Week 9 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups and Stashes

November 2, 2026

Rob's Week 9 fantasy football waiver wire pickups, stashes, sleepers for all positions ahead of Week 9 in 2026. His top fantasy free agent waiver wire adds.

Every week, every week, there is something. This week, we saw Ashton Jeanty essentially get benched, more or less, for the rookie Mike Washington Jr. This backfield just got a whole lot messier. Will this stick or was it a one-week blip? Fantasy managers can't be sure, which makes this situation even more challenging.

Fantasy managers have also lost Lamar Jackson for what appears to be the foreseeable future. That's going to have a big impact on Zay Flowers, but more importantly for this article, Ja'Kobi Lane. He was once a popular second-half breakout star, but that seems incredibly likely now. Fantasy managers still have to bob and weave, but this article will help you identify which players to target on this week's waiver wire.

The waiver wire is crucial to making the playoffs, and here at RotoBaller, we want to make sure you walk away as your league's champion. To help you do that, be sure to also check out our free Who Should I Pickup? tool and compare up to four free agent players at once - we'll tell you who to pick up.

Running Back Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 9

Must-Add

Mike Washington Jr., Las Vegas Raiders - 27% Rostered

Offensive roles in the Raiders' backfield shifted massively this past weekend. Washington played 38 snaps to Ashton Jeanty's 25. In fact, Washington got as many carries as Jeanty had snaps! Washington finished with 25 touches to Jeanty's five.

However, Jeanty still finished with more fantasy points (8.8 to 8.3) because he caught three passes for 64 yards. However, given the snaps-and-touches disparity, Washington appears to be the better bet for fantasy production. Washington got most of the backfield touches and played almost all of the team's goal-line snaps.

Washington played on eight of the team's 10 goal-line snaps. If this holds, he'll most likely be the Raiders' running back to find the end zone. The only concern is that these roles could change week to week.

Seth McGowan, Indianapolis Colts - 31% Rostered

McGowan is nothing more than a handcuff right now, but his value could skyrocket if the Colts trade Jonathan Taylor. The Colts traded DeForest Buckner and Quenton Nelson last week. It seems to be only a matter of time before they trade Josh Downs.

As the #Colts continue to field trade offers for star RB Jonathan Taylor, sources say the Vikings, Giants, Broncos, Bengals and Packers are among the teams that have checked in.

The asking price is believed to be too high right now, but sources do believe a trade is leaning to be more likely than not at this point.

— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) November 1, 2026

Reports have differed on just how interested they are in moving Taylor, but given how poorly the Colts have played, the wise decision would be to trade Taylor. Will they come to that conclusion? That's unknown, but it'll be even harder and more expensive to add McGowan if the trade happens. If you add him, and the trade doesn't happen, you can always just drop him. There's big upside here, though.

Tyler Allgeier, Arizona Cardinals - 52% Rostered

Things can change awfully quickly in fantasy football. Jeremiyah Love missed the last two weeks, and Allgeier failed to distinguish himself from Bam Knight. In fact, Knight solidly outplayed him. Allgeier looked like a cuttable player. He was viewed as a handcuff to Love, and if Love missed time, Allgeier fell behind the team's No. 3 running back.

Love returned this week, but immediately appeared to suffer another high-ankle sprain. Knight was ruled out with a concussion. With both running backs unavailable, Allgeier took advantage. He finished with 11 carries for 147 yards and a touchdown. He also caught five passes for 44 yards and scored again. He finished with 33.6 half-PPR points.

Tyler Allgeier breaks free for a 63-yard rushing TD!

AZvsDAL on FOX/FOX One
Stream on @NFLPlus https://t.co/PuMUPt7CLa

— NFL (@NFL) November 1, 2026

With both Love and Knight potentially unavailable next week, Allgeier becomes a must-add running back if he landed on your league's waiver wire after two incredibly disappointing weeks.

RB3s and RB4s 

Dylan Sampson, Cleveland Browns - 17% Rostered

Sampson returned from IR in Week 7 and finished with nine touches (three receptions) for 77 yards. This past weekend, he had nine touches (six receptions) for 69 yards. He's scored over 9.0 half-PPR points in both of the past two weeks. He also out-snapped Quinshon Judkins, which was tied to the Browns trailing significantly for most of the game.

