After another round of wide receiver injuries this past week, including Stefon Diggs, Christian Kirk and Brian Thomas Jr., there’s a need for deeper-league managers to stream at the position. And I have options here, with volume targets, plus some unfamiliar names who should see their roles expand in Week 9.
With the 49ers on a bye this week, I also have two quarterbacks for Brock Purdy managers to look at, and I like the matchups. We’ll also hit on a couple of running backs and a defense that could produce both sacks and turnovers this Sunday. Let’s find some streamers to get in the lineup.
Players listed below are deeper-league targets, rostered in less than 50% of ESPN leagues entering this week’s waiver period. Although you might notice overlap with Eric Moody’s waiver wire column that publishes on Mondays, an important distinction is that the options mentioned in this column are solely for this week’s matchups and not based on the players’ values for the remainder of the season.
Quarterbacks
Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams (18.5% rostered; at Seahawks)
With both Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp healthy, Stafford is back in play as a streaming option. In Week 8, Stafford dropped a season-high 24.76 points on the Vikings defense, throwing for 279 yards and four touchdowns. Stafford had time to throw on rhythm, hitting the schemed concepts, while finding both Nacua and Kupp in isolation matchups. With a Week 9 matchup versus Seattle, Stafford is a starter in 12-team leagues.
Bo Nix, Denver Broncos (36.7% rostered; at Ravens)
We wrote about Nix here last week, and he took advantage of a favorable matchup versus Carolina, posting a season-high 29.76 points. Nix tossed three touchdowns in that win over the Panthers, and he also added a rushing score. The rookie has now thrown for multiple touchdowns, with 20 or more points, in three of his last four games. And with his dual-threat ability (five or more carries in seven of eight games), you’re getting more upside in the lineup. Nix can be started again this Sunday versus a Ravens defense that is allowing a league-high 291.4 passing yards per game.
Wide receivers
Cedric Tillman, Cleveland Browns (16.0% rostered; vs. Chargers)
Tillman might be scooped up quickly this week on waivers after he had 28.9 points in the win over the Ravens. With Jameis Winston at quarterback, Tillman caught seven of nine targets for 99 yards with two touchdowns. Tillman, who has scored at least 18 points in his last two games, gets a tougher matchup this week versus the Chargers defense. We know that. However, given his target volume with Winston, plus his ability to work the middle of the field on in-breakers, he still has WR3 value this Sunday.
Elijah Moore, Cleveland Browns (1.3% rostered; vs. Chargers)
Staying with the Browns, Moore is another available option who has scored 10 or more points in his last two games, and the target volume is climbing. Moore caught eight of a team-high 12 targets in the Week 8 win over the Ravens, totaling 85 yards receiving (16.5 points). Like Tillman, Moore will see a much stingier defense against L.A. this week, but with 18 targets over his last two games, and an aggressive thrower in Winston, Moore can be played in deeper formats.
Jalen McMillan, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (41.7% rostered; at Chiefs)
With both Chris Godwin and Mike Evans out of the lineup, McMillan saw seven targets in the Week 8 game against the Falcons, catching four passes for 34 yards. And, for the second straight week, McMillan had a rushing attempt on a schemed touch, logging a 17-yard carry. While McMillan only scored 9.2 points in that game, Baker Mayfield did attempt to target McMillan on vertical throws. You can play McMillan as a deeper-league flex for the Week 9 matchup versus Kansas City.
John Metchie III, Houston Texans (0.1% rostered; at Jets)
With Nico Collins (hamstring) still on IR, and Stefon Diggs (knee) possibly down for an extended period of time, the depth of the Texans wide receiver room will be tested. Both Xavier Hutchinson (0.3% rostered) and Robert Woods (0.1% rostered) figure to be in the mix here, but I lean towards Metchie. A detailed route runner with the toughness to produce after the catch, Metchie brought in three of four targets for 29 yards in the Week 8 win over the Colts. And I expect the volume to increase in the Thursday night game versus the Jets.
Parker Washington, Jacksonville Jaguars (0.1% rostered; at Eagles)
Another team with wide receiver injuries, the Jags just lost Kirk (collar bone) for the season, while Thomas (chest) could be out for multiple games and Gabe Davis (knee) was also banged up in the Week 8 game against the Packers. That opens the door for Washington, a receiver who can play on the boundary or in the slot. Washington caught three of four targets for 46 yards versus Green Bay and, last season as a rookie, he hauled in 16 out of 21 targets with two touchdowns. Look for his role to expand in Week 9 against the Eagles.
Running backs
Braelon Allen, New York Jets (24.7% rostered; vs. Texans)
With Allen, we are chasing the volume, as his role increased in the Week 8 loss to the Patriots. After logging a total of just 10 carries over his last three games, Allen saw a season-high 12 carries versus New England. Allen rushed for only 32 yards, but he did add a touchdown on a carry from inside the 5-yard line. With his increased usage, Allen should be targeted as a deeper-league option for the Thursday night game versus Houston.
Ray Davis, Buffalo Bills (16.8% rostered; vs. Dolphins)
Davis is a potential deeper-league flier this week versus Miami. This past Sunday, Davis saw six carries for 29 yards in the win over Seattle, and he rushed for 41 yards, plus a touchdown, in the Week 7 game against Tennessee. James Cook is clearly the lead back for the Bills, but Davis can give you six-to-eight touches as a rotational player on an offense that will score points.
Tight end
Noah Fant, Seattle Seahawks (8.9% rostered; vs. Rams)
It’s tough to find a viable tight end as a streaming option, so let’s go with the matchups this week. Fant has caught all 13 targets over his last three games, with double-digit points in two, and he draws a Rams defense in Week 9 that ranks in the bottom 10 versus tight ends. Trust the matchup with Fant as an underneath outlet for Geno Smith on Sunday.
D/ST
Cincinnati Bengals (38.8% rostered; vs. Raiders)
Another matchup play here with the Bengals defense versus Gardner Minshew and the Raiders. Through eight games, the Raiders have surrendered 25 sacks (third most in the league), and Minshew has turned the ball over at least once in six of his seven games played. This is a spot where the Bengals can produce points for your lineup.