👉 TAP TO SAVE 50% WITH CODE SPRING
X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


Beating The Waiver Wire - Speculative Stashes for Week 9

It's Wednesday morning. You dropped a player last night expecting to make some moves on the waiver wire, only to wake up and find out you weren't able to get anyone you put a claim in for. What now?

If you've got an open roster spot, its always a good idea to plan ahead for the future. There are plenty of players in the NFL ripe for a breakout game that will fly up the waiver wire in the following week. This column is here to help you anticipate who that's going to be, and stay a week ahead of your competition.

I'll be giving you a couple players who may be worth grabbing before their stock rises. Here are some players that will help you beat the waiver wire ahead of Week 9, in case they emerge this week.

Editor's Note: The FFPC Baby Gorilla Tournament is now open, featuring a $100,000 grand prize and a $675,450 total prize pool! This 12-team, Tight End Premium contest uses a 20-round draft format, with the overall winners determined by total points scored during Weeks 15–17. Get $25 to use toward your first entry by signing up through our link. Grab your team now! Sign Up Now!

 

Waiver Wire Stashes and Fliers for Week 9

Josh McCown (QB, NYJ) - 22% owned

I can't believe I'm saying this, but here it is: New York Jets quarterback Josh McCown isn't owned in enough leagues. It feels strange saying that out loud. McCown has thrown for five touchdowns over the last two weeks against actual football teams. The Jets face off against the Atlanta Falcons this week and McCown is actually a useable fantasy option! He's worth picking up for owners looking for a bye week fill-in. He might be more than that if he has another big performance this week.

Matt Moore (QB, MIA) - 6% owned

Veteran backup quarterback Matt Moore stepped in to help revive a Dolphins team that was falling apart and carried them to a comeback win. Moore went 11 for 19 with 188 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Not bad for just a half of football! If Moore has a good game against the Ravens on Thursday Night, odds are he'll take over the starting job from Jay Cutler permanently. He's a serviceable quarterback surrounded by talented players. For owners desperate for a starter in deeper leagues or just looking for a decent insurance policy, Moore could fill the void if he plays like he did on Sunday.

Austin Ekeler (RB, LAC) - 2% owned

Ekeler may have created a nightmare scenario for Melvin Gordon owners: earned a spot in the Chargers backfield. Gordon has mostly been riding solo as the three down back for much of the past two seasons, but on Sunday Ekeler ran for as many yards as Gordon on 11 less carries, had more receptions, and was the only one of the two to find the end zone. Concerned Gordon owners can read this weeks disaster recovery article to know how to feel. The rest of us should know that if Ekeler proves he was no fluke this week, he's going to play a decent role in the Chargers offense, potentially becoming the primary receiving back in LA. He's one more solid game away from becoming a top waiver target. At just 2% owned, he's worth a look now.

D'Onta Foreman (RB, HOU) - 14% owned

D'Onta Foreman's time may be coming sooner rather than later. He finally surpassed the consistently sub-par Lamar Miller in rushing yards in Week 6. Miller is firmly entrenched in the starting spot, but a breakout game from Foreman would press Bill O'Brien into making a change. Miller hasn't been anything special for Houston and is only producing at a decent level strictly because of his high workload. If Foreman can look like another rookie who can elevate this team, he'll take over that starting spot. It may only be a matter of time.

Eddie Lacy / Thomas Rawls (RB, SEA) - 21% / 19% owned

I talked about these two last week, so I'm not going to go into any depth here. Just know that one of these two guys could potentially end up as the lead back with a decent amount of volume if they have a breakout game. At this rate, it seems like neither ever will, but they make for a decent lottery ticket option if you have an open roster spot.

Robert Woods (WR, LAR) - 32% owned

Robert Woods has emerged from a crowded Rams receiving crew to become a fairly high-floor PPR option. Over the last three weeks, Woods has averaged five receptions for 65 yards. His lowest yardage total was 59 and his highest was 70. Woods doesn't have a huge ceiling and has failed to find the end zone once this year, but he's proven his worth as a FLEX option for owners in PPR leagues just looking for some consistency. Now is the time to grab Woods with the Rams on bye.

Corey Coleman (WR, CLE) - 11% owned

Coleman has struggled to stay on the field during his two seasons in Cleveland. Luckily for him, literally nobody has stepped in to become the Browns go-to receiver, besides the departed Terrelle Pryor. Coleman will have a starting spot and plenty of targets waiting for him when he returns from injury. He's not expected back until Week 10, so you might be able to wait a week on Coleman.