#Browns Week 8 RB Usage

- Dylan Sampson: 56% snaps, 1 carry, 27 routes, 8 targets (69 yds)
- Quinshon Judkins: 39% snaps, 11 carries, 8 routes, 2 targets (49 yds)

— Michael F. Florio (@MichaelFFlorio) November 2, 2026

Looking forward, Sampson appears locked into 8-12 touches a game, and he will have more value in games where the Browns are likely to be behind on the scoreboard. He should be viewed as an RB4 moving forward, with high contingency value if Judkins misses time.

Pierre Strong Jr., Green Bay Packers - 1% Rostered

MarShawn Lloyd, Green Bay Packers - 39% Rostered

We'll discuss both of these players as one since their situation and potential fantasy value are intertwined. This past weekend, new police reports were released regarding Josh Jacobs' arrest. In them, there were other allegations of domestic violence by Jacobs against other women.

From @NFLGameDay Morning: The NFL continues to review #Packers RB Josh Jacobs, as more allegations come to light; Plus, the latest on when Micah Parsons and Myles Garrett could return. https://t.co/KKQp1BWAsS

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 1, 2026

The NFL still has its investigation into Jacobs open. Ian Rapoport indicated that if Jacobs wasn't upfront with the NFL when he met with them about these additional allegations, or if the NFL finds any merit to them, he could be suspended. Needless to say, Jacobs' legal saga doesn't seem over, which means fantasy managers should be rostering Lloyd and Strong.

Strong would likely be the team's primary pass-catcher, while they split the early-down role. They'll split carries, but the one who gets the goal-line touches has the most fantasy value.

Devin Singletary - New York Giants - 5% Rostered

Najee Harris has been cut, and Tyrone Tracy Jr. is currently on IR. On one of the final plays of their Week 7 victory, Cam Skattebo seemed to pull up after a long run, suggesting he felt something in his hamstring. Since they were on a bye last week, we don't yet know how severe the injury is.

Singletary now looks like the team's No. 2 running back, which could make him a desperation RB4 starter for teams in dire need of a running back. If Skattebo is still nursing or hindered by that hamstring injury, Singletary's value could increase throughout the week if Skattebo can't practice.

Bench Stashes

Tyjae Spears, Tennessee Titans - 15% Rostered

Spears holds no standalone value. As a handcuff, his value is limited. Even if Tony Pollard misses time, Spears wouldn't be anything more than a boring RB3. However, with so many injuries and bye weeks, most teams would welcome an RB3.

Spears is a bench stash because several national NFL reporters have mentioned Pollard as a potential trade candidate. That gives Spears two potential outs: Pollard getting injured or being traded. Spears missed Weeks 7 and 8 with a knee injury.

Kimani Vidal, Los Angeles Chargers - 13% Rostered

In a disgusting, unappealing way, Vidal seems to be the leader in the Chargers' backfield. However, that really hasn't amounted to anything, but it's worth... something. If you're to the point where you need to consider Vidal, the season hasn't gone the way you drew it up, but he does hold some standalone value.

#Chargers Week 8 RB Usage

- Kimani Vidal: 44% snaps, 8 carries, 8 routes, 2 targets (30 yds)
- Keaton Mitchell: 32% snaps, 4 carries, 12 routes, 3 targets (23 yds)
- Omarion Hampton: 31% snaps, 9 carries, 6 routes, 3 targets (27 yds)

Unusable for fantasy

— Michael F. Florio (@MichaelFFlorio) November 1, 2026

This backfield is brutal. It's a three-man committee on a terrible offense. There isn't much to sell here, but Vidal is getting just enough touches to hold some standalone value and is the most recent Charger to find the end zone. It's not much, but it's... something.

Pure Handcuffs

1. Emmett Johnson, Kansas City Chiefs - 19% Rostered
2. Kaelon Black, San Francisco 49ers - 31% Rostered
3. Brian Robinson Jr., Atlanta Falcons - 25% Rostered
4. Chris Rodriguez Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars - 26% Rostered
5. Ray Davis, Buffalo Bills - 4% Rostered
6. Kenny Gainwell, Tampa Bay Buccaneers - 42% Rostered
7. Samaje Perine, Cincinnati Bengals - 22% Rostered
8. Tyler Goodson, Dallas Cowboys - 1% Rostered
9. Sione Vaki, Detroit Lions - 1% Rostered
10. Elijah Mitchell, Philadelphia Eagles - 2% Rostered
11. Jaylen Wright, Miami Dolphins - 2% Rostered
12. Isaiah Davis, New York Jets - 3% Rostered

