Updated Waiver Wire Rankings for Week 9 (2025): Fantasy Football Pickups for Kareem Hunt, Brashard Smith, Tyjae Spears, Dylan Sampson, Chimere Dike, Josh Downs, Bam Knight, Troy Franklin, Alex Pierce

October 31, 2025

Updated mid-week fantasy football waiver wire rankings for Week 9 of the 2025 NFL season. Top fantasy football free agents and streamers to add off waivers.

Incredibly, Week 9 is here! Fantasy managers will have to deal with bye weeks again as four teams are off this week. The NFL trade deadline is also this week, so we could see some veterans on the move that could shake up fantasy rosters. At RotoBaller HQ, we are back with more waiver wire advice with our updated waiver wire rankings for fantasy football Week 9 of the 2025 season to help fantasy managers find those injury replacements.

The Browns, Jets, Eagles, and Buccaneers are on the bye in Week 9. Fantasy managers will be without some of their top starters. Is Kareem Hunt the primary back in Kansas City after rushing for 40 yards on nine carries and two touchdowns Monday night against the Commanders? Is Trey Benson a must-stash as he is eligible to return from the IR next week? Has Tyjae Spears taken over Tony Pollard as the Titans' primary running back? 

These Week 9 waiver wire rankings are updated by Nick Mariano, RotoBaller's lead fantasy football analyst and forecaster. For those who are not familiar, he brings you his weekly waiver wire rankings and priority adds for the top 85 options to consider across various positions and league sizes. Good luck in Week 9 on the waiver wire!

Who To Pick Up for Fantasy Football Week 9?

Quarterbacks (QB) and Defenses (D/ST) are grouped together at the bottom of the list:

Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Outlooks

Some of the top names include Kareem Hunt. We recap why these players should be on your waiver wire radar for Week 9.

Kareem Hunt, RB, Chiefs

Kansas City Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt found the end zone twice in Monday night's 28-7 win over the Washington Commanders, rushing for 40 yards on nine carries with a touchdown and adding a two-yard touchdown reception. Hunt leads Kansas City in total touchdowns on the season with five and continues to be very effective at converting short-yardage situations. The veteran has been outcarried by fellow running back Isiah Pacheco this season.

Still, Hunt has gotten the majority of the rush attempts inside the 10-yard line, with seven compared to Pacheco's three. That should continue moving forward, making Hunt a viable add off the waiver wire this week. While he is dependent on scoring touchdowns, the 30-year-old is in one of the best fantasy situations to capitalize on.

Tyjae Spears, RB, Titans

Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator Nick Holz said Sunday "was a reminder of what running back Tyjae Spears can do with the ball in his hands," according to Jim Wyatt of TennesseeTitans.com. Holz is "hoping it's a sign of more things to come," and Spears is expected to remain involved alongside Tony Pollard in the backfield. Spears played over 50% of the offensive snaps in Sunday's loss to the Indianapolis Colts and outproduced Pollard on two fewer carries while also scoring his first touchdown of the year.

The 24-year-old missed time earlier this year due to injury, but now that he's back to full health, he's become a bigger part of the offense. It sounds like the Titans envision more of a split backfield between Spears and Pollard. It's good news for Spears' fantasy managers, but the timeshare situation still probably caps his fantasy value as an RB3/flex in PPR leagues.

Troy Franklin, WR, Broncos

Denver Broncos wide receiver Troy Franklin is beginning to build more chemistry with quarterback Bo Nix. Over the last two games, Franklin has seen 18 targets and hauled in nine receptions for 100-plus yards with three touchdowns. The 22-year-old posted a few decent games early in the season, but has really come alive as of late.

The two-score effort on Sunday will make Franklin the top waiver priority in plenty of fantasy formats. The six-catch contest on Sunday was the most for Franklin since Week 2. He has shown an ability to make plays and figures to be a viable flex option in the future.

Bam Knight, RB, Cardinals

Prior to his team's bye, Arizona Cardinals running back Bam Knight had emerged as the team's lead back. Across two games in Weeks 6 and 7, Knight recorded 118 scrimmage yards and a touchdown on 29 total touches. The Cardinals will be without running back Trey Benson (knee) for at least one more week, as Benson has missed three games since being placed on Injured Reserve with a knee injury.

