Fantasy Football Waiver Wire, Week 9: Priority pickups at every position

We made it through the cruelest of the bye weeks, but, unfortunately, the NFL will continue inconveniencing us for the foreseeable future. Four teams are out of the mix in Week 9 — the Browns, Jets, Eagles and Bucs — and the league has stubbornly refused to turn off injuries. Once again, we must hit the wire. Each week around here, we offer a collection of viable fantasy options, all of them available in over 50% of leagues and approved for immediate use.    

QUARTERBACKS

Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks

43% rostered at Sleeper

Fantasy analysts spent much of July and August speculating about which NFL quarterback would be This Year’s Sam Darnold, but, as it turns out, Darnold himself was not ready to relinquish the title. He’s been every bit as good in Seattle this season as he was in Minnesota. 

In fact, Darnold currently leads the league in yards per attempt (9.1) and yards per completion (13.4) while ranking fourth in passer-rating (109.2). He’s still giving us 250 and 2 each week. Also, just like last year, Darnold happens to have one of the NFL’s elite receivers at his disposal:

Darnold was somehow the QB27 in terms of ADP, which should become a scandal that discredits the entire global fantasy industrial complex. He’s clearly still playing the game at a high level. We can’t promise that he won’t glitch again in the postseason, but that’s not really a fantasy concern. 

Seattle’s offense gets a favorable matchup at Washington following the bye, so Darnold should be a priority add for anyone with a need at QB. 

FAAB: 5%

The only other officially approved QB: Trevor Lawrence (at LV)

RUNNING BACKS

Tyrone Tracy, New York Giants

35% rostered

Cam Skattebo suffered a brutal leg injury on Sunday on an unflagged hip-drop tackle, likely a season-ender for one of the game’s most entertaining rookies. I wish it had never happened and certainly wish we could all unsee it. Just a genuinely unfortunate situation. 

In Skattebo’s absence, Tracy naturally saw an uptick in usage, dominating the backfield snaps. He carried 10 times for 39 yards against the Eagles, adding two receptions for another 14. 

Tracy isn’t anything like Skattebo stylistically, which is to say he doesn’t run the ball like a Norse berserker. But he’s a capable multi-purpose back who delivered 1123 scrimmage yards as a rookie while averaging 4.9 yards per touch. We can assume he’s now headed for significant weekly workloads over the balance of the season. 

FAAB: 36% (and potentially an empty-the-wallet situation, depending on your circumstances)