Week 8 of NFL and fantasy football action has concluded and Week 9 of NFL action will be commencing in just a few days. Even though some of the best offenses were on their bye week, we still saw some high-scoring NFL games, individual players in fantasy football, and fantasy football games. With six more teams scheduled to be on their bye week, fantasy football managers may need waiver wire pickups.
In this week’s edition of fantasy football waiver wire pickups on NFL Spin Zone, we cover player injuries, trade rumors, completed trades, and more fantasy football implications. As always, I advise adding running backs (one that will be on bye), wide receivers (one that is my namesake), quarterbacks (one that is a throwback, that throws forward), and tight ends (one with a name you can’t keep out of your mouth) who are highly available and ascending.
Fantasy Football waiver wire, Week 9: Running backs
Dontrell Hilliard, Titans
The Titans have established themselves as a run-first team, yet again. 314 of their 354 yards against the worst defense in the league, the Texans, were rushing yards. Granted, the Titans won’t have Malik Willis, who rushed for 12 yards on 5 attempts and handed the ball off 40 times, as their starting quarterback for the rest of the season (I think).
Still available in 97.4% of NFL.com fantasy leagues, Dontrell Hilliard is the clear #2 back behind King Derrick Henry. Gaining 95 scrimmage yards with limited touches, he’s shown he can be the Titans’ change-of-pace back and/or a premier handcuff in fantasy football. He is worth stashing in all formats in deeper leagues.
D’ernest Johnson, Browns
So far, I’m 1-1 predicting that players on the trading block will get traded before the trade deadline, and the next man up will become fantasy relevant. Browns’ change-of-pace back behind Nick Chubb, Kareem Hunt, has requested a trade. Apparently, the Browns have granted his request and have been answering phone calls.
Available in virtually 99% of NFL.com leagues, D’ernest Johnson would catapult from third to second on the depth chart if and when Kareem Hunt gets traded (maybe the Rams?). Johnson had over 150 yards in each of the 2 games he was the feature back in last year when Chubb and Hunt were injured and out. He could do damage as the Browns’ #2 back. He is worth rostering in all formats if a trade happens. Don’t forget, though, that he will be on a bye week in Week 9.
If he’s still available, Khalil Herbert