Welcome to Week 9! With six teams on the bye, the free agent marketplace is going to be like Walmart on Black Friday. So buckle up and get ready by checking out today's wire. As always, if you play in a deep league, head over to Rotobahn and check out my expanded waiver wire. I'll also be recording an accompanying podcast to this article. It will be posted over at Rotobahn. I'll put a link up on Twitter as soon as it's available. My handle is @Rotobahn.
The Week 9 bye teams are the Bengals, Giants, Jaguars, Colts, Eagles and Cardinals. Alright, let's get to the Week 9 free agent targets.
The Must Check List:
Aaron Jones, Packers
Nelson Agholor, Eagles
Mitchell Trubisky, Bears
Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals
Jalen Richard, Raiders
They are all rostered in over 60 percent of Yahoo leagues, so they don't really belong on the wire, but I'd check their status in your league just in case. In Green Bay, Jones has been the best runner by a solid margin. A playing time bump is imminent in my view. Agholor's downturn is temporary. He could be a hot commodity very soon and should be rostered in 100 percent of leagues. Trubisky is surrounded by playmakers and is past his bye week. He should be owned in all leagues. Fitzgerald's ownership has been falling but he played every single snap last week and looked darn good. Add him anywhere you can, but be mindful that he is on his bye this week. Richard is a rising commodity in PPR leagues and is a solid starting option during the bye weeks and perhaps beyond.
QUARTERBACKS
Dak Prescott, Cowboys
Ryan Fitzpatrick, Bucs
Baker Mayfield, Browns
Derek Carr, Raiders
C.J. Beathard, 49ers
Joe Flacco, Ravens
Case Keenum, Broncos
Prescott is a dual threat option (run and pass) who has been running quite a bit this season. He's also getting Amari Cooper into the fold this week. Dak should be a viable option going forward, with some big game potential due to his aforementioned running ability. Fitzpatrick is starting again and his stats have been there almost every time out. It's the surrounding talent that's making it happen, but who cares, right? Carr and Beathard are playing each other on Thursday night and it's a plus matchup for both. They are short term options in my view. Mayfield is playing under new management with Hue Jackson and Todd Haley both having been ousted. That alone makes him interesting, and I like his remaining schedule—including this week's game with the Chiefs. Flacco has appeal due to the Ravens high pass volume and favorable schedule, but this week's matchup with Pittsburgh is just so-so. Keenum is no fun to watch, and has been wildly inconsistent, but he's a stable commodity who is very likely to keep his job all season. Denver has no other options in the wake of Chad Kelly's release.
RUNNING BACKS
Peyton Barber, Bucs
Doug Martin, Raiders
Wendell Smallwood, Eagles
Ito Smith, Falcons
Josh Adams, Eagles
Nyheim Hines, Colts
Elijah McGuire, Jets
Devontae Booker, Broncos
Barber is now securely in the lead role due to Ronald Jones hamstring injury. The Bucs don't block the run well at all, but he's a good back and he should get most of the action. Martin should handle most of the goal line and early down work in Oakland with Marshawn Lynch out. Smallwood played 50 percent of the snaps and appears to be the back to roster in Philadelphia with the largest share in terms of playing time. Adams, while being a bit limited, is a strong early down runner and he looked good last week picking up 61 yards on nine carries. He's a smart speculative add in non-PPR leagues and large formats in general. Ito Smith has a bad matchup this week (at Washington), but he's going to have flex appeal on most weeks going forward. Booker has always been a bit underrated and he should continue to get plenty of snaps until Royce Freeman returns. Freeman has a high ankle sprain, so his odds of returning this week are not great. Hines is still a big factor in the Colts offense and had 13 touches for 85 total yards against the Raiders in Week 8. He's very playable during the byes. McGuire is getting healthy at just the right time. The Jets need a multi purpose back with Bilal Powell out for the year. McGuire should return as early as this week and could quickly become a startable asset in 12-team leagues.
WIDE RECEIVERS
Courtland Sutton, Broncos
Keke Coutee, Texans
Chris Godwin, Bucs
D.J. Moore, Panthers
Robby Anderson, Jets
Dede Westbrook, Jaguars
Tre'Quan Smith, Saints
Danny Amendola, Dolphins
Christian Kirk, Cardinals
Tyrell Williams, Chargers
Mohamed Sanu, Falcons
Anthony Miller, Bears
Michael Gallup, Cowboys
Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Packers
Chris Conley, Chiefs
DeVante Parker, Dolphins
Kendrick Bourne, 49ers
Jakeem Grant, Dolphins
Willie Snead, Ravens
Rashard Higgins, Browns
David Moore, Seahawks
Sutton is for the risk-takers, like me. If Demaryius Thomas gets dealt as rumored, then Sutton steps into a major role and he's already their best red zone weapon. Coutee is no lock to play this week due to a hamstring issue, but he will be the Texans' number two weapon when he returns due to Will Fuller's season-ending ACL injury. Moore has been on my stash list all year and I think he's now entered weekly flex territory with room to grow. He played a season high 46 snaps in Week 8 and piled up 136 total yards on the day. Anderson is the Jets top weapon and should return from his ankle injury this week. Westbrook is on the bye so be mindful of that, but he has stepped up this year and is the most dependable weapon in Jacksonville. Smith has played over 70 percent of the snaps in consecutive weeks so he's locked in as a starter. His production will have spikes and lulls, but he's a startable flex in 12-team leagues. Amendola is locked into a nice role in the slot, but his health is always a concern so don't overpay. Chris Conley's inclusion is all about Tyreek Hill's groin injury. If Hill cannot go this week, Conley becomes a high upside WR3 option. He's a very smart pickup if you rely on Hill.
TIGHT ENDS
Jack Doyle, Colts
Vance McDonald, Steelers
Hayden Hurst, Ravens
Chris Herndon, Jets
Doyle's been my guy for over a month. He finally returned in Week 8 and posted big digits. The Colts are on the bye this week, but find a way to roster Doyle if you can, especially in full PPR leagues. McDonald continues to make plays and is certainly a viable option during the byes and perhaps beyond. He only played 38 percent of the snaps in Week 8, which is a mild concern. Hurst played 30 snaps last week—a season high, and posted 29 yards and a score. I see this as just the beginning for the talented rookie. Get him now if you have a need at tight end. He's playable this week. Herndon finally played major snaps (50 percent) and he found the end zone for the third consecutive week. I'd add him now in deeper leagues as he could be in for a playing time boost.