Mike Williams (WR, LAC) - 12% owned

Williams failed to record a catch in Week 7, but he's a guy that will find himself in this article every week until he has the inevitable breakout game, and Week 8 is a great chance for that to happen. The Chargers face off with Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. The game has shootout written all over it. The Patriots defense has struggled all year, giving up the third most points to opposing wide receivers this year. The 2017 first round draft pick will find his moment at some point this year once he finds a real spot in the receiver rotation. He's worth a hold for anyone who has roster availability. The Chargers didn't draft him to ride the pine.

Dontrelle Inman (WR, CHI) - 1% owned

Speaking of Chargers receivers buried in the depth chart, they just shipped Dontrelle Inman to the Chicago Bears for a seventh round pick. Inman has proven he can produce in the NFL when he recorded over 800 yards and four touchdowns last season. The Bears were desperate for any receivers that could produce at an NFL level. Its unclear if any receiver will find success in Chicago's abysmal passing game, but Inman has as good a chance as anyone. The Bears wouldn't have traded for him if they didn't want to give him a shot to produce. He could provide the spark the Bears need.

Kenny Golladay (WR, DET) - 17% owned

Golladay's breakout performance opening week feels like years ago. He played two mediocre games following and hasn't appeared in a game since, but is finally on track to make his comeback on Sunday Night Football against Pittsburgh this week. With Golden Tate questionable to play this week, Golladay could be on track for a huge comeback performance. He's the most likely receiver in this weeks column to shoot up the Week 9 wire. He's worth grabbing before he has another breakout game.

Nick O'Leary (TE, BUF) - 2% owned

O'Leary continued his solid play in Charles Clay's absence, appearing in 79% of Buffalo's snaps and recording 58 yards on the day. He's going to continue to have value as a decent volume tight end in an offense that loves tight ends. It's surprising that he's still just owned in 2% of leagues. Expect O'Leary to get a bump when he finally finds the end zone in the coming weeks.

Detroit Defense - 42% owned

If Detroit's defense wasn't picked up off waivers this week, you need to grab them immediately. Detroit has been a top five fantasy defense this season with a juicy schedule for the rest of the season:

 
There isn't a matchup in there that should give you much pause, and there is a lot of matchup with huge turnover upside for the Lions. Detroit is a legit ROS start and could give streamers a chance to settle down and cozy up with an elite fantasy defense for the rest of the year. They need to be owned in all leagues.

Josh Gordon (CLE, WR) - 3% owned

See last week's article, and if you're feeling really down on your season, pick up Gordon and watch this video every morning.

 

More 2017 Fantasy Football & ADP Analysis




REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Sacramento Kings

Kings Want to Trade Their Larger Contracts
Chicago Bulls

Darius Acuff Jr. Works Out for Bulls
Jaime Jaquez Jr.

Could Get Traded
Marcus Johansson

Returning to Europe
Thomas White

Likely to Miss Rest of Season With Shoulder Capsular Sprain
Mitchell Robinson

is Upgraded to Available for Game 2
Cole Caufield

Earns Lady Byng Trophy
Nick Suzuki

Lands Selke Trophy
Deebo Samuel Sr.

Does Deebo Samuel Sr. Carry Buy-Low Appeal for Win-Now Dynasty Managers?
Elic Ayomanor

Is Elic Ayomanor Still Worthy of a Dynasty Roster Spot?
Jose Altuve

Astros Reinstate Jose Altuve From the Injured List
Tyler Warren

Does Tyler Warren Have Dynasty TE1 Upside?
Jonathon Brooks

Entering 2026 as a Buy-Low Dynasty Candidate?
Tyler Allgeier

Remains a Dynasty Buy-Low Candidate
Quentin Johnston

Is Quentin Johnston Undervalued by Dynasty Managers?
CFB

Reed Harris Hoping to Fill Void in Arizona State Receiving Room
CFB

Nick Marsh Gearing Up for Breakout
CFB

Drew Mestemaker Looking to Catapult Oklahoma State Offense in 2026
CFB

Rocco Becht Brings Experience to New-Look Nittany Lions
CFB

Can Trey White, Adam Trick Keep Texas Tech's Defensive Front Elite?
CFB

Devon Dampier is Key to Success for Morgan Scalley in Year 1
Aaron Judge

Yankees Officially Place Aaron Judge on Injured List With Fractured Rib
Francisco Lindor

Expected to Return in "About a Couple Weeks"
J.J. McCarthy

Fighting Uphill Battle to Win Starting QB Job?
Brian Thomas Jr.

Improving his Chemistry With QB
Malik Willis

' Chemistry With New WRs is a "Work in Progress"
Baker Mayfield

"Not Anywhere Close" to New Contract With Buccaneers
Chris Rodriguez Jr.

