Quarterback was supposed to be the deepest position in Fantasy this season, but that depth is being tested beyond our wildest imagination heading into Week 9. With four teams on a bye (Denver, Detroit, Jacksonville and Jacksonville) and several key injuries, it will be tough for managers in Superflex and two-quarterback leagues to find enough quality starters. Even managers in one-quarterback leagues are scrambling.
First, let's start by who is missing, and you don't have Jared Goff, Trevor Lawrence, Brock Purdy or Russell Wilson in Week 9 because of the bye. Then, due to injuries, we're down Kirk Cousins (Achilles), Justin Fields (thumb) and likely Matthew Stafford (thumb) and Deshaun Watson (shoulder). Kyler Murray (knee) also isn't going to be activated in Week 9.
Buckle up because here are some of the quarterbacks scheduled to start in Week 9. You might think I'm making these names up since you probably haven't heard of a couple of them.
Brett Rypien (Rams), Clayton Tune (Arizona), Tyson Bagent (Chicago) and P.J. Walker (Cleveland) could all be starting quarterbacks this week. And even though the Vikings traded for Joshua Dobbs on Tuesday, Minnesota still plans to start rookie Jaren Hall.
Now, thankfully Will Levis looked great in his Titans debut in Week 8, and he is starting again Thursday night at Pittsburgh with Ryan Tannehill (ankle) still out. And Daniel Jones (neck) is scheduled to return for the Giants with Tyrod Taylor (ribs) hurt, so we have some potential upgrades there.
But quarterback took a huge hit in Week 8, especially with Cousins lost for the season, and Stafford will likely miss a few games. We hope Fields can return in Week 10, and Murray is scheduled to make his 2023 debut in Week 10 as well, so good news is hopefully coming.
For this week, however, you'll be playing the waiver wire for replacements, and the best options in one-quarterback leagues are likely Derek Carr, Gardner Minshew, Baker Mayfield and Levis. It's a little harder in Superflex and two-quarterback leagues.
In those formats, you're hoping for Levis, but you also have Taylor Heinicke, who could be starting for Desmond Ridder in Atlanta, and then Rypien or Tune. Dobbs also becomes someone to add since he should start for the Vikings for the rest of the season, starting in Week 10.
Quarterback might not be as deep as we thought. But we'll help you find options off the waiver wire for Week 9.
Editor's note: For this waiver wire column, we are only looking at players rostered in less than 65 percent of CBS Sports leagues.
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Week 9 Waivers
WAIVER WIRE
Quarterbacks
- On a bye: Jared Goff, Trevor Lawrence, Brock Purdy and Russell Wilson.
- Injuries: Kirk Cousins (Achilles), Matthew Stafford (thumb), Deshaun Watson (shoulder), Justin Fields (thumb), Ryan Tannehill (ankle), Daniel Jones (neck), Tyrod Taylor (ribs), Baker Mayfield (knee), Kenny Pickett (ribs) and Kyler Murray (knee).
- Check to see if available in shallow leagues: Kyler Murray (76 percent rostered) and Sam Howell (68 percent). Murray will hopefully make his 2023 debut in Week 10, and we hope he's back to form coming off last year's torn ACL. He could be a league-winning Fantasy option to close the season, so add him now if you have an open roster spot. ... Howell continues to surprise us as a Fantasy option, and he just had a season-high 38.9 points against the Eagles in Week 8. That's now five of eight games with at least 21.6 Fantasy points this year.
- Drop candidates: Kirk Cousins (100 percent rostered), Matthew Stafford (87 percent) and Deshaun Watson (70 percent). Cousins was having a standout season, and it stinks that he's now done for the year. He finished the season averaging 23.2 Fantasy points per game. ... We don't know how long Stafford will be out with his thumb injury, but Sean McVay didn't sound optimistic. When healthy, Stafford had just one game with more than 20 Fantasy points this season. ... We don't know when Watson will return, and if he does play soon, he might not be 100 percent with his injured shoulder. There's no reason to roster him in one-quarterback leagues right now.
