Week 9 Wide Receiver Preview: Davante Adams Just Scores TDs

Top Fantasy WRs for Week 9

Let's break down the key usage notes and matchups that are driving our Week 9 WR Rankings.

1. Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals

Two of Ja'Marr Chase's biggest single-game target totals have come in the last two weeks with Joe Flacco under center. Flacco is dealing with a shoulder injury, but was throwing at practice and is trending toward starting. That's great news for Chase, who has caught 28-of-42 targets for 252 yards and a TD in just his last two games. Set to face a Chicago defense that is allowing the 14th-most fantasy points to WRs, Chase is locked into that overall No. 1 WR slot. 

2. CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys

Lamb went 7-74-0 on 10 targets last week in the Cowboys’ worst offensive performance of the season. With the Cardinals allowing 9.6 yards per target to WR1s this season (3rd highest in the league). Also, every WR TD against the Cardinals has come from the slot. Lamb is a must-start.

3. Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams

Nacua was a full-go in Thursday's practice, setting him up to return from his ankle injury for Sunday's game vs. the Saints. In case you forgot, Nacua averaged 12.4 targets, 10.4 catches, 118 yards, and 0.4 TDs over the first five weeks of the season.

4. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seattle Seahawks

The NFL's leading receiver, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, has accounted for a whopping 48% of Seattle's 1,711 passing yards this season. Smith-Njigba has caught 8 balls, topped 120 receiving yards, and caught a TD in his last three games. He's blossomed into one of the best WRs in football and projects to have another elite outing in Week 10 against a Commanders' defense that has allowed the 10th-most PPR points to WRs. 

5. Rashee Rice, Chiefs

Rice posted a 48% route rate in his Week 7 debut, then boosted that number to 83% on Monday night. Targeted at a high rate and appearing fully healthy, Rice retains an upside WR1 outlook against Buffalo.

6. Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions

St. Brown remains a top-5 fantasy WR despite ranking 31st in the NFL with a 52.1% dropback rate. He is averaging 7 receptions per game, fourth among WRs. On top of that, he has seen 44.4% of Lions’ red zone targets, the highest percentage in the NFL. This type of usage makes him an every week start.

7. Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings

With J.J. McCarthy returning, Jefferson’s fantasy value remains uncertain. He only averaged 3.5 catches per game with McCarthy at QB, but did have his lone TD of the year. That was also with Jordan Addison suspended. The game script should change this week if the Vikings get behind and lead to an increase of targets, but Jefferson does have a low floor. He needs to be in the starting lineup, but temper expectations.

8. Davante Adams, Los Angeles Rams

Adams leads the league with 24 red-zone targets and is tied for first with 13 end-zone targets. His Rams are implied for a huge 28.75 points this weekend. Add it up and there's exciting TD upside here.

9. Jaylen Waddle, Miami Dolphins

Played Thursday night.

10. George Pickens, Dallas Cowboys

Pickens went 7-78-0 last week on 9 targets, solid output in the Cowboys’ worst offensive performance of the season. Pickens continues to draw targets with Lamb back in the lineup, but the Cardinals haven’t given up a TD to outside WRs yet this year. The volume and potential shoot-out makes Pickens a solid start, but he may struggle to see the end zone in this game. 

11. Rome Odunze, Chicago Bears

Odunze comes off his second 100-yard outing of the season against the Ravens and gets another beatable secondary in Week 9. Cincinnati has allowed 4 WRs to top 75 receiving yards in their last 6 games and has struggled against No. 1 WRs. Odunze leads Chicago in all receiving categories and will see a healthy amount of targets in a game with an implied total north of 50 points. Odunze is a solid WR1 with a good shot at topping triple-digit receiving yards again. 

12. Drake London, Atlanta Falcons

London has been limited in practice this week with the hip injury that he suffered in practice last Friday. He likely won't be 100% if he plays this weekend, but he'd draw a plus matchup against the Patriots' 25th-ranked WR defense. New England has allowed five WRs to top 15 PPR points through eight games.

13. Marvin Harrison Jr., Arizona Cardinals

Harrison has struggled this year with the Cardinals’ passing game failing to meet expectations. He is averaging only 3.4 catches and 56.6 yards per game so far this year, but the Cowboys’ defense is one of the worst in the NFL. They are giving up the fourth most fantasy points per game to opposing WR1s, especially bad against outside WRs. If there was a week to start Harrison, this is it.