Deep League Stashes

• Ty Johnson, Buffalo Bills - 2% Rostered
• Austin Ekeler, Washington Commanders - 2% Rostered
• Roschon Johnson, Chicago Bears - 8% Rostered
• Keaton Mitchell, Los Angeles Chargers - 34% Rostered
• Nicholas Singleton, Tennessee Titans - 1% Rostered
• Corey Kiner, New England Patriots - 4% Rostered
• Justice Hill, Baltimore Ravens - 5% Rostered
• Sean Tucker, Tampa Bay Buccaneers - 1% Rostered
• Jaydon Blue, Philadelphia Eagles - 6% Rostered

IR Stashes

• Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Washington Commanders - 58% Rostered
• Jonathon Brooks, Carolina Panthers - 43% Rostered
• James Conner, Arizona Cardinals - 6% Rostered

Wide Receiver Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 9

Must Add

Jordyn Tyson, New Orleans Saints - 51% Rostered

Tyson hasn't played yet this season, but he seems close. He was drafted with the eighth overall pick in this year's NFL Draft. If you're looking for upside, Tyson has it, but it comes with plenty of reasons it doesn't work out.

The team could slow-play him with Devaughn Vele playing well. They could have him on a snap count. He could struggle with the NFL speed. It could be a little of all of those. However, the Saints drafted this highly talented player with a premium pick. That's a player worth betting on.

Keenan Allen, Indianapolis Colts - 51% Rostered

With Downs likely on his way out of town, Allen looks like a solid PPR WR3 moving forward. In Allen's last five games, he has 39 targets and has scored double-digit half-PPR points in three out of five games. Given the Colts' offensive situation and the unknowns at quarterback, Allen won't provide much of a ceiling.

Antonio Williams, Washington Commanders - 26% Rostered

Williams has now finished with 50 or more receiving yards in back-to-back games, correlated with Terry McLaurin's season-ending knee injury. With McLaurin out for the year, Williams is near the top of Jayden Daniels' target hierarchy. Stefon Diggs seems fairly entrenched as Daniels' No. 1 target, but after him, Williams is competing with Chig Okonkwo. View Williams as a WR4 with upside.

Adonai Mitchell, New York Jets - 11% Rostered

Mitchell had three catches for 60 yards in Week 1 and finished with 7.5 half-PPR points. In Week 2, he had 12 targets, six receptions, and 63 yards for 9.3 half-PPR points. He injured his hand in practice and missed the next four games. He returned in Week 7, but finished with just three targets in his first game back.

What a throw from Geno Smith and what a catch by AD Mitchell 😱

LVvsNYJ on FOX/FOX One
Stream on @NFLPlus https://t.co/cxPa0KclpY

— NFL (@NFL) November 1, 2026

This weekend, however, he had nine targets, seven catches, 142 yards, and one touchdown. He finished with 23.7 half-PPR points. The Jets still have Garrett Wilson and Omar Cooper Jr., which means Mitchell's weekly role may vary.

He'll likely be a boom-or-bust receiver on a middling offense with three other first-round talents (Wilson, Cooper, and Kenyon Sadiq). However, Mitchell has proven to be a strong player who continues to improve. He'll have his week as teams focus on stopping Wilson.

Caleb Douglas, Miami Dolphins - 28% Rostered

Douglas is a rookie, but he made an immediate splash in Week 1 before getting hurt in Week 2 and missing the next three games. Douglas returned in Week 7 and scored two touchdowns, for 20.0 half-PPR points. This past weekend, he led the receivers in snaps, routes run, and targets.

Given the up-and-down state of the Miami offense, Douglas is unlikely to be a consistent fantasy producer, but he has shown plenty of weekly upside and is leading his team in snaps and routes in games he's been active for. He's a boom-or-bust WR4 with potential to be more.

WR4/5s

Jakobi Meyers, Jacksonville Jaguars - 47% Rostered

Meyers is a "boom" or bust receiver. He's scored under 5.0 half-PPR points in four out of seven games, but has three games with double-digit half-PPR points. His high, however, is just 15.9, not much of a "boom" performance. Rostering Meyers and starting him won't give fantasy managers good vibes, but he's a full-time player on an elite offense. There are worse ways to use a bench spot.

DeMario Douglas, New England Patriots - 38% Rostered

Douglas has been the team's starting slot receiver since the season started. His role seems secure. Romeo Doubs will be on IR for another three weeks, but Mack Hollins could return soon. A.J. Brown is still nursing a high ankle sprain and knee soreness. Given the injuries to the other Patriots receivers, Douglas is someone fantasy managers should keep on their bench.

