Charcandrick West may see a full workload if Spencer Ware’s concussion keeps him out

Don’t look now, but there could be a running back quandary brewing in New Orleans and the situation in Kansas City is a bit messy with Spencer Ware suffering a concussion on Sunday. Oh yeah, and Jamaal Charles‘ knee isn’t doing well. This will likely be a busy waiver wire period and if you’ve got questions, we’re here to try and help answer them.

We asked pundits to rank their top readily available waiver wire options for you to help with your decision making. Also, in case you’re wondering why Alfred Morris is listed on here, there was a report released last week that the NFL is still investigating Ezekiel Elliott’s domestic violence case. Without further ado, here are your week 9 waiver wire rankings as well as a few D/STs to target.

Get more advice with our Waiver Wire Assistant

Featured Experts:
Jeff Paur – RTSports
Nick Raducanu – ProjectRoto
James Hatfield – Hatty Waiver Wire Guru
Bobby Sylvester – FantasyPros

*Teams w/ Week 9 Bye: Arizona, Chicago, Cincinnati, Houston, New England, Washington

*Ownership % derived from a consensus of Yahoo & ESPN leagues

Q1. Give us your thoughts on a waiver wire target (or two) you especially like as a pickup.

“Eric Ebron is a player that was owned in most leagues to start the year but dropped after getting hurt. He returned from injury last week and looked really good, having a season-high seven receptions for 79 yards. Ebron has at least four receptions in every game this season. He can be a legit No. 1 tight end for fantasy teams down the stretch. Tim Hightower is an intriguing add for this week. Mark Ingram got in the dog house early last week, giving Hightower the majority of the work at running back for the Saints. And Hightower excelled in a larger role, rushing 26 times for 102 yards. With Ingram having some struggles, Hightower could grab a larger role in this offense going forward. He is worth adding if you need the running back help.”
– Jeff Paur (RTSports)

“We’re at the point where we’re guessing which running back will be injured going forward to help prioritize pickups like Gillislee, West, Kelley, and more. While I like Kelley, I think I’ll be grabbing “Charcandrick West as my first priority with Jamaal Charles suffering a setback and Spencer Ware now dealing with a concussion. It’s very possible that all these guys end up being a one-week fill-in, but I like West’s matchup against the Jaguars this week if Ware is unable to get himself healthy in time.”
– Nick Raducanu (ProjectRoto)

“Charcandrick West is the top pickup this week; if Spencer Ware has to miss a week due to concussion and KC keeps Charles workload to a minimum, then West can be a solid PPR streamer for next week. The other pickup to consider is Eric Ebron; he operates well in PPR and TD only leagues and can fill-in for bye-weeks going forward.”
– James Hatfield (Hatty Waiver Wire Guru)

“I’m picking up Josh Gordon in all formats. If he only plays in Week 15, his expected value over replacement is greater than any other available player’s rest of season value over replacement. Sure, chances are slim that he plays at all, but bear in mind, there is a chance he plays many games and in a much better offense than what the Browns have been rolling out there.”
– Bobby Sylvester (FantasyPros)

Q2. For owners renting a D/ST in Week 9, what readily available option should they target and why?

“The Miami Dolphins defense is worth a look for fantasy teams in Week 9. This unit has played well in recent weeks, allowing fewer than 300 total yards two straight games. The Dolphins also have six sacks in those two games. Miami gets a Jets’ offense that is a mess, especially since Ryan Fitzpatrick remains the starter at quarterback.”
– Jeff Paur (RTSports)

“I’m not a HUGE fan of the Tennessee Titans defense, but they’ve been serviceable in spots this season (while admittedly stinking in other spots). I usually like to target home teams and teams facing mistake-prone offenses when I pick streamers… and while the Titans are on the road, they are facing the Chargers (who lead the NFL with 18 giveaways). I wouldn’t bet my mortgage on this one, but the Titans check off one the boxes I’m looking at for Week 9.”
– Nick Raducanu (ProjectRoto)

“The Baltimore Ravens should be owned as it is, but this week they draw Landry Jones, who throws interceptions at a clip that would make Brett Favre look like Aaron Rodgers. Sure, the Steelers are bound to put up 20 points with Bell and Brown leading the show, but the name of the game is turnovers and Landry will surely make Ravens’ fantasy owners very pleased.”
– Bobby Sylvester (FantasyPros)

“If Big Ben is out this week then the streaming defense to start would be the Baltimore Ravens, if Big Ben does play then just play safe and go with Green Bay against Indy. ”
– James Hatfield (Hatty Waiver Wire Guru)

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Thank you to the experts for ranking the top readily available waiver options. Be sure to give them a follow on Twitter for more advice.