Week 9 Waiver Wire: Examining Top Fantasy Football Targets

We're already through eight weeks of the 2014 NFL season, and by now fantasy owners know if they're in contention for a shot at the playoffs. If you happen to fall into that category, hitting the waiver wire to pick up roster-bolstering options is one very good way to ensure your ongoing success.

After some major breakout performances from players who weren't previously garnering a bevy of interest from fantasy owners, there are plenty of great options available to owners who are looking to replace injured players or simply attempting to upgrade their benches.

Before your league's waiver period begins prior to Week 9, here's a look at one player you should strongly consider adding from each of the major fantasy positions.

Quarterback

Carson Palmer, Arizona Cardinals (13.4 percent owned)

Rick Scuteri/Associated Press

Palmer is in his second year with the Cardinals, and he's already proved he's a perfect fit under center in head coach Bruce Arians' vertical passing game.

A nerve issue in Palmer's throwing shoulder forced him to miss three games this season, but he's played out of his mind in the other four. Great rapport with his wide receivers, a good offensive line, veteran poise in the pocket and a huge arm helped Palmer generate these numbers:

Week	C/Att	Yds	TD	INT
1	24/37	304	2	0
6	28/44	250	2	0
7	22/31	253	2	1
8	20/42	329	2	0

Palmer's health was wildly apparent in Week 8 against the Philadelphia Eagles, hitting Larry Fitzgerald and John Brown for 80- and 75-yard touchdowns, respectively. This has been an ongoing trend since the quarterback arrived in Arizona.

Bleacher Report's Eric Ball summed it up perfectly:

Palmer's ongoing consistency makes him a solid QB2 in any fantasy format. He belongs on a roster in every league—even as a backup. Pick him up before it's too late.

Running Back

Denard Robinson, Jacksonville Jaguars (16.4 percent owned)

Stephen B. Morton/Associated Press

Don't look now, but Robinson is easily running away with the Jaguars running pack job. He's recorded two 100-yard performances over the last two games and has quickly dispersed any and all hype surrounding Storm Johnson.

While his 127-yard performance against the Cleveland Browns was impressive, it was against one of the league's worst run defenses. However, Robinson proved that wasn't a fluke, going for 108 yards just one week later against the Miami Dolphins.

Around the NFL tweeted a feat Robinson recently accomplished that hasn't been done by any Jaguars ball-carrier in quite some time:

A now-healthy Toby Gerhart returned to the lineup in Week 8, but he carried just four times for 10 yards. It certainly appears his days as the team's starter were short-lived. With Jordan Todman only receiving two carries of his own, the backfield sure looks like it belongs to Robinson.

The Jaguars don't have much of a dynamic offense, but Robinson is more than capable of breaking a long run on any given carry. He certainly warrants a spot on any fantasy roster with the upside to play in the flex position in a pinch.

Wide Receiver

Brandon LaFell, New England Patriots (8.8 percent owned)

Elise Amendola/Associated Press

Let's go ahead an call this for what it is: LaFell has found a role as Tom Brady's No. 1 wide receiver. While he still may be behind the likes of Rob Gronkowski in the pecking order, he's garnered more attention from the future Hall of Famer than Julian Edelman and Danny Amendola over the last several weeks.

In Week 8 against the Chicago Bears, LaFell was targeted a team-high 11 times, coming down with all 11 of those receptions for 124 yards and one touchdown. Those stats are impressive, but they didn't come out of the blue whatsoever.

LaFell has been gaining Brady's trust throughout the course of the season. He's been targeted less than six times just once over the team's  last six games, recording two 100-yard performances and accumulating four touchdowns in that span.

Bleacher Report's Eric Frenz tweeted about the wide receiver's pace in 2014:

Without a strong running game in New England, we should expect Brady to keep throwing early and often for the remainder of the season, giving LaFell plenty more chances to produce big fantasy numbers this season. Consider him a strong flex play with WR2 upside going forward.

Tight End

Dwayne Allen, Indianapolis Colts (41.7 percent owned)

Don Wright/Associated Press

It's befuddling to think that Allen is owned in so few fantasy leagues. He's an absolute touchdown-scoring machine, which is exactly what every fantasy owner should want out of a tight end. While Allen may not be a burner, he's earned quarterback Andrew Luck's trust in the red zone.

On Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Allen scored his sixth touchdown in eight games this season on a 21-yard strike down the seam. NFL on ESPN tweeted a common moniker for the tight end:

Allen's ability to gain quick points on scoring plays makes him a great option as a TE2. He's not going to light it up like a Jimmy Graham, but fantasy owners can expect some very consistent production from this tight end each week.

All player ownership percentages courtesy of ESPN.com and current as of October 27.