We will have you covered throughout the fantasy football season with our bevy of tools, including our Waiver Wire Assistant. Find the top available players and get detailed analysis on how potential fantasy football waiver wire adds will impact your team. Of course, our team of analysts will also have written advice each week. Check out some of our top fantasy football waiver wire running backs to target for the week below. And check out all of our fantasy football waiver wire pickups for the week.
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Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Targets: Running Back
Running Backs
Written by Ellis Bryn Johnson
Tyrone Tracy Jr. (RB – NYG): 48% Rostered
- Next Opponents: SF, @CHI, GB
- True Value: $35
- Desperate Need: $45
- Budget-Minded: $25
Analysis: We need to pour one out for Cam Skattebo. He came into our lives as a shining star who runs like a bulldozer and brought joy to many fantasy managers. After suffering a dislocated ankle, Skattebo’s rookie season has come to a sudden end. After he was injured, Tyrone Tracy Jr. handled the lead role for the Giants, carrying the ball 10 times while Devin Singletary had two carries. Tracy had only 39 rushing yards, but he also caught two out of three targets for 14 yards. Tracy is locked into the lead role for the rest of the season. The Giants still have a mediocre offense, but Tracy’s pass-catching chops and explosive playmaking provide weekly upside. With only Singletary behind him, Tracy should be a low-end RB2 for the rest of the season.
Bam Knight (RB – ARI): 21% Rostered
- Next Opponents: @DAL, @SEA, SF
- True Value: $4
- Desperate Need: $8
- Budget-Minded: $2
Analysis: Bam Knight is a lead back, so why is he still on waivers in the vast majority of Yahoo leagues? Although Michael Carter was speculated to be the main guy in Arizona when Trey Benson landed on injured reserve (IR) with a knee injury, Knight has continued to see more work and has been more efficient with his touches. Before their Week 8 bye, Knight had 14 carries for 57 yards against the Packers, while Carter had seven carries for 11 yards. With James Conner out for the season and Benson on IR for at least another week, this should be Knight’s backfield for Week 9. The Cardinals will face the Cowboys, who allowed a touchdown hat trick to rookie RJ Harvey in Week 8. On the season, the Cowboys are allowing the seventh-most fantasy points to the running back position. If you need a spot start, Knight is a top-24 option this week and will continue to produce for fantasy as long as Benson remains out.
Kyle Monangai (RB – CHI): 39% Rostered
- Next Opponents: @CIN, NYG, @MIN
- True Value: $4
- Desperate Need: $6
- Budget-Minded: $2
Analysis: Despite a pedestrian Week 8 stat line, Kyle Monangai took another step closer to a 50-50 split with D’Andre Swift. Monangai played 29 snaps on Sunday to Swift’s 31, as the Bears have relied heavily on both backs since their bye week. Although they’ve been playing similar snaps the last two weeks, Swift is utilized more when he is on the field and out-touched Monangai 13-7 in the Bears’ Week 8 loss to the Ravens. However, in better game scripts, we may see Monangai more involved. This week, the Bears face an abysmal Bengals defense and could be playing with a lead. Outside of Tyrone Tracy Jr., Monangai is my favorite Week 9 spot start among the running backs in this article.
Tyler Allgeier (RB – ATL): 43% Rostered
- Next Opponents: @NE, @IND, CAR
- True Value: $4
- Desperate Need: $6
- Budget-Minded: $2
Analysis: The Falcons are one of the hardest teams to understand. They beat the Bills convincingly on Monday Night Football a few weeks ago, but they’ve also had a shutout loss to the Panthers, and they suffered a blowout loss to the Dolphins in Week 8. Based on how the Falcons rebounded after losing to the Panthers, we should write off the loss to Miami and look ahead. The Patriots have one of the best run defenses in the league and just held the Browns to 68 rushing yards. Allgeier is a desperation Flex play as he continues to see consistent usage. On Sunday, he had 20 snaps to Bijan Robinson‘s 30. However, Allgeier’s value is primarily as a backup to Robinson. Allgeier would become a low-end RB1 if Robinson were to miss any time.
