Waiver Wire Week 9: Stat Projections for Top Fantasy Pickups and Sleepers

Some players who get added from the waiver wire by fantasy football managers this week will be names on the rise. They've proved over the first eight weeks of the 2022 season (and especially of late) that they can now make a fantasy impact.

Others will be added out of necessity, as some fantasy football managers will be left shorthanded for Week 9.

Six NFL teams have byes this week, with the Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, New York Giants, Pittsburgh Steelers and San Francisco 49ers all out of action. That means players such as Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, Christian McCaffrey and Deebo Samuel won't be available for fantasy usage, either.

So, here's a look at several players who should be rostered (and probably started) for Week 9 fantasy matchups.

Justin Fields entered the NFL as a top quarterback prospect because of his impressive skill set. Not only could he have success with his arm, but he was also capable of making big plays happen with his legs.

And the 23-year-old is finally starting to do that at the pro level.

In each of the Bears' past three games, Fields has rushed for 60 or more yards, a mark that he hadn't reached in any of the first five weeks of the season. He's scored a rushing touchdown in each of his past two games and run for 142 total yards over that span.

Last week, the former Georgia and Ohio State player also had multiple touchdown passes for the first time since Week 1, throwing a pair of TD strikes in the loss to the Dallas Cowboys.

All of this has his fantasy value on the rise, and he could be a great starting option in Week 9, when six starting quarterbacks will have byes.

The Bears are hosting the Miami Dolphins, which are giving up the seventh-most fantasy points to quarterbacks, per NFL.com. So, it should be a great opportunity for Fields to keep up his recent stellar play and perhaps take it to yet another level.

Projection: 184 passing yards, 77 rushing yards and three TDs (two rushing, one passing)

Fantasy managers who have Gus Edwards on their roster may want to pick up Kenyan Drake this week.

Edwards is dealing with a hamstring injury, and if he doesn't play on Monday night against the New Orleans Saints, fantasy managers will need a last-minute pivot option (unless they decide earlier to not wait for clarity on Edwards' status).

That may not be a bad idea, either. Drake has been playing well when he's been on the field for the Ravens in recent weeks. He ran for 119 yards on 10 carries in a Week 6 loss to the New York Giants; and in last week's win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the 28-year-old had 62 yards on seven rushing attempts and added a five-yard receiving touchdown.

New Orleans' run defense is middle of the pack in the league, but it's likely to have trouble trying to slow Baltimore's high-powered rushing attack. No matter who the Ravens have put in the backfield, they've been successful in moving the ball on the ground.

If that's Drake in Week 9, then count on him as a start-worthy fantasy running back. The Alabama product should put up some impressive numbers if Edwards can't suit up.

Projection: 92 rushing yards and a touchdown

Now that running back Christian McCaffrey is with the San Francisco 49ers and wide receiver Robbie Anderson has joined the Arizona Cardinals, there's an opportunity for other playmakers to step up and fill roles in the Carolina Panthers' offense.

That includes wide receiver Terrace Marshall Jr., who did just that in a Week 8 loss to the Atlanta Falcons.

Last week, the 22-year-old had four catches for a career-high 87 yards. Panthers quarterback PJ Walker tried to get the ball in his hands even more than that, targeting the LSU product nine times.

Carolina will now face the Cincinnati Bengals in a Week 9 matchup that could feature a decent amount of offense from both sides. With Marshall's stock on the rise, he may be putting himself on the fantasy radar as a sleeper starting option.

It wouldn't be surprising if his first NFL touchdown comes soon, perhaps even on Sunday. He should only get better with more substantial time on the field.

Projection: 44 yards and a touchdown