Add in this order:
Week 9 Waiver Priority List
Carr comes into Week 9 having scored at least 18.3 Fantasy points in four games in a row, and he has three games in a row with at least 301 passing yards. He finally had his first game with at least 20 Fantasy points this season in Week 8 at Indianapolis with 22.3, and he should have the chance for a solid encore in Week 9 against Chicago. The Bears are No. 3 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks at 23.1 points per game, and only Kirk Cousins in Week 6 and the combination of Brian Hoyer and Aiden O'Connell in Week 7 failed to score at least 20.1 Fantasy points against Chicago this year. Carr has top-10 upside this week, and he's worth 5-10 percent of your FAB in one-quarterback leagues and 20 percent in Superflex and two-quarterback leagues where he's still available.
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Minshew has top-10 upside in Week 9 at Carolina, and he has scored at least 18.8 Fantasy points in each of his past two games against Cleveland and New Orleans. Those are brutal matchups, and Minshew performed well as a Fantasy option, which should give you hope against the Panthers. While Carolina limited C.J. Stroud to 12.9 Fantasy points in Week 8, the two previous quarterbacks in Jared Goff and Tua Tagovailoa scored at least 26.1 Fantasy points. Minshew is worth up to 5 percent of your FAB in one-quarterback leagues and 20 percent in Superflex and two-quarterback leagues where he's still available.
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Levis had an amazing NFL debut in Week 9 against Atlanta when he completed 19-of-29 passes for 238 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions, and he ran for 11 yards. It wasn't perfect, but it was impressive, especially connecting with DeAndre Hopkins for three touchdowns. Levis is starting again Thursday night at Pittsburgh in what should be a tough test, so we'll see how he does on the road. And we don't know what the Titans will do when Ryan Tannehill (ankle) is healthy again to play. Hopefully, Mike Vrabel keeps Levis as the starter, and we can get some more magic like we saw in Week 8. He's worth adding in one-quarterback leagues for up to 5 percent of your FAB and 15-20 percent in Superflex and two-quarterback leagues where he's still available.
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Mayfield has actually been a decent Fantasy quarterback this season with at least 18.2 points in five of seven games, including two games in his past four outings with at least 25.4 Fantasy points. He has the chance to have another quality performance in Week 9 at Houston, and the Texans have allowed two of the past three opposing quarterbacks (Desmond Ridder in Week 5 and Derek Carr in Week 6) to score at least 18.3 Fantasy points. Only Bryce Young (16.5 Fantasy points in Week 8) was under that total in the past three games. Mayfield is worth 1 percent of your FAB in one-quarterback leagues and 15 percent in Superflex and two-quarterback leagues where he's still available.
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Dobbs went from the starter in Arizona in Week 8 to now playing in Minnesota for Week 9. After losing Kirk Cousins (Achilles), the Vikings traded for Dobbs, who was expected to lose his starting job for the Cardinals with Kyler Murray (knee) coming back in Week 10. Dobbs has been a decent Fantasy quarterback at times this season with four games of at least 19.1 Fantasy points. He's done a nice job with his legs, rushing for at least 41 yards in five outings, including three rushing touchdowns. And now he gets the benefit of throwing to Jordan Addison, T.J. Hockenson and hopefully Justin Jefferson (hamstring). In one quarterback leagues, you can add Dobbs for 1 percent of your FAB. In Superflex and two-quarterback leagues where available, add Dobbs for 10-15 percent. He's still relevant as a Fantasy option now that he's in Minnesota. Just keep in mind that he's not expected to start in Week 9 since the Vikings are sticking with Jaren Hall.
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Jones will likely return as the starter in Week 9 with Tyrod Taylor (ribs) hurt, and hopefully Jones can close the season on a high note after a miserable start. On top of being injured, Jones has one game this year with more than 8.7 Fantasy points. He's not worth using in most one-quarterback leagues in Week 9 at Las Vegas, but you should be able to start him in Superflex and two-quarterback leagues. He's worth adding for 1 percent of your FAB in one-quarterback leagues and at least 10 percent in Superflex and two-quarterback formats.
