Seemingly against all odds, the NFL has reached week nine. The Covid virus and all of the injuries have made fantasy football a challenge, to say the least. As long as the carousel keeps turning and football continues to be played, we here at Belly Up Sports are here to help managers find the replacements needed to set their rosters. Without further delay, let’s get to this waiver pickups week nine edition, shall we?

Running Backs

Without question, the cupboard is getting bare at the running back position. Only a glance at the wire will convince anyone of that, especially in larger leagues. Even with that being the case, there are some players that can help a team. Owners will have to search the very top shelf to find them.

Brian Hill, Atlanta Falcons, 6.9% owned

Without question, Brian Hill doesn’t receive as much attention as his more celebrated teammate Todd Gurley. After Thursday’s game against the Panthers, however, that perception may need to change. Hill rushed 11 times for 55 yards and caught two of his three targets. Notice please that his yards per rush attempt was an outstanding 5.00. Any running back with an average like that needs attention in fantasy.

I can hear fantasy owners asking the question- but what about Gurley? He rushed 18 times for 46 yards. His yards per rush was a sorry 2.56 and he wasn’t targeted once in the passing game. Gurley did redeem his night by scoring a touchdown. However, what is clear is that both Hill and Gurley will see plenty of time on the field. Also equally clear is that, of the two, only Hill is available to fantasy owners. If there is a need at running back, and who doesn’t have that problem, Hill can fill the void.

Nyheim Hines, Indianapolis Colts, 30% owned

While Nyheim Hines didn’t get a ton of touches against Detroit on Sunday, it is what he did with them that counts. His rushing stats were particularly invisible with just eight yards on five carries. It is well known that Hines is the pass catching back for the Colts and he certainly proved that against the Lions. His two touchdown catches of 22 and 29 yards were both things of beauty. Hines finished with three receptions on five targets for 54 yards.

No question, going up against the superb defense of the Ravens isn’t ideal. However, there is simply not a lot to choose from on the wire at this point of the season. His pass catching abilities certainly play well in PPR leagues, but he will do in a pinch in any league. Best of all, since Indy is past their bye week, Hines will be available the rest of the way. That should definitely help teams with open slots in their lineups due to players out on byes or injuries.

DeeJay Dallas, Seattle Seahawks, 11.7% owned

Welcome to the NFL DeeJay Dallas! Dallas made his professional debut Sunday against division rival San Francisco and boy did he deliver. He finished the day with 18 rushes for 41 yards and caught all five targets for another 17. Those stats aren’t the standout, though. Dallas also recorded his first two Seattle touchdowns on a one yard run and a two yard pass.

The yardage won’t make anyone’s day, but still significant considering the Niner defense is one of the best in the league. Dallas made his debut due to injuries to Chris Carson and Carlos Hyde. Both running backs could be back when Seattle travels to Buffalo this week, but that is unknown at this time. In any event, stashing a widely available running back that scores touchdowns could be a winning strategy for league owners in this waiver pickups week nine edition.

Other recommendation- Zack Moss of the Bills is probably out of reach of most fantasy owners. However, see if he is available and if so, scoop him up. The Seahawks are next up and maximum exposure to their defense is highly recommended.

In addition, J.K. Dobbins was dropped in one of my leagues. Robbins is definitely too highly owned for most to make a play for. However, it is worth a peek as he had his best day of the season Sunday with 113 yards rushing against Pittsburgh.

Wide Receivers

There is a solid mix of old and new in the wide receiver position for week nine. Owners with bye or injury concerns will find a player that will help fill out their rosters. Be sure to be at the head of the line because as soon as the word gets out, supplies will quickly dwindle.

Curtis Samuel, Carolina Panthers, 35.2% owned

Who would have thought that Curtis Samuel would be the wide receiver to own against the dreadful Atlanta defense on Thursday night? Without doubt, most managers turned to his more celebrated teammate DJ Moore. Yet, there was Samuel scoring two touchdowns against the Falcons and Moore was largely invisible. Funny how the real world seldom resembles the fantasy one.

