👉 TAP TO SAVE 30% WITH CODE NEW
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


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Week 9 Waiver Wire - Wide Receivers (WR) & Defenses (DEF)

Each week of the NFL season I will take a look at how to improve your fantasy football teams.  Below I highlight wide receivers (WRs) and defenses (DEF) that need to be considered on the Week 9 waiver wire for your fantasy football teams.  Some may have a good matchup for Week 9, or have been putting up relevant points and should be rostered.

As the season continues I'm sure many of you reading this article have had your fair share of disappointments in fantasy football.  Whether it's a bad trade, bad draft choice or injury, it all adds to the ongoing complexity of keeping your team competitive, and as Charlie Sheen stated best, "WINNING."  This week, there was a major offensive outburst by one of my recommended players (hint: he's on the Bengals), and the rest of my suggestions are nice PPR choices.  And as always, I will be recommending defenses for Week 9 that are nice streamer choices based off the matchup.

 

With that said, lets get to it.  Here are the waiver recommendations for Week 9 by priority order:

 

Featured Promo: Looking for some more fantasy football action? Adopt a dynasty orphan team over at FFPC. Sign up today and get $25 off any FFPC league. Sign Up Now!

Week 9 Waiver Wire Pickups - Wide Receivers (WR)

 

Marvin JonesMarvin Jones, WR, CIN - Waiver Wire Pickup

BALLER MOVE: Add Immediately (10+ teams Standard, PPR)
ANALYSIS:  Outside of AJ Green, Cincinnati has been looking for the past couple of years for a solid #2 receiving option.  It looks like they may have found that in Marvin Jones.  For the past three weeks, he's had at least one TD with six TDs total, 250 yards, and 15 catches on 19 targets.  My concern with this recommendation is that prior to the past three weeks, he had been a marginal bench fantasy WR option at best (35 yards/game).  However, as the top cornerbacks continue to focus on AJ Green, someone else will get targets, and it looks like that will be Jones. If you are in a league with a WR bench spot Marvin Jones might be a nice option for you to consider.

 

Tim Wright, WR/TE, TB - Waiver Wire Pickup

BALLER MOVE: Add Immediately (12+ teams Standard, PPR)
ANALYSIS:  Since the Josh Freeman era has passed in Tampa Bay, Wright has found a new friend in QB Mike Glennon.  Outside of last week's dud (two catches for 15 yards), he's had at least 9 fantasy points.  If you are in a Yahoo! league, Tim Wright is a player that can play both TE or WR; ESPN owners should disregard Wright as a WR option as he is eligible only at TE.  Obviously Wright has chemistry with Glennon over Freeman, so I would expect positive results going forward, assuming Glennon keeps the starting QB job.

 

Dexter McCluster, WR, MIA - Waiver Wire Pickup

BALLER MOVE: Add in Deeper Leagues (12+ teams PPR)
ANALYSIS:  For those of you who are in PPR leagues, Dexter McCluster is a player for you consider.  For the past two weeks, he's had 137 yards on 11 catches with 15 targets (73% catch rate).  Coming into the season, I anticipated that Andy Reid would find a way to get the ball into McCluster's hands, and I believe it's finally happening.  It seems as though Alex Smith will continue to look to him (second-straight week as the Chiefs' leading receiver) for short underneath routes, which is a great opportunity for PPR league players to consider McCluster as a WR option.  For the past two weeks I'd call him a Julian Edelman Lite for 2013.  If he continues at this pace, I anticipate that his value will increase substantially in the upcoming weeks.

 

Honorable mentions: David Nelson, WR, NYJ; Myles White, WR, GB; Drew Davis, WR, ATL

 

Week 9 Waiver Wire Pickups - Defenses (DEF)

 

Defense no-brainer starts Cincinnati (vs Miami), Kansas City (vs Buffalo), Seattle (vs Tampa Bay)

 

INDIANAPOLIS (IND), DEF - Waiver Wire Pickup

BALLER MOVE: Add in Standard Leagues (12+ teams)
ANALYSIS: In Week 7, the Indianapolis defense did a decent job of containing the No. 1 offense (Denver Broncos) with four sacks, a safety, an interception, and two fumble recoveries.  For Week 9, they will be facing the Houston Texans, who have had issues with the QB position all season.  As of this writing, I do not know who the starting QB will be in Houston, but I anticipate that no matter which guy they run out there, Indianapolis will have a much easier task. If you are seeking a defense as a bye-week replacement or streaming option, Indianapolis would be a nice choice.

