Top Waiver Wire Pickups For Week 9

Another fantasy football week in the books, and another top name player goes down with a serious injury. And although Geroge Kittle being out 8 weeks means he should be back in time for the NFL playoffs if the San Francisco 49ers manage to find a way in, he is pretty much done for the fantasy football season.

If you had George Kittle you probably didn’t have another tight end on your team, so that will be your highest priority this week on the waiver wire. Or if you are like me, you are still looking for a capable running back with the earlier injuries to big name running backs, or the disappointing seasons of top picks like Ezekiel Elliot.

Either way, the fantasy football regular season is more than halfway through, so if you are planning on making a run for the playoffs you need to start now! Here are the top waiver wire pickups for week 9. Percentage rostered in parentheses (%).

Quarterbacks

Cam Newton – New England Patriots (63%)

After a great first two weeks, Newton has struggled after missing the game against the Kansas City Chiefs due to testing positive for Covid-19.

Against Buffalo on Sunday, he saved his day with 54 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown, since he failed to throw a touchdown pass for the third straight game, and only threw for 174 yards.

That being said, the Patriots face the New York Jets, who are this year’s team that will flirt with a winless season. If Newton is ever going to have a breakout game this is it.

Daniel Jones – New York Giants (26%)

Jones is another one week fix and not a long term solution. Although he has had decent fantasy games this year, throwing for 256 yards and two touchdowns on Monday Night Football, he also has a problem turning the ball over, as was seen with his two interceptions last night and could have been a couple more.

That being said, they will face the Waashington Football Team this week, and is capable of getting close to 20 fantasy points if your starting quarterback is on a bye week.

Kirk Cousins – Minnesota Vikings (28%)

Cousins didn’t have to do much Sunday against the Green Bay Packers, as Dalvin Cook decided he wanted to score 4 touchdowns and basically run over the Packers by himself.

I would expect Detroit to have watched the film on that game and try to at least slow down Cook, leaving Cousins with more space to hit receivers such as Adam Thielen and Justin Jefferson.

Running Backs

Justin Jackson – Chargers (57%)

It is tough to choose a running back to go with in the Chargers backfield, as Jackson and Joshua Kelley both have had success since Austin Ekeler went down with an injury a few weeks ago.

Jackson has the hot hand now, rushing 17 times for 89 yards and catching 3 passes for 53 yards, and looks like the favorite to lead the backfield until Ekeler returns.

Devonta Freeman – New York Giants (56%)

Freeman missed week 8 with an ankle injury, and is not guaranteed to play in week 9 against the Washington Football Team, but if he does he will fave a team that is allowing 123 yards rushing a game this season.

Freeman has not shown the explosion he had in Atlanta, but if you are hurting at running back there are worse options out there.

Damien Harris – New England Patriots (48%)

Harris was a lone bright spot in Sunday’s loss to the Buffalo Bills, rushing 16 times for 102 and a touchdown. More importantly for fantasy purposes, he out carried Rex Burkhead 16-6.

That being said, Bill Belichek has a habit of mixing up the backfield, and having a different running back go off each week.

Wide Receivers

Marvin Jones – Detroit Lions (50%)

The Lions did not have a good game against the Indianapolis Colts Sunday, although they hung with them for awhile before the game got away from them.

Jones saw 7 targets, and while only catching 3 of them, 2 were for scores. With the Minnesota Vikings defense not playing as well as it did last year, look for Jones and the Lions to have a good game against their division rivals.

Sterling Shepard – New York Giants (44%)

Since coming back from injured reserve, Shepard has been over 15 points in PPR leagues in each game, catching 14 passes in the two games.

The same reason to play Daniel Jones this week holds for Shepard as well, as the face the Washington Football Team this week.

Cole Beasley – Buffalo Bills (57%)

Cole Beasley didn’t do much Sunday in the Bills’ win versus the Patriots, with Josh Allen only throwing 18 passes the entire game.

Before this game though, his worst game in PPR leagues was 9.8 points in the first week of the season. With the Seattle Seahawks up next, Beasley should see a lot more targets.

Tight Ends

Jordan Reed – San Francisco 49ers (3%)

If you were a George Kittle owner, it only makes sense to pick up the player that may replace him. He has been on injured reserve since week 3, and has been designated to return by the team, hoping to play him Thursday night against the Green Bay Packers.

Eric Ebron – Pittsburgh Steelers (46%)

Ebron has had a few good games sprinkled into mostly sub par games throughout the season, but the last 5 games has been promising, with Ebron scoring over 9 points in all but 1 game.

Up next for Ebron and the Steelers is a match up with the Cowboys, who haven’t stopped anybody this year. Ebron should put up good numbers this week.

Logan Thomas – Washington Football Team (24%)

Thomas had been quiet until the last two games before the team’s bye week, scoring a touchdown in each game. As the quarterback position seems to have solidified with Kyle Allen under center, there is no reason to think that this success will not continue against the New York Giants this week.

Team Defenses

Washington Football Team (19%)

This week has a lot of good streaming match ups, starting with the Washington Football Team. Although Daniel Jones and the New York Giants will get some yards and put up points against the defense, they also will give Washington plenty of opportunities to get turnovers.

New York Giants (12%)

On the other sideline, you have a Giants team that will be facing a Washington team that has had turn over troubles as well. And even though Kyle Allen has helped, they are still vulnerable, which would help fantasy owners looking for a defense this week.

Houston Texans (6%)

The Texans have only had one good fantasy game on defense this year, and that was against the Jacksonville Jaguars in week 5.

That happens to be who they are playing against this week, and no reason to believe the results will not be similar.

Conclusion

Well we have made it to week 9, and hopefully you are still in the mix for a playoff spot. Once you make it in then anything can happen in fantasy football.

How is your team looking this year? What is your record? Let us know in the comments below!