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Injuries continue to rock your fantasy football rosters, as stars at the wide receiver position have been rocked. If you’re looking for which players to build out your Week 9 waiver wire pickups, this list will give you 10 names to consider when you’re putting your lists together.
The following list includes players who are rostered on fewer than 50 percent of all ESPN rosters making the chances you can pick them up pretty high. As bye weeks and the injury bug continue to run wild, try your best to button up some roster holes as you get closer to preparing for the playoffs.
1. Cedric Tillman, Cleveland Browns – WR
16.0% Rostered
Cedric Tillman earned no higher than a 36 percent snap share across his six first games this season, but after the Amari Cooper trade, Tillman’s snap share has skyrocketed to 82 and 90 percent over the past two games, respectively.
In his Week 8 matchup, Tillman was Jameis Winston’s favorite target, turning nine targets into seven receptions for 99 yards and two scores. If Tillman has usurped Jerry Jeudy atop the new receiver depth chart, he absolutely can bring WR2/FLEX value for the rest of the season.
2. Parker Washington, Jacksonville Jaguars – WR
0.1% Rostered
Injuries have turned the wide receiver depth chart upside down for the Jacksonville Jaguars, essentially elevating Parker Washington into the top target for Trevor Lawrence.
With Christian Kirk suffering a season-ending broken collarbone in Week 8, Gabe Davis re-injured his injury and has no timeline to return, and rookie standout Brian Thomas Jr. is day-to-day with a chest injury suffered in Week 8. Washington earned four targets in Jacksonville’s Week 8 loss to the Green Bay Packers, catching three passes for 46 yards, and those numbers should increase moving forward.
3. Bo Nix, Denver Broncos – QB
36.7% Rostered
The Week 9 waiver wire pickups are strong in the quarterback position, with rookie QB Bo Nix kicking off that position. A four-TD week from Nix against the Carolina Panthers was his best showing of the year, as Nix now finds himself as the QB9 on the season.
While the Denver Broncos face the Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs back-to-back, Nix has shown enough to earn a roster spot on your team. The Atlanta Falcons, Las Vegas Raiders, and Cleveland Browns are on the docket after that for the Broncos, which are favorable matchups for Nix.
4. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams – QB
18.5% Rostered
The second of four quarterbacks on this list is Matthew Stafford, who finds himself back on the QB2 radar with the returns from both Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua.
In their Week 8 win over the Minnesota Vikings, the Los Angeles Rams leaned heavily on the passing attack, as Stafford threw the ball 34 times, finding the end zone four times. As long as his two receivers are healthy, Stafford should be able to find a way onto your roster.
5. Elijah Moore, Cleveland Browns – WR
1.3% Rostered
The second of two Cleveland wide receivers on our Week 9 waiver wire pickups is Elijah Moore, who turned into a target monster for Winston in Week 8. Garnering a team-high 12 targets, Moore caught eight passes for 85 yards and played a big role in Cleveland’s win.
Moore is best suited as an addition in point-per-reception (PPR) leagues, as he typically will receive most of his targets near the line of scrimmage. You should be able to plug Moore into your WR3 spot in your lineups, and with how often the Browns will likely lean on Winston to throw the ball, Moore’s ceiling and floor can be higher than most in that spot.
6. Ricky Pearsall, San Francisco 49ers – WR
22.4% Rostered
In only his second game of his rookie season, Ricky Pearsall helped fill in for both Brandon Aiyuk and Jauan Jennings and looked good for the San Francisco 49ers. Pearsall hauled in all four of his targets and took his only carry for 39 yards, accounting for 72 total yards.
Pearsall will likely continue to receive more work as the WR group figures out its depth after losing Aiyuk for the season, which boosts his value for the rest of the season. Holding potentially the WR2/3 role in the Niners offense makes him valuable for your fantasy football rosters, so invest now.
7. Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins – QB
48.0% Rostered
A happy welcome back to Tua Tagovailoa is in order, as the Miami Dolphins signal caller made his return after missing multiple weeks while recovering from a concussion. Both Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle benefitted from Tagovailoa’s return, and he carries low-QB1 value moving ahead.
The Dolphins have a lot of ground to make up if they want to factor into the AFC playoff picture, so expect a lot of their offensive work comes from the left arm of Tagovailoa.
8. Xavier Legette, Carolina Panthers – WR
24.0% Rostered
With Adam Thielen still out with an injury and trade rumors floating around Diontae Johnson, Xavier Legette will be stepping into a larger role in the Panthers offense. Legette found the end zone for the third time this season in Week 8, as Legette hauled in a short score from Bryce Young.
Heavily investing in any offensive piece in Carolina isn’t suggested, but adding a piece like Legette to your bench can help you withstand injuries and bye weeks.
9. Isaac Guerendo, San Francisco 49ers – RB
3.6% Rostered
The only running back in our Week 9 waiver wire pickups is rookie Isaac Guerendo, who has stepped in for Jordan Mason twice so far this season after Mason suffered shoulder injuries. Guerendo shouldered a 17-touch workload in San Fran’s win over the Dallas Cowboys, rushing for 85 yards on 14 carries and hauling in three passes for 17 yards.
With a Week 9 bye and Christian McCaffrey looking at a Week 10 return, Guerendo likely won’t have a huge workload upon the Niners' return from their bye. But on the off chance that you have an extra bench spot and don’t think Mason will have a big hand in the committee, then Guerendo is a solid addition for the end of your bench.
10. Jameis Winston, Cleveland Browns – QB
3.3% Rostered
The final player in our Week 9 waiver wire pickups is Winston, who put together a 300-yard game and led the Browns to an upset win over the Ravens. Spreading the ball out among many different pass catchers, Winston is easily on the QB2 radar moving forward.
As a gunslinger, Winston has the potential to be the overall QB1 in a high-passing game script, but also has the potential to be the QB32 on the week as well if he gets interception-happy. So tread lightly with Winston, but he absolutely offers a high upside for the QB position.
