NFL fantasy football: Top QB, RB, WR and TE Week 9 waiver wire pickups

Week 8’s bye-mageddon is in the rearview, but the chaos rolls over into Week 9 because injuries keep piling up and rookies keep stealing the job of seasoned NFL veterans.

That's where waivers come in. There’s nothing like watching your latest pickup explode on Game Pass, live on DAZN, as your league mates wonder how you saw it coming.

If you jumped on Joe Flacco, Troy Franklin, or Oronde Gadsden when we told you to, you’ve already tasted that sweet payoff.

Now it’s time to reload and find the next wave of players ready to turn into fantasy gold.

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J.J. McCarthy, QB - Minnesota Vikings

This nomination is not so much a vote of confidence in McCarthy's ability to prove worthy of the lofty draft capital the Vikings invested in him. It's more about opportunity.

Opportunity to step back into the starting role now that Carson Wentz is out for the season with a shoulder injury.

Opportunity to lean on the talented pass-catchers the Vikings have in their arsenal, including Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and tight end T.J. Hockenson.

McCarthy has been sidelined with a high-ankle sprain, but has logged limited practices and appears on track to play the Detroit Lions on Sunday - admittedly a tough matchup.

But maybe, just maybe, if the Lions' secondary is on their game and Jefferson and Co. can't get open, McCarthy can get the job done himself as he did earlier in the year.

Amid rumours that the Vikings were not ready to turn to McCarthy despite Wentz struggling through injury, head coach Kevin O'Connell made it clear the 22-year-old would be his first choice.

"If J.J. is healthy, J.J. will play," he told reporters after the loss to the Chargers last weekend.

If he’s still on your waiver wire, grab him now and see if this is the breakout moment we’ve been waiting for, especially in superflex leagues.

Tyrone Tracy and Devin Singletary, RB - New York Giants

The injury to Cam Skattebo undoubtedly creates opportunities for the other Giants' backs.

Tracy should be the primary beneficiary and could feasibly become as valuable as he was in 2024 when he had 1,113 all-purpose yards as a rookie.

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The 25-year-old saw a rise in snaps, carries, and targets once Skattebo exited in the Week 8 loss to the Eagles, making him a priority waiver addition if he's somehow available.

It seems unlikely Big Blue will divide the workload between Tracy and Singletary, but the latter remains a speculative pickup in deeper leagues until we see how this plays out.

Isaiah Davis, RB - New York Jets

Other waiver articles will suggest grabbing Kyle Monangai, Tyjae Spears, and Bam Knight this week. They're not wrong, but we mentioned them weeks ago and assume they're rostered by now.

For now, Davis is in a tier behind those guys, but his value is on the rise after a mini-breakout with 109 all-purpose yards in the Jets' first win of the year over the Bengals last weekend.

Breece Hall remains the top dog in the backfield, but it's no longer a one-man show, and Hall is rumoured to be a possible trade candidate.

Trey Benson, RB - Arizona Cardinals

Benson has been out since Week 4 with a knee injury. His earliest possible return is Week 10, but if he was dropped to waivers in shallow leagues with no IR spots, and if you wait a week, you'll have more competition to pick him up.

With James Conner sidelined for half of Week 3 and all of Week 4, Benson dominated touches in the backfield. He could do so again once he returns.

Dont'e Thornton and Jack Bech, WR - Las Vegas Raiders

Jakobi Meyers sat out the Raiders' last game with a knee/toe injury, and in his place, Thornton and Bech saw a marked increase in playing time.

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Granted, the results weren't pretty in the Raiders' shutout at the hands of the Chiefs, but Las Vegas won't be playing a team as talented as Kansas City each week.

With trade rumours swirling around Meyers, and even after the addition of Tyler Lockett, Thornton and Bech should be added in deep redraft leagues. They're probably already rostered in dynasty formats.

Chimere Dike, WR - Tennessee Titans

Dike has really stepped up with Calvin Ridley missing time. In the last two games, he has led the Titans in receiving yards with 11 catches for 163 yards and a touchdown.

Ridley wasn't placed on IR after suffering a hamstring injury in Week 6, suggesting the Titans expected him to miss fewer than four games, but he didn't practice at all last week.

Consider adding Dike in case Ridley misses more time. There's a good chance that the chemistry the rookie has forged with Cam Ward pays off even when Ridley returns to the field.

Colston Loveland, TE - Chicago Bears

This one is for redraft managers only, as Loveland will almost certainly be rostered in dynasty formats.

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The Bears' rookie was injured earlier in the year and has yet to top 38 yards in a game since returning, but he's becoming more involved as his targets and receiving yardage increase each week.

A cynic might suggest his rise should be attributed to the absence of veteran Cole Kmet, but I'd argue that Kmet is no world-beater, and you don't take a tight end 10th overall unless you have big plans for them.

Other players to consider

QB

Assuming Flacco, Tua, and Darnold are already rostered, there's not a lot to like beyond our McCarthy nomination above.

Check in on the Saints' Tyler Shough, who could unseat Spencer Rattler after the latter was benched last week. Shough struggled, but the interception wasn't really his fault. Besides, Rattler threw a pick-six - his fourth interception in the last two games.

RB

I'm taking it as a given that my previous recommendations, including Tyler Allgeier and Bam Knight, are no longer available.

If so, consider Tank Bigsby, but don't overspend that FAAB, as he only saw an increased workload because Barkley limped off late in a game where the Eagles held a healthy lead.

Yes, Barkley said he would have been fine to return if needed, signalling that he'll be fine going forward.

But on the off-chance that Barkley's injury lingers through the Eagles' Week 9 bye, Bigsby should be rostered in deeper leagues. If for no other reason than as a valuable handcuff.

Ollie Gordon is worth a look after Dolphins' head coach Mike McDaniel stated his intention to "spread the ball out" in the backfield, indicating De'Von Achane's workload might be scaled back.

WR

Alec Pierce and Tre Tucker might be your best choices behind the wideouts already mentioned above. 

TE

With Mark Andrews reportedly a trade candidate, it might be prudent to acquire Isaiah Likely. That is, assuming players like Mason Taylor and Harold Fannin are long gone.