Injuries aren’t slowing down in fantasy football, and after a week with every team in action, the bye weeks unfortunately return in Week 9.
At FTN Fantasy, we have a Waiver Wire Tool that ranks the top waiver adds of the week, while also recommending the amount of FAAB you should use on each player. And every Tuesday, I’ll break down the top five players listed in the tool, giving you the best case for each highly ranked player. With all of the key injuries impacting fantasy rosters, being able to add key players off waivers is as crucial as ever.
Fantasy Football Waiver Wire: Week 9
1. Tyrone Tracy Jr., RB, New York Giants
Yahoo! 52%, ESPN 46%
Tracy shouldn’t be atop this list. Not because he isn’t worthy of it, but because he shouldn’t even be available in any leagues. Even with Devin Singletary back in action the last two weeks, Tracy has outsnapped the veteran 80-40 during that stretch. Monday, Tracy saw 20 carries to Singletary’s 2, rushing for 145 yards and a touchdown against a tough Steelers defense. Given Singletary’s history with Brian Daboll, I’m a bit surprised he has seemingly lost his job to the rookie but after Monday’s usage, that’s clearly where we are at the moment.
2. Cedric Tillman, WR, Cleveland Browns
Yahoo! 19%, ESPN 16%
This brings me great joy, as Tillman was one of my favorite prospects in the 2023 draft. Over the last two weeks, his breakout has begun, hauling in a total of 15 passes for 180 yards and a pair of touchdowns. With Amari Cooper gone and Jameis Winston under center, Tillman has shown what he can do, presenting plenty of upside in the process. Over the last two weeks, Tillman ranks sixth in the league in air yards per game (143) and third in total air yards (286). Winston continues to give his wideouts chances to make plays, as his 34 pass attempts into tight coverage over the last two weeks rank fifth among quarterbacks, despite only attempting 11 passes in relief back in Week 7. Cleveland’s passing attack had a pulse last week and Tillman could flirt with weekly upside WR3 status the rest of the way, especially if Winston remains the quarterback.
3. Cade Otton, TE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Yahoo! 63%, ESPN 59%
In Tampa Bay’s first game without Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, Otton caught 9-of-10 targets for 81 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He saw a near 30% first-read target share, which is a new development for Otton, who had often been running more routes than almost any tight end, but toward the bottom of the league in targets per route run. That appears to be changing.
4. Josh Downs, WR, Indianapolis Colts
Yahoo! 47%, ESPN 49%
Downs had a rare huge game alongside Anthony Richardson last week, going over 100 yards and a touchdown. He continues to draw plenty of targets and could easily be considered the WR1 for the Colts going forward, especially if Indianapolis makes a quarterback change and goes to Joe Flacco.
5. Jauan Jennings, WR, San Francisco 49ers
Yahoo! 58%, ESPN 67%
Jennings has missed the last few games with a hip injury, but don’t forget about him. And with the 49ers set to hit their bye week, we could easily see him dropped in a handful of leagues. Feel free to add him, as he’ll likely operate as San Francisco’s WR2 the rest of the way with Brandon Aiyuk sidelined.
Check the FTN Waiver Wire Tool for the full Week 9 waiver wire advice.