With the injury to Darren Waller, fantasy football managers are left with a potential void on their roster. Let’s check out the extent of the injury and players you can target on your waiver wire this week. And check out all of our fantasy football waiver wire advice for Week 9.

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Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Injury Replacement Pickups

Injury Outlook

Darren Waller (hamstring) ruled out Sunday
Giants TE Darren Waller has been ruled out for the remainder of the game Sunday with a hamstring injury.

Fantasy Impact

Waller came into the game listed as questionable due to a hamstring injury and apparently has re-aggravated the injury in the game against the Jets. Fantasy managers should expect the team to release more information after the game.

Jesse Garcia

Waiver Wire Replacements to Target

Trey McBride (ARI): 20% rostered

• Next Opponents: @CLE, ATL, @HOU
• True value: $10
• Desperate need: $16
• Budget-minded: $6

Analysis: You might be asking yourself why a player with McBride’s talent was buried at the beginning of the season, splitting time with Zach Ertz. I have no clue, but he has been unleashed now. Even before his Week 8 monster performance, McBride has popped in efficiency metrics as a player who has been screaming for more work. He entered Week 8 ranking ninth in receiving grade, fifth in yards after the catch per reception and third in yards per route run (per PFF). In Week 8, McBride put an exclamation point on these metrics with a stellar 10 receptions and 95 receiving yards on 14 targets. He drew a ridiculous 37.8% target share against a horrendous matchup for tight ends. McBride could flirt with top 10-12 fantasy TE status for the rest of the season. Pick him up now and plug him in as a starter.

Michael Mayer (LV): 19% rostered

• Next Opponents: NYG, NYJ, @MIA
• True value: $6
• Desperate need: $10
• Budget-minded: $3

Analysis: Over the last two weeks, Mayer has been a full-time player. A Week 7 blowout loss to the Bears made his route-run rate noisy, but he played 92% of the snaps before the Raiders put in backups. Since Week 6, he has had a 13.0% target share, a 13.4% air-yard share, 2.00 yards per route run and a 10.3% first-read share (per Fantasy Points Data). Mayer is in the same tier as McBride. His usage could put him in the TE1 conversation for the rest of the season.

Taysom Hill (NO): 35% rostered

• Next Opponents: CHI, @MIN, BYE
• True value: $2
• Desperate need: $4
• Budget-minded: $1

Analysis: Hill is the Saints’ Swiss army knife. When the knife is sharp, use it to cut through the opposition’s defense. Hill had nine carries for 63 rushing yards and a pair of scores vs. the Colts on Sunday. He now has four games with at least eight fantasy points (0.5 PPR) and two outings with at least 14.8 fantasy points. New Orleans has struggled in the red zone all season. If Hill continues to operate well as a red-zone hammer, he’ll carry heavy touchdown equity with the chance to score in any game.

Logan Thomas (WAS): 45% rostered

• Next Opponents: @NE, @SEA, NYG
• True value: $2
• Desperate need: $4
• Budget-minded: $1

Analysis: Thomas had another productive week against a zone-heavy team. Thomas has had four games with at least six targets and five outings with at least 40 receiving yards. Anytime you can tack on a touchdown to receiving stats like that, you’ll likely see a player finish as a top-12 fantasy tight end for the week. With Washington continuing to chuck it religiously, Thomas is a TE2 who can pop off with a TE1-worthy fantasy outing in any week.

Luke Musgrave (GB): 22% rostered

• Next Opponents: LAR, @PIT, LAC
• True value: $1
• Desperate need: $2
• Budget-minded: $0

Analysis: I’ve waxed poetic about Musgrave’s route run rate in and snap shares in this article for plenty of weeks, so I don’t need to bore you with that. The reality of Musgrave’s situation is that he has been banged up and is dealing with a struggling first-year starting quarterback who is trying to find himself. That factor will continue to limit Musgrave moving forward, as he is a TE2 who can offer TE1 upside in any week if the matchup is right and Jordan Love can muster a decent passing outing. The Rams and Chargers have given up the highest and the fifth-highest yards per reception to tight ends.

Cade Otton (TB): 2% rostered

• Next Opponents: @HOU, TEN, @SF
• True value: $0
• Desperate need: $1
• Budget-minded: $0

Analysis: Otton’s usage metrics are nothing to speak highly about, so as my dad has always said, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, then don’t say anything at all.” Otton makes this week’s TE list because of the matchup. Houston has allowed the fifth-most receiving yards and the eighth-most fantasy points to tight ends. If Otton sneaks into the end zone or gets a bump in usage because of the matchup, he can sneak in as a TE1 in Week 9.