Week 9 Waiver Wire Sleepers & Overview for Fantasy Football

Zach Wilkens analyzes week eight sleepers available on your fantasy football waiver wire. These NFL running backs (RBs), wide receivers (WRs), tight ends (TEs) and quarterbacks (QBs) are fantasy football sleepers.

Week 9 Waiver Wire for Fantasy Football

There are six teams on bye this week, which means two things. First, waiver wire options won't be quite as enticing as they have been the past several weeks. And second, you are more likely to need a waiver wire fill in, as are your competitors.

Consequently, you need to think very carefully about whom to invest your highest waiver claim on. Should you put it on a guy that might help you long term? Or perhaps you want to make sure you get your bye-week replacement quarterback? That decision is up to you, but I'll help you out by reviewing all the top fantasy football waiver wire adds going into Week 9 of the NFL season.

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Just a friendly reminder that in my weekly waiver wire pickups overview column, I only highlight players owned in fewer than 50% of leagues on Fleaflicker. There very well may be other options out there, so be sure to read all of RotoBaller's Week 9 waiver wire analysis. And of course, you can always stop by the RotoBaller chat rooms for any live advice you may need.

For now, check out my waiver wire thoughts below for Week 9, but be sure to come back to see my rankings when they're posted right here on RotoBaller later on in the week!

Quarterback Waiver Wire Pickup Options

1. Alex Smith vs Jets - 50% Owned on Fleaflicker

Smith led my column for Week 7, and delivered a respectable 14-point performance. He now gets the Jets, a team that can be described as nothing less than a complete mess right now. The Jets will be looking to rebound, but I'd feel great about Smith. Kyle Orton just destroyed them with just 10 completions. I will be extremely surprised if Alex Smith doesn't get to 15+ points.

2. Ryan Fitzpatrick vs Eagles - 23% Owned on Fleaflicker

Like I said, the options get ugly pretty quick. I'd never feel comfortable starting Fitz, but the Eagles are allowing almost 20 points per game to opposing quarterbacks, and Fitzpatrick has managed double-digit scoring in all but one game so far. With two strong receivers and a pass-catching running back, Fitzpatrick should do a fine job as a fill-in here.

3. Brian Hoyer vs Buccaneers - 23% Owned on Fleaflicker

After two subpar games, Hoyer returned to the levels I expected from him, with 275 yards and a touchdown. Much like Fitzpatrick, he's gone below 10 points just once on the season. He rarely goes above 15, but against the Bucs he'll have a fair shot. Without C Alex Mack, the running game has seemingly evaporated. That should force Hoyer to throw more, for better or worse.

Other Week 9 Quarterbacks to Consider:

Ryan Tannehill (52%) didn't deliver against Jacksonville, as the defense did most of the work. He should have a better game against the Chargers. Michael Vick (10%) isn't the passer he once was, but he ran for 69 yards this past week in about three quarters of work. That should make him an intriguing candidate, as long as he is starter.

Running Back Waiver Wire Pickup Options

1. Denard Robinson @ Bengals - 40% Owned on Fleaflicker

I listed Robinson last week, with the caveat that I' be very surprised if he went over 100 yards again. Well, he did, and I'm forced to acknowledge that he might actually be the feature back the Jags are looking for. After two strong performances, he has nice job security, which in itself is pretty valuable. The Bengals have a below-average run defense. If Robinson is still out there in your league, he's a must-add.

2. Charles Sims @ Browns (Injured) - 9% Owned on Fleaflicker

If you're unfamiliar with rookie Charles Sims, you should fix that. Doug Martin no longer appears to be the future of the Bucs backfield. Sims is on the IR designated to return, and he will be eligible to play as soon as this coming wee, though it's likely he will miss another game. Doug Martin may be traded; neither Bobby Rainey nor Mike James give me any excitement. The Bucs loved what they saw from Sims in the preseason before he fractured his ankle. He's an excellent receiving back who caught 70 balls in a college season. Sims is a guy I'd rather add now before he breaks out.

3. Jonas Gray vs Broncos - 5% Owned on Fleaflicker

There was talk that Gray might be more involved this past week, and he certainly delivered, with 17 carries for 86 yards. In Week 9, Gray matches up against a tough Broncos defense. That said, if you're desperate, there is no reason he can't get another 15+ touches. He did get a couple of goal-line looks this week, but he was unable to find the end zone. It won't be any easier against the Broncos, but he should give you solid yardage again in Week 9.