Sitting Out of OTAs
Isaiah Likely

Carries Significant Dynasty Upside into First Season in New York
Emanuel Wilson

Dynasty Outlook Clouded by Depth Chart Uncertainty in Seattle
Jaylin Noel

Is Jaylin Noel Still Roster-Worthy in Dynasty Formats?
Dylan Sampson

Carries Dynasty Upside Despite Current Place on Depth Chart
George Holani

Is George Holani Worthy of a Deep-League Dynasty Roster Spot?
Tank Bigsby

Could See an Increase in Snaps in 2026
Corey Seager

Rangers Activate Corey Seager From the Injured List
Gabriel Bonfim

Set For UFC Vegas 118 Main Event
Belal Muhammad

In Dire Need Of Win
Kendre Miller

Is it Time to Move on From Kendre Miller in Dynasty Leagues?
Edmen Shahbazyan

An Underdog At UFC Vegas 118
Shayne Gostisbehere

Dishes Out Two Power-Play Assists in Comeback Win
Hollywood Brown

a Dynasty Fade in New-Look Eagles Receiver Room
Brendan Allen

Looks For His Third Win In A Row
Seth Jarvis

Ties Finals With Power-Play Goal
Mark Stone

Scores Sixth Playoff Goal in Overtime Defeat
Tom Nolan

Searches For His Fifth Consecutive Win
Darnell Mooney

Facing Further Dynasty Decline
Mitch Marner

Records Two Assists in Game 2 Loss
Farés Ziam

Fares Ziam A Favorite At UFC Vegas 118
Brett Howden

Matches Franchise Record With Another Productive Outing
Christian Kirk

Unlikely to Regain Dynasty Value in San Francisco
Brayden McNabb

Hospitalized After Taking Puck to Face
Aaron Judge

Diagnosed with Stress Fracture, Out 4-6 Weeks
Shohei Ohtani

has "Small" Blister, a "Non-Issue" for his Pitching Starts
Brent Rooker

Out on Thursday Due to Knee Soreness
Frederik Andersen

Hurricanes Retain Confidence in Frederik Andersen
Vincent Trocheck

Maple Leafs Interested in Vincent Trocheck
Dylan Larkin

Requests Trade From Red Wings
Corey Seager

Expected to Return This Weekend
Lucas Erceg

Royals to Mix and Match in Ninth With Lucas Erceg Struggling
Jonathan Toews

Expected to Retire
Anders Lee

Set to Hit Open Market
TB

Jon Cooper Wins First Jack Adams Trophy
De'Aaron Fox

Struggles Again Wednesday Night
Dylan Harper

Turns Heads in Finals Opener
Stephon Castle

Close to Double-Double in Game 1 Loss to Knicks
Victor Wembanyama

Notches 26 Points in Finals Debut
Josh Hart

Grabs 15 Rebounds in Game 1 Win Over Spurs
Karl-Anthony Towns

Opens Finals With Double-Double
Jalen Brunson

Scores Game-High 30 Points in Finals Opener
Aaron Judge

to Undergo Additional Imaging
Ketel Marte

Out on Wednesday With Back, Hamstring Injuries
Mitchell Robinson

is Available for Game 1 on Wednesday
Kawhi Leonard

Unlikely to be Traded
Chicago Bulls

Bulls Host Potential Lottery Picks for Workout
Washington Wizards

Wizards Considering Trading Down in Draft
Corbin Burnes

has Teres Major Strain, Unlikely to Return Until September
Rickie Fowler

Looks To Continue Resurgent Season At Memorial
CFB

Can Eric Singleton Jr. Fully Break Out at Third School?
CFB

Katin Houser Steps into QB1 Role for Illinois
CFB

Savion Hiter an Immediate Impact Freshman for Michigan
CFB

Isaiah Horton Set to Take Over KC Concepcion's Role
CFB

UCLA Transfer Karson Gordon Signs with Austin Peay
CFB

Will Muschamp Bringing New Intensity to Texas Practices
Gary Woodland

Brings Boom-or-Bust Potential to Memorial
Jordan Spieth

Still Searching for a Breakthrough
Alex Smalley

Brings Elite Form to Memorial Tournament
Justin Rose

Looks to Recapture Memorial Tournament Success
Cameron Young

Looks to Get Back to His Contending Ways at Murifield Village
Chris Gotterup

Needs to Find Fairways at Muirfield Village
Si Woo Kim

Looks to Stay Hot at Memorial Tournament
Matt Fitzpatrick

Positioned for Success at Muirfield Village
Jalen Chatfield

Records Two Assists in Tuesday's Loss
Keegan Bradley