14. Zay Flowers, Baltimore Ravens

Played Thursday night.

15. Ladd McConkey, Chargers

McConkey logged limited practices on Wednesday and Thursday, but he’s fully expected to hold his usual role against Tennessee. He draws a Titans unit that just traded starting slot CB Roger McCreary. 

16. Nico Collins, Houston Texans

Collins returned to full practice this week after losing Week 8 to a concussion. He’ll return to find a Broncos defense missing lead CB Pat Surtain II. That dramatically improves the matchup for Collins, in particular. Collins has caught 4+ passes in four straight games and scored in three of his past five outings, despite C.J. Stroud’s uneven season.

17. D.K. Metcalf, Pittsburgh Steelers

Metcalf went 5-55-1 against the Packers on 7 targets. He currently has 33.3% of the Steelers red zone targets and continues being propped up by scoring TDs. If the Steelers defense continues to struggle, Metcalf should continue having those opportunities. But his 6 targets per game rank as WR38 for the season, not a high total. He is a solid start, but wholly TD dependent in PPR.

18. Chris Olave, New Orleans Saints

Olave recorded his sixth game of 10+ targets and 6+ catches last week. The QB switch to Tyler Shough adds some uncertainty to his Week 9 profile, but we expect Olave to remain the focal point of his offense. Shough targeted him on eight of his 30 pass attempts last week (27%), connecting five times for 30 yards. Olave gets a Rams defense that sits 27th in adjusted fantasy points allowed to WRs.

19. Michael Pittman Jr., Indianapolis Colts

Pittman went 8-95-1, lifting him to 6 TDs on the season (tying his career high). He has been PPR WR22 or better in six of eight games this season. The Steelers are giving up 17.4 PPR fantasy points per game to opposing WR1s. This is a spot to start Pittman if possible with the Colts’ leaning heavier toward the pass.

20. Tee Higgins, Cincinnati Bengals

Ja'Marr Chase's absurd volume in the last two weeks hasn't hurt Tee Higgins, who has scored in back-to-back games. Higgins himself racked up 10 targets against the Steelers but dipped down to just 2 last week. His only catch was a 44-yard TD. However, this week's battle with the Bears offers a fantasy-friendly total of 50.5 points. That looks like a good game script for Higgins to reclaim some targets, making him a quality WR2 with plus TD potential against a defense that has already allowed 10 scores to WRs. 

21. Deebo Samuel, Washington Commanders

Terry McLaurin (quad) won't play, so Deebo Samuel will act as Washington's No. 1 WR. The Commanders are expected to welcome back QB Jayden Daniels, who is an upgrade for all the team's pass-catchers. In the four complete games Daniels played, Samuel has averaged 17.3 PPR points and scored all 4 of his TDs. This week, Samuel looks like a good bet to see good volume against Seattle, which makes him a solid WR2 with WR1 upside in a matchup where the Commanders are 3-point home underdogs. 

22. Brian Thomas Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars

The shoulder injury Thomas suffered before the bye has kept him limited in practice this week. But HC Liam Coen reportedly said Friday that Thomas “truly practiced the best I’ve seen him practice” all week. That’s not necessarily a ringing endorsement when the player opened the week in a non-contact jersey. But it at least points to Thomas being on track to play. Assuming he’s active, Thomas should remain the clear leader of a WR corps that just lost Travis Hunter to a knee injury. Throw in a matchup with the Raiders -- fifth-friendliest to WR scoring by our adjusted fantasy points allowed -- and you get a solid Week 9 play with upside.

23. Keenan Allen, Chargers

Allen enters a strong scoring matchup with the Titans. They’ve allowed 28.8 points per game – third most league-wide. The Chargers are also implied for a strong 26.5 points. Meanwhile, Allen leads all Chargers with a 27.5% red zone target share. 

24. Stefon Diggs, New England Patriots

Diggs' production has yo-yoed the past four weeks, with PPR finishes of WR4, WR55, WR23, and WR57. He's a tough player to project weekly, in large part because his playing time remains underwhelming. Diggs is in a tough spot this weekend against the Falcons' third-ranked WR defense. The Patriots are implied for 25 points, though, so there's ample TD upside here.

