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Who Should I Pickup for Week 9? Fantasy Football waiver wire outlooks for Tyler Allgeier, Jordyn Tyson, Kenny Gainwell, Khalil Shakir, Emmett Johnson, Mike Washington Jr., Seth McGowan, Kaelon Black.
Who Should I Pickup? Some of the most common Week 9 fantasy football waiver wire decisions involve players like Tyler Allgeier, Jordyn Tyson, Kenny Gainwell, Khalil Shakir, Emmett Johnson, Mike Washington Jr., Seth McGowan, and Kaelon Black. However, don't worry, we are here to help you make these waiver wire decisions and make winning moves for Week 9. Add your optimal fantasy football pickups for Week 9 of the 2026 NFL season. 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 add... all free! Get your winning waiver wire pickups set.
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Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Outlooks
Below are some fantasy football waiver wire outlooks written by our NFL team here at RotoBaller, bringing you their fantasy football analysis and advice on which players to consider adding off waivers in Week 9:
Tyler Allgeier, Arizona Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals running back Tyler Allgeier had a career game in Week 8 and should be rostered in all formats moving forward. Allgeier totaled 11 carries for 147 yards and a touchdown, and added five receptions for 44 yards and a touchdown in the 33-30 comeback win over the Dallas Cowboys. After Jeremiyah Love went down with another ankle injury and third-string Bam Knight suffered a concussion, Allgeier handled the Cardinals' entire workload.
He totaled 160 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns in the second half alone and posted a career-high in receiving production in Week 8. It's unclear whether Love or Knight will miss time with their new injuries, but if they do, Allgeier should be rostered in all leagues and provides RB2 value.
Emmett Johnson, Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs running back Emmett Johnson has seen his target total rise in four consecutive games, culminating in a season-high five receptions for 128 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's loss to the Broncos.
With the Chiefs in search of consistent producers in the passing game, the fifth-round rookie now ranks third on the team with his 237 receiving yards, presenting enough standalone value to make him a viable weekly flex option. Coupled with the week-winning potential he offers as a direct handcuff to Kenneth Walker, Johnson has emerged as a must-roster player and is a priority waiver add wherever still available.
Mike Washington Jr., Las Vegas Raiders
Las Vegas Raiders rookie running back Mike Washington Jr. was the team's workhorse in Week 8, while Ashton Jeanty was a non-factor on early downs. Washington had 25 carries for 83 yards, while Jeanty managed just two carries for nine yards but added three receptions for 64 yards in the 38-33 win over the New York Jets.
Regarding Jeanty's limited role, Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak said it was "my call, and he's still going to be a big part of our team." Jeanty made comments during the week, saying the Jets have players who don't want to tackle, but Kubiak said those comments had nothing to do with his limited workload. Washington was productive, and if he becomes the lead rusher for the Raiders, he should be rostered in all formats moving forward.
Khalil Shakir, Buffalo Bills
Despite D.J. Moore's return from injury, Buffalo Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir continued to produce and could be a low-end WR3 moving forward. In Week 8, Shakir hauled in five of six targets for 64 yards and no touchdowns in the 36-10 win over the Baltimore Ravens. While Moore returned and made a significant impact for Buffalo, he later suffered an apparent lower-body injury.
Moore said he was fine after the game, but even if he continues to play, Shakir should continue to produce. In seven games, Shakir has hauled in 27 of 38 targets for 354 yards and a touchdown, ranking second among all Bills pass catchers. Fantasy managers should continue to rely on Shakir as a focal point of this high-powered Buffalo offense led by Josh Allen.
Jordyn Tyson, New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints head coach Kellen Moore said on Monday that it is still to be determined whether rookie wide receiver Jordyn Tyson (hamstring) will return to practice this week, according to Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football.
The Saints will decide by Wednesday, which is when they will release their first official injury report for Week 9 as they come out of their bye. The 22-year-old eighth overall pick from Arizona State is eligible to come off Injured Reserve and play this Sunday against the Cleveland Browns, but it is unclear if that will happen yet as Tyson continues to recover from a lingering hamstring injury that has sidelined him for all of his rookie season so far in 2026.
Even if Tyson returns to the practice field this week, it will not guarantee that he makes his NFL debut this weekend against the Browns. The 6-foot-2, 203-pounder will also be a pretty risky flex option in fantasy lineups if he is active this weekend. Still, because of his upside as the Saints' WR2 behind Chris Olave by season's end, Tyson should be stashed already in all fantasy leagues.
Kaelon Black, San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers running back Kaelon Black deserves consideration on the Week 9 waiver wire after showing what he can provide when Christian McCaffrey (hamstring) is sidelined. Black rushed 12 times for 63 yards and a touchdown in San Francisco's Week 7 loss to Atlanta, including a 30-yard scoring run.
He played a season-high 47% of the offensive snaps while McCaffrey missed much of the first half, although Black also lost a fumble and caught just one of three targets for negative-four yards. The rookie has totaled 233 rushing yards on 57 carries this season and is listed directly behind McCaffrey on the 49ers' depth chart.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan expressed optimism that McCaffrey would return from his mild hamstring strain following the Week 8 bye, potentially limiting Black's immediate opportunities against Las Vegas. Still, Black's position in the backfield makes him a worthwhile insurance stash in leagues with 10 or more teams, particularly for managers with room to carry a backup running back.
Who Should I Pickup Tool
Trying to decide who to pick up off the waiver wire? Check the Who Should I Pickup tool here.
2026 Player Decisions. Today's focus is on specific players - Tyler Allgeier, Jordyn Tyson, Kenny Gainwell, Khalil Shakir, Emmett Johnson, Mike Washington Jr., Seth McGowan, Kaelon Black. These are some common searches for 2026 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.
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 2026. 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 2026 for Tyler Allgeier, Jordyn Tyson, Kenny Gainwell, Khalil Shakir, Emmett Johnson, Mike Washington Jr., Seth McGowan, Kaelon Black:
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