Looking for Another Strong Finish at Muirfield
Nikolaj Ehlers

Nets Two Goals in Game 1 Loss to Golden Knights
Shea Theodore

Notches Three Points in Game 1 Win
Brayden McNabb

Sets Up Three Goals in Game 1 Win Over Hurricanes
Justin Thomas

is an Exciting Play This Week in Ohio
Brett Howden

Starts Finals With Multi-Point Effort
Scottie Scheffler

Looks to Win Memorial Tournament for Third Consecutive Year
Tomas Hertl

Scores Game-Winner in Finals Opener
Rory McIlroy

Looking for Better Performance at Muirfield Village
Drake Baldwin

Could Return During Braves Next Homestand
Garrett Crochet

Diagnosed With Low-Grade Lat Strain
Russell Henley

Coming to Ohio on the Heels of Latest Victory
Tommy Fleetwood

Looking for Better Iron Play at Memorial Tournament
Patrick Cantlay

Looks to Continue Dominance at Muirfield Village
Ludvig Aberg

a Great Fit for Muirfield Village
Isaiah Hartenstein

Hopeful to Stay with Oklahoma City
Luguentz Dort

Wants to Remain with Thunder
Mitchell Robinson

is Questionable for Game 1
Moussa Diabaté

Moussa Diabate Has Contract Guaranteed for 2026-2027 Season
Oso Ighodaro

Gets Guaranteed Contract for Next Season
Aaron Judge

Out on Tuesday With Rib/Shoulder Injury
Josh Hader

Set to Return from Injured List on Tuesday
CFB

SEC Coach Calls Buster Faulkner a "Home-Run Hire"
CFB

Auburn a Sleeper in the SEC Under Alex Golesh?
CFB

Noah Fifita Primed for Strong 2026 Campaign
CFB

Oregon Assistant Coach Charged with DUII, Reckless Driving
CFB

Tight End Nick Pollack Commits to Clemson
Akshay Bhatia

Needs the Driver to be True in Ohio
Aaron Rai

Primed to take on the Memorial Tournament
J.J. Spaun

Rebounded at Charles Schwab Challenge
Xander Schauffele

One to Watch This Week in Ohio
Elly De La Cruz

to Miss 2-4 Weeks of Action
Chase Burns

is Scratched Due to Illness
Deiveson Figueiredo

Suffers Second-Round Submission Loss
Song Yadong

Gets Second-Round Submission Win
Zhang Mingyang

Suffers Back-To-Back Losses
Alonzo Menifield

Gets Back In The Win Column
Tallison Teixeira

Suffers First-Round Knockout Loss
Sergei Pavlovich

Scores First-Round Knockout Win
Cameron Smotherman

Suffers Third Loss In A Row
Edwin Arroyo

Reds Promote Top Infield Prospect Edwin Arroyo, Viewed as Priority Pick Up Ahead of MLB Debut
Kai Asakura

Earns His First UFC Win
Elly De La Cruz

Placed on IL with Right Hamstring Tightness
Denny Hamlin

Earns the first Nashville Cup Series Victory of his Career on Sunday
Christopher Bell

Finishes as the Runner-Up at Nashville
Chase Briscoe

Earns First Career Podium Finish at Nashville
Ryan Blaney

Scores A Solid Top-10 Finish at Nashville
Kyle Larson

Top-10 Streak at Nashville Ends after Late Flat Tire Spin
Tyler Reddick

Is One of the Top Favorites to Win at Nashville
Kyle Larson

May Continue his Top-10 Consistency at Nashville this week
Christopher Bell

Is One of the Top Competitors for the Win at Nashville
Chase Briscoe

Is A Must Start for Nashville DFS Lineups
Chase Elliott

has Plenty of Upside for Nashville DFS Lineups
William Byron

Is William Byron A Playable DFS Option for Nashville Lineups?
Carson Hocevar

Is Likely to have Another Solid Result at Nashville
NASCAR

Should Fantasy Players Roster Bubba Wallace at Nashville?
Chris Buescher

Is A Decent All-Around DFS Option for Nashville Lineups
Daniel Suarez

is Likely to Drop Positions during the Cracker Barrel 400
Denny Hamlin

Could Denny Hamlin Dominate at Nashville?
Ryan Blaney

Is a DFS Tournament Option at Nashville
Ty Gibbs

Don't Overlook Ty Gibbs at Nashville
Joey Logano

Could Show Life at Nashville
Ross Chastain

Needs a Good Run at Nashville
Chet Holmgren

Fails to Step Up in the Season Finale
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF