Some big time RBs have hit waivers in Week 9

Mitchell bounced back in Week 8 with 9 targets (29% target share), 7 receptions, 142 yards, and a touchdown after a finger injury limited him in Week 7; his route rate jumped from 51.5% in Week 7 to 71.4% in Week 8, indicating a clear ramp-up period post-injury and return to near full-time role status. Tyler Algier expresses skepticism about Mitchell's consistency, noting he has shown explosive play in spurts throughout his NFL career but has never sustained it week-to-week, with Garrett Wilson and Omar Cooper Jr. raising questions about whether he can be a reliable weekly fantasy asset or merely a boom-bust option. Despite consistency concerns, Algier recommends rostering Mitchell given his Week 8 ceiling and performance; he advises against burning a high waiver claim or significant FAB, but Mitchell deserves a roster spot to monitor whether he can emerge as a consistent weekly option.

Tyler Algier names Antonio Williams the number-one wide receiver pickup of the week. Despite only 37% roster ownership and 10.4 PPR points in Week 8 vs. Philadelphia, Algier sees encouraging signs: 28 routes run (team-high), 7 targets (team-high), 5 receptions, 5 first-read targets, sub-40% slot rate with diverse formation usage, and consistent route separation. Algier projects Williams as a potential number-one target in the Commanders passing attack, currently a low-end flex play with upside as a rookie ramping into a featured role; favorable upcoming matchups against Giants, Bengals, Cardinals, and Titans support the stash. Williams benefits from Terry McLaren's injury and shows everything needed to remain optimistic about his role moving forward.

Knight suffered a concussion in Week 8 against the Cowboys and is officially in concussion protocol; he is a toss-up to play in Week 9, with historical precedent suggesting he is more likely unable to go than to return.

Caleb Douglas is healthy and ramping up in his second game back from injury, taking on a more prominent role with 80%+ route rate and 86% snap rate, drawing six targets on the day. Tyler Algier notes Douglas has functioned as a dynamic playmaker with exciting ball-in-hand ability in previous outings before his ankle injury. While not yet trustworthy in lineups, the combination of expanding role and demonstrated talent is exactly what you want to see from a rookie wide receiver. If he solidifies himself as the go-to target in the Miami Dolphins offense, he will generate flex consideration moving forward. Algier recommends stashing him in 12-team leagues and some deeper 10-team leagues with six to eight bench slots.

Cyrus Allen is a rookie wide receiver who generated significant offseason hype and was drafted in many leagues, but has been a stone-cold zero to this point. However, his role is scaling as the Chiefs wide receivers have been incredibly underwhelming this season. Allen posted a season-high snap rate by a wide margin at 45% and made a nice play in the game. Tyler Algier notes he's quite far from being startable at this point but should be looked at in really deep leagues as an end-of-bench stash to monitor if he can continue scaling his role in the Patrick Mahomes-led offense.

Tyler Algier says Demario Douglas can be played as a flex option in the next couple of weeks as the primary slot guy in the Patriots offense. He's stepped up in the wake of injuries to AJ Brown (knee), Mike Collins (IR), Romeo Doubs (IR), and Hunter Henry (foot). His route rate sits at 68.1% over the last month, topping out at 80.8% in week eight. Target share is modest at 17.1% over a four-game sample with 3-8 targets per game, but touchdowns have driven his recent production (22.5, 19.6, 16.6 PPR). Drake Maye is playing MVP-caliber football, and the Patriots will need everything from the passing game against the Packers and Lions. Douglas offers short-term fill-in value with upside if Maye connects on big plays, though the floor is not particularly encouraging.

Tyler Algier recommends Deario Douglas as a short-term fill-in option despite volatility concerns; acknowledges Douglas is not an elite solidified target earner and the floor isn't particularly encouraging, but given the opportunity and Drake May's passing game context, Algier thinks Douglas can definitely be played in this spot.

Tyler Algier identifies Devin Singleary as an obvious running back pickup this week. With Tyrone Tracy on IR and Cam Scatteraboo dealing with a lingering hamstring injury (day-to-day, working with trainers on Monday), Singleary is positioned for opportunity. In Week 7 after Tracy's injury, Singleary recorded a 52.9% snap rate with five carries, eight routes, and two targets, while Scatteraboo had 47.1% snap rate with nine carries, four routes, and zero targets—a legitimate 50/50 committee. If Scatteraboo is out, Singleary becomes an RB2; even if Scatteraboo plays, Singleary is playable in favorable matchups (Eagles, Commanders, Colts) if he maintains the preferred receiving role. Algier recommends spending a mid-tier waiver claim to secure Singleary for a potential spot start in Week 9.

Dylan Samson's value thesis played out in Week 8 against the Steelers when the Browns trailed by multiple scores. He posted a 56.3% route rate with 9 opportunities (1 carry, 8 targets), converting to 6 receptions for 62 yards and 12.9 PPR points. Tyler Algier characterizes him as an emergency spot starter and bye-week fill-in RB2 whose role expands in negative game scripts. The Browns are a bad team likely to play from behind frequently against the Saints, Texans, Bengals, Falcons, and Raiders, creating multiple weeks where Samson can produce a usable score.