Drake Maye on the run finds Pop Douglas for the TD

CBS | @paramountplus https://t.co/o5DFDWm0wV

— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) November 1, 2026

This past weekend, Douglas came up for his team and those fantasy managers brave enough to start him. He finished with three catches, 76 yards, and one touchdown for 15.1 half-PPR points. Douglas' role seems secure even if (once) these other receivers return, but his upside is somewhat limited in an offense that spreads the ball around so much.

Bench Stashes

Ryan Flournoy, Dallas Cowboys - 34% Rostered

I'm curious whether the Cowboys will entertain trading George Pickens. They're not winning, and Pickens' effort level is decreasing. On top of that, Flournoy has played well. He's scored double-digit half-PPR points in three out of his last four weeks. He's starting to show he can handle a larger role. Pickens is on an expiring deal.

Even if Pickens is not traded, Flournoy is getting more involved in the offensive game plan. With Dallas' awful defense and Pickens and Jake Ferguson both banged up, Flournoy will continue to provide a solid bench option for fantasy managers.

Brian Thomas Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars - 43% Rostered

There's no starting Thomas for as long as he stays in Jacksonville. He doesn't have a single game with 9.0 half-PPR points. However, with trade rumors circling, Thomas makes for an interesting hold. The Chiefs are rumored to be interested, which would be an ideal and interesting landing spot for his fantasy value.

Tank Dell, Houston Texans - 15% Rostered

He was electric as a rookie. Unfortunately, he suffered a significant knee injury in 2024 that kept him out for the entire 2025 season and the first six games of this year. Dell returned in Week 7 and played just 14 snaps before the team's Week 8 bye.

With Jaylin Noel on season-ending IR, Dell could be the team's starting slot receiver right away. The injury he's trying to overcome was severe, but Dell has shown he can be a difference-maker for fantasy football, and C.J. Stroud is playing the best we've seen in years.

Malik Washington, Miami Dolphins - 48% Rostered

Washington is averaging over six targets per game, which gives him plenty of weekly volume to be a decent bench option, and that's who and what he is. Since Week 2, he's scored over 5.0 half-PPR points in every game, but has only scored in double-digit half-PPR points once.

Jerry Jeudy, Cleveland Browns - 3% Rostered

Jeudy could be a trade candidate, even though reports say Cleveland is hesitant to trade him with them in playoff contention. He's become more involved in the offense recently, but he should be stashed because of that and could be moved to another team. Plenty of teams need receiver help.

Deeper Leagues Stashes

• Kyle Williams, New England Patriots - 1% Rostered
• Travis Hunter, Jacksonville Jaguars - 10% Rostered
• Efton Chism III, New England Patriots - 2% Rostered
• Keon Coleman, Buffalo Bills - 31% Rostered
• Treylon Burks, Washington Commanders - 2% Rostered
• Rashid Shaheed, Seattle Seahawks - 25% Rostered
• Tre' Harris, Los Angeles Chargers - 5% Rostered
• Calvin Ridley, Tennessee Titans - 1% Rostered
• Chris Bell, Miami Dolphins - 2% Rostered
• Cooper Kupp, Seattle Seahawks - 13% Rostered
• Ja'Kobi Lane, Baltimore Ravens - 16% Rostered
• Jahan Dotson, Atlanta Falcons - 3% Rostered
• Quentin Johnston, Los Angeles Chargers - 31% Rostered
• Dontayvion Wicks, Philadelphia Eagles - 16% Rostered
• Ted Hurst III, Tampa Bay Buccaneers - 4% Rostered
• Tez Johnson, Tampa Bay Buccaneers - 1% Rostered
• Malachi Fields, New York Giants - 4% Rostered
• Rashod Bateman, Baltimore Ravens - 8% Rostered

IR Stashes

• Romeo Doubs, New England Patriots - 43% Rostered
• De'Zhaun Stribling, San Francisco 49ers - 25% Rostered
• Alec Pierce, Indianapolis Colts - 47% Rostered
• Pat Bryant, Denver Broncos - 3% Rostered
• Roman Wilson, Pittsburgh Steelers - 5% Rostered

Tight End Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 9

Must-Add

Brenton Strange, Jacksonville Jaguars - 63% Rostered

Don't read too much into his two-target performance in Week 8. The Jaguars beat the Colts 42-7, so Trevor Lawrence attempted only 14 passes. The lackluster performance will likely keep some fantasy managers away from him, but before this past weekend, Strange had three straight games with seven or more targets.

