Skip to main content

Top 8 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Targets: Wide Receivers (Week 9)

Top 8 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Targets: Wide Receivers (Week 9)

We will have you covered throughout the 2023 fantasy football season with our bevy of tools, including our Waiver Wire Assistant. Find the top available players and get detailed analysis on how potential waiver wire adds will impact your team. Of course, our team of analysts will also have written advice each week. Check out some of our top waiver wire targets for the week below. And check out all of our fantasy football waiver wire advice for Week 9.

Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Targets

Rashid Shaheed (NO): 36% rostered

  • Next Opponents: CHI, @MIN, BYE
  • True value: $5
  • Desperate need: $8
  • Budget-minded: $3

Analysis: The Saints’ zone-beating big play threat did it again. Shaheed made all three of his receptions (11.1% target share) count, as he posted a season-high 153 receiving yards with one score. This is Shaheed’s third game of the season with at least 80 receiving yards and his fourth with more than 60 receiving yards. His next two matchups could allow him to keep up the hot streak, as the Bears and Vikings utilize zone coverage on more than 70% of their defensive snaps (per Fantasy Points Data). Entering Week 8, among 89 qualifying wide receivers against zone coverage, Shaheed ranks 35th in yards per route run, ninth in average depth of target and 37th in fantasy points per route run (per Fantasy Points Data). Those numbers will only improve after his massive performance against the Colts.

Jayden Reed (GB): 17% rostered

  • Next Opponents: LAR, @PIT, LAC
  • True value: $2
  • Desperate need: $4
  • Budget-minded: $1

Analysis: Reed is coming off arguably his best game of the season. He played a season-high 79.4% of snaps as the Packers utilized more 11 personnel. I’m not sure if that trend will stick, since Green Bay loves its multiple-TE sets, but we can hope. Reed had a 14.6% target share, as he led the team with 83 receiving yards. Reed has seen a healthy share of high-cholesterol targets, entering Week 8 ranked 19th in deep targets and fourth in red-zone targets among wide receivers. Entering Week 8, among 116 qualifying wide receivers, he ranked 28th in fantasy points per route run and 23rd in expected fantasy points per route run (per Fantasy Points Data). Reed has plus slot matchups in two of his next three games. The Rams and Chargers have allowed the second-most and fourth-most receiving yards to opposing slot receivers (per Fantasy Points Data).

Demario Douglas (NE): 3% rostered

  • Next Opponents: WAS, IND, BYE
  • True value: $2
  • Desperate need: $4
  • Budget-minded: $1

Analysis: Douglas was a full-time player in Week 8 with a 77% snap share and a team-leading 24.1% target share. Douglas could continue to lead this passing attack in the short and long term. Kendrick Bourne has been the team’s WR1, but he left the game with a knee injury that could sideline him for a few weeks. DeVante Parker also left the game with a concussion, but Douglas was already seeing more pass-game work than Parker. Douglas’s upcoming matchups aren’t easy. Danny Johnson has been stellar in slot coverage for Washington since taking over for Benjamin St. Juste, allowing only a 40% catch rate and 61.3 passer rating (per PFF). Indy has held slot receivers to the 10th-lowest PPR points per target (per Fantasy Points Data).

Michael Gallup (DAL): 17% rostered

  • Next Opponents: @PHI, NYG, @CAR
  • True value: $1
  • Desperate need: $2
  • Budget-minded: $0

Analysis: Gallup didn’t have a banner Week 8, with only three targets, two receptions and 20 receiving yards. He could have some usable weeks ahead, though, that are flex-worthy. His usage has increased against zone-heavy teams. Luckily for him, the Eagles and Panthers utilize zone coverage on 69% and 82.6% of their defensive snaps, respectively. Entering Week 8, against zone coverage, Gallup had an 18.1% target share, a 23% target per route run rate and a 22.2% first-read share. Each of those usage metrics against zone ranks second on the team. Philly and Carolina have allowed the most and the eighth-most PPR points per target to perimeter wide receivers. I would sit Gallup against the man-coverage-heavy Giants, but flex him against the Eagles and Panthers.

Khalil Shakir (BUF): 1% rostered

  • Next Opponents: @CIN, DEN, NYJ
  • True value: $1
  • Desperate need: $2
  • Budget-minded: $0

Analysis: Shakir saw a big bump in playing time in Week 8 with a 66% route run rate. He had a 15% target share, finishing with 92 receiving yards and a scorching 3.07 yards per route run (per Fantasy Points Data). I worry this could all be a flash in the pan. The snaps could remain, but I worry about Shakir’s ability to draw targets consistently, as he had only a 3.8% first-read share in Week 8. Shakir is a pickup this week, though. The idea is to stash him and consider flexing him against the Broncos, who have allowed the most PPR points per target this season (per Fantasy Points Data).

Josh Reynolds (DET): 40% rostered

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

Analysis: Entering Week 8, Reynolds has had a 66% route run rate with an 11.3% target share and a 21.3% air-yard share (per Fantasy Points Data). Reynolds has put together a strong 2.11 yards per route run with three top-36 fantasy wide receiver weeks this season. Reynolds is a player to consider rostering now, because once he returns from his bye, he gets the turnstile Chargers’ secondary that has allowed the most fantasy points per game to wide receivers.

Jameson Williams (DET): 41% rostered

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

Analysis: In Week 7, Williams had a 43% route run rate and an 11.3% target share. He has been the team’s downfield threat since his return (22.0 aDOT in Week 7). Williams could see his snaps continue to trend up, especially exiting their bye. His upcoming date against the Chargers is enticing. They have allowed the sixth-most deep passing yards and the fifth-highest deep-adjusted completion rate (per Fantasy Points Data). Williams could explode in that matchup, even on limited snaps.

Stash Candidates:

Consider stashing Wilson now. With Kyler Murray‘s return on the horizon, Wilson’s best days of the 2023 season could be ahead of him. The remainder of the Cardinals’ schedule is littered with zone-coverage-heavy teams, which should help Wilson. He has been an afterthought in this passing offense against man coverage, but against zone, he entered Week 8 with a 14.4% target share and 2.28 yards per route run. Those are solid if not flex-worthy, numbers. If Murray can breathe life into this aerial attack, Wilson could be a solid stretch-run addition to your roster.

More Articles

5 NFL Players Trending Up & Down: Week 5 (2024 Fantasy Football)

5 NFL Players Trending Up & Down: Week 5 (2024 Fantasy Football)

fp-headshot by Nino Lombardi | 4 min read
Fantasy Football Quarterback Streamers & Waiver Wire Pickups (Week 5)

Fantasy Football Quarterback Streamers & Waiver Wire Pickups (Week 5)

fp-headshot by Mike Fanelli | 3 min read
Fantasy Football Rankings: Dynasty Trade Value Chart (October 2024 Update)

Fantasy Football Rankings: Dynasty Trade Value Chart (October 2024 Update)

fp-headshot by FantasyPros Staff | 1 min read
Fantasy Football Storylines: Justin Fields, Anthony Richardson, Josh Downs (Week 5)

Fantasy Football Storylines: Justin Fields, Anthony Richardson, Josh Downs (Week 5)

fp-headshot by Josh Shepardson | 3 min read

About Author

Hide

Current Article

3 min read

5 NFL Players Trending Up & Down: Week 5 (2024 Fantasy Football)

Next Up - 5 NFL Players Trending Up & Down: Week 5 (2024 Fantasy Football)

Next Article