Biggest Sleepers at Every Position for Week 9 Fantasy Football 2026

With the Pittsburgh Steelers and Tennessee Titans on their byes, fantasy football managers may have relatively few lineup holes to fill. Still, some need a replacement for Lamar Jackson or insurance in case banged-up stars like Christian McCaffrey, Mike Evans and A.J. Brown are limited or sit out this week.

According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Jackson will likely miss the rest of the season after undergoing thumb surgery. So, if you don't have a viable backup quarterback on your bench, choose wisely from the free-agent pool. Two young signal-callers are worth considering for the long term.

Two rookie running backs are working their way into consistent roles with solid production in recent weeks; one could see an uptick in touches because of a star ball-carrier's "mild" injury.

An undersized slot receiver could be a safe WR2 with upside as a lead pass-catcher in a favorable matchup.

Lastly, two underrated tight ends are on the cusp of becoming must-roster players, and they're both widely available.

Here are eight sleepers for Week 9—all available in at least 50 percent of leagues, according to FantasyPros' roster consensus percentages.

QB Malik Willis vs. Detroit Lions (23 Percent Rostered)

AP Photo/Peter Joneleit

Miami Dolphins quarterback Malik Willis

Malik Willis has thrown for two touchdowns twice this season, both instances following the Miami Dolphins' Week 6 bye. Over the last two weeks, he's finished as QB4 and QB15 in matchups against the New York Jets and the New England Patriots.

Willis could post a solid stat line for the third straight week against the Detroit Lions, who allow the most fantasy points to quarterbacks. The Lions defense has been stingier lately, but it's allowed at least two passing touchdowns in every game this season.

Furthermore, the Lions will be without the quarterback of their defense, 2025 first-team All-Pro linebacker Jack Campbell, who suffered a scary neck injury last week. Willis could see some opportunities to attack the middle of the field in the passing game and run when his receivers aren't open.

Even if the Lions blow out the Dolphins, Willis can rack up fantasy points in garbage time, giving him a high production floor this week.

QB Michael Penix Jr. vs. Cincinnati Bengals (21 Percent Rostered)

AP Photo/Mike Stewart

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr.

After throwing for three touchdowns in three straight outings, Michael Penix Jr. had a dud in a rainy game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last week. He'll face the Cincinnati Bengals' 26th-ranked pass defense in Madrid at Estadio Santiago Bernabéu, a venue with a retractable roof.

Although the Bengals have allowed only eight passing touchdowns in seven games, they've given up 304 passing yards to Cam Ward and 298 to Tyler Huntley in their previous two outings. 

Penix poses a bigger passing threat than the aforementioned quarterbacks and should bounce back after throwing four interceptions last week.

FanDuel has an over/under total of 52.5 points for this game, so it could be an entertaining high-scoring battle. If so, Penix could be primed for another multi-touchdown passing performance.

RB Kaelon Black vs. Las Vegas Raiders (25 Percent Rostered)

AP Photo/Brynn Anderson

San Francisco 49ers running back Kaelon Black

According to San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan, running back Christian McCaffrey suffered a "mild" hamstring strain in Week 7.

If Kaelon Black is available in your league, it's a good time to pick him up. He played 47 percent of the 49ers' offensive snaps in his previous outing, the most of any game this season.

Though McCaffrey has a good chance to suit up this week, the 49ers could limit his snaps to preserve him for the season. He may split carries almost evenly with Black, as we've seen a few times this year.

In Week 7, Black logged 12 rush attempts for 63 yards and a touchdown. If the rookie tailback gets double-digit carries, he has high-end flex appeal and RB2 upside in a matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders' 31st-ranked run defense.

The Raiders just gave up 147 yards and a touchdown to the New York Jets' second-string running back Braelon Allen, and they have allowed at least 103 rushing yards in all but one game this season.

Black could have a career day if the 49ers ease up significantly on McCaffrey's workload. 

RB Emmett Johnson vs. New York Jets (21 Percent Rostered)

AP Photo/David Zalubowski

Kansas City Chiefs running back Emmett Johnson

The Kansas City Chiefs need explosive plays, and Emmett Johnson delivered as a receiver last week, catching five passes for 128 yards and a touchdown against the Denver Broncos.

