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Michael Florio's sneaky fantasy football starts, pivot plays, and post-waiver waiver pickups for Week 9. Start 'em as under-the-radar fantasy sleepers.
After a brutal Week 7 that stole many weekly fantasy contributors from our lineup, Week 8 was much more kind. There were some injury scares, but we escaped in relatively good shape. Hopefully, that holds up moving forward. Even without the injuries, Week 9 is already taking away plenty of our usual starters.
There are six teams – yes, SIX – on bye this week. The Browns, Broncos, Cowboys, Giants, Steelers, and 49ers are all off this week. That may leave many of you in need of streaming options, even if you have a healthy roster. Don’t worry, that is what this article is here for!
While it’ll talk about potential options that may be ruled out, the names listed here can be streamed regardless if it is for injury or bye-week replacements. And as always, it's best to get ahead of things and have a backup plan just in case, so if you need someone, grab them while you still can. Many people will be searching the wire for streamers this week.
Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:- 2025 fantasy football rankings
- Running back (RB) fantasy football rankings
- Wide receiver (WR) fantasy football rankings
- Tight end (TE) fantasy football rankings
- Quarterback (QB) fantasy football rankings
- FLEX fantasy football rankings
- Defense (D/ST) fantasy football rankings
- Kicker (K) fantasy football rankings
- Dynasty fantasy football rankings
Quarterback Pivot Options for Fantasy Football
If QBs Ryan Tannehill doesn’t play, you can pivot to…
Justin Fields is more than just a pivot option, but since he was on waivers in a bunch of leagues this week, he fits. Fields has a chance to be a league winner down the stretch, much like Jalen Hurts was last year. That is because the Bears have allowed Fields to run, both more on design runs and throwing on the move. He has rushed for at least 60 yards in three straight and scored a red zone rushing TD in two straight. That’s led to him topping 23 fantasy points in two straight games. Plus, the Dolphins have allowed the seventh-most fantasy PPG to QBs, including the fifth-most rushing yards.
Marcus Mariota is low-key a top-10 fantasy QB on the season. It's largely because of what he gives with his legs. He has topped 30 rushing yards in four straight games. It has led to him scoring 18 fantasy points in three of his last four games, including topping 22 in two of his last three. Plus, the Chargers have struggled against the run all year. If you are diving deeper, Mariota is an upside play worth taking.
Trevor Lawrence is in play as a deeper option. After having topped 18 fantasy points in two straight, Lawrence flopped across the pond. He has been struggling as a passer but making up for it by rushing more. He has three rushing TDs in his past three games combined. This is about the matchup though. The Raiders have allowed the most fantasy PPG to QBs this season.
Running Back Pivot Options for Fantasy Football
If RBs, Jonathan Taylor, Gus Edwards, Chuba Hubbard, Cordarrelle Patterson, Cam Akers, and J.D. McKissic don’t play, you can pivot to…
Tyler Allgeier and Caleb Huntley are both in play as streaming options this season. Allgeier has now seen 15 touches in three straight games. He is the preferred option as he plays more snaps and is more explosive, but Huntley is in play as well. Huntley is good for double-digit touches and he is the back that gets used near the goal line. It's also a great matchup against the Chargers, who have allowed the second-most fantasy PPG to RBs this season after struggling against the run all last year as well.
Kenyan Drake is in play if Gus Edwards sits. The issue is, this is a Monday Night game. Hopefully, we get more information as we get closer. Drake has scored over 16 fantasy points in two of his past three games. The issue is in the other game, he scored half of a point. There is no floor and the risk is Edwards suits up after the mini-bye and takes the bulk of the work. If you are shooting for the upside, Drake brings that.
Deon Jackson would be in play if Jonathan Taylor sits. He scored 28 fantasy points the last time that happened, but it is worth mentioning that he did so largely because he caught 10 passes from Matt Ryan, the dump-off specialist. Sam Ehlinger threw to the RBs just three times combined last week. While Jackson doesn’t bring the same ceiling as he did last time JT sat, out of volume alone, he would be a flex with more upside. Zack Moss is purely for the desperate in deep leagues.
