Fantasy Football 2022 Week 9 Waiver Wire Pickup Advice
Is your fantasy team in need of new blood? Each week I’ll bring to you the best pickups to make ahead of the waiver deadline. All the players I list will be owned in fewer than 50 percent of leagues, with the roster percentages coming from Yahoo.com.
Quarterbacks
Justin Fields, Bears (42% Rostered): Fields spent much of the early part of the season as a fantasy dud because his vast abilities as a rusher were either not being utilized enough, or not covering for his major deficiencies as a passer. Lately, the Bears seem to have unlocked the best way to deploy this unique QB, and it’s turning him into what I imagine most thought they were getting when they drafted Trey Lance. Fields has broken 200 passing yards just once this year, but he is averaging 76.7 yards per game on the ground over his last three, and thrown four touchdown passes. His upcoming matchups are against friendly defenses, so while his floor does remain very low in a given week, he is rapidly morphing into a safe play with that awesome rushing floor.
Andy Dalton, Saints (14% Rostered): Dalton is very uninspiring, but he’s playable in a break glass in case of emergency scenario. He’s thrown six touchdowns in his last two games, and topped 360 yards vs. the Cardinals in Week 7. Of course, there’s disaster potential here, but he’s also flashing ceiling that we aren’t currently seeing from, say, Aaron Rodgers.
Running Backs
Caleb Huntley, Falcons (4% Rostered): Huntley doesn’t quite have the look of your typical fantasy relevant RB, but he’s logged 16 carries in two of his last three games, and plays in an offense where passing is an absolute last resort. While he does have to share work with Tyler Allgeier, there’s more than enough to go around on a team that throws less than any other in the NFL. Huntley isn’t a must-start, but you can do much, much worse with bye weeks hitting hard.
Latavius Murray, Broncos (40% Rostered): Murray, like Huntley, has seen heavy-by-modern-standards usage in two of the past three weeks, and scored a touchdown in back-to-back games. Melvin Gordon is around and will soak up work, so Murray’s ceiling isn’t particularly high, but this pass offense isn’t functional in the red zone, so when they get close Denver’s running that football. Guessing if it’ll be Gordon or Murray is a roll of the dice, but Murray is in line for these kinds of opportunities in every game.
Chuba Hubbard, Panthers (43% Rostered): Hubbard is likely to take a backseat to D’Onta Foreman moving forward in this duo, but that doesn’t mean he’s not worth rostering. Hubbard is capable of chunk plays, and is likely to be the preferred choice on passing downs. Maybe he’s dependent on touchdowns to really affect a matchup, but at the very least he’s going to see work when he’s on the field, and he’s been efficient when given chances in 2022.
Kenyan Drake, Ravens (32% Rostered): Drake can be ignored if Gus Edwards is good to go on Monday night, but Drake has shown he can be a difference maker this year when the lead role belongs to him. Edwards managers should try and scoop him up if possible so they’re covered on Monday night, rather than pivoting to an inferior option in a less potent rushing attack.
Alexander Mattison, Vikings (45% Rostered): We’re getting to the point of the season where guys like Mattison have to be let go due to bye week/injury crunches. If you are a Dalvin Cook manager, and Mattison hits the wire, get on it. He’ll be free now, and incredibly expensive whenever Cook’s shoulder decides to pop out of the socket.
Dontrell Hilliard, Titans (12% Rostered): Hilliard doesn’t have enough of a role to be played most weeks, but he’s shown tremendous explosiveness and passing game chops in his limited time. If Derrick Henry were to go down again, Hilliard can absolutely thrive in a lead role. It’ll be different from how Henry does it, but Hilliard as the top dog in Tennessee’s offense is a pretty exciting RB2.
Wide Receivers
Garrett Wilson, Jets (48% Rostered): Wilson came out of hibernation vs. the Pats, ripping off a six-catch, 115-yard game. It was his first big game with Zach Wilson at the helm, and now that we’ve seen it, we can feel more comfortable plopping him in our lineups. The risk is certainly there in any given week because Zach Wilson’s just not a consistent player at this point in his career, but Garrett Wilson is super tough to guard and has the separation and speed to be very efficient even with limited targets.
Rondale Moore, Cardinals (36% Rostered): Moore is suddenly a legit option again with DeAndre Hopkins back in the lineup and drawing all the defensive attention. Moore has drawn eight or more targets in two of his last three games, and piled up 13 catches and 141 yards in those games to go with a touchdown. Moore is much more of a PPR option because he still largely sees short throws and has to create the production after the catch, but that’s easier to do with Hopkins drawing double teams.
Julio Jones, Buccaneers (18% Rostered): Jones has been infuriating for years now, because he looks so damn good, but is just always hurt. He played 57% of the snaps last week though, and scored a touchdown. The Bucs’ offense has been sputtering all year long, and Jones’ absence has been a part of that. At its best last season, the Bucs had Antonio Brown as a wildly overqualified WR3 creating nightmares for opposing defenses. Jones is a different type of player, but the same kind of mistmatch for DBs. Opposing secondaries are going to focus on Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, so if Jones is healthy and running routes, Tom Brady is going to find him.
Romeo Doubs, Packers (47% Rostered): Doubs is the most promising member of the Packers’ receiving corps right now. Allen Lazard is the guy you want, because Aaron Rodgers trusts him near the end zone, but Doubs is on the field a ton and the clear No. 1 while Lazard nurses an injury. Upcoming matchups with Detroit this week and Tennessee in Week 11 are delicious, so if he is available he makes a pretty high upside FLEX option.
Mecole Hardman, Chiefs (36% Rostered): The arrival of Kadarius Toney could render this analysis moot, but for now, Hardman is probably the only non-Travis Kelce or Juju Smith-Schuster Chief I’d feel somewhat comfortable playing. Hardman has a low floor for sure, but his unique skill set means every game there are a handful of plays designed to get him the ball and let him cook. Sometimes they amount to nothing, and sometimes they become three-touchdown games like in Week 7 vs. the 49ers. If you’re just throwing a dart, grabbing that kind of weapon in an explosive offense isn’t a crazy concept.
Tight Ends
Evan Engram, Jaguars (43% Rostered): Engram feels gross, but he’s been at 40 or more yards for four straight games, and caught at least four passes in each one. That’s not anything you’ll tell your grandkids about, but it is consistency at a position where doughnuts come for us all. He’s on the field all game long every week, so he can be played with reasonable confidence.
Tyler Conklin, Jets (12% Rostered): Conklin is the reason no Jets receivers are breaking out besides kind of Garrett Wilson. Zach Wilson trusts him a ton, and he’s seen five or more targets in six of the Jets’ eight games. Of course, a doughnut is always possible here with this QB and this injury-ravaged offensive line, but he is among a vast group of TEs who, more often than not, won’t goose you. He also doesn’t always need a touchdown to provide value.