 

TENNESSEE (TEN), DEF - Waiver Wire Pickup

BALLER MOVE: Add in Standard Leagues (10+ teams)
ANALYSIS: The Titans will be facing a Rams team that will be starting backup QB Kellen Clemens, who has a 51.8% completion rate with seven TDs and 13 interceptions for his career.  To give you a sense of how bad he could be, rumors have it that the Rams have reached out to Brett Favre to consider un-retiring.  Favre hasn't played in the NFL since 2010, and he's 44 years old.  If true, this smacks of desperation in St. Louis, and it also smells like Clemons is not that great of a player.    To make matters worse for Clemons, he'll be facing the #12 ranked defense in Tennessee, who have generated 11 fumbles and recovered seven of those.  I have a hunch a fumble will happen in this game as well.  Stream away with this defense if they are available in your league.

 

T.J. Ward, IDP - S, CLE - Waiver Wire Pickup

BALLER MOVE: Add in Standard Leagues (12+ teams IDP Leagues)
ANALYSIS: Over the last three weeks, TJ Ward has been a beast with 27 tackles, a sack and five assists.  If you are looking for a safety, Ward would be a nice option for you to consider.  If he continues to play at this level, there aren't very many safeties that can contribute at this level that are available on the waiver wire.

 

Players I recommend beyond my waiver wire rules (above 25% ownership, or if I previously recommended).  Add these wide receivers immediately if they are still available in your leagues (in priority order):

Josh Gordon, WR, CLE - Another solid week with a different QB, he's definitely #1 WR option in Cleveland.
Percy Harvin, WR, SEA - Should be back next week, if he's available pick him up!
Keenan Allen, WR, SD - bye week
Harry Douglas, WR, ATL - Another solid week for Douglas; who needs Julio Jones?  Just kidding.
Terrance Williams, WR, DAL - Another week, another TD for Williams.
Justin Blackmon, WR, JAC - dropped a would be td pass, he has the talent and potential
Jarrett Boykin, WR, GB - Another solid week and he's filling in nicely for Cobb.  James Jones should be back next week.
Vincent Brown, WR, SD - bye week
Emmanuel Sanders, WR, PIT - Had a breakout week after last weeks bust.
DeAndre Hopkins, WR, HOU - bye week
Michael Crabtree, WR, SF - Won't be back until late to mid Nov.
Kenny Stills, WR, NO - Previously mentioned (see Week 2 waiver article - yes I can see that far into the future. 🙂 ), had a nice week but only 3 catches.
Golden Tate, WR, SEA - No updates as of this writing

 

My guidelines:

1. I will not repeat waiver selections.  All mentioned players prior to week 4 will apply to the current waiver options and going forward.
2. I will only recommend players that are lower than 25% ownership in Yahoo! or ESPN leagues.

 

=============

As always, you can find all of our weekly waiver wire recommendations on our famous waiver wire pickups list. And if you haven't joined the best and largest fantasy football chat room community on the web, check out the RotoBaller.com Fantasy Football chat room for live fantasy advice, sit/start questions, and more.

 




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Kirill Kaprizov

Won't Play Against Blackhawks
Nique Clifford

is Downgraded to Out
Kawhi Leonard

Ruled Out Against New Orleans
Alex Tuch

Expected to Return Thursday
Grayson Allen

to Miss Second Straight Game
Luka Dončić

Luka Doncic Good to Go Against Miami
Noah Laba

Unavailable Against Blue Jackets
Daniss Jenkins

Moves into Starting Five
LeBron James

Available Thursday Against Heat
Andrew Copp

Returns From Three-Game Absence
Isaiah Collier

is Sitting Out on Thursday
Josh Anderson

Won't Play Thursday
Jalen Smith

to Miss Second Leg of Back-To-Back
Collin Sexton

is Available for Thursday's Game
Terry McLaurin

Commanders Still Looking for Receiver to Complement Terry McLaurin
Royce O'Neale

to Miss First Game of Season
Darius Garland

Won't Play on Thursday
Malik Monk

Active Thursday
Joel Embiid

Downgraded to Unavailable on Thursday
Terry Rozier

Expected to be Released in Near Future
Logan Gilbert

Named Mariners Opening Day Starter
Nikola Jović

Nikola Jovic Available Thursday
Jaime Jaquez Jr.