25. Tetairoa McMillan, Panthers

McMillan should get QB Bryce Young back for Sunday – excellent news considering Andy Dalton’s disastrous Week 8. This matchup should also turn up boosted pass attempts, as the Panthers arrive as massive road underdogs. Green Bay’s also surrendered a score to opposing WR1s in three of their past four games.

26. Xavier Worthy, Chiefs

Worthy’s earned a 17% target share in Rashee Rice’s two games back from suspension/injury – right in line with his usage before Rice’s return. Worthy carries an elevated ceiling this week in a potential shootout with the Bills. He also tallied lines of 4-61-1 and 6-85-1 against Buffalo in 2024.

27. Courtland Sutton, Denver Broncos

Sutton watched seemingly everyone else in his offense score against Dallas last week and has now gone four games without finding the end zone. But he has fallen short of 67 receiving yards just once among the past six games and garnered 10 targets twice in the past four weeks. Sutton gets a difficult matchup vs. Houston but should remain a decent bet for target volume.

28. Khalil Shakir, Bills

Shakir has been the most consistent member of Buffalo’s receiving corps, tallying 4+ catches in five of seven games. He’s hit six catches in two of his past three. CB Trent McDuffie spends most of his time on the outside, so Shakir should be away from Kansas City’s top CB for most of the afternoon.

29. Jauan Jennings, San Francisco 49ers

Jennings is getting healthier, playing 85% of San Francisco's snaps in his last two games. He's also commanded a 27% target share in those contests. The potential return of QB Brock Purdy, and another potential missed game for WR Ricky Pearsall, but Jennings is in line to be the 49ers' No. 1 WR against a leaky New York secondary that has allowed the sixth-most fantasy points to WRs so far in 2025. 

30. Wan’Dale Robinson, New York Giants

Even though he's running 74% of his routes from the slot, Robinson is clearly New York's No. 1 WR since Malik Nabers got injured. Robinson is tied for sixth among all WRs with a 96% route rate. He also leads the Giants with a 25% target share. His usage has been steady, even if the production has been somewhat erratic. Those steady targets keep Robinson on the WR3 radar this week, playing a San Francisco defense that has ceded the 12th-most fantasy points to WRs. 

31. Romeo Doubs, Green Bay Packers

Dobbs hits Week 9 with double-digit PPR points in three of his past four outings. He underwhelmed with 3-44-0 in Week 8 but still led Packers WR in route rate (86%). He sticks in WR3 for an excellent scoring matchup with Carolina. The Packers are implied for a hefty 28.75 points.

32. D.J. Moore, Carolina Panthers

Moore had his highest receiving yardage output (73) of the season last week. He's caught 3-plus balls in all 7 of his games, but has clearly fallen behind Rome Odunze in the target pecking order. This week's matchup against the Bengals projects to be a high-scoring affair, so view Moore as a solid WR3 option against a vulnerable Cincinnati defense. 

33. Tre Tucker, Las Vegas Raiders

Tucker will have to contend with the returns of WR Jakobi Meyers and TE Brock Bowers this week. But he has been impressively efficient so far, catching 74% of his targets despite QB Geno Smith playing his worst football in years. Despite hosting this one, the Raiders arrive as 4.5-point underdogs. They remain a good bet for the kind of trailing game script that boosts passing volume.

34. Quentin Johnston, Chargers

Since missing Week 6 due to injury, Johnson’s posted lines of 2-30-1 (6 targets) and 0-0-0. His route participation remains strong, but it’s clear he’s taken a hit after the emergence of TE Oronde Gadsden. A positive matchup supplies rebound potential, but the floor remains low for QJ.

35. Jordan Addison, Minnesota Vikings

Addison has scored twice in his four games this season, but he hasn’t played with J.J. McCarthy yet this season. Justin Jefferson only averaged 3.5 catches per game with McCarthy, so there might not be the volume to go around. With the Lions' secondary back to full strength, this is a week to sit Addison. 

36. Rashid Shaheed, New Orleans Saints

QB Tyler Shough, who will make his first career start vs. the Rams this weekend, targeted Shaheed on eight of his 30 passes last week (27%). They connected six times for 45 yards -- and Shough missed Shaheed for what should have gone for a long TD. The Saints are implied for a pathetic 14.75 points in Los Angeles. But they're 14-point underdogs, so there should be plenty of pass volume to keep Shaheed in the WR3 mix.

