It’s been a great Week 8 so far with two games left after a busy Sunday afternoon. Even with Sunday and Monday night matchups still to come, several names are already popping as strong pickups from the waiver wire for Week 9.
With six teams on a bye, many fantasy football teams were stretched thin in Week 8, but bye week season continues in Week 9 with the Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles and Tampa Bay Buccaneers all getting the week off.
Throughout the week, DK Network will have you covered with potential waiver wire pickups and strong plays for Week 9 and for the rest of the season. Be sure to stay tuned to the outstanding coverage from the whole team. This post is designed to be an early look at some of the names to keep an eye on coming out of Week 8.
Another key factor to keep a close eye on every week is new injuries. Here are some new situations to monitor moving forward:
Players with new injuries from Week 8 to watch:
- RB Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles
- RB Cam Skattebo, New York Giants
- RB Quinshon Judkins, Cleveland Browns
- WR Luther Burden III, Chicago Bears
- TE Harold Fannin Jr., Cleveland Browns
With those injuries in mind, here are some of my early names to watch if you’re shopping on the Week 9 waiver wire.
WR Troy Franklin, Denver Broncos
The Broncos have spread the workload around to multiple receivers this season, but Troy Franklin (26.9 FPTS) has stepped up as the team’s secondary option for most of the season. He’s been highlighted in multiple posts on DKNetwork including a waiver wire post earlier this season, but he’s still not a highly-owned player.
Franklin caught six passes for 89 yards and two touchdowns against the Cowboys this week, as Bo Nix (24.8 FPTS) and the Broncos got a big home win over a struggling Dallas defense.
Franklin has at least three catches in five straight games and has scored three touchdowns in the last two weeks. He drew a whopping 10 targets in Week 7 against the Giants, and then came through with this big two-touchdown performance in Week 8.
Franklin initially burst onto the scene with an eight-catch performance in Week 2 with 89 yards and a touchdown against the Colts. That gives him three big games this season, and he has a high ceiling when the Broncos are in a favorable matchup for receivers.
Next week, the Broncos take on the Texans, who will likely put shutdown corner Derek Stingley Jr. on Courtland Sutton, leaving Franklin as the go-to option for his college roommate once again.
Franklin has great matchups in Week 10 and 14 against the Raiders, Week 13 against the Commanders and Week 16 against the Jaguars. His strong fantasy playoff matchup makes him a great pickup play to grab if you need receiver depth. Week 12 is the Broncos bye week, but as long as your need isn’t that week, he’s a good grab.
Other receivers with big weeks that deserve a look include Xavier Hutchinson (17.9 FPTS), Kayshon Boutte (16.5 FPTS) and Chimere Dike (16.4 FPTS), who was the spotlighted receiver in this post last week.
RB Tank Bigsby, Philadelphia Eagles
With Cam Skattebo’s serious injury, Tyrone Tracy Jr. (7.3 FPTS) is the top pickup if available. He’ll likely be the featured back in New York moving forward and makes a great pickup from the waiver wire in Week 9. If he’s unavailable, Tank Bigsby (13.4 FPTS) is the go-to player as a deeper cut.
Bigsby could be poised for much more work going forward for the Eagles if Saquon Barkley misses any time. Bigsby was very effective in relief of Barkley this week. He totaled 104 rushing yards on nine carries after Barkley left early in the fourth quarter with a groin injury.
In good news for the Eagles and Barkley, they’re on their bye week next week, but since Bigsby would be an instant starter, he’s worth stashing if you can’t get Tracy.
Another option on a bye week that makes sense as a depth pickup is Isaiah Davis (17.9 FPTS) of the Jets. Davis is earning more work in the timeshare with Breece Hall (35.9 FPTS), and both backs have some favorable matchups ahead, especially with the Ravens in Week 12 and the Dolphins in Week 14.
QB J.J. McCarthy, Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings are expected to go back to McCarthy as their starting QB in Week 9 as they travel to Detroit to take on the Lions.
Carson Wentz has been filling in since Week 2, when McCarthy sustained a high ankle sprain that has kept him out of action since then.
McCarthy looked sharp in Week 1 when he ran for 25 yards and a touchdown while throwing for 143 passing yards, two touchdowns and an interception. He struggled in Week 2 against the Falcons, but some of that may have been due to a tough matchup and his ankle issue.
Looking forward, McCarthy and the Vikings have very favorable matchups after taking on the Lions. The Vikings play the Ravens and the Bears in Week 10 and Week 11, which are both top-10 matchups for quarterbacks. He also has top-10 matchups in Week 14, Week 15 and Week 16 for the fantasy playoffs.
While McCarthy is unproven, his matchups give him upside, and the playmakers he has around him in the offense make him a borderline QB1 in standard leagues. His rushing potential gives him both a high ceiling and a high floor when he returns.
TE Mason Taylor, New York Jets
Last week, I highlighted Oronde Gadsden II (18.7 FPTS) in this spot and he delivered the top tight end performance of the week against the Vikings on Thursday night. He’s still available in good amount leagues and should be a top priority this week if he’s out there. If he’s not, though, and you need some tight end help, Mason Taylor (14.4 FPTS) makes a nice addition if you don’t need a solution for next week when the Jets are on a bye.
Despite being questionable with a quad injury, Taylor had five catches for 34 yards and a touchdown. His biggest catch of the day didn’t come from his quarterback, though, as Breece Hall threw him the game-winning score with under two minutes left in the game.
Taylor has at least three catches in five of his last six games, and the rookie should stay very involved in the team’s passing game going forward. Justin Fields guided his team to a comeback win in Week 8, and he and Taylor will come back from their bye week with matchups against the Browns, Patriots and Ravens.
Rams DST
The Rams DST was on a bye this week, so they’re not owned a ton of season-long leagues, but they make a top add from the waiver wire in Week 9. The Rams take on the Saints in Week 9, after Spencer Rattler and Tyler Shough both struggled against the Buccaneers. The Saints have turned the ball over 12 times in eight games this season, giving up 20 sacks.
Grabbing the Rams isn’t all about the matchup either, though, since they have allowed 20 points or fewer in five of their seven games. They have 26 sacks in seven games and have nine takeaways in seven contests.
Just before the bye week, the team had seven sacks and allowed just seven points in a win over the Jaguars. The Rams front-seven is excellent, and getting them against the Saints next week is a great pickup. After that, they face the 49ers, Seahawks, Buccaneers and Panthers. Now that their bye week is past, they’re a solid team to play every week, regardless of matchup, so snagging them from the waiver wire in Week 9 is a move that makes lots of sense.
If someone else in your league held on to the Rams, other solid streamers to consider from the waiver wire in Week 9 include the Bengals (vs. CHI), the Jaguars (at LV) and the Ravens (vs. MIA).