While it is true that Samuel produced his fireworks in the first half and like most of his team disappeared after that, he did produce. Samuel caught four of five targets for 31 yards and the score. He also ran the ball three times for 23 yards and the other touchdown. Teddy Bridgewater (see below) is one of only three QBs to have 2,000 passing yards after Thursday night. The offense didn’t look so great in the second half, but if there is a chance to grab a player that scored two TDs in a game, you do it.

Jalen Reagor, Philadelphia Eagles, 12.6% owned

Even though the Philadelphia Eagles are on their bye in week nine, one of their players is worth picking up this week. That player would be Jalen Reagor. He was hurt in week two against the Rams and placed on injured reserve. However, Reagor was moved to the active roster by Philadelphia prior to their Sunday night game against Dallas.

Reagor wasn’t heavily involved against the Cowboys, but he sure made his limited touches count. He caught three of his six targets for 16 yards and had one carry. Nothing to get excited about, right? Just wait as the best is yet to come. Reagor caught a TD pass and his lone carry resulted in a score. The bye week arrives just in time for Philadelphia as it will allow for the offense to get its timing together. Once that happens, Reagor should take off. If owners wait until after the bye to try and grab him, Reagor will most certainly be gone. To prevent that, make the move this week and stash him.

KJ Hamler, Denver Broncos, 1.8% owned

I can feel the unbelieving stares as people read this and think to themselves- why in the world is he recommending KJ Hamler? One word should suffice- Atlanta. The Falcons are next up for Denver and though they looked better against Carolina, their defense is still bad. That being said, there was still no reason to give the green light to Hamler until the fourth quarter against the Chargers.

For the game, Hamler caught just three passes for 13 yards. That kind of line is definitely not relevant in any way, shape or form. However, Hamler showed up big when it counted, catching the game winning one yard touchdown pass on the last play of the game. That was his first NFL score. The Broncos came back from a big deficit against the Chargers via the pass game. Denver should be able to pile up the yards against the leaky Falcon defense. If the cupboard is bare, Hamler can be a bargain next Sunday.

Other recommendations- It is getting to the point where recommending Jets players should come with a warning designation. The team is terrible. We all know that. However, Braxton Berrios was targeted 11 times against the Chiefs. If no one else is available, Braxton could fill a need until more weapons are found on the New York sideline.

Corey Davis returned to the Titan lineup two weeks ago and the results are extremely positive. He caught six passes against the Steelers in week seven. Against Cincinnati, Davis caught eight of 10 targets for 128 yards and a score. He may not be widely available, but he is worth a look, even with the Bears up next.

Tight Ends

The tight end waiver vine is pretty much dead throughout the NFL. If there is a serviceable tight end already on the roster, protect him in every possible way. Have an abundance of talent elsewhere? A trade may be the best avenue. If there is no other option, the below could be resurrected in time to save your season.

Tyler Kroft, Buffalo Bills, 1% owned

There is simply no other reason to include Tyler Kroft on this list except for the fact Seattle at home is next on Buffalo’s schedule. Kroft pulled a disappearing act against the Patriots with just an 11 yard catch. However, he did catch four passes for 64 yards the previous week against the Jets. Kroft also had two touchdowns against the Rams in week three. A repeat performance may be on tap against the Seahawks. If needed, pick up Kroft for this week and then look elsewhere for a more permanent solution.

Dalton Schultz, Dallas Cowboys, 23.3% owned

See, I told you the vine was bare. When we are recommending Cowboys players when the team has hit rock bottom, there is really nowhere else to turn. That is where we find ourselves with Dalton Schultz. He did show some life against Philadelphia with six catches in eight targets for 53 yards. The catches were his most since week two, the yards the most since week four.