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Arthur Smith hasn't committed to Heinicke yet as his starter in Week 9 against Minnesota, but I hope that's what happens in Atlanta. Heinicke, unlike Ridder, might be able to take advantage of all the weapons for the Falcons and become a decent Fantasy quarterback in Superflex and two-quarterback leagues -- and maybe more. He replaced Ridder in Week 8 at Tennessee and scored 14.4 Fantasy points in the second half, and I would like to see what Heinicke could do in the next two games against Minnesota and Arizona before the Falcons bye in Week 11. Heinicke is worth adding for 1 percent of your FAB in one-quarterback leagues and at least 10 percent in Superflex and two-quarterback formats.
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Rypien will likely start for the Rams if Matthew Stafford (thumb) is out, and the good news is he gets to throw to Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua and get coached by Sean McVay. The bad news is Rypien is limited as a passer, and Stafford only topped 20 Fantasy points just once this season. Still, in Superflex and two-quarterback leagues, he might fall into 15-plus Fantasy points given the talent around him, and he's worth adding for 1 percent of your FAB. The Rams play at Green Bay in Week 9 before a bye in Week 10, so keep an eye on what the team does with Stafford for the next two weeks.
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Tune will likely get one start in Week 9 at Cleveland with Kyler Murray (knee) expected to play in Week 10 against Atlanta. Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon made the decision Monday to turn to Tune, and he is only worth using in deep Superflex and two-quarterback formats. It's a tough spot for the rookie fifth-round pick from Houston since the Browns have a solid defense, and he's only worth adding for 1 percent of your FAB.
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WAIVER WIRE
Running Backs
- On a bye: Christian McCaffrey, Elijah Mitchell, Jahmyr Gibbs, David Montgomery, Travis Etienne, Tank Bigsby, Javonte Williams, Jaleel McLaughlin and Samaje Perine.
- Injuries: Derrick Henry (ankle), Tyjae Spears (ankle), David Montgomery (ribs), Kyren Williams (ankle), De'Von Achane (knee), James Conner (knee), Khalil Herbert (ankle), Damien Harris (neck) and Keaton Mitchell (hamstring).
- Check to see if available in shallow leagues: A.J. Dillon (81 percent rostered), Tyjae Spears (79 percent), Chuba Hubbard (78 percent), Emari Demercado (72 percent), Elijah Mitchell (68 percent) and Khalil Herbert (67 percent). Dillon has been the best Packers running back of late, and he's scored at least 10.2 PPR points in three games in a row, including the past two with Aaron Jones on the field. While we hope Jones gets back to 100 percent after dealing with a nagging hamstring injury, Dillon can be used as a flex option, including in Week 9 against the Rams. ... Spears remains a viable handcuff to Derrick Henry, and if Henry were to miss any time then Spears could be a league-winning Fantasy option. ... Hubbard looks like the best running back in Carolina for the near future, and he played 67 percent of the snaps in Week 8 against Houston, even with Miles Sanders healthy. Now, Hubbard managed just 15 carries for 28 yards and two catches for 26 yards on two targets against the Texans, but he could be a flex if he remains in this role. ... James Conner (knee) is eligible to return from injured reserve in Week 10, but if he remains out longer than that then Demercado should continue in the lead role for the Cardinals. He had 20 carries for 78 yards and one catch for 1 yard on one target in Week 8 against Baltimore, and that workload makes him a viable flex option in Week 9 at Cleveland. ... I'd like to stash Mitchell on my bench during his bye in Week 9, and he remains one of the best handcuffs you can find as the backup to Christian McCaffrey. Should McCaffrey miss any time then Mitchell would become a must-start Fantasy option in all leagues. ... Herbert (ankle) is eligible to return from injured reserve in Week 10, and that would be great since the Bears play the Panthers that week. We'll see what Chicago does with its backfield when Herbert is healthy in relation to D'Onta Foreman and Roschon Johnson, but I'd like to stash Herbert now, even without an IR spot.