Out Versus Lakers
Wendell Carter Jr.

Will Not Play Thursday in Charlotte
Jalen Smith

Questionable for Thursday Against the Cavs
Bam Adebayo

Set to Suit Up Thursday
Donovan Mitchell

Downgraded to Questionable
José Ramírez

Jose Ramirez Back in Cactus League Lineup on Thursday
Bilal Coulibaly

Will Not Play on Thursday
Hayden Birdsong

to Have Tommy John Surgery, Miss Entire 2026 Season
Zack Wheeler

to Pitch in Minor-League Game on Monday
Paul Skenes

Pirates Officially Name Paul Skenes Their Opening Day Starter
Justin Herbert

Will Justin Herbert Have Higher Fantasy Ceiling in New Offense?
Tank Bigsby

to be Valuable Handcuff Going into First Full Year in Philly
Dameon Pierce

Eagles Agree on One-Year Deal With Dameon Pierce
Jurickson Profar

Officially Suspended for Entire 2026 Season
Matthew Golden

Trending Up Despite Frustrating Rookie Season
Tee Higgins

Solidified as a Weekly Fantasy Contributor with QB Healthy
Evan Engram

Faces a New Challenge in 2026
Ladd McConkey

Has Terrific Opportunity to Bounce Back
Jaydon Blue

Destined for More Volume in Second Season?
Carson Williams

"Likely" to Be Rays Opening Day Starting Shortstop
Trey Yesavage

Will Open 2026 on the Injured List Due to Shoulder Impingement
Oronde Gadsden

Mike McDaniel to Maximize Oronde Gadsden's Skill Set?
Keaton Mitchell

Could "Thrive" in New Offensive Scheme in L.A.
Jake Elliott

Eagles Rework Jake Elliott's Contract
Carson Wentz

Vikings Re-Sign Carson Wentz to One-Year Deal
Tylan Wallace

Browns Agree to Terms With Tylan Wallace
Jack Hughes

Posts Another Three-Point Performance in Victory
Jackson Blake

Collects Three Points on Wednesday
WAS

Cole Hutson Scores in NHL Debut on Wednesday
TreVeyon Henderson

Establishing Himself as a Fantasy RB1?
Caleb Williams

Looking to Build Off Second-Year Breakout
Elijah Arroyo

Stuck in Depth Role for the Foreseeable Future
Tre Tucker

Still a Fantasy Option Despite New Competition?
Max Fried

to Start on Opening Day for Yankees
Jack Bech

Still Trending Up Despite Increased Competition?
Arizona Diamondbacks

Diamondbacks Not Naming a Closer to Begin the Season
Jalen Hurts

has Room for Improvement Amid Offensive Changes
Isaiah Bond

Should Have Bigger Role, But Will QB Issues Hold him Back?
Adrian Kempe

Could Return Thursday
Mason McTavish

Sits Out Second Consecutive Game
Ross Johnston

to Miss 3-4 Weeks
Jonathan Drouin

Back in Action Wednesday
Eric Robinson

Rejoins Hurricanes Lineup
Shayne Gostisbehere

Sits Out Another Game Wednesday
Sidney Crosby

Returns to Action Wednesday
Matthew Liberatore

Named Cardinals Opening Day Starter
Roki Sasaki

to be in Opening Day Starting Rotation
Akshay Bhatia

Withdraws From Valspar Championship
José Berríos

Jose Berrios has Stress Fracture, Won't be Ready for Opening Day
CFB

Alberto Mendoza Drawing Positive Reviews at Georgia Tech
CFB

Anthony Colandrea Impressing in Nebraska's Spring Practices
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

