It’s really tough to toot your own horn in this industry, as getting 60-plus percent of your predictions correct is considered highly successful. With that being said, I’ve received a lot of messages for the love on this article and I wanted to say thank you for that. There’s a lot of readers who have John Brown, Calvin Ridley, Chris Godwin, Jameis Winston, and Marlon Mack on their fantasy teams before they were even 20 percent owned in Yahoo leagues without spending a single FAAB dollar.
How, you ask? Well, that’s why we’re here. Streaming has become an integral part of fantasy football over the last few years. Whether it be quarterbacks, tight ends, defenses, or heck, even running backs and wide receivers at times. If you don’t know what streaming means, it’s where you’ll play a different player at that position each and every week. While it may sound nuts, it works if you know how to approach the waiver wire.
Get free start/sit and waiver wire advice for your fantasy team 
How many times have you watched your fantasy matchup on Sunday/Monday, only to go search the waiver wire for your streamer next week and see a player available who has a premier matchup that everyone will attempt to pick up? Not anymore. This article is designed to give you a leg-up on your competition. That’s right, we’ll be adding the players before they’re able to. I’m also going to be adding in some players who should be collected on your bench, as we’re entering handcuff time in fantasy season. I’m going to be using Yahoo as the gauge for ownership, and we’ll stick to players who are less than 40 percent owned.
Quarterbacks
Alex Smith (WAS) vs ATL
It hasn’t been a very promising season for Smith, but he should have some of his pass-catchers back and healthy for this game. The Falcons defense has been a giving one ever since losing Keanu Neal and Deion Jones, allowing every single quarterback they’ve played to finish as a top-10 option that week, including Eli Manning last week. In that span, they’ve allowed 8.7 yards per attempt, 17 touchdowns, compared to just five interceptions. Their pass-rush is the best thing they have going for them, but Smith has solid protection up front.
Joe Flacco (BAL) vs PIT
It’s never ideal having to trust Flacco, who has been a low-end QB2 throughout his career, though 2018 has been somewhat kind to him. He’s thrown multiple touchdown passes in 4-of-7 games and has totaled at least 277 passing yards in 5-of-7 games. The Steelers were a team he played on the road in Week 4 when he totaled 363 yards and two touchdowns. We know that the scoring is inflated in Pittsburgh, but it’s clear that the Ravens pass-catchers were too much for the Steelers to handle. I’d rather have Smith, but Flacco isn’t a bad fallback option.
C.J. Beathard (SF) vs OAK
Prior to getting hammered by the Rams defense, Beathard was not a bad streaming option, totaling at least 17.8 points in each of his first three starts. In fact, he was posting better numbers than Jimmy Garoppolo did. The Raiders are a team who’s quickly falling apart, as they’ve allowed at least two passing touchdowns in 5-of-6 games, including every game since Week 2. That’s why you’ve seen every quarterback that’s play against them finish with a minimum of 14.5 fantasy points, which is a solid floor for a practically zero-owned streamer.
Running Backs
Raheem Mostert (SF) vs OAK
We don’t know how Kyle Shanahan will distribute the touches, but we do know that Mostert has been the best running back on the field for the 49ers the last two weeks. This pickup could actually suit you this week, too, because if Matt Breida is forced to sit, Mostert is on the RB2 radar against the Cardinals. But if it’s just too risky for you, at least stash him, because if he performs against the Cardinals, everyone will be running to pick him up and use him against the Raiders, who have allowed 4.88 yards per carry and seven top-24 running backs in their six games.
Ty Montgomery (GB) at NE
Brady versus Rodgers? Yeah, you want a piece of action in that game, and Montgomery has had a specific role in the offense all year, totaling anywhere from 5-10 touches in each of the last five games. The Patriots are very susceptible over the middle of the field and have allowed the third-most receiving yards to running backs on the season. You aren’t going to find many running backs on the waiver wire with more potential in Week 9.
Elijah McGuire (NYJ) at MIA
This could be a great addition to your team, as McGuire was being talked-up by the running backs coach before the year, comparing his skill-set to that of LaDanian Tomlinson. While I’m not going anywhere near that quote, it says how they feel about him. With Bilal Powell on injured reserve, the Jets will need someone to fill that role, which produced 13.0 touches per game. McGuire started practicing last week but isn’t eligible to return until next week, making him an interesting addition, especially when they play a Dolphins team that’s allowed the third-most fantasy points to running backs.
Should be owned in most leagues (not needed to play in Week 9): Ronald Jones (TB), Rashaad Penny (SEA), Spencer Ware (KC), Malcolm Brown (LAR), Rod Smith (DAL), Giovani Bernard (CIN)
Wide Receivers
Tre’Quan Smith (NO) vs LAR
Okay, first off… why isn’t Smith owned in more than 40 percent of leagues? While writing this, he’s owned in just 26 percent of Yahoo leagues, which is a travesty. He’s the No. 2 receiver for Drew Brees, peeps. Make it happen, like now. After his tough matchup with the Vikings this week, he’ll go against a Rams secondary that’s really struggled as of late. Prior to shutting down the 49ers offense (who doesn’t?), their cornerback trio had allowed 41-of-55 passing for 717 yards and nine touchdowns over the last five games. That defense (that stops the run extremely well) will be coming to New Orleans to play in Brees’ dome where Smith will be a top-36 option.