- Drop candidates: Miles Sanders (90 percent rostered), Ezekiel Elliott (67 percent) and Jeff Wilson (62 percent). Sanders only had two carries in Week 8 against Houston for no yards, and he didn't get a target. Chuba Hubbard outsnapped Sanders 45-12, and it appears like Hubbard will be the No. 1 running back for the Panthers in the near future. It's OK to drop Sanders if you need a roster spot. ... Elliott has one game this season with more than 9.7 PPR points, and he's only scored two touchdowns on the season. He has one reception on two targets in his past three games, and there's limited upside with Elliott as long as Rhamondre Stevenson is healthy. ... Wilson will be the No. 2 running back for Miami in Week 9 against Kansas City in Germany behind Raheem Mostert, and then the Dolphins have a bye in Week 10. By Week 11, De'Von Achane (knee) should be healthy, and Wilson will likely be No. 3 on the depth chart behind Mostert and Achane. There's little reason to roster Wilson right now.
Add in this order:
Week 9 Waiver Priority List
Kenneth Walker III entered Week 8 against Cleveland dealing with a calf injury, and Charbonnet ended up playing more snaps than Walker (34-24) for the first time all season. I don't think this is a sign of things to come, but Charbonnet had a solid outing with five carries for 53 yards and two catches for 11 yards on two targets. Walker, meanwhile, had eight carries for 66 yards and one catch for 4 yards on two targets. It's worth your interest to stash Charbonnet where available, and he might become a flex option while Walker is healthy. Should Walker miss any time then Charbonnet could become a league-winning Fantasy option in all leagues. He's worth adding for 5-10 percent of your FAB.
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Fournette signed with the Bills practice squad Monday, and we'll see if they elevate him to the active roster Sunday at Cincinnati. He could push to steal touches from James Cook right away, and Fournette is worth adding in all leagues with up to 5 percent of your FAB. Most likely, Fournette will settle in as the No. 2 running back behind Cook, ahead of Latavius Murray. But since Cook hasn't exactly been dominant this season, there's a chance Fournette could find his way into an expanded role, even at 28 years old. Despite his flaws last year in Tampa Bay, Fournette averaged 14.0 Fantasy points per game.
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Alexander Mattison remains the No. 1 running back in Minnesota, but we'll see how much longer that lasts. And now with Kirk Cousins (Achilles) out, maybe the Vikings lean more on their running backs, which could help Mattison and Akers. In Week 8 at Green Bay, Mattison still outsnapped Akers 44-17. And it wasn't like Akers did anything special with nine carries for 19 yards and a touchdown, along with one catch for 6 yards on one target. But neither did Mattison (16 carries for 31 yards and one catch for 2 yards on one target), and that's been the case all season. A change could be coming in Minnesota, and Akers is worth stashing for up to 5 percent of your FAB.
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I was hopeful Dameon Pierce would come off the bye and take hold of the Texans backfield in Week 8 at Carolina, but that wasn't the case. He played 25 snaps against the Panthers, with Singletary at 23, and this could be a mess moving forward. Or maybe Houston leans more into Singletary, and he could emerge as a flex option in all leagues. Singletary likely hasn't done enough to bury Pierce yet, and Singletary has scored just 7.2 PPR points in Week 6 against New Orleans and 6.3 PPR points against the Panthers. By comparison, Pierce has combined for 8.0 PPR points in the past two games. A change could be coming in Houston, and Singletary is worth stashing for up to 5 percent of your FAB.
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Freeman played more snaps than Darrell Henderson in Week 8 at Dallas (33-29), but Henderson had more total touches (15-9). Freeman scored a touchdown with nine carries for 44 yards but had no targets, and Henderson had 12 carries for 31 yards and three catches for 54 yards on three targets. Henderson remains the better Fantasy running back for the Rams with Kyren Williams (ankle) out, but Freeman can be a flex, with his value higher in non-PPR leagues. You can add Freeman for up to 5 percent of your FAB.
