NFL Week 9 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Additions

Oct 31st 2022

Sosa Kremenjas

Week 9 in the NFL is around the corner with just Monday Night Football remaining. Let's address the best waiver wire additions available in fantasy football leagues ahead of this slate of games.

All stats and data are sourced from PFF and Sports Info Solutions. Rostered percentages are sourced from Yahoo Fantasy leagues.

Top-10 Adds of the Week:

1. Los Angeles Rams RB Kyren Williams - 45% rostered

The Rams appear to have a decision to make in their backfield. Projected starter Darrell Henderson dealt with an illness throughout the week and ended up playing just 41.4% of the team's snaps. In fact, Ronnie Rivers got the edge in opportunities this week:

Snaps: Henderson (24), Rivers (21)

Routes run: Henderson (13), Rivers (12)

Targets: Henderson (2), Rivers (4)

Rushing attempts: Henderson (4), Rivers (8)

It remains to be seen if the Rams simply don't prefer to have Henderson play the lead-back role, or if he was legitimately limited to a great degree in Week 8. If this situation is because of the former, Williams could be in a smash spot once he returns. The rookie running back was designated to return from IR this past week and has a path to not only a legitimate workload, but potentially the lead-back role.

2. Kansas City Chiefs WR Kadarius Toney - 57% rostered

Toney has star potential since his trade last week. The former first-round pick was moved to Kansas City and will have at least a week to catch up not only with the playbook and scheme, but his health. Toney's hamstrings have been the reason he hasn't played in a game since Week 2.

Looking at this offense, though, Pat Mahomes ranks second in passing yardage, fifth in yards per attemps (min. 50 dropbacks), and second in expected points added (EPA) per play among all quarterbacks this season. Meanwhile, the Chiefs dont have a single receiver with over 500 receiving yards or 35-plus receptions. They're approaching the receiver spot with a group effort in mind, and Toney has major potential to steal a lot of designed work in this offense.

The team that ranks first in yards after the catch (YAC) this season? The Chiefs with 1174. Last year, no receiver broken more tackles per reception than Toney and his 46.2% (min. 15 targets). It's a perfect fit.

3. Arizona Cardinals WR Rondale Moore - 35% rostered

The Cardinals' receiver room has been hard to peg this season. Marquise Brown's loss opened a major path for Moore to be relevant in two-receiver sets, yet the addition of Robbie Anderson likely scared many away from adding him. Well, two weeks into it, Moore looks like the player to roster alongside DeAndre Hopkins:

Moore is getting a ton of run in this offense right now. There is no reason to believe he'll be demoted any time soon considering his big play ability and strong showing in Week 8.

4. Denver Broncos TE Greg Dulcich - 42% rostered

Dulcich should be rostered in pretty much all leagues moving forward. The rookie tight end hasn't played in fewer than 41 snaps and hasn't run fewer than 29 routes since his debut in Week 6. In fact, Dulcich ranks as the TE3 in full-point PPR formats in scoring with 36.2 fantasy points over that stretch of time. He's an easy waiver wire addition and looks like he has legitimate TE1 potential throughout the remainder of the season.

5. Houston Texans WR Nico Collins - 15% rostered

The Texans are not a good football team and neither is their passing attack. As of now, Brandin Cooks is arguably the only startable option in that room, though the veteran could once again be on the move as trade rumors continue to heat up. In the event that Cooks is moved, Collins would be a solid addition and would pivot to the team's de facto No. 1 receiver. While there doesn't appear to be much intrigue in rostering any Texans' receivers, there should be ample opportunities to produce startable weeks if Cooks is traded. So far this season, Collins has gotten some decent run:

Target share (Weeks 1-7): 14%

Route participation: 70.5%

Both of these figures stand to increase in the event that Collins moves up the pecking order. He should be widely available in most leagues, though he is currently dealing with a groin injury and that could limit his availability in Week 9.

6. New York Jets TE Tyler Conklin - 11% rostered

Over the past two weeks, Conklin has shown what kind of player he can be when utilized:

Obviously, Conklin won't be able to keep pace with the dominant week he just put together. But, the Jets are willing to use two tight end sets as often as anybody in the league as they rank 12th in dropbacks with two tight ends on the field. That number could continue to increase if Corey Davis is sidelined longer and if Elijah Moore is moved at the trade deadline.

7. Carolina Panthers WR Terrace Marshall Jr. - 1% rostered

Marshall season has arrived. The second-year player has seen a major turnaround in every metric since Robbie Anderson's departure and should be rostered in way more leagues because of his exapnded role. Over the past two weeks, Marshall has come to life:

  • 117-of-130 snaps on offense

  • 59 routes run on 61 dropbacks

  • 12 targets

  • WR39 in scoring

Make no mistake — Marshall isn't a set-it-and-forget-it type of fantasy football option, but he is a top-two receiver on a team that has played better in recent weeks and is producing at a rate that is at least worth a bench stash.

8. New York Giants WR Darius Slayton - 7% rostered

New York has no passing game and shouldn't be expected to improve greatly at this juncture. They simply cannot pass the ball very well. With that being said, no player on the roster has more targets (22) than Slayton since Week 5. He leads the team in receptions and receiving yards, too. He's worth adding, especially with Kadarius Toney officially out of the picture.

9. Las Vegas Raiders WR Mack Hollins - 7% rostered

There is no reason for the Raiders to continue featuring Hollins, and yet they continue to do it to some extent. Don't get it wrong, he's an alright player, but the offense needs to do a much better job of getting Davante Adams and Hunter Renfrow the football, and including Darren Waller when he returns, too.

Hollins is coming off an eight target game where he lead the team in snaps and routes run, though the game was essentially a blowout loss and that likely played a factor. He's worth the dart throw as a cheap bench stash at this point but nothing more.

10. New England Patriots WR Tyquan Thornton - 6% rostered

DeVante Parker was injured early in the contest for the Patriots and that allowed Thornton to take over the No. 2 receiver role in New England. That is certainly something to note considering the team's investments in Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne, both of whom could be moved come Tuesday at the trade deadline.

Thornton ended up playing 60 of 77 total snaps and ran 37 routes on 44 dropbacks. While he was only targeted twice, the rookie receiver could run into brighter days if he's included in the offense more often.

Must be rostered:

Carolina Panthers RB D'Onta Foreman - 76% rostered

Foreman is the RB4 in scoring over the past two weeks. His 48.3 fantasy points are further proof of his ability. While Foreman is sure to lose some of his snaps and opportunities to Chuba Hubbard when he returns, he's proven to be the superior player and must be rostered.

Los Angeles Rams WR Allen Robinson II - 66% rostered

While he looked cooked early in the season, Robinson hasn't had fewer than five targets in a game since Week 1. He's coming off a season-high eight target game. In addition, Robinson has nine targets inside the opposing 10-yard line this season. That ranks third in the NFL.

Los Angeles Rams RB Cam Akers - 42% rostered

Akers looks to be done in Los Angeles, though it isn't a certainty. While Akers could return and resume his No. 1 RB role, it isn't likely. What is more likely is Akers getting dealt to another team where he could carve himself out a strong role. This is purely a speculative add, but one that could pay off in the near future.

New York Jets WR Elijah Moore - 40% rostered

Moore is basically droppable in most formats at this point but should be added in the hopes that he's traded in the next 48 hours. He was once one of the most promising young players in football and still has that potential, he just isn't included in New York's pass-game plans and appears to be in the doghouse. Some team could pony up a lot for a stud like Moore, and that'd swing his fortunes in a great way.