Ronnie Rivers led the Rams backfield with 52 percent of the snaps, eight carries, and four targets in Week 8. The Rams did not go acquire a back, and while they are trying to patch things up with Cam Akers, there is no reason to believe that Rivers won’t remain heavily involved for the time being. The Rams' offensive line makes life tough on their RBs, but volume has Rivers in play as a pivot option this week.
Jeff Wilson Jr. now calls the "49ers East" home with the Miami Dolphins. The good thing for Wilson is he should already be very familiar with the playbook and style of run game they utilize in Miami. He also faces the Bears, who have struggled against the run. They are in the top 10 in fantasy points allowed to RBs this season and no team has allowed more touchdowns to the position in the past month. Wilson is a boom or bust option, but he is one in a good situation and matchup.
Wide Receiver Pivot Options for Fantasy Football
If WRs Keenan Allen, Allen Lazard, Kadarius Toney, DeVante Parker, Corey Davis, and Jahan Dotson don’t play, you can pivot to…
Rondale Moore had his best game of the year last week when he went for 104 total yards and a touchdown for 23.4 fantasy points. He now has eight targets in three of his last four games and reached double-digit fantasy points in each of those. He also lined up more in the slot last week which is huge for his fantasy value. He is in play as a flex option with an upside until Marquise Brown returns.
Josh Palmer was already in play with Mike Williams sidelined, but he especially is with Keenan Allen missing practice this week and up in the air for Sunday. Palmer saw 12 targets last week, catching nine of them for 57 yards. Plus, he has a great matchup this week against the Falcons, who have allowed the most fantasy production to receivers this season. Palmer is certainly in play and DeAndre Carter would be as well if Allen sits.
Terrace Marshall Jr. played 92 percent of the snaps last week and saw nine targets – three of which were in the end zone. He also finished with 92 air yards. The second-year receiver entered the league with hype but was buried on the depth chart. He is getting more run with Robbie Anderson gone and P.J. Walker playing well. Plus, he is their best red-zone weapon in the passing game. He is worth a shot if you need a deeper option.
Julio Jones returned last week and saw three red zone targets, scoring a touchdown. He has now scored double-digit fantasy points in two of his three games. It is not a talent question with Jones, who can still play. It's more a question of how long he can stay on the field. However, he is healthy this week against a team that has allowed a good amount of fantasy production to receivers, the Rams. It's also a must-win game for the Bucs at this point.
Devin Duvernay is in play because Rashod Bateman is expected to sit this week and Mark Andrews' status is up in the air. Duvernay has been up and down all season, but he has topped double-digit fantasy points five times this season. He should see an uptick in volume in a favorable matchup against the Saints. While he is not a guy you must start, he is certainly a pivot option this week.
Tight End Pivot Options for Fantasy Football
If TEs Mark Andrews and Darren Waller don’t play, you can pivot to…
Isaiah Likely is the perfect pivot option for those who have Mark Andrews. He is up in the air and plays on Monday Night Football. Likely exploded last week going for 77 yards and a touchdown, racking up just under 20 fantasy points. He could see an uptick in volume after his big game and with other Ravens banged up (even if Andrews suits up), but he is a much better option if Andrews sits.
Noah Fant scored a season-high 10.5 fantasy points the last time he faced the Arizona Cardinals. He has also been playing more snaps and seeing more targets on a weekly basis than Will Dissly. The Cardinals are in the top two in most fantasy points, catches, yards, and touchdowns allowed to the tight ends this season.
Robert Tonyan is in play largely because the Packers face the Lions. Detroit this season has allowed 15.3 fantasy PPG to tight ends, the sixth-most in the NFL. Tonyan has been up and down but we have seen him pick up big volume at times. This is more about trusting the matchup and the fact that Aaron Rodgers has had so much success against the Lions.
Make sure to follow Michael on Twitter, @MichaelFFlorio.
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