Tyler Algier emphasizes Gardner Minshew is worth a pickup only in superflex leagues as a short-term starter, but is not a priority pickup due to an unfavorable schedule: he faces the Seahawks at home, Rams, and Kansas City Chiefs on the road. The Cardinals appear to be preparing Carson Beck for starts down the back half of the season, and Minshew could be benched as soon as Week 12 against Washington or Week 15 after the bye against the Jets; he's a band-aid option with limited long-term value.

Love suffered a new ankle injury in Week 8 that is unrelated to his two previous ankle issues; no timeline confirmed until Wednesday at earliest, with potential for multi-week absence or IR stint. This compounds a rookie campaign already defined by ankle injuries, creating significant uncertainty around his availability and role going forward.

Trade rumors surrounding Jonathan Taylor are intensifying, with the Colts actively listening and engaging in trade talks. Tyler Algier reports that the Colts are seeking compensation resembling what the Carolina Panthers received for Christian McAffrey, and multiple teams are interested. If Taylor is traded before the deadline, Seth McGawen becomes the primary rusher and lead back in the Colts backfield, significantly diminishing Taylor's fantasy value.

Jordan Tyson should be stashed on IR if dropped in your league. There are rumblings he could return in Week 9 after the Saints bye, but Tyler Algier expects him back by Week 10 or at the latest Week 11. Coming into the NFL, Tyson was an alpha target earner when healthy. The Saints offense will have a ton of drop-back volume and play volume overall. Tyson will immediately become the number two guy behind Chris Olave once ramped up, with potential for even more volume in some weeks when running at full speed.

Tyler Algier nearly cracked his top-five pickups but just missed the cut. Gainwell has been effective on the ground in recent weeks with 14 carries for 88 yards (6.2 YPC) and 25 carries for 140 yards (5.6 YPC) as the Buccaneers lean heavily on their ground game (582 rushing yards in last two games). While he hasn't shown pass-catching volume due to Tampa Bay completing just seven passes in their last two games, Algier expects more passing work moving forward and views Week 9 against the Bears as a fantasy-friendly matchup where Gainwell could see both rushing and receiving work. Algier recommends keeping Gainwell on rosters while monitoring how the Buccaneers' offensive tendencies and backfield touches shake out, but advises against jamming him into lineups in the short term.

Walker remains the incumbent starter; Tyler Algier notes that competing backs are unlikely to push him aside significantly enough to become fantasy-relevant as long as Walker stays healthy, establishing him as the clear depth chart leader in the backfield.

Malik Washington has been exceptionally steady this season with a consistent and predictable role; he's never fallen below a 70% route rate and has commanded at least an 18% target share in six of seven games, cracking 25% target share four times. He's eclipsed double-digit PPR points in four of seven games. Tyler Algier characterizes him as a floor-driven flex play with limited ceiling due to target competition from Caleb Douglas, Chris Bell, and Greg Doulich. His red zone usage is weak with just three inside-the-20 targets and one end zone target all season, but strong matchups in weeks 9-11 make him bankable for five to seven targets per game.

Tyler Algier identifies Malik Willis as the most obvious quarterback streaming option for the week. Willis is in the midst of the best stretch of his inaugural season as a full-time starter, posting 20.88, 26, and 15.6 fantasy points in recent weeks; even against a stout New England Patriots defense, this demonstrates a solid floor. Algier recommends Willis as a streaming option with favorable matchups ahead against Detroit Lions, Indianapolis Colts, and Buffalo Bills; the passing production is on the uptick with multiple contributors (Greg Doulich, Malik Washington, Caleb Douglas, Chris Bell), and Willis can pop for 40-50 rushing yards in any given week, making him a reasonable long-term starter option for those who lost Lamar Jackson.

Tyler Algier rates Mike Washington Jr. as a top pickup of the week, identifying a clear path to standalone value if he maintains the rushing work (even at a 50/50 or 60/40 split) and holds the goal-line role. Washington Jr. out-carried incumbent Ashton Genty 25-27 in Week 8 and took all six inside-the-five carries, signaling a potential shift in the Raiders backfield. Algier projects a 50/50 to 60/40 split with Genty moving forward, expecting Washington to average 8-10 carries per game. Previously a high-end handcuff, Washington now has legitimate standalone upside in fantasy lineups despite remaining a zero in the receiving game (sub-20% route rate, no targets).

Flournoy's week-to-week outlook is unpredictable due to shadow coverage from CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens; he has drawn at least 4 targets in every game this season but can be benched to 2–3 targets in any given week. The Cowboys' fifth-highest passing rate and seventh-ranked scoring offense provide consistent volume opportunities for 6–8 targets and occasional end-zone touches, though volatility is real.

Tyler Algier identifies Sam Darnold as a clear streaming option in Week 9 against the Arizona Cardinals, who rank second-to-last in fantasy points allowed to quarterbacks. While he posted 18 points against Chicago on Monday Night Football, he showed explosive upside in Week 3 with four touchdowns and nearly 30 fantasy points. With JSN on the field, Darnold can show up for multiple touchdowns and run hot in the red zone; this is a matchup-based play against an attackable Cardinals defense.

McGawan is worth a pickup as a volume-based option while waiting to see if Jonathan Taylor gets traded at the deadline; unlikely to crack top-15 weekly rankings unless he emerges as a true stud, but volume is volume and he's droppable if no trade materializes.

Tyrone Tracy was placed on IR ahead of the Giants' bye week, removing him from the backfield and creating opportunity for Devin Singleary and Cam Scatteraboo to handle the rushing and receiving work.