We head into Week 9 with potentially a lot of moving parts on the waiver wire. You might have to make several adjustments as the week goes on depending on injuries and the looming trade deadline on Nov. 4.
First, let’s start with the four teams on a bye (Philadelphia, Tampa Bay, Cleveland and the Jets). There are a lot of good players who are off this week, as well as several players you might want to add for the remainder of the season, including Justin Fields, Harold Fannin Jr., David Njoku and Mason Taylor. More on those players below.
We also don’t know the extent of some players who were injured in Week 8 that are on a bye in Week 9, including Quinshon Judkins (shoulder) and Saquon Barkley (groin). Depending on the severity of those injuries, you might want to prioritize Dylan Sampson and Tank Bigsby now, which you can read about here.
And, we could see some trades happen this week, including guys like Breece Hall, Tony Pollard, Jakobi Meyers, Calvin Ridley and Chigoziem Okonkwo potentially on the move. If those players are dealt, some guys who would benefit would be Tyjae Spears, Isaiah Davis, Tre Tucker, Chimere Dike and Gunnar Helm, which we’ll discuss below.
We’ll also get into the players you need to add based on recent performances or good matchups, including Sam Darnold, Trevor Lawrence, Zonovan Knight and Troy Franklin. And we’ll highlight why Tyrone Tracy Jr. should be added in all leagues with Cam Skattebo (ankle) now unfortunately out for the season.
Editor’s note: For this waiver wire column, we are only looking at players rostered in less than 65 percent of CBS Sports leagues.
Week 9 Waivers
On a bye: Jalen Hurts, Baker Mayfield, Justin Fields and Dillon Gabriel.
Injuries: Lamar Jackson (hamstring), Jayden Daniels (hamstring), Brock Purdy (toe), Kyler Murray (foot), Michael Penix Jr. (foot), J.J. McCarthy (ankle), Carson Wentz (shoulder), Bryce Young (ankle), Joe Burrow (toe) and Anthony Richardson (eye).
Check to see if available in shallow leagues: Joe Flacco (84 percent rostered), Brock Purdy (72 percent), Aaron Rodgers (72 percent), Kyler Murray (71 percent) and C.J. Stroud (67 percent). Flacco has scored at least 22.8 Fantasy points in all three starts for the Bengals and has top-10 upside in all leagues for as long as he remains the starter in Cincinnati, including Week 9 against the Bears. … Purdy has missed the past four games but will hopefully return in Week 9 at the Giants. In two games this season, Purdy has scored at least 20.8 Fantasy points in each outing. … Rodgers has scored at least 20.8 Fantasy points in three games in a row, and he should be considered a low-end starter in all leagues in Week 9 against the Colts. He also has favorable upcoming games against Cincinnati in Week 11 and Chicago in Week 12. … Murray comes back from a bye in Week 8 and a two-game absence with a foot injury with a great matchup against Dallas in Week 9. Hopefully, we’ll see Murray at 100 percent, and he can perform like a low-end starter in all leagues. … I don’t love Stroud’s matchup in Week 9 against Denver, but he gets Jacksonville in Week 10 and Tennessee in Week 11. He has scored at least 22.4 Fantasy points in three of his past four games, and it might be time to trust him as a low-end starter in deeper leagues when he has a favorable matchup.
Drop candidates: Kirk Cousins (45 percent rostered) and Carson Wentz (30 percent). Cousins started for Penix in Week 8 against Miami and struggled with just 7.1 Fantasy points, and Penix is expected to return in Week 9. … Wentz started the past five games for the Vikings, but McCarthy is back in Week 9, with Wentz going on injured reserve for his shoulder.
Add in this order:
Week 9 Waiver Priority List
WAIVER WIRE
Running Backs
On a bye: Saquon Barkley, Tank Bigsby, Bucky Irving, Rachaad White, Sean Tucker, Breece Hall, Isaiah Davis, Quinshon Judkins, Jerome Ford and Dylan Sampson.
Injuries: Cam Skattebo (ankle), Saquon Barkley (groin), Quinshon Judkins (shoulder), Bucky Irving (shoulder), Hassan Haskins (hamstring), Emari Demercado (ankle), Omarion Hampton (ankle), Trey Benson (knee), Joe Mixon (foot), Braelon Allen (knee) and MarShawn Lloyd (hamstring).
