As far as ratings go, this upcoming week probably won’t go down as a banner occasion for waiver wire options. Unlike previous weeks, there were no major RB injuries (through Sunday) so the best available backs are likely handcuffs for future use. Meanwhile, a few wide receivers stepped up in big ways (Titus Young, Cecil Shorts) but the the pool of players who can be difference makers is noticeably shallower than previous weeks.
With all that said, there are still some solid options for fantasy owners feeling the pinch of injuries/byes/poor play. Take a look below at how our latest group of featured pros ranks the RB/WR/TE waiver wire options for week 9, based off of a list of relevant players we provided.
Featured Pros
Michael Sherman – (Fantasy Team Advice)
Austin Lee – (Pro Football Focus)
Waiver Wire Rankings (STD Scoring)
| Player | Position | Team | Consensus Rank | Best Rank | Worst Rank |
| Titus Young | WR | DET | 1.0 | 1 | 1 |
| Daryl Richardson | RB | STL | 3.5 | 2 | 6 |
| Jacquizz Rodgers | RB | ATL | 4.0 | 2 | 7 |
| Brandon LaFell | WR | CAR | 5.3 | 4 | 8 |
| Chris Givens | WR | STL | 5.5 | 3 | 9 |
| Daniel Thomas | RB | MIA | 5.8 | 2 | 8 |
| Cecil Shorts | WR | JAC | 5.8 | 2 | 8 |
| Ryan Broyles | WR | DET | 6.0 | 4 | 8 |
| Joique Bell | RB | DET | 9.0 | 5 | 11 |
| Shane Vereen | RB | NE | 9.8 | 9 | 11 |
| Ronnie Hillman | RB | DEN | 10.5 | 8 | 12 |
| James Starks | RB | GB | 11.5 | 10 | 12 |
| Logan Paulsen | TE | WAS | 13.3 | 13 | 14 |
| Clyde Gates | WR | NYJ | 13.8 | 13 | 14 |
Week 9 Waiver Wire Advice
We also asked each expert to share advice about a target they like this week along with any other waiver wire suggestions they have. Here’s what the experts had to say.
Michael Sherman – Fantasy Team Advice
Titus Young was considered a sleeper coming into the season, but it’s safe to say he had been a disappointment through 6 weeks. Everybody just assumed the Lions would never keep the veteran Nate Burleson opposite Calvin Johnson and ahead of Titus Young, who was ready to explode. Well, they did. However, in Week 7 Young got an opportunity as Burleson went down for the season. He then proceeded to prove any doubters of his talent wrong as he led all receivers in points for Week 8. With Calvin Johnson getting every bit of the opposing defense’s attention, there’s no reason to think he won’t be able to keep up WR2 production from here on out, and is the only player worthy of #1 waiver priority consideration this week.
As week 9 is upon us, this is the time for the crucial wavier wire moves that can set up your playoff positioning, and put your team over the top for the championship. One of the key wavier pickups for the rest of the season actually resides in Jacksonville, and I am talking about Cecil Shorts. Shorts has clearly emerged as the number one receiver for the Jaguars, and so far he has caught 20 balls for 400 yards and 2 touchdowns. I love the lineup of teams Shorts has down the stretch as he plays Detroit, Indianapolis, Tennessee, Buffalo, NY Jets, Miami, and New England and there will lots of points to be had against these teams.
In the three games where Titus Young has seen seven or more targets this season, he is averaging 85 yards receiving and a touchdown per game. In Week 8, Young saw five more targets and about 30 more snaps and pass routes than his teammate Ryan Broyles, thus making Young the better waiver wire target of the two. And, with an average of about 8 catches, 90 yards, and a touchdown in the last two weeks, Titus Young is my primary target in all league formats.
Austin Lee – Pro Football Focus
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I’d like to thank this week’s Featured Pros for sharing their advice! Stay tuned for more picks as their weekly rankings are unveiled shortly.
Also, if you’d like to get a shot at making your own picks this week, be sure to check out our Week 9 FanDuel Contest. There are $1,000 in cash prizes up for grabs and the top 5 finishers will earn a ticket to our FPFC Championship in week 13 that gives away $5,000. Good luck!