Bags a Shutout in Vegas
J.J. Spaun

Offers Upside Despite Poor Course History at Innisbrook
Brock Boeser

Logs Three Assists Tuesday
Jeremy Peña

Opening Day "Not Ruled Out" for Jeremy Pena
Brock Faber

Registers Three Assists in Overtime Win
Aaron Rai

Looks to Bounce Back at Valspar Championship
Charlie Coyle

Matches Career High with Four Points Tuesday
Johnny Keefer

Brings Ball-Striking Upside to Valspar Championship
Nikita Kucherov

Amasses Five Points in Road Win
Blake Lizotte

Penguins Plan to Re-Evaluate Blake Lizotte in Four Weeks
Billy Horschel

a Volatile Play at Valspar Championship
Ben Griffin

Looks to Rebound at the Valspar Championship
Corey Conners

Brings Elite Ball-Striking to Valspar Championship
Cole Ragans

Named Royals Opening Day Starter
Xander Schauffele

Trending In The Right Direction For Valspar Championship
Sahith Theegala

Has Shot to Challenge at Valspar Championship
Mackenzie Hughes

Looking to Bounce Back at Valspar Championship
Nicolai Hojgaard

Finding Rhythm For Valspar Championship
Matt Fitzpatrick

Continues Hot Start to 2026 Heading to Valspar Championship
Pierceson Coody

Heads to Valspar Championship Following Two Missed Cuts
Shohei Ohtani

to Pitch in Cactus League Game on Wednesday
Seiya Suzuki

has Sprained Knee, Opening Day Availability Unclear
Seiya Suzuki

Diagnosed With Strained PCL
Zach Neto

Making his Return on Tuesday
Kyle Freeland

to Start for Rockies on Opening Day
José Soriano

Angels Name Jose Soriano the Opening Day Starter
Wyndham Clark

Searching for Momentum at Valspar Championship
Justin Thomas

Is Justin Thomas Back Ahead of This Week's Valspar Championship?
Jordan Spieth

to Bounce Back at Favored Valspar Championship?
Brooks Koepka

is Starting to Find His Groove Again Ahead of Valspar Championship
Viktor Hovland

is One of The Best DFS Plays at Innesbrook
Rasmus Hojgaard

to Get Back on Track at Valspar Championship
Tony Finau

is Again a Scary Option at Valspar Championship
Blades Brown

Continues PGA Tour Run at Valspar Championship
Josh Emmett

Suffers First-Round TKO Loss
Kevin Vallejos

Scores First-Round TKO
Amanda Lemos

Drops Back-To-Back Fights
Gillian Robertson

Extends Her Win Streak
Andre Fili

Drops Decision on Saturday
Denny Hamlin

Dominates and Gets His Third Career Las Vegas Win
Chase Elliott

Earns Runner-Up Finish at Las Vegas
William Byron

Wins A Stage and Finishes Third at Las Vegas
Christopher Bell

Finishes Fourth at Las Vegas After Strong Run
Kyle Larson

Fades to Seventh Despite Leading Laps Early at Las Vegas
Andre Fili

Jose Delgado Edges Andre Fili in Split-Decision Win
Oumar Sy

Suffers First-Round Submission Loss
Ion Cutelaba

Returns To The Win Column
CFB

CJ Carr Enters Sophomore Season as Heisman Favorite
CFB

Aaron Philo Not a Lock to be Florida's Starting QB?
CFB

George MacIntyre the Favorite to Win Tennessee Quarterback Battle?
CFB

Keelon Russell, Austin Mack Battling for Alabama QB1 Duties
Christopher Bell

Looking for Redemption, Wins Pole at Las Vegas
Denny Hamlin

Should Contend for Another Vegas Win
Chase Briscoe

Qualifies 18th Despite Toyota Dominating at Las Vegas
Chase Elliott

May Fly Under the Radar at Las Vegas
NASCAR

Ross Chastian Has Been As Solid As They Come at Las Vegas
Ty Gibbs

Could Ty Gibbs Finally Break Through With a Win at Las Vegas?
Brad Keselowski

a Solid DFS Pick at Las Vegas
Kyle Larson

Should Kyle Larson be Considered A Favorite for Las Vegas?
William Byron

Could Compete for a Top-Five Finish at Las Vegas
Ryan Blaney

Is Ryan Blaney Worth Rostering in Tournament DFS Lineups for Las Vegas?
Tyler Reddick

Could Continue his Top-10 Streak at Las Vegas
Joey Logano

Should DFS Managers Underestimate Joey Logano for Las Vegas?
Chris Buescher

Is Chris Buescher Worth Rostering For Las Vegas DFS Lineups?
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace is A Risky DFS Option Who Could Pay Off at Las Vegas
Josh Berry

Has Plenty of Upside for Las Vegas DFS Lineups
Ryan Preece

Scores his First Las Vegas Top-10 Starting Spot in Qualifying
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF