Week 9 Waiver Wire | Top Fantasy Football Pickups (2026)

by Wolf Trelles-Heard · Featured

Each week throughout the 2026 season, Wolf Trelles-Heard brings you the “must-adds” every Tuesday. In this Week 9 waiver wire breakdown, he highlights players who are worth rostering if you’ve got the room.

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Week 9 Shallow League Waiver Wire Targets

Note: This range will primarily apply to most home leagues and those with shorter benches, with players available in at least 25% of leagues. Each player is listed with their current rostered percentage and a recommended FAAB bid range for a $100 budget. All values are in reference to six-point per passing touchdown leagues with PPR scoring unless otherwise noted.

Quarterback

C.J. Stroud, Texans (59% rostered) | $2-4

If C.J. Stroud was dropped during Houston’s bye week, he’s worth a look. The fourth-year pro has finished as the QB14 or better in five of his last six games, and he sports a healthy 11-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio on the season. Among qualifying quarterbacks, Stroud also ranks second in both aDOT (9.7) and deep throws (31), meaning he’s not afraid to sling the rock.

Coming out of the bye, Stroud draws the winless Chargers. Even though Los Angeles has been solid against opposing quarterbacks, this seems like a spot for Stroud and star receiver Nico Collins to get back on track. You might have better streaming options with only Pittsburgh and Tennessee on bye, but Stroud has provided a decent fantasy floor all year.

Running Back

Tyler Allgeier, Cardinals (53% rostered) | $20-25

Ladies and gentlemen, your Week 8 RB1. Just as we all expected.

What a weird game for Tyler Allgeier. It took injuries to both Jeremiyah Love and Bam Knight for him to start getting work against the Cowboys, and he barely did anything until the second half. However, in the end, Allgeier finished with 147 rushing yards on only 11 carries and 44 receiving yards on five receptions. He also scored twice — once on the ground and once through the air.


Depending on the health of Love and Knight, Allgeier could be in line to start the next few games. Against Dallas, 78.2% of his rushing production came on explosive runs, and he forced three missed tackles. He could be hard-pressed to pull that off again, especially with the Seahawks, Rams, and Chiefs on deck over the next three weeks.

Regardless, volume is king, and Allgeier might get a ton of it in the short term. If you’re desperate for points in your RB2 slot, he’s someone you need to grab off the Week 9 waiver wire if he’s still available in your league.

Wide Receiver

Keenan Allen, Colts (48% rostered) | $2-3

Like your dad’s old automatic Seiko watch, Keenan Allen just gets the job done. He has for a long time. In last week’s five-touchdown loss to the Jaguars, Allen caught all seven of his targets for 67 yards. It was the third time he hit double-digit fantasy points in his last five games. 

If Josh Downs gets his wish and is traded, Allen would become the WR1 — at least while Alec Pierce remains sidelined. Even if that doesn’t come to fruition, the upcoming schedule should provide plenty of opportunities to stay productive, with matchups against Dallas, Miami, Houston, and the New York Giants over the next month.

The Colts’ offense is a dumpster fire right now, but Allen can still be a weekly WR3 for your fantasy team. Go get the old man if he’s still sitting there.

Tight End

Brenton Strange, Jaguars (56% rostered) | $3-5

The good news? Brenton Strange accounted for 26% of Trevor Lawrence‘s 210 passing yards last week. The bad news? Lawrence only threw 14 times, and Strange finished with just two targets because Jacksonville massacred Indianapolis, 42-7. 

Don’t fret, because Strange is still playing at a high level. Among qualifying tight ends, he ranks fifth in yards per route run (2.26), 12th in missed tackles forced per reception (0.14), and 13th in first downs per route run (0.101), per Fantasy Points data. 

The Jaguars rank near the bottom of the league in snaps per game, and Lawrence isn’t being asked to pass at a high clip. Even so, Strange remains in the low-end TE1 conversation. Add him off the Week 9 waiver wire if you need tight end help. He may not offer an elite ceiling, but the weekly floor won’t burn you.

Week 9 Standard Bench Waiver Wire Targets

Note: This range will primarily apply to most leagues with standard benches, with players available in at least 50% of leagues. Each player is listed with their current rostered percentage and a recommended FAAB bid range for a $100 budget. All values are in reference to six-point per passing touchdown leagues with PPR scoring unless otherwise noted.

Quarterback

Sam Darnold, Seahawks (39% rostered) | $2-4

There aren’t a ton of enticing options on the waiver wire in Week 9, but I do believe Sam Darnold warrants consideration. If for no other reason, it’s because he plays the Cardinals and the Raiders before Seattle’s Week 11 bye. Both teams rank among the top four in most fantasy points allowed to the quarterbacks.

Darnold has been serviceable lately, but lacks the ceiling to be a true difference-maker at the position — even with Jaxon Smith-Njigba at his disposal. He didn’t have a ton of yards Monday night against Chicago, but he did throw for two scores and a two-point conversion. 

You won’t need to go wild spending on Darnold, but for a few FAAB, you could be getting a quarterback capable of getting you roughly 20 fantasy points per game over the next two contests.

Running Back

Mike Washington Jr., Raiders (36% rostered) | $15-20

Ashton Jeanty ran his mouth leading up to last week’s game against the Jets, and it appears he was punished for it. Last year’s No. 6 overall pick saw just two carries on the day. Two?! Luckily for his fantasy managers, he somewhat salvaged his day with three catches for 64 yards.

The bigger story, though, was Mike Washington‘s usage. He carried the ball 25 times in a 38-33 win over the Jets, rushing for 83 yards. He was pretty ineffective, averaging only 3.3 yards per carry. Still, that’s a crazy workload for any back, especially a rookie playing behind a high-profile starter.