37. Jameson Williams, Detroit Lions

Williams only had two targets in the Lions' last game, catching none of them. With the Lions ranking 31st in the NFL with a 52.1% dropback rate, there isn’t enough volume for Williams to be guaranteed a catch, let alone a good fantasy week. He is a boom-or-bust option who needs a long TD to be relevant. It likely isn’t worth starting Williams this week if the Lions get ahead and lean on the run. 

38. Kendrick Bourne, San Francisco 49ers

Ricky Perasall didn't practice on Thursday. If Pearsall misses another game, Bourne would earn another start. He's taken advantage of San Francisco's injuries, but his production has dipped in the last two games as Jauan Jennings has gotten healthier. If Pearsall is out, Bourne would be a solid WR3 playing against a leaky Giants' secondary. If Pearsall suits up, Bourne still offers flex value as a bye-week replacement. 

39. Troy Franklin, Denver Broncos

Try to look past Franklin’s 3 TDs across the past two games, which came against weak secondaries from the Giants and Cowboys. This week pits him against a Houston defense that has allowed just three total WR TDs through seven weeks. The Texans have been the worst WR scoring matchup by our adjusted fantasy points allowed.

40. Josh Downs, Indianapolis Colts

Downs went 3-39-1 last week, scoring a TD in his second straight game. He continues being efficient, but his 54.7% snap rate doesn’t allow for a ton of opportunities. He is a TD-dependent option who needs more snaps to be startable. 

41. Alec Pierce, Indianapolis Colts

Pierce is averaging 5.7 targets per game so far this season, with a season high 10 targets two weeks ago. He remains the deep threat for the team. He hasn’t scored a TD yet this season, making Pierce unstartable currently. The chance at a long TD are the only factor worth considering Pierce

42. Jakobi Meyers, Las Vegas Raiders

Meyers is off the injury report after missing Week 7. But he hasn’t cracked 40 yards in a game since Week 3 and will contend with TE Brock Bowers’ return. Meyers’ standing trade request also threatens the Raiders’ motivation to send targets his way.

43. Keon Coleman, Buffalo Bills

Coleman has led Buffalo in route rate in back to back games, but the fantasy results haven’t followed. In fact, he's been held under 50 yards in six straight. Coleman remains a low-floor, moderate ceiling play for those in deep leagues. He figures to see a good bit of top Chiefs CB Trent McDuffie.

44. Cooper Kupp, Seattle Seahawks

Jaxon Smith-Njigba is commanding an insane 39% target share, which doesn't leave a lot of opportunities for Cooper Kupp. Kupp has only topped 40 receiving yards once in his last five games and has only 1 TD all season. He does have two games with 9 targets, but also has four with 3 or fewer, including Seattle's last two before the bye. View Kupp as a middling WR4/flex value, but his path to consistent targets is severely capped behind one of the NFL's top ascending WRs. 

45. Kayshon Boutte, New England Patriots

Boutte continues to break models with his deep-ball efficiency. He's tied for 59th among WRs in targets but ranks 22nd in yards and 38th in PPR points per game. The floor remains low for a guy who's topped five targets in just one game all year. But it's getting tougher and tougher to bet against this Drake Maye to Boutte connection.

46. Darnell Mooney, Atlanta Falcons

Mooney laid an egg in a great spot as Atlanta's lead WR against Miami last week. Drake London is trending toward a return for this Sunday's game, which could free up some space for Mooney against the Patriots' 25th-ranked WR defense. With just one game over 44 yards all season, though, Mooney is ultimately just a WR4 in fantasy lineups.

47. Malik Washington, Miami Dolphins

Played Thursday night.

48. Matthew Golden, Packers

Golden’s targets have dropped in three straight, culminating in a 3-target, 4-yard outing last week at Pittsburgh. The good news is that his Week 8 route rate (76%) still ranked second on the team behind Romeo Doubs. We’ll see if WR3 Christian Watson takes on more work as he rounds into form, but for now, treat Golden as a deep-league flex.

49. Olamide Zaccheaus, Washington Commanders

Zaccheaus just caught a season-high 7 balls, but only managed to accumulate 33 receiving yards. The volume has been fine, and Luther Burden (concussion) isn't expected to play. That assures Zaccheaus will run plenty of routes against the Bengals, but his upside is capped. Last week was the first time all season he topped double-digit fantasy points, and it took 7 receptions to get there. Even against the Bengals, Zaccheaus is just a low-end WR5/flex play with a low ceiling. 