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Gainwell has found a way to be productive in each of the past two games against Miami and Washington, and he's worth stashing in all leagues as the handcuff for D'Andre Swift. Against the Dolphins, Gainwell had eight carries for 16 yards and a touchdown, and he had five catches for 30 yards on five targets against the Commanders. He'll only have standalone value if Swift were to miss any time, but Gainwell could be a league-winning Fantasy option in that scenario. He's worth adding for 1 percent of your FAB.
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WAIVER WIRE
Wide Receivers
- On a bye: Amon-Ra St. Brown, Josh Reynolds, Jameson Williams, Christian Kirk, Calvin Ridley, Zay Jones, Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel, Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton.
- Injuries: Puka Nacua (knee), Drake London (groin), DeAndre Hopkins (toe), Kendrick Bourne (ACL), DeVante Parker (concussion), Deebo Samuel (shoulder), Justin Jefferson (hamstring), Curtis Samuel (toe), Zay Jones (knee) and Robert Woods (foot).
- Check to see if available in shallow leagues: Josh Downs (78 percent rostered) and Jaxon Smith-Njigba (70 percent). Downs should be added in all leagues, and he continues to stack quality outings on a weekly basis. He scored 14.2 PPR points in Week 8 against New Orleans with seven catches for 72 yards on nine targets, and he has now scored at least 13.1 PPR points in four games in a row. Gardner Minshew has made Downs into a standout Fantasy receiver, and he's worth starting in all formats in Week 9 at Carolina. ... Smith-Njigba didn't have a huge game in Week 8 against Cleveland with three catches for 36 yards on four targets, but he did score a touchdown for the second game in a row. Hopefully some momentum is building for Smith-Njigba, and he can start being trusted as a No. 3 Fantasy receiver in all leagues, even when DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett are healthy. And if either were to miss time then Smith-Njigba would be a potential starter in all leagues.
- Drop candidates: Josh Reynolds (71 percent rostered), Kendrick Bourne (70 percent), Jameson Williams (70 percent), Curtis Samuel (65 percent) and Tutu Atwell (59 percent). Reynolds has scored eight PPR points or less in three games in a row, and he has seven total targets over that span. Williams has scored 3.6 PPR points in three of four games since coming back from his suspension. Neither Lions receiver is worth carrying on your roster with Detroit on a bye in Week 9. ... Bourne is out for the season with a torn ACL, which stinks. Prior to getting hurt, he had scored at least 12.6 PPR points in three games in a row. ... Samuel is dealing with a toe injury, and he might not play in Week 9 at New England. He's also combined for just 13.7 PPR points in his past two games, and the Commanders have other weapons to lean on with Terry McLaurin, Jahan Dotson, Logan Thomas and even Jamison Crowder now if Samuel is out. ... Atwell has scored 10.1 PPR points or less in four games in a row since Cooper Kupp returned from his hamstring injury, and now Matthew Stafford (thumb) is hurt. There's little reason to roster Atwell in the majority of leagues, and the Rams have a bye coming up in Week 10.
Add in this order:
Week 9 Waiver Priority List
I've had Dotson as a drop candidate for the past couple of weeks, and he proved me wrong in Week 8 against Philadelphia with eight catches for 108 yards and a touchdown on 10 targets. He now has 18 targets in the past two games against the Giants and Eagles, and I hope his performance in Week 8 is a sign of things to come. It's worth buying back into Dotson given his talent, and he should be added in all leagues for up to 10 percent of your FAB.
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Cooks has now scored in consecutive games for the Cowboys, and he could be on the verge of becoming a weekly starter in most Fantasy leagues. The drawback is he's only combined for seven catches for 85 yards on eight targets against the Chargers and Rams to go with the touchdowns, but more could be on the horizon. It's worth stashing him to find out, and I expect him to be the second-best receiver in Dallas for the remainder of the season behind CeeDee Lamb. Cooks is worth adding in all leagues for up to 5 percent of your FAB.