D.J. Moore (CAR) vs TB
If you’ve read The Primer recently, I’ve been mentioning that Moore’s role continues to grow and that he should be stashed on teams that have bench space. He’s been creeping up in snaps played, but more importantly, he’s touching the ball when he’s on the field. The Bucs have rookie M.J. Stewart covering the slot, which is where Moore is seeing a lot of his opportunity, and he should be able to routinely burn Stewart, as many receivers have. There’ve been 10 wide receivers to post double-digit PPR days against the Bucs through six games.
Danny Amendola (MIA) vs NYJ
In case you’ve missed it, the Dolphins are extremely thin at wide receiver. They lost Albert Wilson for the year and now Kenny Stills is dealing with a groin injury that already cost him at least one week. Over the last three weeks, with those two in the lineup, Amendola has been a favorite of Brock Osweiler, as he’s seen 24 targets. He’s turned them into 19 catches for 186 yards and a touchdown, so there’s little reason to think those targets stop. Not just that, but the Jets have struggled with slot receivers all year, as Buster Skrine and Parry Nickerson might be two of the worst in the NFL. They’ve allowed each of the last five slot receivers they’ve played to finish with at least 15.5 PPR points.
Other options to consider: Martavis Bryant (OAK) at SF, Jakeem Grant (MIA) vs NYJ, DeVante Parker (MIA) vs NYJ
Tight Ends
Ben Watson (NO) vs LAR
Coming off his best performance of the season, Watson is much higher owned than I expected him to be, but when you have a matchup against the Vikings and Rams on deck, it makes sense. If he’s still available, you should snag him now. As mentioned above in the Tre’Quan Smith notes, the Rams will come into the Superdome to play against the Saints, which should provide plenty of fireworks. The Rams haven’t seen many tight ends who’ve been targeted much, but the three tight ends who’ve seen more than six targets against them posted big fantasy days: George Kittle 5/98/1 and Jared Cook 9/180/0.
Mark Andrews (BAL) vs PIT
Like Big Daddy Kane said… “Streaming tight ends ain’t easy, but someone’s gotta do it.” Or something like that. It’s not the best thing when you go to look for tight ends less than 40 percent owned and realize that there’s 18 tight ends who are already taken and then there’s another six of them on bye weeks. There are a lot of fantasy owners who will look at snap counts as a way of determining who the top tight end is on a team. If that’s what you did with the Ravens, it’d be Nick Boyle by a longshot (118 snaps last two weeks, just 79 for Andrews). However, it’s pass routes that you should be paying attention to, as Andrews has run a route on 66 of those 79 snaps, while Boyle has on just 30 of his 118 snaps. The Steelers have been ultra-generous to tight ends this year with their new safety duo, allowing 6-of-7 teams to have a double-digit PPR tight end. If there’s one to bank on from the Ravens, it’s Andrews.
Last ditch option: Cameron Brate (TB) at CAR
D/ST
Carolina Panthers vs TB
It’s been a mixed-bag to start the year for the Panthers defense, as they’ve totaled two or less sacks in 3-of-6 games but have racked up 13 sacks in the other three games. The Bucs do have a ridiculous amount of talent on the offensive side of the ball, but have issues on the offensive line, allowing 15 sacks over their last five games. On top of that, the Bucs quarterbacks have also thrown multiple interceptions in each of the last four games. We all know Jameis Winston takes some chances he probably shouldn’t, and that’s good for your streaming upside.
Dallas Cowboys vs TEN
They’re more of a high-floor option than a high-ceiling one, as the Titans offense has scored more than 20 points just once all season. Marcus Mariota has also been sacked a whopping 21 times over his last five games, so the pass-rush will get to him. However, the Titans offense has only committed five turnovers over their last six games, leaving you relying on sacks for a majority of your production. The Cowboys pass-rush has delivered three-plus sacks in 4-of-7 games this year.
Buffalo Bills vs CHI
Let’s just say that the Bills forgot to show up in Indianapolis in Week 7, shall we? Prior to that game, they’d totaled 15 sacks in their last four games, hadn’t allowed an opponent to score more than 22 points, and totaled 11 turnovers (5 interceptions, 6 fumbles). After they play Tom Brady in Week 8, they’ll play against the oft-inaccurate Mitch Trubisky, who’s struggled more than his stats say. He’s also been sacked at least twice in all but one game this year.
Other options: New York Jets at MIA, Miami Dolphins vs NYJ
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Mike Tagliere is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Mike, check out his archive and follow him @MikeTagliereNFL.