50. Chimere Dike, Titans

We’re intrigued by Dike’s recent run, but let’s put it in perspective. In Week 7, he delivered 4-70-1 on just a 13% target share. Then last Sunday, he tallied 7-93 on an improved 22% target share. Both games came without Calvin Ridley, who’s a candidate to miss Sunday’s matchup vs. the Chargers. A tough matchup and continued struggles from Cam Ward leave the rookie WR in play for deep leagues only.

51. Elic Ayomanor, Titans

In two consecutive games without Calvin Ridley, Ayomanor leads the Titans with a 98% route rate and a 19% target share. The fantasy results have proven underwhelming (6-81 combined), but there should be more opportunities for targets Sunday vs. the Chargers. The Titans enter as 9.5-point underdogs, while Ridley (hamstring) missed practice on Wednesday and Thursday. Ayomanor’s an option for deep-league managers in a pinch.

52. Parker Washington, Jacksonville Jaguars

Washington carries significant volume upside into a nice matchup with the Raiders this week after Travis Hunter’s knee injury landed the rookie on IR. Washington figures to take over the primary slot role for an offense still down lead TE Brenton Strange. The biggest question might be how often Jacksonville runs 3-WR sets, though, against a Raiders offense that played its worst game of the year last time out. It helps that Washington’s the only Jags WR not on the injury report this week.

53. Christian Watson, Packers

Watson made his 2025 in Week 8 and made an instant impact (4 catches, 85 yards). The team has limited his practice reps ahead of a matchup with Carolina, but he looked fully healthy in his debut. The bigger issue is the 65% route rate he posted, one that might not jump significantly in a very winnable Week 9 game. The Packers are 13.5-point favorites against the Panthers. Likely to see limited volume, Watson profiles as a risky Flex. 

54.  Calvin Austin III, Pittsburgh Steelers

Austin came back after nearly a month off and tied a season-high 6 targets. He only went 4-28-0. With the Steelers spreading the ball to TEs, Austin simply isn’t usable at this point. He hasn’t scored a TD over the last two games and that propped up his early scoring.

55. Darius Slayton, New York Giants

After missing two games, Slayton returned to the lineup last week and led the Giants with a 24% target share. He only caught 2 of his 5 targets for 26 yards, but had a 67-yard TD grab overturned on a questionable offensive pass interference call. Slatyon has corralled multiple receptions in five straight games and will see plenty of opportunities against a 49ers' defense that has been soft against the pass. View Slayton as a WR4/flex option with sneaky upside. 

56. Jalen Coker, Carolina Panthers

Coker's route rate jumped from 47% in Week 7 to 76% last Sunday. His increased route participation puts him on the deep-league radar for a matchup with Green Bay.

57. Dyami Brown, Jacksonville Jaguars

Brown adds target upside with Travis Hunter out, and the Jaguars get a Raiders D that ranks fifth-most friendly to WR scoring by our adjusted fantasy points allowed. But he’s also dealing with a shoulder injury that has limited his practice participation this week. Ultimately, Brown doesn’t look worth the risk unless you’re reaching for a starter.

58. Michael Wilson, Arizona Cardinals

The Cowboys’ defense is one of the worst in the NFL, and that makes Wilson a shoot in the dark option. They are giving up the second most yards per target and TD rate to outside WRs, where Wilson sits. He still won’t earn enough targets to have a ton of upside, but if the game is a shoot-out, Wilson could find the end zone.

59. Rashod Bateman, Baltimore Ravens

Played Thursday night.

60. Christian Kirk, Houston Texans

Kirk looks likely to return from his two-game hamstring injury after graduating to full practice Thursday. But he still carries at least a bit of risk on that front after missing the season’s first two games for the issue. That makes you especially unattractive when you’ve managed just 10 total receptions across your three active contests.

Next Up

Week 9 Quarterback Preview: Dak Enters a High Ceiling Spot

Next Article  

Shane Hallam, Writer

Shane has over 20 years of experience creating content and playing every fantasy football format, including redraft, dynasty, devy, C2C, IDP, CFF, and more. He is a multi-year winner of $500 dynasty leagues on the FFPC and a King's Classic Champion. Shane utilizes deep film and scheme study to enhance his fantasy performance. He led the industry in 2024 preseason Kicker Rankings and ranked second in preseason QB Rankings. He also ranked eighth in preseason IDP rankings.