NFL Waiver Wire: Week 9 Early Watch

This article will come out every Sunday night. It's not expected to be a deep dive. Instead, we'll explore players who had atypical workload and/or opportunity during the Sunday games. We won't be paying attention to whether these players will be available in most leagues. The hope is that you become aware of the short-term usage change. If you're looking for detailed waiver wire coverage, we'll have two weekly articles to set you up. On Tuesday, Kevin Payne will publish the weekly pickups. Then on Wednesday, Dan Marcus will provide you with deep dives.

Quarterback

• As of this writing, it's unclear whether Desmond Ridder was injured or benched against the Titans — he was cleared to return from a possible concussion but was held out anyway. If Taylor Heinicke sees time at QB, he has solid weapons to target. He threw for 171 yards in one half against Tennessee.
• Jaren Hall would step into a starting role with Kirk Cousins injuring his Achilles. He would inherit an excellent offensive line. He also could get Justin Jefferson back soon, which would give him a great set of weapons.
• Brett Rypien finished a game in which Matthew Stafford (thumb) was injured. If he ends up seeing action, he'll have a great duo of receivers to throw to in Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua.
• Unsurprisingly, Mitch Trubisky threw a pair of interceptions after taking over for Kenny Pickett (ribs) against the Jaguars. Although Trubisky would likely struggle, he would have immediate value in superflex leagues if pressed into a starting role.

Running Back

• For the second game in a row, Devin Singletary split touches with Dameon Pierce equally. It's possible he continues to see double-digit touches each week.
• Cam Akers has at least 10 touches in each of his last two games, and he has more PPR points than Alexander Mattison in each of those games.

Wide Receivers

• Demario Douglas has six and seven targets in consecutive games. He could become a prominent part of the Patriots' passing attack.
• Coming out of the Carolina bye, Jonathan Mingo was second on the team in receptions (four) and yards (62). He could see an expanded role.
• Jamison Crowder posted more than 100 yards and a TD after Curtis Samuel (toe) was injured. Although Crowder has rarely been durable, if Samuel misses time, he could see 4-6 targets a game.
• With Robert Woods (foot) out for the Texans (and expected to miss another week or two), Noah Brown was targeted five times. He gained 57 yards on three catches. He could see work the next couple weeks.
• Jake Bobo has at least two targets in three straight games and Sunday a TD run. In deep leagues, he could provide depth.

Tight End

• With Zach Ertz on IR, Trey McBride was targeted 14 times, and he caught 10 passes for 95 yards and a TD. He should remain heavily involved while Ertz is sidelined (and maybe longer).
• After a couple of down games, Jake Ferguson was targeted four times, leading to 47 yards and a TD. He has at least four targets in the majority of games. 
• Connor Heyward has seen nine targets in the two games that Pat Freiermuth has been on IR. Heyward should continue to see targets while Freiermuth is out.