Check to see if available in shallow leagues: Tyler Allgeier (77 percent rostered), Kareem Hunt (74 percent), Kyle Monangai (70 percent) and Trey Benson (68 percent). Allgeier should be considered a super handcuff because he has lottery-ticket appeal if Bijan Robinson were to miss any time, and Allgeier plays enough in tandem with Robinson that he can be a flex option in deeper leagues. Allgeier has scored at least 9.4 PPR points in four of his past six games coming into Week 9 at New England. … Hunt ran for a touchdown and caught his lone reception for a 2-yard touchdown Monday night against Washington, and he also added nine carries for 40 yards. He’ll continue to share touches with Isiah Pacheco, but Hunt has now scored at least 11.4 PPR points in three of his past six games. He’s worth using as a flex option in the majority of leagues most weeks, even in this limited role. … Monangai continues to get increased playing time for the Bears, and he has played 45 percent of the snaps in the past two games against New Orleans and Baltimore. He’s worth rostering in all leagues as a handcuff to D’Andre Swift, and Monangai could be a useful flex option in deeper leagues when he’s getting at least seven touches per game. … Benson is eligible to return in Week 10 after being out for four games with a knee injury, and hopefully he’ll be 100 percent for the remainder of the season. When healthy, Benson has the potential to be a No. 2 Fantasy running back in all leagues.
Drop candidates: Cam Skattebo (100 percent rostered), Nick Chubb (77 percent), Justice Hill (44 percent) and Michael Carter (37 percent). Unfortunately, Skattebo is out for the season after hurting his ankle in Week 8. He should be dropped in all redraft leagues, and we hope he can return at 100 percent for the start of the 2026 campaign. … Chubb will hopefully continue to cede more work to Woody Marks, who is the best running back for the Texans right now. Chubb has scored 8.9 PPR points or less in four of his past five games heading into Week 9. … Hill will have some moments of positive production as the year goes on, but he has minimal Fantasy value as long as Derrick Henry is healthy, especially with Keaton Mitchell getting work for the Ravens. In Week 8 against Chicago, Hill had one carry for 2 yards and no targets, and Mitchell had four carries for 43 yards in tandem with Henry. … Carter was cut by the Cardinals on Monday, although ESPN reports he’s expected to be back with the team. Either way, he’s not expected to help Fantasy managers much, especially with Benson likely back in Week 10. At best, Carter will be the No. 2 running back in Arizona behind Zonovan Knight, and Carter has combined for just 16 carries for 45 yards and four catches for 55 yards on seven targets in his past two games.
Add in this order:
Week 9 Waiver Priority List
WAIVER WIRE
Wide Receivers
On a bye: A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, Emeka Egbuka, Chris Godwin, Tez Johnson, Garrett Wilson and Jerry Jeudy.
Injuries: Drake London (hip), Terry McLaurin (quadriceps), A.J. Brown (hamstring), Nico Collins (concussion), Puka Nacua (foot), Brian Thomas Jr. (shoulder), Garrett Wilson (knee), Chris Godwin (leg), Ricky Pearsall (knee), Jakobi Meyers (knee), Calvin Ridley (hamstring), Marvin Mims (concussion), Luther Burden III (concussion), Christian Kirk (hamstring), Cedric Tillman (hamstring), Jayden Reed (collarbone), Brandon Aiyuk (knee) and Jalen McMillan (neck).
Check to see if available in shallow leagues: Khalil Shakir (83 percent rostered), Rashid Shaheed (80 percent), Jakobi Meyers (77 percent), Travis Hunter (77 percent), Chris Godwin (73 percent), Kayshon Boutte (72 percent) and Darnell Mooney (67 percent). Shakir scored 20.8 PPR points in Week 8 at Carolina, and he’s now scored at least 11 PPR points in four of his past five games. Shakir has at least five receptions in three of his past four games heading into Week 9, and he should be considered a high-end No. 3 Fantasy receiver in the majority of leagues for the rest of the season. … Shaheed had a solid game in Week 8 against Tampa Bay with nine catches for 75 yards on 12 targets. He now has 21 targets in his past two games, and he has scored at least 14.5 PPR points in two of his past four outings. Shaheed is a potential trade candidate, so keep an eye on what happens, as is Chris Olave. For now, consider Shaheed a No. 3 Fantasy receiver in all leagues heading into Week 9 at the Rams. … Meyers is a trade candidate, and his Fantasy value would improve if he left Las Vegas. We don’t know if he’ll play in Week 9 against Jacksonville after he sat out in Week 7 with a knee injury before the Raiders’ bye in Week 8. When healthy, he can still be a No. 3 Fantasy receiver in the majority of leagues, even if he stays in Las Vegas. But we would love to see Meyers dealt to a new team with better quarterback play to enhance his value for the rest of the year. … Hunter had his best game of the season prior to Jacksonville’s bye in Week 7 against the Rams with eight catches for 101 yards and a touchdown on 14 targets. The Jaguars will hopefully continue to feature Hunter more in Week 9 and beyond, and he should be added in all leagues. … Godwin has missed the past three games with a leg injury, and we’ll see if he can return after Tampa Bay’s bye in Week 9. There’s no guarantee what version of Godwin we’ll get when healthy, but he’s worth stashing on your bench to find out. With Mike Evans (collarbone) out, Godwin could be a No. 2 Fantasy receiver in the majority of leagues when healthy. … Boutte has scored a touchdown in three games in a row, with four touchdowns over that span, and he has boom-or-bust potential as a No. 3 Fantasy receiver in the majority of leagues. He hasn’t had more than five targets in any game in his past three outings, which is a concern, but he’s connecting on deep throws from Drake Maye, who is playing at an MVP level. Boutte has two outings in his past three games with at least 75 receiving yards, and he has scored at least 16.3 PPR points in all three games this season when he’s had at least five targets. … Mooney was a dud in Week 8 against Miami with one catch for 11 yards on four targets, which was disappointing with Drake London (hip) out. But we don’t know when London will return to action, and Mooney might benefit with Michael Penix Jr. under center since Kirk Cousins started against the Dolphins. I still want to roster Mooney in the majority of leagues.
