Five Best Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups For Week 9

We all have a lot on our mind today. Take just the briefest of breaks and absorb the lowest-possible-stakes content: fantasy football advice. No bad feelings here, man. Just vibes.

Here are the best fantasy football waiver wire pickups for Week 9. (All stats via ESPN PPR leagues)

DeeJay Dallas, RB, Seattle Seahawks (Available in 79 Percent of ESPN Leagues)

With Chris Carson and Carlos Hyde hurt, it was DeeJay Dallas who got most of the snaps for Seattle this past week. Carson and Hyde are both still hobbled and Dallas impressed in Week 8, so it will likely be more of the same come Week 9. Other than having arguably the best RB name in football, Dallas should be the workhorse against Buffalo this week after toting the rock 18 times on Sunday for 41 yards and a touchdown, adding five catches for 17 yards and another touchdown. That gave him 22.8 fantasy points on the day. Dallas may not have put up crazy-big numbers, but he's getting the touches needed to put up decent fantasy points, and that's all that matters.

Darnell Mooney, WR, Chicago Bears (Available in 93 Percent of ESPN Leagues)

Yeah, betting on the Bears' QB situation is Risky Business. But Mooney is awesome to watch on the field and it appears Nick Foles and Matt Nagy are finally recognizing that. Mooney had 17 points this past week, courtesy of his five catches for 69 yards and a TD. He's had at least five targets in each of the last four games and could be in line for similar numbers against a Tennessee defense that just got torched by the Bengals. Mooney has a lower ceiling than most waiver wire options, but his widespread availability makes him worth a flier.

Curtis Samuel, WR, Carolina Panthers (Available in 56 Percent of ESPN Leagues)

Samuel is less available than I like to make my waiver wire picks, but with Carolina finally getting him involved in the offense, he's worth a pickup if you're in the half of the ESPN leagues that has him on the waiver wire. Samuel caught four passes and ran the ball three times to gain a total of 54 yards and two touchdowns, mustering 21.4 fantasy points on the day. The Panthers are beginning to utilize his dual-threat skillset and will be breaking out everything in the playbook this week against Kansas City while probably playing from behind most of the day. Samuel is a high-risk, high-reward start this Sunday.

DaeSean Hamilton, WR, Denver Broncos (Available in 99 Percent of ESPN Leagues)

Hamilton basically came out of nowhere this week to post big fantasy numbers, catching four balls for 82 yards and a touchdown for 18.2 fantasy points. The Broncos' offense has been fairly equal opportunity since Courtland Sutton went down with an ACL injury in the early weeks of the season, and this past Sunday might've been Hamilton's coming-out party. Most importantly, Denver is going up against Atlanta's terrible pass defense this week, meaning Hamilton and his fellow wideouts could have a big day. He's an easy pickup and worth a start if you're struggling to find a FLEX option.

Tyler Ervin, RB, Green Bay Packers (Available in 99 Percent of ESPN Leagues)

Ervin represents a big swing that could either be a home run or a whiff of epic proportions. With that caveat out of the way, here's why Ervin is worth looking at: Starter Aaron Jones will probably be healthy this week, but it'll be his first game in two weeks. Jamal Williams, who usually splits the carries with him, is in COVID-19 lockdown because the other backup RB, Andre Dillon, tested positive. That leaves Ervin as the only other likely active running back alongside Jones. The Packers won't want to burden Jones with every snap in his return from injury, and head coach Matt LeFleur has shown a fondness for running back by committee even when Jones is 100 percent healthy. There is absolutely no guarantee this works out, or that Ervin will even get touches. But! Fantasy football is sometimes about the risk factor, and Ervin will definitely be free to pick up on the waiver wire. If you're a fan of big risks and weird moves that everyone raises their eyebrow at, Ervin is your guy this week.