Waiver Favors™: 2019 Week 9 Fantasy Football Pickups

By Ha Kung Wong  Week 6 Fantasy Football Pickups

Twitter: @FBGarbageTime

As I do every year over the last 7 years, I’m back to help with some waiver wire adds via my weekly Waiver Favors article!  I’m assuming if you’re a returning reader, you won your fantasy football championship last year, so congratulations!

But it’s a new year, so I’ll make a couple suggestions after Week 9 of the 2019 fantasy football season.  You’re welcome.  Again.

As usual, all pickups are available in at least 50% of Yahoo standard fantasy football leagues (with some minor exceptions) as of Sunday evening.

Ryan Fitzpatrick

Brandon Allen

QB – Denver Broncos – 2% Owned

Poor Joe Flacco is on IR and Brandon Allen is essentially last man standing with Drew Lock still coming back from his thumb injury.  And Allen showed well completing 12 of 20 passes for 193 yards and 2 TDs.  He didn’t do anything crazy and essentially managed the game, but he clearly won’t have any issues sustaining Courtland Sutton and Noah Fant.  For now, he has a low floor and a low ceiling, but if you’re desperate in 16-team leagues or deep two QB leagues, you could do worse.

J.D. McKissic

RB – Detroit Lions – 12% Owned

The Lions backfield is a complete mess.  But for this week, J.D. McKissic was the most efficient with 4 carries for 32 yards and catching 3 of 4 targets for 40 yards and a TD.  Ty Johnson led the team with 9 carries and Paul Perkins got 3 carries, but McKissic seems like the guy with the highest potential.  There’s a real lack of clarity in the backfield, but if you feel like gambling, McKissic might be your best bet in 14-team PPR leagues or deeper.

Hunter Renfrow

WR – Oakland Raiders – 2% Owned

We all knew that Hunter Renfrow was a gamer from his time in Clemson, but going to the Raiders looked like a raw deal.  But then in Week 8 he caught all 4 targets for 88 and a TD and then in Week 9 he followed up by catching 6 of 7 targets for 54 yards and a TD, leading the team in targets, including standouts Darren Waller and Tyrell Williams.  He won’t be consistent, but if you need a bye week streamer in 14-team PPR leagues or deeper, give him a look.

N’Keal Harry

WR – New England Patriots – 18% Owned

The Patriots first round draft pick, N’Keal Harry, was finally activated from IR after recovering from his ankle injury, and has now been practicing for the last two weeks.  He didn’t play in Week 9, but he’ll be playing soon, and should end up pushing Dorsett for snaps in three-wide sets.  They didn’t draft in the first round for him to languish in the background.  It’s just a matter of when he’ll get a shot, so feel free to stash him in any league that you have bench space.

Allen Lazard

WR – Green Bay Packers – 10% Owned

I was wary of Allen Lazard even after he caught 12 of 14 total targets for 149 total yards and TD from Weeks 6 to 8 because Davante Adams was eventually coming back.  But with Adams playing in Week 9, Lazard still caught 3 of 4 targets for 44 yards.  It’s not a lot, but his one miss could have been a 45 yard TD, so he’s still getting plenty of opportunity.  If you’re looking for a WR5/Flex in 12-team leagues or deeper, he’s worth the speculation.

Jared Cook

TE – New Orleans Saints – 40% Owned

Jared Cook is on bye this week, but theoretically should be back from his ankle injury in Week 10.  With Drew Brees back behind center, there’s hope he regains form like from Weeks 4 to 6, where he caught at least 3 targets per week and had 2 total TDs.  At a weak TE position, he’s worth picking up now for TE-needy teams in 12-team leagues or deeper.

UPDATE for Sunday and Monday Night Football

Check back for updates!

And here’s who I’ve recommended in previous weeks that I still think deserve a look (I’ve identified in RED the ones I want to highlight again for Week 9):

10-Team Leagues

WRs – John Brown, Terry McClaurin

12-Team Leagues

QBs – Jimmy Garoppolo, Gardner Minshew

RBs – Carlos Hyde, Adrian Peterson, Jamaal Williams

WRs – Cole Beasley (PPR), Marquise Brown, DJ Chark Jr., Mecole Hardman, DK Metcalf, DeVante Parker, Mohamed Sanu, Kenny Stills, Golden Tate, Preston Williams

TE – Gerald Everett, Jonnu Smith (as long as Delanie Walker is out)

14-Team Leagues

QBs – Kyle Allen, Sam Darnold, Daniel Jones, Ryan Tannehill

RBs – Ty Johnson, Ronald Jones II, Jaylen Samuels, Ito Smith, Mark Walton

WRs – A.J. Brown, Jamison Crowder (PPR), Corey Davis, Alex Erickson, Diontae Johnson, Demarcus Robinson, Auden Tate, Demaryius Thomas

TE – Noah Fant, Darren Fells

16-Team Leagues

RB – Raheem Mostert, Darrel Williams

WR – Phillip Dorsett, Russell Gage, Zach Pascal, Josh Reynolds

TE – Dawson Knox, Ricky Seals-Jones

Check back every week for more Waiver Favors!