Strange is a major component of this top-10 offense, and if you're in need of a tight end, Strange should be valued as a high-end TE2 with top-12 upside. Strange is the Jaguars' No. 2 most-targeted pass-catcher and actually leads the team in receptions.

Terrance Ferguson, Los Angeles Rams - 15% Rostered

Ferguson is on IR, and we don't know when he'll return, but his upside is undeniable. In Week 2, when Puka Nacua was out, Ferguson caught six passes for 54 yards and one touchdown on nine targets. He scored 14.4 half-PPR points. With Davante Adams out for the rest of the fantasy football season, Ferguson could be a league-winner down the stretch if he stays healthy.

Matchup-Based Streaming TE2s

Chig Okonkwo, Washington Commanders - 30% Rostered

Okonkwo is on a pass-heavy offense with an upper-tier quarterback, which lacks an elite option. Diggs is good, but he's on the wrong side of 30 and is not as good as he once was. Okonkwo should battle to be Daniels' No. 1 target-earner every weekend. He was quiet this past weekend, but he's coming off of a strong two-week performance in Weeks 6 and 7. He's a strong high-end TE2 moving forward.

Mike Gesicki, Cincinnati Bengals - 18% Rostered

Gesicki's role doesn't lend itself to consistent fantasy value, yet he keeps finding the end zone. He's caught a touchdown in every game he's been active for. Fantasy managers shouldn't believe this will continue forever, but it's getting harder to dismiss when it keeps happening week in and week out.

5th straight game with a TD for Mike Gesicki! Bengals retake the lead.

TENvsCIN on CBS/Paramount+
Stream on @NFLPlus https://t.co/XWMIU61Bfn

— NFL (@NFL) November 1, 2026

A bet on Gesicki is essentially a bet on Joe Burrow. There are worse bets to make, but Gesicki's route and snap share continue to disappoint. Despite his crazy touchdown streak, the team hasn't tried to increase his workload. That makes him a touchdown-dependent TE2, which doesn't create much good vibes, but who am I to say no when all he does is score touchdowns?

Adds for Deep Leagues

• Pat Freiermuth, Pittsburgh Steelers - 39% Rostered
• Michael Mayer, Las Vegas Raiders - 13% Rostered
• Juwan Johnson, New Orleans Saints - 58% Rostered
• Dalton Schultz, Houston Texans - 37% Rostered
• Jake Ferguson, Dallas Cowboys - 46% Rostered
• Greg Dulcich, Miami Dolphins - 6% Rostered
• Eli Raridon, New England Patriots - 1% Rostered

IR Stashes

• David Njoku, Los Angeles Chargers - 1% Rostered

Quarterback Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 9

Must-Add

Kirk Cousins, Las Vegas Raiders - 56% Rostered

Cousins has scored 21 or more points in seven out of eight games this season. He's only scored under 15 points once. He's scored over 27 points three times, which includes his 34.18-point performance this past weekend.

Kirk Cousins has the Raiders back on top in a high-scoring game

LVvsNYJ on FOX/FOX One
Stream on @NFLPlus https://t.co/jQI5vkJ8Xb

— NFL (@NFL) November 1, 2026

He's thrown two or more touchdowns in seven out of eight games and has four games with three. He's currently on pace for 4,5414 yards and 40 touchdowns. He deserves top-12 consideration. He's only done it all year.

Mid QB2s

• Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh Steelers - 42% Rostered
• Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers - 27% Rostered
• Deshaun Watson, Cleveland Browns - 12% Rostered

Deep League Adds

• Malik Willis, Miami Dolphins - 20% Rostered
• Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks - 42% Rostered
• Michael Penix Jr., Atlanta Falcons - 20% Rostered
• Geno Smith, New York Jets - 23% Rostered

Team Defenses (D/ST) - Waiver Wire Streamers for Week 9

• Houston Texans - 64% Rostered (at Chargers)
• Kansas City Chiefs - 42% Rostered (vs Jets)
• Detroit Lions - 28% Rostered (at Dolphins)
• Green Bay Packers - 25% Rostered (at Patriots)
• Dallas Cowboys - 17% Rostered (at Colts)
• Buffalo Bills - 10% Rostered (at Vikings)

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