Marvin Jones hauled in 4 TDs on just 19 snaps Sunday. Can we get this man some more playing time?

We’re officially halfway through the NFL season. It’s a depressing thought, we know. If you thought it was tough putting together a lineup in week 8, it unfortunately could be just as challenging this week. Another 6 teams, including the Broncos, will be off on a bye. And if the Eagles continue to play like they have lately (3 offensive points over the past two weeks), you can add them as an “unofficial” 7^th team taking a vacation.

With that in mind, it goes without saying that you may have some holes on your roster to fill. Our Featured Pros are here to help with their consensus waiver wire rankings. For additional advice, be sure to check out our week 9 FLEX rankings.

Featured Pros

R.J. White (Fantasy Football Cafe)

Greg Smith (The Fake Football)

Kevin Hanson (EDSFootball)

KJ (Fantasy Team Advice)

Waiver Wire Rankings (Standard Scoring)*

*List comprised of players chosen by FantasyPros with at least 50% availability in Yahoo! leagues

Week 9 Waiver Wire Advice

We also asked each expert to share specific tips for this week’s waiver wire. Here are the experts’ suggestions on who you should target.

Q1: Give us your thoughts on the waiver wire targets you especially like as pickups this week.

Kevin Hanson – EDSFootball

Bengals WR Marvin Jones had a career type of day that he’s unlikely to ever repeat as he set the franchise record for most TD receptions (four) in a game on Sunday. While he won’t repeat those numbers, Jones was emerging as the team’s clear No. 2 receiver behind A.J. Green before his record-setting day. Jones has now scored and finished with at least 50 receiving yards in three consecutive games. With Green the primary focus of opposing defenses, Jones should continue to have opportunities for productive outings going forward.

R.J. White – Fantasy Football Cafe

Tim Wright is turning into a viable TE1 for fantasy owners, becoming a key cog in the Buccaneers passing offense. He scored his first TD of the season in Week 8, catching five of eight targets for 48 yards. It was the third time in his last four games that Wright has been targeted at least six times, and that emergence as a reliable weapon, which has neatly coincided with Mike Glennon’s appearance as the starter, will continue with No. 2 receiver Mike Williams out for the season. With the Bucs certain to be playing from behind most weeks, Wright should put up consistently solid numbers week in and week out.

KJ – Fantasy Team Advice

My favorite target on the list is Marvin Jones. He has slowly been evolving as the #2 option behind A.J. Green in the Cincinnati passing attack, and after his 4 TD/122 yard performance, it is safe to say he has landed on the WR3 radar.  Green will continue to draw the best corner the opposing team has to offer, leaving Jones plenty of room to work in the weeks ahead.

One of my favorite waiver wire targets (not on the rank list) for week 9 will be Shane Vereen, who is currently owned in just 39% of Yahoo! leagues. In his only game of the season for the Patriots, he combined for 159 yards from scrimmage, and with an estimated return date of week 11, I feel owners should be looking to grab him now.

Greg Smith – The Fake Football

This week, it’s easy to see that the bulk of the value on the waiver wire is at wide receiver. With that in mind, it’s important to remember that your flex spots are supposed to be flexible. Traditionally, we are taught that our flex spots should be occupied by running backs because rushers tend to receive more touches than wideouts. That prevailing wisdom is a lot less credible in today’s pass-happy NFL. If you’re looking for consistent free agent production at a flex, you’ll be much better served with Darrius Heyward-Bey, Marvin Jones, or Aaron Dobson than someone like Montee Ball or Mike Tolbert.

Q2: For anyone looking to rent a D/ST in week 9, what readily available option should they target first?

R.J. White – Fantasy Football Cafe

The pickup of the week at D/ST rests with a team coming off a bye, making them unlikely to be owned in many leagues. The Tennessee Titans have been a quality fantasy defense throughout the season, sitting in the top six in per-game average in standard-league scoring. They have a matchup against the Rams on tap, and St. Louis has lost their starting QB and is going with journeyman Kellen Clemens in this game, provided he makes it through Monday’s game against the Seahawks unscathed. With many fantasy teams avoiding carrying two defenses through a team’s bye, the Titans are available to be scooped up in a majority of leagues and should go back to being widely owned in Week 9.

Greg Smith – The Fake Football

I understand that we’re looking for a single-week streaming option and my choice fits the bill, but I’m taking the Indianapolis Colts because they offer the potential for top-10 fantasy production in subsequent weeks as well. Chuck Pagano has turned the defense around in Indianapolis and their upcoming schedule is a buffet of tasty match-ups. After the Colts square off against the Texans this week (giving up the 2nd-most points to opposing fantasy defenses), they face the Rams, Titans, Cardinals, Titans, Bengals, Texans, and Chiefs to close out the fantasy season. None of those offenses are particularly frightening and you can always ditch the Colts for another plug-and-play defense if the fantasy landscape changes or a better match-up presents itself. At the very least, you’re getting two weeks of value from the Colts: this week against the floundering Texans and next week against Kellen Clemens and the Rams.

KJ – Fantasy Team Advice

Go with the Indianapolis Colts in week 9, as they take on the Houston Texans who have been one of the more injury prone, turnover teams this year. Indy should have the opportunity for a pick 6, regardless of who is under center for the Texans.

Kevin Hanson – EDSFootball

Oakland Raiders: It’s unclear whether Michael Vick or Nick Foles will return for Week 9, but especially if they don’t, the Raiders have plenty of upside if it’s rookie Matt Barkley under center. The Eagles have allowed 23 sacks – only eight teams have allowed more – and have three lost fumbles, tied for third-most in the league.  Owned in just 14 percent of Yahoo! leagues, the Raiders could do a decent job as a bye-week replacement, if needed, in Week 9.

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Thanks to this week’s Featured Pros for sharing their advice! Best of luck to everyone with your week 8 waiver wire decisions.