2 weeks Ago By Michael OHara
Week 8 was likely frustrating for many fantasy managers. Several star players underperformed, including Jayden Daniels, Kenneth Walker, and Amon-Ra St. Brown.
All three of these players failed to meet expectations by a sizeable margin. If you left Week 8 feeling disappointed, don't dwell on it for too long. It's time to regroup and move on to the first item on the Week 9 to-do list: filing waiver claims.
If you lost a player to an injury last week or are just sick of a particular player underperforming, chances are you'll have to head to the waiver wire to find a replacement. It's less than ideal, but starter-level production can be found on waivers if you identify strong matchups and players with elevated opportunity within their offense. Last week we provided names like Bo Nix and Cedric Tillman as strong waiver pickups.
Both of these players went on to have strong performances in Week 8. We'll be looking to provide another batch of candidates as you prepare to file waiver claims for Week 9. Top fantasy football waiver wire pickups for Week 9: Jameis Winston, Cedric Tillman, Keon Coleman among best adds Roster percentages representative of Yahoo! fantasy leagues.
Jameis Winston, QB, Cleveland Browns (6% Rostered) The Jameis Winston era has arrived in Cleveland. He went out and threw for 334 yards and three scores in his first start for the Browns. This came against a depleted Baltimore secondary but was impressive nonetheless.
His borderline reckless style of play has always created fantasy appeal, and his mentality hasn't changed in Cleveland. He's a swing for the fences type of option who can be used when the Browns have a favorable matchup. Cedric Tillman, WR, Cleveland Browns (18% Rostered) Cedric Tillman was one of the key beneficiaries of Jameis Winston's emergence in Cleveland.
Tillman operated as a full-time receiver with a route participation of 93 percent. He was also a respectable target earner, accounting for 24 percent of the targets dished out by Winston last week. If he maintains his place as one of Winston's preferred targets, Tillman can be a Flex option in the right matchup.
Keon Coleman, WR, Buffalo Bills (41% Rostered) Whether the arrival of Amari Cooper "unlocked" Keon Coleman, or this is simply a case of a rookie developing as the weeks progress, Coleman has played his best football over the last two weeks. He's now put together WR2 performances in consecutive weeks. The last two games have also been the first time in Coleman's career that he's seen 7-plus targets in consecutive games.
The new-look Buffalo passing attack is rolling, and Coleman has a clear place in that offense. Who are the top quarterback waiver wire targets? Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams (39% Rostered) We've seen Matthew Stafford throw for 40-plus touchdowns in a Rams uniform, and he appeared to be in that form on Thursday night. He went for a season-high four touchdowns and 24.
8 fantasy points against a talented Vikings defense. The return of both Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp certainly played a key role in his success. If Stafford and his receivers can maintain their rhythm, he could enter starting consideration in future weeks.
Bo Nix, Denver Broncos (25% Rostered) Bo Nix is entering the fantasy-relevant territory of quarterbacks thanks to his production as a rusher. He's averaging over six points per game on the ground across the last month and a half. He's been able to finish as a top-10 QB three times in those games, clearing 20 fantasy points in all three games.
His production on the ground creates a respectable floor, and he can be utilized as a fantasy starter in plus matchups. Who are the other top running back waiver wire targets? Braelon Allen, New York Jets (37% Rostered) If your team is burning a roster spot on a receiver who is never going to hit your lineup, go ahead and stash Braelon Allen on your bench. He's shown flashes of legitimate talent and has the skill set to be used as a three-down back if Breece Hall misses any time.
He's also proven to have a small amount of standalone value thanks to his usage near the goal line. Either way, he is one of the premier backups and bench stashes in fantasy football. He should be rostered in all 12-team leagues.
Blake Corum, Los Angeles Rams (15% Rostered) Blake Corum's rostership continues to trickle down each week despite the general thesis on his fantasy value remaining the same - he is a top-tier backup. If Kyren Williams misses any time, Corum is a candidate to assume a workload that would make him a weekly RB1. Much like Braelon Allen, Corum is worth a stash over a worthless depth piece that will never hit your lineup and offers little upside.
Who are the other top wide receiver waiver wire targets? Josh Downs, Indianapolis Colts (47% Rostered) Josh Downs has quickly established himself as one of the most talented young slot receivers in the NFL. His ability to shake defenders off the line and earn targets makes him seem like an established veteran on the field. He also proved that he's capable of withstanding Anthony Richardson's woes as a passer.
Downs finished Week 8 with a 4/109/1 stat line and was the only Indianapolis receiver to catch more than one ball. He should be rostered in all 12-team leagues and could become a reliable Flex option if Richardson stabilizes as a passer. Elijah Moore, Cleveland Browns (2% Rostered) Along with Cedric Tillman, Elijah Moore slotted in as one of Jameis Winston's top targets in his first start with the Browns.
He drew 12 targets against the Ravens, which allowed him to crest a 30-percent target share. Moore isn't the type of splashy playmaker who can produce on a handful of targets, but he can pile up receptions to deliver Flex-level production in PPR leagues. He's a speculative pickup in hopes that Winston is able to create a fantasy-friendly environment in Cleveland.
Who are the other top tight end waiver wire targets? Tyler Conklin, New York Jets (19% Rostered) Tyler Conklin has now delivered three TE1 weeks this season and can be a pickup for teams without Kittle this week. He's delivered his top-12 weeks in multiple ways, both by racking up receptions and finding the endzone. The Jets have surprisingly been one of the league's most pass-heavy offenses, and Conklin stands to benefit from this offensive philosophy.
Brenton Strange, Jacksonville Jaguars (3% Rostered) The Jaguars dealt with a slew of injuries to receivers in Week 8 and turned to backup tight end Brenton Strange as a result. He finished the day with five targets for five receptions and 59 yards. Jacksonville heavily utilized 12 personnel with Strange and Evan Engram on the field together, and we could see this happen once again if they're thin at receiver in Week 9.
Even still, Strange is nothing more than a desperation waiver pickup. Who are the top defense waiver wire targets and streamers? Cincinnati Bengals (32% Rostered) The Bengals' defense has proven to be capable of containing suspect offenses. They held both the Giants and Browns to 14 or fewer points and scored at least eight fantasy points in both matchups.
Cincinnati will have the opportunity to face off against another inept offense in Week 9 as they host the Las Vegas Raiders. The quartet of Gardner Minshew, Jakobi Meyers, Alexander Mattison, and Brock Bowers isn't exactly threatening to any NFL defense. They are an offense to target with defensive streamers and make the Bengals a viable option this week.
Washington Commanders (12% Rostered) This matchup involves two units trending in directions that make Washington a premium defensive choice this week. On one side of the ball, the Commanders' defense has made significant improvements in the last month and has allowed fewer than 20 points in four of their last five games. On the other side of the ball, the Giants' offense has mightily struggled in recent weeks.
The offensive line is crumbling without LT Andrew Thomas, and Daniel Jones is constantly under siege. Washington shouldn't have much of an issue stymieing Jones and company this week..