Mike Washington Jr.’s Advanced Metrics

Going forward, you can’t expect this kind of volume for Washington. Unless Las Vegas decides to demote Jeanty, he’ll likely slide back into his change-of-pace role and see roughly 10 touches a game. The Raiders also have an extremely tough upcoming schedule for running backs, with games against the 49ers, Seahawks, Broncos, and Browns before a Week 13 bye.

Still, after seeing 25 opportunities in a single game, Washington needs to be rostered everywhere. Who knows, you might just get the Raiders’ new starting tailback.

Wide Receiver

Antonio Williams, Commanders (19% rostered) | $4-6

In the first game without Terry McLaurin, Antonio Williams was a near-every-down player. You love to see it. He posted an 88% route participation rate and a 26% target share in Washington’s beatdown of Philadelphia on Sunday night. Williams finished with five receptions for 54 yards on seven targets, giving him double-digit PPR fantasy points for the first time since Week 1.

The rookie has juice and looks good getting in and out of his breaks. Williams could end up being one of Jayden Daniels‘ primary targets, giving the rookie WR3 appeal in PPR formats. He has a nice slate coming up, too, with contests against the Rams, Giants, Bengals, Cardinals, and Titans over the next five games.

Spend a couple of FAAB to secure Williams. He looks legit.

Tight End

Mike Gesicki, Bengals (20% rostered) | $2-3

It seems like the Bengals have finally realized their offense works best when it’s operating through Joe Burrow‘s right arm. They have the highest pass rate in the league (66.7%), and one of the surprise beneficiaries has been Mike Gesicki.

Crazy stat: Gesicki has a touchdown in every game in which he’s caught a pass this season. That’s six scores in seven games, with Week 2 the only time he was shut out of the stat sheet. Last week, in a surprise shootout against the Titans, he caught four balls for 76 yards and finished with 17.6 PPR fantasy points. He’s somehow the TE12 on the season with only 17 receptions.

Sooner or later, the touchdowns will dry up, and Gesicki will deliver a stinker. Until then, you can toss him into your lineup as a boom-or-bust play.

Week 9 Deep League Waiver Wire Targets

Note: This range will apply to leagues with deeper benches and more experienced managers, with players available in at least 75% of leagues. Each player is listed with their current rostered percentage and a recommended FAAB bid range for a $100 budget. All values are in reference to six-point per passing touchdown leagues with PPR scoring unless otherwise noted.

Quarterback

Malik Willis, Dolphins (22% rostered) | $3-5

After back-to-back games with eight rushing attempts and a touchdown on the ground, Malik Willis was stuck in park against New England. He carried the ball just once for two yards, but still managed a respectable fantasy outing with 211 passing yards and two touchdowns. 

Willis is a player I’m turning to in deeper formats thanks to a favorable schedule over the next month. He gets the Lions, Colts, Bills, and Jets coming up. Buckle up, because liftoff is coming for Willis. If he starts using his legs the way he did prior to Week 8, Willis should print fantasy points. He’ll be a low-end QB1 for me throughout the month of November.

Running Back

Seth McGowan, Colts (19% rostered) | $20-25

There’s a ton of smoke surrounding a potential Jonathan Taylor trade. If that happens, Seth McGowan would inherit the starting job as the next man up. This season, the rookie is averaging 4.4 yards per carry in limited work behind Taylor.

If Taylor is moved, check out the upcoming schedule that McGowan would face: Dallas, Miami, Houston, and the New York Giants. That would be wheels up for McGowan, who would be in the RB2 conversation every week moving forward.

If he’s still sitting there, scoop McGowan up this week. Worst-case scenario, Taylor doesn’t get moved, and you have his handcuff stashed in case anything happens. If a trade is executed, though, you suddenly have a playable running back for the rest of the fantasy season.

Wide Receiver

Adonai Mitchell, Jets (11% rostered) | $4-6

In Week 7, Adonai Mitchell was held without a catch in his first action since Week 2. Meanwhile, Omar Cooper Jr. had his second straight 100-yard game. So how did things shake out last week? Cooper earned zero targets on 26 routes while Mitchell delivered the best performance of his young career. The third-year pro caught seven of his nine targets for 142 yards and a touchdown, finishing with 27.2 fantasy points.


Who knows what the target distribution will look like this week. However, Mitchell has topped 60 yards in every game in which he’s caught a pass this season and is clearly a guy Geno Smith likes targeting. In the three games in which Mitchell has caught a pass, he ranks ninth among all receivers in yards per route run (3.27).

He’s a boom-or-bust FLEX option for those who like excitement in their lives. If that’s you, toss a few FAAB at Mitchell and get him in your lineup.

Tight End

Greg Dulcich, Dolphins (7% rostered) | $1-2

My deep-league start of the week. Greg Dulcich‘s production hasn’t been spectacular, but over his last four games, he is averaging 5.8 targets, 4.5 receptions, and 55.3 receiving yards per contest. If only he could find the end zone.

Well, that might finally happen this week. Dulcich gets Detroit, the all-you-can-eat “defense” when it comes to tight ends. They get gashed by the position week in and week out and allow the most fantasy points to the position — by a mile. Miami should be chasing points in this one, so I’d expect a healthy dose of targets headed Dulcich’s way.

I doubt he’ll be on many managers’ radars; add him and plug him into one of your FLEX spots this week, especially if you play in a TE-premium format.

Wolf Trelles-Heard is a fantasy football analyst for PlayerProfiler.

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