week before surely played into the move as well.

Shough didn’t fare any better in his first action, completing just 17 of his 30 throws for 128 scoreless yards and an INT. 

What’s the Outlook?

Regardless of who’s under center for the Saints, the outlook is bleak. The Saints are 1-7 and have the second-toughest remaining schedule for QBs.

Assuming Shough is allowed to start, he can be considered a low-end QB2 in superflex formats. Don’t touch him in 1-QB leagues. 

UPDATE: Shough has been named the starter. His outlook remains the same.

Isaiah Davis, RB, New York Jets

Blind Bid Recommendation: 3-5%

What Changed?

Davis tied his season-high with 33 snaps and produced 109 scrimmage yards on 10 touches in Sunday’s win over the Bengals. 

What’s the Outlook?

Davis remains behind Breece Hall, who also had his best outing of the season Sunday. 

Since moving into the team’s No. 2 RB role, Davis has looked good as a receiver. In New York’s last four games, he’s run a route on 41% of his snaps and leads the backfield with a 12% target share in the last three weeks. 

Hall has been the subject of trade rumors. If Hall gets moved during the Jets’ Week 9 bye, Davis would emerge as a weekly RB2/3 with volume upside. 

Since the Jets are off this week, you may be able to add Davis as a bench stash for a minimal bid. 

Tank Bigsby, RB, Philadelphia Eagles

Blind Bid Recommendation: 2-4%

What Changed?

Saqoun Barkley exited in the third quarter of Philadelphia’s Week 8 win with a groin injury. The injury is considered “nothing serious,” but Bigsby took advantage of his opportunities Sunday.

He played 16 snaps -- mostly in the fourth quarter -- and carried nine times for 104 yards.

Will Shipley, meanwhile, played only eight snaps and totaled 2 yards on his three attempts. 

What’s the Outlook?

The Eagles have a Week 9 bye. That gives Barkley an extra week to heal. 

If Barkley misses time, Bigsby is the backup to target. Should he get a start, Bigsby -- who forced five missed tackles and averaged 8.8 yards after contact per attempt in Week 8 -- would be a mid-range RB2 for Week 10, even against Green Bay’s No. 3-ranked run defense. 

Dylan Sampson, RB, Cleveland Browns

Blind Bid Recommendation: 2-4%

What Changed?

Quinshon Judkins suffered an AC joint sprain in Week 8. The Browns call Judkins “day-to-day,” and has the Week 9 bye to recover. 

After Judkins exited Sunday’s loss in New England, Sampson led Cleveland’s backfield. He played 46% of the Browns’ snaps and ranked second on the team with six targets. 

Jerome Ford only played 13 snaps and caught one pass for 1 yard. 

What’s the Outlook?

Ford had been acting as Cleveland’s change-of-pace back over the last month. Sunday’s usage points to Sampson as the first guy up if Judkins misses time, though.

Should Sampson find his way into Cleveland’s lineup, he could quietly present solid weekly upside. The Browns sport the second-easiest remaining RB schedule.

Jaylin Noel, WR, Houston Texans 

Blind Bid Recommendation: 3-5%

What Changed? 

Christian Kirk missed his third consecutive game with a hamstring injury. Noel filled the void as Houston’s No. 3 WR, playing 39% of Houston’s snaps, mostly in three-wide sets. 

Everything worked for Houston’s passing attack in Week 8, allowing Noel to catch 5-of-6 targets for 63 yards. This is Noel’s second game in a row with 11-plus PPR points while playing less than one-third of Houston’s snaps. 

What’s the Outlook?

That lack of consistent playing time is why Noel is just a stash. 

Noel has run 69% of his routes from the slot. When Kirk was active, Noel averaged just 15.7 snaps per game. Once Kirk returns, which is trending toward Week 9, Noel may struggle to earn playing time. 

Monitor Kirk’s practice participation this week. If he is unable to get in a full practice, Noel will have some flex value in Week 9 vs. a Denver secondary that will be without their top CB. 

Pat Bryant, WR, Denver Broncos

Blind Bid Recommendation: 2-4%

What Changed?

The rookie posted a season-high 40 receiving yards and scored his first NFL TD from 24 yards out in Denver’s rout of the Cowboys. 