Things look to get really desperate for Dallas as the undefeated Steelers and their top notch defense is up next. The Cowboys don’t know who their starting quarterback will be in that game. It will be Andy Dalton or rookie Ben DiNucci. In either case, the QB will probably be looking to get the ball out quickly and that should bring Schultz into play. Schultz isn’t highly recommended, but if this truly is an emergency, he gets the nod on this waiver pickups week nine edition.

Jordan Reed, San Francisco 49ers, 1.6% owned

With the revealed news that George Kittle is facing a long absence with injuries, Jordan Reed is back on the fantasy radar. Of course, Hill has faced injury woes of his own. However, he is expected to be activated from the injured list ahead of Thursday’s game.

If Reed can put together a game like week two, owners will be in great shape. Against the Jets, Reed caught seven passes for 50 yards and two TDs. If Reed is indeed activated, he becomes the priority tight end pick up. The Packers defense is looking dreary right now. Get Reed and plug him in.

Quarterbacks

Unlike some of the other positions, there are quarterbacks worth picking up on the wire this week. Anyone with injury or bye week issues, add one of the below for best results.

Teddy Bridgewater, Carolina Panthers, 38.4% owned

Despite a hiccup in the second half against Atlanta on Thursday, Teddy Bridgewater has put together a solid season thus far. Even so, his performance has largely gone unnoticed by fantasy owners. His ownership rate is far lower than would be expected for a quality starting quarterback. In the first half, Bridgewater and the Panthers looked the part against the Falcons as they scored two touchdowns.

Unfortunately, it all somehow went downhill after half time. Shockingly, Carolina only put up a field goal. against an extremely poor Atlanta defense. For the game, Bridgewater completed 15 of 23 passes for 176 yards and a score. He also rushed five times for 30 yards. His interception toward the end of the game was a killer for Carolina.

Maybe there is some kind of an issue playing at home for Bridgewater. He has only one TD and three picks in his last two home games. On the road, however, is a completely different story as he has four touchdown passes and no interceptions. The Panthers find themselves at Kansas City in week nine and will probably be playing keep up with the Chiefs. That should put Bridgewater in position for some good stats this Sunday.

Drew Lock, Denver Broncos, 5.1% owned

For three quarters against the Chargers, there wasn’t any way Drew Lock would see a week nine start let alone a recommendation. Then miracle of miracles, the fourth quarter began and Lock was a brand new man. Lock threw three touchdown passes, all in the fourth, to lead Denver to a huge 31-30 win. For the game, Lock completed 26 of 41 passes for 248 yards.

It has been a up and down season thus far for the Bronco’s signal caller. Lock had no TD passes and four interceptions in his two games prior to Sunday. He has also missed games with injuries. However, that fourth quarter can’t be ignored and neither can his next opponent. That would be the Atlanta Falcons.

The Falcons have a habit of making quarterbacks look like Peyton Manning this season. If bye weeks are an issue or perhaps a replacement is required for Jimmy Garoppolo, Lock can fill the bill for one week. After that, there are no guarantees.

Philip Rivers, Indianapolis Colts, 8.1% owned

Perhaps Lock doesn’t tickle your fancy. No worries as Philip Rivers is available in the bargain bin. Rivers has really come to life the past two weeks with six touchdowns and only one interception. Against the Lions, Rivers completed 23 of 33 passes for 262 yards.

The previous week against the Bengals, Rivers was even better. He completed 29 of 41 throws for a season high 371 yards. Even with the Ravens up next, Rivers is a viable starter. The game is in Indy, so pick him up and get him on your roster.

Thanks everyone for joining me for this fantasy football waiver pickups week nine edition. Always feel free to leave a comment or a suggestion on the players that should be added or removed. I welcome your input. Have a great fantasy football week Nine! Follow me on twitter @kevin62wilsea, and be sure to turn to Belly Up Sports and Belly Up Fantasy Sports and Picks for all the latest NFL and sports news!