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Shaheed is the definition of a boom-or-bust Fantasy receiver. He has three games this season with at least 18.3 PPR points and four outings with 7.2 PPR points or less. He's likely never going to be consistent, but when he's on he can win you a week in your Fantasy league. He has a great matchup in Week 9 against Chicago, and I would add him for up to 5 percent of your FAB to use as a No. 3 Fantasy receiver in all leagues.
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The Patriots just lost Kendrick Bourne (ACL) for the season, and DeVante Parker (concussion) could be out in Week 9 against Washington. Douglas, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Tyquan Thornton should be the top three receivers for the Patriots in Week 9, and I love the upside for Douglas. New England has tried to get him more involved of late with 13 targets in his past two games, and he has nine catches for 79 yards over that span. You don't have to start him against the Commanders -- although it's a great matchup since Washington is No. 2 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing receivers -- but I plan to stash Douglas in a lot of leagues. He's worth adding for up to 5 percent of your FAB.
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It's clear that Josh Palmer is not 100 percent after limping through Sunday's game against the Bears in Week 8 with a knee injury. If he's out in Week 9 at the Jets then should allow Johnston to build off his best game to date when he had five catches for 50 yards on six targets against Chicago. You don't have to start Johnston against the Jets, but this could be the time to buy back into the rookie. He's struggled even with Mike Williams (knee) out, but if Palmer is out also then Justin Herbert will give Johnston more chances to succeed, which is what we want. Add Johnston for up to 5 percent of your FAB.
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Reed might never post consistent stats with a crowded receiving corps for the Packers, especially with Jordan Love's recent struggles, but he has been productive over the past two games against Denver and Minnesota with seven catches for 104 yards and a touchdown on 10 targets. He could be a No. 3 Fantasy receiver in deeper leagues, and he's worth adding for up to 5 percent of your FAB heading into Week 9 against the Rams.
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In Buffalo's first game without Dawson Knox (wrist) in Week 8 against Tampa Bay, Shakir stepped up with six catches for 92 yards on six targets. He now has 10 targets in his past two games against the Buccaneers and Patriots for 10 catches and 127 yards. It's hard to count on him being a consistent contributor when Buffalo has Stefon Diggs, Gabe Davis and Dalton Kincaid as well, but in deeper leagues you might want to stash Shakir to see what happens moving forward. He's worth adding for 1 percent of your FAB.
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Daniel Jones (neck) is expected to return in Week 9 at Las Vegas, and Darren Waller (hamstring) could be out. That could allow Robinson the chance to start showcasing his skills, and I'm planning to stash him again in deeper leagues. He's disappeared the past two games against Washington and the Jets with one catch for 22 yards on three targets, but prior to that he had eight catches for 62 yards on eight targets at Buffalo in Week 6. I still like Robinson's upside, and he's worth adding for 1 percent of your FAB.
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I'm hopeful that Mingo can close the season as a relevant Fantasy option and start producing at a high level. He just had four catches for 62 yards on five targets against the Texans coming off a bye, and it could be the jumpstart he needs as the No. 2 receiver in Carolina opposite Adam Thielen. In deeper leagues, I want to stash Mingo where available, and he's worth adding for 1 percent of your FAB.
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WAIVER WIRE
Tight Ends
- On a bye: George Kittle, Evan Engram and Sam LaPorta
- Injuries: Darren Waller (hamstring), Dawson Knox (wrist), Pat Freiermuth (hamstring), Gerald Everett (quadriceps), Zach Ertz (quadriceps) and Greg Dulcich (hamstring).
