Week 9 Waiver Wire: Projecting Best Adds, Drops and Future Handcuffs

The past week of football was devastating due to injuries, but it is always about the next man up in the NFL. One player going down creates an opportunity for another to shine.

Le'Veon Bell is out for the season with a torn MCL, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter, as well as Steve Smith Sr., who suffered a torn Achilles. Matt Forte is also a question mark along with a number of other high-profile players.

While you shouldn't complain about how injuries to real players affect your fantasy team, the fact is there are always ways to work your way around any situation. If you pick up some key players on the waiver wire, you could remain in good shape in Week 9 and beyond.

Even with six teams on bye, these players will be good pickups while being available in over 50 percent of ESPN leagues.

Pos.	Player	Team	Percent Owned*
QB	Derek Carr	Oakland Raiders	35.3
QB	Jameis Winston	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	17.4
RB	DeAngelo Williams	Pittsburgh Steelers	27.2
RB	Jeremy Langford	Chicago Bears	2.8
RB	Theo Riddick	Detroit Lions	28.3
WR	Tavon Austin	St. Louis Rams	45.0
WR	Malcom Floyd	San Diego Chargers	27.6
WR	Kamar Aiken	Baltimore Ravens	20.6
TE	Heath Miller	Pittsburgh Steelers	35.8

DeAngelo Williams, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers

Ed Zurga/Associated Press

It's disappointing to see Bell go down with a knee injury, but this automatically means DeAngelo Williams is once again the top option on the waiver wire.

Those without locking rosters certainly didn't waste any time making this move, as Yahoo Fantasy Sports pointed out:

Not only is the veteran running back the primary backup for the Pittsburgh Steelers, but he already proved he can handle the full-time workload this season. With Bell suspended for the first two games, Williams came through with 204 rushing yards on 41 carries with three touchdowns.

After Bell went down Sunday, Williams once again showed his ability with 71 rushing yards on nine carries, including a 55-yard run. He also had four catches for 39 yards in the loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.

No one is capable of replacing Bell, but Williams will get a lot of touches in a high-powered offense. Although ESPN's Adam Schefter reported the Steelers added Isaiah Pead, Williams is a safe bet for a big second half of the season.

Jameis Winston, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

John Bazemore/Associated Press

Although his rookie year hasn't been completely smooth sailing, Jameis Winston continues to show glimpses of why he was the No. 1 pick in the draft. The former Heisman Trophy winner posted a 93.0 QBR in an upset win over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, which included both a passing and rushing touchdown.

Over the past few weeks, things have started to click for Winston, as Bleacher Report's Luke Easterling detailed:

"He was confident and calm," Buccaneers head coach Lovie Smith said after the latest win, per ESPN.com's Matt Winkeljohn. "Each week, he has shown more leadership."

Even with his lowest passing total of the year (177), Winston has been productive both on the field and in fantasy football. With an upcoming matchup against the New York Giants—a defense that just allowed seven passing touchdowns in Week 8—the rookie quarterback has a chance for some more big numbers.

Derek Carr is likely still the best option thanks to the talent around him and its ability to pick up yards after the catch, but Winston can still be productive going forward.

Tavon Austin, WR, St. Louis Rams

Malcom Floyd is tough to trust after two touchdowns, but he will have a bigger role in the San Diego Chargers offense with Keenan Allen now out for the season with a lacerated kidney, per Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune. The big day might not be as much of a fluke as it seems at first glance.

The same could be said about Tavon Austin, who didn't see any injuries in front of him but is finally being used to his full potential with the St. Louis Rams. The receiver had two touchdowns Sunday, one on a jet sweep near the goal line and the other on a screen pass that he took 66 yards to the house.

In both of those he showed off his incredible speed (4.34-second 40-yard dash), the second also showing off his shiftiness, as described by Doug Farrar of Sports Illustrated:

He is still a "gadget" player, but the Rams are finally finding ways to get Austin the ball in ways he can succeed. He had four catches on seven targets in Week 8 to go with three rushing attempts. He has been targeted at least five times in five consecutive games.

As long as he keeps getting touches, Austin can remain a high-upside fantasy receiver.

Pos.	Player	Team	Percent Owned*
QB	Brian Hoyer	Houston Texans	17.4
QB	Teddy Bridgewater	Minnesota Vikings	27.7
RB	David Cobb	Tennessee Titans	14.9
RB	Kendall Gaskins	San Francisco 49ers	0.1
RB	Tre Mason	St. Louis Rams	16.6
RB	Chris Polk	Houston Texans	14.6
RB	Christine Michael	Dallas Cowboys	31.4
WR	Brian Hartline	Cleveland Browns	0.5
WR	Marques Colston	New Orleans Saints	29.3
WR	Dwayne Harris	New York Giants	3.1
WR	Jerome Simpson	San Francisco 49ers	0.0
TE	Jacob Tamme	Atlanta Falcons	5.7
TE	Vernon Davis	Denver Broncos	15.2

There are some intriguing running backs worth considering if you have room on your roster.

The San Francisco 49ers might make some transactions during the week, but for now Kendall Gaskins is the only healthy player on the roster, as ESPN's John Clayton noted:

While he didn't do much against the Rams, there could be better days ahead if he does end up being the go-to option in the depleted backfield.

David Cobb is set to return in Week 9 and should have a role in the Tennessee Titans backfield, although it is not yet clear what kind of role he will have right out of the gate. You can't start him, but he is worth adding and figuring it out later.

Tre Mason and Christine Michael are clear backups at this time, although both are getting touches and have clear talent. If you are desperate and are looking for upside, these could be some valuable additions.

Pos.	Player	Team
QB	Colin Kaepernick	San Francisco 49ers
QB	Marcus Mariota	Tennessee Titans
RB	Alfred Morris	Washington Redskins
RB	Bishop Sankey	Tennessee Titans
RB	Knile Davis	Kansas City Chiefs
WR	Percy Harvin	Buffalo Bills
WR	Roddy White	Atlanta Falcons
WR	Doug Baldwin	Seattle Seahawks
TE	Kyle Rudolph	Minnesota Vikings

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