Week 8 was the fourth consecutive game that Bryant cracked a 50% snap share, though he has hovered in the 51-58% range without continuing to increase his playing time over that span.

Sunday also marked the second time in three weeks that Bryant out-snapped Marvin Mims.

What’s the Outlook?

Bryant appears to be Denver’s No. 3 WR, which gives him flex value in deeper leagues. From Weeks 5-8, Bryant has run more routes than Mims, who just played a season-low 19 snaps in a game where Denver’s passing attack was clicking. 

He’s not a recommended start in Week 9 versus Houston, but Bryant is in-play in Week 10, facing a Raiders’ defense that surrenders the fourth-most fantasy points to WRs. 

Isaiah Likely, TE, Baltimore Ravens

Blind Bid Recommendation: 2-4%

What’s Changed?

Likely’s summer foot injury cost him the first three weeks, and he has seen limited passing-game exposure across his four games back.

But Likely has run more routes than Mark Andrews in back-to-back games now, despite still trailing Andrews 9-4 in targets and 7-4 in receptions over that span.

What’s the Outlook?

Likely still probably needs an Andrews injury to make him fantasy-relevant in all but the deepest of leagues.

If Andrews does go down, though, Likely would get exposure to the easiest remaining TE schedule by our adjusted fantasy points allowed.

Weeks 13-17 look especially appealing:

• vs. Cincinnati (32nd vs. TEs)
• vs. Pittsburgh (30th vs. TEs)
• at Cincinnati (32nd vs. TEs)
• vs. New England (19th vs. TEs)
• at Green Bay (31st vs. TEs)

Lamar Jackson’s impending return, of course, also boosts the outlook for everyone in Baltimore’s offense.

Injuries to Watch

• Puka Nacua (ankle)
• Terry McLaurin (quad)
• Drake London (hip)
• Lamar Jackson (hamstring)
• Nico Collins (concussion)
• Garrett Wilson (knee)
• Brock Purdy (toe)
• Michael Penix (knee)
• Bryce Young (ankle)
• Luther Burden III (concussion)
• Cole Kmet (back)

RB Handcuff Top 10

Top Streaming Defense

Los Angeles Rams vs. New Orleans Saints

The Rams entered their Week 9 bye riding high, and for good reason. They didn’t just beat Jacksonville; they demolished them, 35-7. Now rested and back at home, Los Angeles gets one of the juiciest defensive matchups of the week. The Saints are 1-7, winless on the road, and have been outscored 101-46 away from the Superdome.

New Orleans’ offense has been a mess. The Saints rank 27th in total yardage and are tied for the second-most turnovers in the league. A quarterback change didn’t spark anything. Both Spencer Rattler and Tyler Shough threw picks in their 23-3 loss to Tampa Bay.

The Rams should feast. They rank second in sacks, eighth in takeaways, and now get Puka Nacua back to help build an early lead. That’s bad news for a Saints offense that can’t protect the football and will likely be forced to throw.

Los Angeles opened as 13.5-point favorites, the biggest spread of the week — and for fantasy managers, they’re the top streaming defense in Week 9.

Top Streaming Kickers

1. Cam Little, Jaguars
2. Chad Ryland, Cardinals
3. Andres Borregales, Patriots

Drop Candidates

Marvin Mims, WR, Denver Broncos

Pat Bryant has passed Mims on the depth chart. Mims played only 19 snaps in Week 8 and only earned one target. Mims has now scored 5 or fewer PPR points in three of his last four games. 

Jerry Jeudy, WR, Cleveland Browns

Jeudy hasn't hit 50 yards since the opener and now enters a Week 9 bye. He has caught only 22 of 54 targets this season.

Sterling Shepard, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Bucs are off this week. When they emerge from their bye, Shepard could have a hard time earning snaps. He played a season-low 24 of them in Week 8, and the team could welcome back Chris Godwin in Week 10.

Next Up

Streaming Defense Week 9: Rams Ready to Feast on the Saints

Next Article  

Jody Smith, Analyst

Jody Smith has been playing fantasy football for over 30 years, the last 15 as an analyst, writer, and editor. Jody's rankings have been among the most consistent, placing him inside the top-10 in multi-year accuracy.