We are eight full weeks into the 2025 NFL season, and with that, you are eight weeks into your fantasy football season. Injuries have ravaged the fantasy football landscape so far, but you can catch back up to your leaguemates—or stay ahead of them—with these Week 9 waiver wire pickups.

With byemageddon out of the way after six teams were on by in Week 8, your roster will (hopefully) be close to fully staffed heading into Week 9. While there are still plenty of big names nursing injuries, we are getting into the part of the year where you need to make the moves to solidify yourself in playoff contention.

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. Heading into Week 9, try your best to button up the edges of your roster as you look to start the season strong

Week 9 Waiver Wire Pickups

1. RB Tyrone Tracy Jr., New York Giants
41.9% Rostered

With the unfortunate, season-ending injury suffered by rookie Cam Skattebo, second-year back Tyrone Tracy Jr. steps back into the spotlight as the RB1 for the New York Giants. Having spent his rookie season as the team’s starter down the stretch, this role isn’t going to be anything new for the former Purdue Boilermaker.

While it isn’t necessarily an easy upcoming schedule for the Giants, Tracy will be the lead guy, with Devin Singletary stepping into the backup role.

2. WR Troy Franklin, Denver Broncos
43.5% Rostered

Troy Franklin seems to have fully ascended into the WR2 role for the Denver Broncos, and his two-touchdown showing in Week 8 marks the second consecutive week he found paydirt. Franklin’s rapport with Bo Nix dates back to their days at Oregon in college, and that relationship seems to be continuing in the NFL.

Franklin gets to face the Houston, Las Vegas, and Kansas City secondaries before Denver’s Week 12 bye, pretty solid matchups as Franklin looks to hold weekly WR3/FLEX value.

3. RB Tyjae Spears, Tennessee Titans
36.4% Rostered

It has been a tough go of things this year on the ground for the Tennessee Titans, but Tyjae Spears has been a bit of a flash that this offense has been missing over the past few weeks. While Tony Pollard remains the starter, Spears has been making an impact in the passing game, hauling in at least three receptions in each of his past three games.

Facing the Los Angeles Chargers before their Week 10 bye, the Titans will likely be throwing a lot again, putting Spears on the FLEX radar next week.

4. WR Tre Tucker, Las Vegas Raiders
45.7% Rostered

The trade rumors surrounding Jakobi Meyers continue to circulate for the Las Vegas Raiders, and any move would elevate Tre Tucker into the top receiver for Geno Smith. You might have some reservations about investing in a player in a struggling offense, but Tucker has been relevant for fantasy football so far this season, as he has already racked up five games of five-plus receptions.

Tucker has the potential for breakout games (see his Week 3 performance), but his floor feels high enough to justify being in contention for a weekly FLEX start.

5. QB Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks
20.9% Rostered

Sam Darnold is the lone quarterback in the Week 9 waiver wire pickups, as the Seattle Seahawks are coming off their Week 8 bye in first place in the NFC West. While he is coming off a quiet showing in Week 7, Darnold has put together a solid showing leading the SEA offense this year.

His connection with Jaxon Smith-Njigba has been really impressive, as JSN has taken the next step into the WR1 tier. Darnold has been solid for the Seattle passing attack, and with a group of QBs not instilling a ton of confidence on the waiver wire, Darnold is your best option.

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6. RB Bam Knight, Arizona Cardinals
18.6% Rostered

The release of Michael Carter, combined with the injuries to James Conner and Trey Benson, leaves the door wide open for Bam Knight to be the RB1 in Arizona moving forward. With Conner out for the year and Benson not eligible to return until Week 10, Knight and the banged-up Emari Demercado are the only two backs likely vying for playing time.

Knight has scored twice in the past three weeks, and he has earned seven targets in those same games, showing he can contribute in both parts of the offense.

7. RB Kyle Monangai, Chicago Bears
38.7% Rostered

While holding down a reserve role out of the Chicago Bears backfield, rookie Kyle Monangai does offer some bench value for your fantasy football roster. With D’Andre Swift earning the lion’s share of work out of the backfield so far this season, Monangai could still see an influx of work over the next few weeks, as Chicago faces the Bengals, Giants, and Vikings, three favorable matchups.

8. WR Chimere Dike, Tennessee Titans
5.3% Rostered

It has been a slow ascent for rookie Chimere Dike in earning playing time for the Titans, as the receiver group was veteran-heavy to open the year. But with Calvin Ridley being inefficient and now injured, Van Jefferson not offering a ton, and Tyler Lockett being released, Dike and Elic Ayomanor have stepped up.

For Dike, he has racked up 11 receptions and over 160 yards across the past two weeks, finding the end zone in Week 7. Combined with his weekly kick-return duties, Dike offers sneaky value as a potential bench option at wide receiver.

9. WR Kayshon Boutte, New England Patriots
30.1% Rostered

While his target share has been tough to count on, Kayshon Boutte has a nose for the end zone, scoring four times across the past three games. As the New England Patriots continue to search for a secondary WR to build around, Boutte is winning that race and looks to be in the driver’s seat as the Patriots continue to roll because of how good Drake Maye has looked.

10. TE Juwan Johnson, New Orleans Saints
32.9% Rostered

Juwan Johnson finds himself rounding out the Week 9 waiver wire pickups as the lone tight end, as he looks to be back in the streaming category the past two weeks. Having started off the year red hot, Johnson cooled off during Weeks 4-6 before recording back-to-back, five-reception performances these past two weeks.

With the New Orleans Saints in the market to potentially move a veteran wide receiver, Johnson could find himself in line for an increased target share. Even with the quarterback issues for the Saints plaguing their offense, Johnson is one of the safer bets in the passing game, giving him the edge as the top tight end in the Week 9 waiver wire pickups.