In Week 8, Johnson's 73-yard touchdown catch inflated his receiving totals, but his five targets represented a healthy workload for an RB2. The rookie fifth-rounder's pass-catching isn't just a one-off flash; he's caught 14 passes for 237 yards, along with last week's touchdown.

The New York Jets field the 21st-ranked run defense and have allowed 131 or more rushing yards in four of their last six games. If Kenneth Walker III gets most of the touches on the ground, Johnson can still catch a few passes to put up a solid stat line. 

Last week, the Las Vegas Raiders relegated running back Ashton Jeanty to a receiving role, and he caught three passes for 64 yards against the Jets. Johnson is in a good spot to be productive while spelling Walker on the ground and coming in on obvious passing downs.

WR DeMario Douglas vs. Green Bay Packers (31 Percent Rostered)

AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell

New England Patriots wide receiver DeMario Douglas

Last week, New England Patriots wideout A.J. Brown logged a limited practice session on Wednesday and sat out Thursday and Friday with ankle and knee injuries. The team ruled him out for Week 8. Brown hasn't returned to practice. 

Given Brown's recent absences, fantasy managers should roster wide receivers DeMario Douglas and Efton Chism III. Also, keep an eye on Mack Hollins, who logged a full practice Wednesday after missing a month with a calf injury. That said, Douglas is the preferred sleeper option because of his steady role in the Patriots offense over the last few weeks.

Douglas has racked up at least 65 receiving yards in three of the previous four games and scored four touchdowns in that stretch. In last week's win over the Miami Dolphins, he led the Patriots with 76 receiving yards.

The Green Bay Packers are tied for 11th in fantasy points allowed to wide receivers, so Douglas is a solid flex play regardless of Brown's status, though he would be a decent WR2 if the star receiver is out for consecutive weeks.

WR Malachi Fields at Philadelphia Eagles (9 Percent Rostered)

AP Photo/Maria Lysaker

New York Giants wide receiver Malachi Fields

Dig deep into your league's free-agent pool and add Malachi Fields. He's shown signs of development in the New York Giants' passing attack, with third-string quarterback J.J. McCarthy under center.

In Week 6, Fields played a season-high 93.5 percent of offensive snaps, but he caught only two of his eight targets for 19 yards. In the following week, the rookie third-rounder had a more efficient outing, catching four of his five targets for 83 yards.

McCarthy's rapport with Fields is still a work in progress, but their connection showed clear signs of growth before the New York Giants' Week 8 bye.

Now, the Giants face the Philadelphia Eagles, who allow the most fantasy points to wide receivers. That bodes well for Malik Nabers, but if Fields sees a handful of targets, he could feast too. Also, at 6'4", 222 pounds, the big-bodied receiver is a viable red-zone threat.

TE Mike Gesicki vs. Atlanta Falcons, in Madrid (21 Percent Rostered)

AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel

Cincinnati Bengals tight end Mike Gesicki

Mike Gesicki has scored a touchdown in six of seven games this season and takes a five-game scoring streak to Madrid in a decent matchup against the Atlanta Falcons.

Even if Gesicki doesn't reach paydirt, he could rack up strong receiving numbers as a complement to wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.

The Falcons allowed at least 59 receiving yards to a tight end in three of their last five games. In Week 5, they gave up 54 receiving yards to Baltimore Ravens tight ends Mark Andrews and Josh Cuevas combined.

As the Bengals' primary pass-catching tight end, Gesicki has a good chance to top 50 receiving yards and extend his touchdown streak.

TE Greg Dulcich vs. Detroit Lions (7 Percent Rostered)

AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn

Miami Dolphins tight end Greg Dulcich

This past offseason, Greg Dulcich generated buzz as one of Malik Willis' primary targets. After a slow start, he's picked up momentum, with his production rising over the last few weeks.

Dulcich has at least four receptions in three straight games, logging 13 catches for 166 yards in that stretch. He's second on the team in receptions (22) and receiving yards (256).

This week, Dulcich will face the Detroit Lions, who have allowed the most fantasy points to tight ends and are without starting three-down linebacker Jack Campbell.

FanDuel has set the over/under at 50.5 points for this game. If the Miami Dolphins keep pace with the Lions, Willis will have to accumulate yards through the air, and Dulcich could be his primary or secondary target.

Fantasy points scored against statistics are provided by FantasyPros. 

Maurice Moton covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @MoeMoton.