- Check to see if available in shallow leagues: Dalton Kincaid (80 percent rostered), Jake Ferguson (79 percent) and Cole Kmet (78 percent). Kincaid has looked like a Fantasy star over the past two weeks, and Dawson Knox (wrist) is not coming back any time soon. In his past two outings against the Patriots and Buccaneers, Kincaid has 13 catches for 140 yards and a touchdown on 15 targets. He's a must-start tight end until further notice. ... Ferguson came off the bye with four catches for 47 yards and a touchdown on four targets against the Rams. This is now four games this year with at least 9.8 PPR points, and he should be considered a No. 1 Fantasy tight end for the rest of the season. ... Kmet went from no targets in the first game with Tyson Bagent in Week 7 against Las Vegas to 10 targets for 10 catches and 79 yards in Week 8 at the Chargers. That's now three games in his past five outings with at least 15.2 PPR points, and he should be great once Justin Fields (thumb) is back, which will hopefully be in Week 10.
- Drop candidates: Tyler Higbee (51 percent rostered) and Luke Mugrave (43 percent). We don't know how long Matthew Stafford (thumb) will be out, and Higbee has struggled the past four games since Cooper Kupp has been back. He's scored 9.5 PPR points or less in four games in a row. ... Musgrave is still looking for his first touchdown this season, and he might not become a consistent Fantasy option. He's only worth rostering in deeper leagues since the Packers have a crowded receiving corps and a struggling Jordan Love right now.
Add in this order:
Week 9 Waiver Priority List
In the first game without Zach Ertz (quadriceps), McBride was a star in Week 8 against Baltimore with 10 catches for 95 yards and a touchdown on 14 targets. We'll see what happens in Week 9 at Cleveland with Clayton Tune starting, but then Kyler Murray (knee) is expected to start in Week 10. The Cardinals lead the NFL in tight end targets with 83, and without Ertz, McBride could be a monster. He's my No. 1 overall player to add this week, and he's worth at least 15 percent of your FAB.
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Njoku has done well without Deshaun Watson (shoulder), scoring at least 10.6 PPR points in three of the past four games. He has 17 targets in his past two games against the Colts and Seahawks, and he has nine catches for 131 yards and a touchdown over that span. I like Njoku as a low-end No. 1 Fantasy tight end in Week 9 against the Cardinals, and he's worth adding in all leagues for 5-10 percent of your FAB.
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Thomas had a solid game in Week 8 against the Eagles with six catches for 44 yards and a touchdown on eight targets. He now has 14 targets in his past two games, and he's scored at least 9.1 PPR points in three of his past four outings. The Commanders have a crowded receiving corps with Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson leading the way, but Sam Howell continues to lean on Thomas, which is great for his Fantasy value. He should be considered a low-end No. 1 Fantasy tight end in all leagues in Week 9 at New England, and you should add him for 5-10 percent of your FAB.
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Juwan Johnson's return from his calf injury took Hill out of his role as a traditional tight end in Week 8 at Indianapolis, but it put him back in as a wild-card for the Saints. And that worked out well since he had nine carries for 63 yards and two touchdowns, along with one catch for 14 yards on one target. He's now scored at least 12.3 PPR points in three games in a row, and he should be considered a low-end starter in all leagues. Even if he's not running routes, Hill always has the potential to score at the goal line on the ground. He's worth adding for 5-10 percent of your FAB.
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We'll see if Gerald Everett (quadriceps) can return in Week 9 at the Jets, but Parham stepped up with Everett out in Week 8 against the Bears. He had four catches for 43 yards and a touchdown on five targets, and it was the best game of the season in targets, receptions and yards. It was also his fourth touchdown of the year, and Parham can be considered a low-end starter in all leagues if Everett misses Week 9. Add Parham for up to 5 percent of your FAB.
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WAIVER WIRE
DST
- Chargers (at NYJ) 64 percent rostered
- Commanders (at NE) 50 percent rostered
- Packers (vs. LAR) 32 percent rostered
- Vikings (at ATL) 22 percent rostered
- Rams (at GB) 15 percent rostered
WAIVER WIRE
KICKERS
- Blake Grupe (vs. CHI) 24 percent rostered
- Ka'imi Fairbairn (vs. TB) 63 percent rostered
- Evan McPherson (vs. BUF) 39 percent rostered
- Dustin Hopkins (vs. ARI) 50 percent rostered