Drop candidates: Matthew Golden (78 percent rostered), Keon Coleman (73 percent), Jerry Jeudy (68 percent) and Kendrick Bourne (62 percent). Golden has plenty of potential, but he’ll be tough to trust now that Christian Watson is back. In Week 8 at Pittsburgh, with Watson making his 2025 debut, Golden had just three catches for 4 yards on three targets, and he now has seven catches for 41 yards on seven targets in his past two games. He’s also failed to score a touchdown this season, and I would only roster Golden in dynasty and long-term keeper leagues for now. … Coleman had three catches for 30 yards on four targets in Week 8 at Carolina and has now scored 7.5 PPR points or less in five of his past six games. There’s little reason to trust him in the majority of leagues moving forward, and the Bills could add a wide receiver via trade at the upcoming deadline. … Jeudy had no catches on two targets in Week 8 at New England, and he has now scored 9.3 PPR points or less in seven games in a row, with no touchdowns this year. There’s no reason to roster Jeudy in the majority of leagues with Cleveland on a bye in Week 9. … In two games since George Kittle returned from his hamstring injury, Bourne has struggled with five catches for 58 yards on six targets against the Falcons and Texans. Granted, those were tough matchups against Atlanta and Houston, but Kittle, Christian McCaffrey and Jauan Jennings are the priority in the passing game now ahead of Bourne, who should be dropped in all 10-team leagues and most 12-team formats.
Add in this order:
Week 7 Waiver Priority List
On a bye: Dallas Goedert, Cade Otton, Mason Taylor, Harold Fannin Jr. and David Njoku.
Injuries: Brock Bowers (knee), Darren Waller (pectoral), Cole Kmet (back), Mike Gesicki (pectoral) and Brenton Strange (quadriceps).
Check to see if available in shallow leagues: Oronde Gadsden II (77 percent rostered), Cade Otton (72 percent) and Theo Johnson (67 percent). Gadsden looks like a must-start Fantasy tight end for the rest of the season after he has scored at least 11.8 PPR points in three games in a row, including 12 catches for 241 yards and two touchdowns in his past two games against the Colts and Vikings. … Otton nearly caught a touchdown in Week 8 at New Orleans but finished with just four catches for 40 yards on five targets. With Mike Evans (collarbone) out, I still want to roster Otton in the majority of leagues, even with Tampa Bay on a bye in Week 9. Prior to Week 8, Otton had scored at least 10.1 PPR points in three games in a row. … Johnson heads into Week 9 having scored at least 10.7 PPR points in three of his past five games, with the two outings where he failed to reach that total against the Eagles. I like Johnson as a low-end starter in all leagues in Week 9 against San Francisco, especially if Daniel Bellinger (neck) is out.
Drop candidates: Evan Engram (73 percent rostered) and Dalton Schultz (46 percent). Engram had a great matchup in Week 8 against Dallas and finished with just four catches for 36 yards on four targets. He has a tough matchup in Week 9 at Houston, and I would only start Engram in deeper leagues against the Texans. … Schultz had a great situation in Week 8 against San Francisco with Nico Collins (concussion) and Christian Kirk (hamstring) out, and he failed to deliver with just two catches for 24 yards on three targets. Collins could return in Week 9 against Denver, which isn’t an easy matchup, and Schultz will be tough to trust against the Broncos.
Add in this order:
Week 9 Waiver Priority List
DST streamers
- Rams (55 percent rostered) vs. NO
- Lions (50 percent rostered) vs. MIN
- Seahawks (60 percent rostered) at WAS
- Jaguars (16 percent rostered) at LV
