Week 9 Waiver Wire Targets
- Faraz Siddiqi
- Oct 28, 2025
- 4 min read
It’s that point in the season where injuries hit hard and depth becomes gold. If you can land an every-week starter off waivers this late, you do whatever it takes. Let’s run through the best pickups to prioritize heading into Week 9.
Top Waiver Options
Tyrone Tracy — RB, Giants
Brutal news for Cam Skattebo, who suffered a dislocated ankle and will miss the rest of the season. That opens the door for Tyrone Tracy to take over as the Giants’ lead back — again. He was on the field for 78% of snaps after Skattebo went down, and that type of usage projects as a rest-of-season RB2.
Tracy was already productive in this role last season before fumbling issues derailed things, but as long as he holds onto the ball, this is his backfield. With Jaxson Dart lifting the entire offense, Tracy becomes a blow-your-FAAB type of pickup at this stage of the year.
Bam Knight — RB, Cardinals
If Bam Knight was dropped during the bye, scoop him up immediately. He gets Dallas this week, which has been a favorable matchup for RBs, and Trey Benson won’t return until at least Week 10. Before the bye, Knight handled 58% of rushing attempts compared to 29% for Michael Carter, and he was the clear goal-line back.
With Kyler Murray expected back, this offense should move the ball more effectively, giving Knight legit RB2/flex appeal.
Tyjae Spears — RB, Titans
At this point, Spears is the more valuable Titans RB. He’s outscored Tony Pollard in two of the last three games, looks explosive, and stays involved through the air (3+ catches in three straight). He’s also outrushed Pollard in two of those games.
With the Chargers on deck — and the Titans likely playing from behind — Spears is a strong upside flex play in PPR formats.
More Running Backs to Monitor
Dylan Sampson – Browns
Quinshon Judkins left with a shoulder injury but is only day-to-day, and the Browns are on bye. Still, Sampson stepped into a 73% snap share after Judkins’ exit and was targeted on 30% of his routes. If anything changes post-bye, he’d be the next man up.
Brashard Smith – Chiefs
Before the Monday game, Smith’s role was trending up — mixing in as a receiver and change-of-pace runner. If Kansas City gets ahead, expect more opportunities.
Isaiah Davis – Jets
Pure handcuff alert. If Breece Hall were to be traded or miss time, Davis is the next man up and worth stashing.
Bhayshul Tuten – Jaguars
Tuten has flashed and is the clear Etienne handcuff. With Jacksonville coming off the bye, stash him now in case the coaching staff shakes up the rotation.
Tank Bigsby – Eagles
Saquon Barkley tweaked his groin but downplayed it, and the team’s on bye. Still, Bigsby handled over 100 yards once the game got out of hand and is the locked-in #2. Keep tabs post-bye.
Samaje Perine – Bengals
Joe Flacco has changed the Bengals’ offense — and Samaje Perine is quietly involved again.
Brown’s still the main guy, with 55% of rushing attempts and 50% route participation over the last three games, but Perine’s logging 42% of snaps and handling most of the 2-minute/passing-down work.
Brown’s an RB2, but Perine’s a desperate flex if you need one.
Wide Receivers
Malik Washington — Dolphins
With Darren Waller on IR, someone had to step up — and Washington did. He finished third in targets behind De’Von Achane and Jaylen Waddle, seeing a 24% target share and 76% route participation. That’s real, usable volume. He’s now in the WR3 conversation, especially with a plus matchup against Baltimore up next.
Chimere Dike — Titans
Tennessee’s in full youth mode, and Dike has quietly been their best WR over the last two weeks:
Week 7: 4/70/1 on 4 targets
Week 8: 7/93 on 8 targets
His route participation jumped to 91%, and he’s earning trust fast. Even when Calvin Ridley returns, Dike’s slot role should stick. Sneaky stash with long-term upside.
Texans WRs (Jaylin Noel, Xavier Hutchinson, Jayden Higgins)
No Nico Collins, no problem — CJ Stroud threw for 300+ yards and two scores.
Hutchinson & Higgins:
Approximately an 80% route share, steady usage
Jaylin Noel
5/63 on only 45% route participation — but he’s been targeted on 28% of routes over the last three games and averaging 10.9 fantasy points.
If rational coaching prevails, Noel earns more work. He’s my favorite speculative add of the bunch with the highest upside.
Troy Franklin — Broncos
Franklin came back to life versus Dallas, leading the team with 6 catches for 89 yards and 2 TDs. His route participation jumped to 87%, and he’s seen 10 and 8 targets in back-to-back weeks. Volatile, yes — but he’s worth rostering for the ceiling.
Other WRs to Consider
Tre Tucker
Usage remains steady; the Raiders need playmakers.
Darius Slayton
Led the Giants with 5 targets.
Jalen Coker
Role expanding (76% route share).
Alec Pierce
Quietly getting more run in the Colts’ rotation.
Kayshon Boutte
Deep stash; could carve a role.
Christian Watson
Buy-low stash if dropped.
Tight Ends to Stream
Juwan Johnson @ LAR
David Njoku (Bye)
Isaiah Likely @ Miami
Colston Loveland @ CIN
Theo Johnson vs SF
AJ Barner @ WASH
Quarterbacks to Stream
Sam Darnold @ Washington
Good matchup, weapons trending up
Tua Tagovailoa vs Baltimore
Shootout potential
Aaron Rodgers vs Indy
Solid floor play at home
Trevor Lawrence @ LV
Bounce-back spot
If you’re looking to make a late-season push, this is one of those waiver weeks that can change the trajectory of your team. Use the FAAB while you can; the window for impact additions is closing fast.