Additionally, Arizona has a very favorable matchup in Week 9 against the Dallas Cowboys, who are currently allowing opponents to score an average of 31.3 points per game. In shallower fantasy leagues where Knight may have been dropped during his bye week, managers should prioritize adding him off the waiver wire heading into Week 9.

Josh Downs, WR, Colts

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs returned from a one-week absence due to a concussion on Sunday, recording three catches for 39 yards and a touchdown in his team's win over the Tennessee Titans. Downs has now hauled in 29 receptions for 256 yards and two scores on 37 targets across seven games in 2025. The Colts have been one of the most prolific offenses in the NFL this season, averaging over 30 points per game.

Given the environment around him, Downs holds fantasy value even if he's a tertiary target earner behind Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. and tight end Tyler Warren. Downs has earned at least five targets in five out of his seven games played. He should be rostered in all fantasy leagues heading into Indianapolis' Week 9 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Running Backs - Week 9 Waiver Wire Rankings

Pickups are in priority order:

Wide Receivers - Week 9 Waiver Wire Rankings

Pickups are in priority order:

Tight Ends- Week 9 Waiver Wire Rankings

Pickups are in priority order:

Quarterbacks - Week 9 Waiver Wire Rankings

Pickups are in priority order, with emphasis on Week 9:

Defenses (D/ST) - Week 9 Waiver Wire Rankings

Pickups are in priority order, with emphasis on Week 9:

Week 9 Waiver Wire Articles

In addition to the Week 9 waiver wire rankings, here's a look at some other free waiver wire resources available at RotoBaller. Each week, our NFL team puts out a complete array of fantasy football waiver wire articles to complement our slick new Who Should I Pickup? Waiver wire player comparison tool - bookmark that! Here are more detailed Week 9 waiver wire articles:

• Week 9 waiver wire pickups (all positions)
• Week 9 FAAB waiver wire bids
• Week 9 running back waiver wire pickups
• Week 9 wide receiver waiver wire pickups
• Week 9 tight end waiver wire pickups
• Week 9 quarterback waiver wire pickups
• Week 9 defense (D/ST) streamers and pickups
• Week 9 kicker streamers and pickups

Who Should I Pickup Tool

Trying to decide who to pick up off the waiver wire? Check the Who Should I Pickup tool here:

Who Should I Pickup for Week 9?

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Who Should I Pickup? Some common 2025 fantasy football waiver wire decisions are regarding players like Kareem Hunt, Brashard Smith, Tyjae Spears, Dylan Sampson, Chimere Dike, Josh Downs, Bam Knight, Troy Franklin, Alex Pierce. But not to worry, we are here to help make these waiver wire decisions and build winning teams in 2025. Set your optimal fantasy football lineups in 2025. Our free Who Should I Pickup? tool will help make your fantasy football waiver wire decisions. Compare up to four NFL players, and we tell you who to pick up... all free! Make the right decisions.

2025 Player Decisions. Today's focus is on specific players - Kareem Hunt, Brashard Smith, Tyjae Spears, Dylan Sampson, Chimere Dike, Josh Downs, Bam Knight, Troy Franklin, Alex Pierce. These are some common searches for 2025 fantasy football waiver wire pickups.

Using The Tool. This is a simple tool but very powerful. The first step is to enter the player names that you want to compare. In the first box, search for the first player's name. In the second box, search for the second player's name. Compare up to four NFL players at once, and then click the Who To Pickup? button to see who the recommended waiver wire pickups are based on fantasy football rankings, projections, and more.

Recent Improvements For Who Should I Pickup? You may have noticed, our Who Should I Pickup? tool has gotten an overhaul. We've added lots of great features for you to give you as much information as possible to win on the waiver wire in 2025. You'll see NFL player tiles with headshots and bye weeks, stats, projections, strength of schedule, enhanced search results with data to compare, and a slick new interface. We hope you enjoy!

How It Works. Our RotoBaller staff puts together their weekly fantasy football waiver wire rankings and projections based on their research, and updates them constantly throughout the week. That information is the core data that is powering the decision-making in this tool. When you search for player names, you will only see those players who are ranked.

Popular Player Comparison Searches - Who To Pickup

Below are some popular searches and comparisons from our Who To Pickup tool for 2025 for Kareem Hunt, Brashard Smith, Tyjae Spears, Dylan Sampson, Chimere Dike, Josh Downs, Bam Knight, Troy Franklin, Alex Pierce:

More Waiver Wire Analysis