Week 9 Waiver Wire: Breakout Pickups, Targets and Tips for Fantasy Football
With the 2016 NFL season reaching the halfway point, fantasy football owners are running out of ways to upgrade their roster.
The waiver wire is the easiest way to find reinforcements, but most of this year's breakout stars have already been snapped up, leaving owners scrambling to unearth the next hidden gem.
The eight players below are owned in fewer than 50 percent of fantasy leagues on ESPN.com. Each of the octet had encouraging Week 8 performances, making them attractive fantasy targets in the days and weeks ahead.
Week 9 Fantasy Targets
| QB | Josh McCown | Cleveland Browns | Dallas Cowboys | 2.3% |
| QB | Ryan Tannehill | Miami Dolphins | New York Jets | 15.7% |
| RB | Robert Kelley | Washington Redskins | Bye | 22.9% |
| RB | C.J. Prosise | Seattle Seahawks | Buffalo Bills | 8.0% |
| WR | Jamison Crowder | Washington Redskins | Bye | 44.5% |
| WR | Russell Shepard | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Atlanta Falcons | 3.1% |
| TE | C.J. Fiedorowicz | Houston Texans | Bye | 13.0% |
| TE | Eric Ebron | Detroit Lions | Minnesota Vikings | 28.1% |
Players to Watch
Josh McCown, QB, Cleveland Browns
How did Robert Griffin III beat out Josh McCown for the Cleveland Browns' starting quarterback job at the start of the season?
McCown threw for 2,109 yards and 12 touchdowns in eight games last year, and he went for 260 yards and two touchdowns when he replaced Griffin in Week 2 this year.
In his first game back from a broken collarbone, the 37-year-old looked strong once again, going 25-of-49 for 341 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions in a 31-28 loss to the New York Jets. McCown's final numbers are somewhat underwhelming after he went for 228 passing yards in the first half.
Cleveland's next few games match up favorably for McCown and the passing game. Before their Week 13 bye, the Browns play the Dallas Cowboys, Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Giants. Those teams ranked 22nd, 15th, 23rd and 11th in Football Outsiders' pass defense DVOA (defense-adjusted value over average) entering this week.
In addition, the fact Corey Coleman returned to practice earlier this week should mean he'll soon be on the field once again.
For owners hoping to address their quarterback situation, McCown could be a low-end QB1 over the next couple of weeks.
Robert Kelley, RB, Washington Redskins
Matt Jones' injury opened the door for the Robert Kelley to be the Washington Redskins' primary ball-carrier, and he took full advantage, rushing for 87 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries.
It's doubtful Jones will lose his starting job when he's healthy enough to play again, but Kelley is making a strong case to at least be a secondary option on the ground. He's averaging five yards a carry after Week 8.
SB Nation's Dan Ciarrocchi also liked how the rookie ran with a purpose Sunday:
"Robert Kelley runs with the ferocity that Matt Jones doesn't run with.
— Dan Ciarrocchi (@TheSackSBN) October 30, 2016"
NFL Network offered a second look at Kelley's touchdown run in the first quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals:
Valuable running backs are almost nonexistent on the waiver wire at this time of the year. Although Kelley's production will likely fluctuate from week to week, he's a solid addition for owners willing to take the risk.
Russell Shepard, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Like Kelley, Russell Shepard is capitalizing on the absence of a player further up in the depth chart. Vincent Jackson hasn't played in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' last two games, and during that time, Shepard has nine receptions, 101 yards and two touchdowns.
Scott Smith of the Buccaneers' official website thought Shepard's showing in Week 8—two catches for 24 yards and a touchdown—proved the 26-year-old may be for real:
Between Jackson, Mike Evans and Adam Humphries, Shepard has plenty of competition at wideout in Tampa Bay, which undoubtedly makes his value pretty volatile.
The Bucs have the Atlanta Falcons and Chicago Bears in their next two games, so Jameis Winston should be able to spread the wealth, ensuring multiple wide receivers post healthy fantasy numbers.
Since he's owned in so few leagues, Shepard will still likely be available this time next Sunday, giving owners more evidence with which they can make a decision about possibly adding him. He should be on most owners' radar heading into Week 9.
Eric Ebron, TE, Detroit Lions
Eric Ebron had a nice return to the field in Week 8, catching seven passes for 79 yards in a 20-13 defeat to the Houston Texans.
The 23-year-old will unlikely ever be the tight end the Detroit Lions envisioned when they selected him with the 10th overall pick in the 2014 draft. Still, Ebron can be a productive pass-catcher.
He had 537 receiving yards and five touchdowns a year ago, and his yards per reception have climbed from 11.4 to 11.7 this season. His yards per game are up as well, from 38.4 to 57.8.
Health will be the only hang-up for fantasy owners. Ebron missed five games through his first two years and another three in 2016.
Beyond Rob Gronkowski and Greg Olsen, the difference between most tight ends is negligible, and week-to-week consistency can be hard to find. While Ebron will likely frustrate owners in some games, he is a relatively strong fantasy option now that he's healthy again.
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