Other Week 9 Running Backs to Consider:

Reggie Bush missed time and Theo Riddick (4%) once again stepped in with a strong game. He is still unusable while Bush is around, but you should feel good about playing him as long as Reggies is injured. Juwan Thompson (3%) and Lorenzo Taliaferro (13%) both found the end zone twice this past week as the secondary ball carriers for their teams. Thompson has appeal because of the offense he plays in. Taliaferro also has appeal, because the Ravens don't see Forsett as a goal-line back. I'd like to think he has secured the job with Bernard Pierce a healthy scratch.

Wide Receiver Waiver Wire Pickup Options

1. Brandon LaFell vs Broncos - 40% Owned on Fleaflicker

LaFell caught all 11 of his targets this past week. That won't always happen, but against the Broncos it's fair to expect Tom Brady to be throwing a lot and that LaFell will be a big part of the offense. He's had 90+ yards and a touchdown in three of the last five games. Denver is certainly tough, but with an elite QB like Tom Brady, I wouldn't worry too much.

2. Donte Moncrief @ Giants - 5% Owned on Fleaflicker

I was extremely excited to see what Moncrief would do in Reggie Wayne's absence, and he delivered. This guy is exceptionally talented, and his performance in Week 8 backed that up. I'm not sure what Wayne's status for the coming week is, but I think Moncrief is worth an add either way. Luck threw 45 passes in a high-scoring affair this week, which was right in line with what he has been doing all season. Hakeem Nicks also saw six targets (Moncrief had 12). Reggie Wayne should absorb Nicks's targets and a few of Moncrief's, while Moncrief retains six or more targets per game. In this offense, that is a valuable player, especially when it's a talent like Moncrief.

3. Martavis Bryant vs Ravens - 5% Owned on Fleaflicker

Unlike Luck, Ben Roethlisberger did throw a lot more than he normally does (nine more attempts than his previous season high), so it's hard to know whether to buy into Bryant. I do feel comfortable saying that he has surpassed Markus Wheaton, but that doesn't mean he is fantasy-relevant on a weekly basis, and the Ravens are a tough matchup. Bryant complements Antonio Brown nicely as a 6'4" deep threat. With three touchdowns in the last two weeks (his only active weeks), I will gladly add now and drop later if it doesn't work out, rather than waiting until it's too late. I'm not keen on starting him this week, but I am eyeing Week 10 against the Jets.

Other Week 9 Wide Receivers to Consider:

It was an incredible showing for rookies this week. In addition to the two mentioned above, John Brown (14%) caught the game-winning touchdown and had 10 targets, while Michael Floyd was invisible. I'm guessing he will be much quieter next week with Floyd likely to show up, but he is super-talented and always a deep threat. Allen Robinson (20%) delivered another strong performance, and the Bengals are a decent matchup next week. Mike Evans (50%) had 78 yards and should have a nice day next week while Joe Haden shadows VJax.

Tight End Waiver Wire Pickup Options

1. Tim Wright vs Broncos - 17% Owned on Fleaflicker

I can never quite bring myself to completely trust Wright, but he now has three touchdowns in the last four games. I expect this to be a high-scoring game, and if I'm streaming a tight end next week, I'd look to Tim Wright first. More encouraging than the touchdowns is the fact that he had seven receptions in Week 8.

2. Jace Amaro @ Chiefs - 14% Owned on Fleaflicker

This one is more of a gut call, but it's a good matchup, too. The Chiefs have allowed seven touchdowns to opposing tight ends. Jace Amaro had dropped a few crucial passes over the past two weeks, but he caught all five of his targets in Week 8. All five of those receptions were from Vick, which is a positive, as well. I've hit on two gut calls the past two weeks with Charles Clay and Seferian-Jenkins, so I guess I'll keep rolling with it here!

3. Lance Kendricks @ 49ers - 4% owned on Fleaflicker

To play Lance Kendricks is an inadvisable gamble, but if you're desperate, Kendricks is the guy I'd go with. Austin Davis seems to love him in the red zone, and he has four touchdowns in his last five games. The frightening part (for anyone planning on using him) is that he has just five receptions over his last four games, although three of them went for touchdowns. On the bright side, that does include a 22-yard TD pass against the 49ers in their first meeting. It's unlikely the TD pace continues, but if you're already considering him, there probably isn't a much better option.