Tyjae Spears (RB – TEN): 31% Rostered
- Next Opponents: LAC, BYE, HOU
- True Value: $2
- Desperate Need: $4
- Budget-Minded: $1
Analysis: Even bad NFL teams can provide fantasy value, and Tyjae Spears is a great example. Despite being in a near 50-50 backfield split with Tony Pollard, Spears had a season high in carries on Sunday, rushing nine times for 59 yards and a score. This week, the Titans face a Chargers defense that held the Vikings to 34 rushing yards in Week 8. It’s a scary matchup in the running game, but Spears has begun to take over the receiving work in the Titans’ backfield. With three or more targets in each of the last three games, Spears has a decent fantasy floor. If you’re in a pinch, Spears can be used as a deep Flex option. However, there are likely other options with a higher ceiling for this week.
Dylan Sampson (RB – CLE): 13% Rostered
- Next Opponents: BYE, @NYJ, BAL
- True Value: $1
- Desperate Need: $2
- Budget-Minded: $0
Analysis: Quinshon Judkins left last week’s game with a shoulder injury and did not return. He might have returned if the Browns-Patriots game had been more competitive, but there has been speculation that Judkins may have suffered a sprained AC joint, in which case he will probably be able to play when the Browns return from their Week 9 bye. On the other hand, the injury could be more severe, and Dylan Sampson could be in line for more work. Earlier this season, before Judkins joined the team, Sampson performed admirably. He caught eight passes for 68 yards in the season opener. Sampson could be worth grabbing in case Judkins misses time.
Devin Neal (RB – NO): 5% Rostered
- Next Opponents: @LAR, @CAR, BYE
- True Value: $0
- Desperate Need: $1
- Budget-Minded: $0
Analysis: After starting the season as a feisty team, the Saints looked dejected in Week 8. With Spencer Rattler benched for rookie Tyler Shough midway through the game, this offense has officially gone from serviceable to one of the worst in the league. Kendre Miller is out for the season with a torn ACL, vaulting sixth-round rookie Devin Neal into the backup role behind Alvin Kamara, who briefly left Sunday’s game with what appeared to be a knee issue. On Sunday, Neal saw three early targets, catching all three for 11 yards, but he then failed to record another touch. It would have been nice to see him more involved, but the game was out of hand quickly. Neal is a worthwhile flier to see what his involvement will be going forward.
Tank Bigsby (RB – PHI): 17% Rostered
- Next Opponents: BYE, @GB, DET
- True Value: $0
- Desperate Need: $1
- Budget-Minded: $0
Analysis: Here’s a blast from the past — and by “past,” I am referring to August. Originally hyped as the potential lead back in Jacksonville, Tank Bigsby is now the clear backup to Saquon Barkley in Philadelphia, nearly two months after a trade sent him to the Eagles. Barkley finally had a huge game in Week 8, and Bigbsy managed to run for 104 yards against the Giants on only nine carries. Will Shipley, who was the presumed backup to Barkley, had only three carries for two yards. Bigsby is nearly impossible to trust as a fantasy starter, but he would be the next man up if Barkley were to miss time.
Running Back Stash Candidates
The post-bye rookie bump often benefits players like Bhayshul Tuten. It’s never guaranteed, but rookies often get increased usage following their bye week. We have seen it already this season with the Bears’ Kyle Monangai splitting the backfield almost 50-50 with D’Andre Swift following Chicago’s bye. Tuten was a draft darling and has already displayed elite speed and tough running this season. Travis Etienne will remain the lead back in Jacksonville, but Tuten is a worthy stash to see what his workload will be out of the bye.
There are only a handful of clear handcuffs in the league, and Blake Corum is one of them. This season, Rams head coach Sean McVay has kept his word about wanting Kyren Williams to play roughly 65% of the snaps with other backs taking the remaining 35%. So far, the “other backs” have been Corum. If anything were to happen to Williams, Corum would instantly step into a large workload and become a fantasy RB2.
Ollie Gordon has had a relatively productive rookie season. After stealing the backup job from Jaylen Wright, Gordon has seen some goal-line work and has acted as the Knuckles to De’Von Achane‘s Sonic. Last week, Wright received some work later in the Dolphins’ win over the Falcons, rushing nine times while Gordon had 10 carries. But it’s possible Wright only saw that much work because the Dolphins were winning so convincingly.
There has been speculation that the 1-7 Jets could move Breece Hall before the NFL’s trade deadline. If that were to happen, Isaiah Davis would immediately become a playable weekly option.
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