Fantasy Football Week 9 Rankings: Examining Lineup Options After Injury Reports

Week 9 could be a tricky one for fantasy managers, as the Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, New York Giants, Pittsburgh Steelers and San Francisco 49ers are all on bye.

This means that fantasy staples like Nick Chubb, Dak Prescott, Courtland Sutton, Saquon Barkley, Pat Freiermuth and Christian McCaffrey will all be unavailable.

Additionally, injuries will be a factor in Week 9.

With all of this in mind, let's take a look at the top options for each key fantasy position—quarterback, running back, wide receiver and tight end—and dive into some late-week waiver-wire targets.

All rankings and picks are based on point-per-reception (PPR) scoring.

QB Top 10

1. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills

2. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs

3. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens

4. Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals

5. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers

6. Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins

7. Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks

8. Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings

9. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals

10. Justin Fields, Chicago Bears

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Injury Report and Wire Targets

There aren't any notable quarterback injuries worth mentioning this week—Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is on the injury report but is expected to play. However, with Prescott, Daniel Jones and Russell Wilson on bye, some managers may still need fill-ins.

It's worth checking to see if Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields is available, as he's rostered in 65 percent of Yahoo leagues and 42 percent of ESPN leagues. The Ohio State product has started to come on in recent weeks as a dual-threat signal-caller. In Week 8, he tallied 151 passing yards, two touchdowns, 60 rushing yards and a rushing score.

Fields will face a Miami Dolphins defense that added Bradley Chubb at the trade deadline but ranks 22nd in points allowed.

Atlanta Falcons QB Marcus Mariota could also be worth an add as a dual threat against a Los Angeles Chargers defense ranked dead-last in yards per rush (5.7) allowed.

Mariota is rostered in 32 percent of Yahoo and ESPN leagues.

RB Top 10

1. Austin Ekeler, Los Angeles Chargers

2. Derrick Henry, Tennessee Titans

3. Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints

4. Aaron Jones, Green Bay Packers

5. Kenneth Walker III, Seattle Seahawks

6. Josh Jacobs, Las Vegas Raiders

7. Travis Etienne Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars

8. Dalvin Cook, Minnesota Vikings

9. Rhamondre Stevenson, New England Patriots

10. Leonard Fournette, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

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Injury Report and Wire Targets

The most notable absence this week will be that of Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor (ankle). Other backs ruled out include J.D. McKissic of the Washington Commanders and Chuba Hubbard of the Carolina Panthers.

Baltimore Ravens running back Gus Edwards has not practiced this week with a hamstring injury. If Edwards can't go, managers should scoop up backup Kenyan Drake, who is rostered in 58 percent of Yahoo leagues and 31 percent of ESPN leagues.

Falcons running back Cordarrelle Patterson looks to be a game-time decision, which gives teammate Caleb Huntley some risk-reward value against a bad Chargers defense. Even if Patterson plays, he probably won't carry the full workload.

Last week, Huntley carried the ball 16 times for 91 yards, though he did have a fumble. The 24-year-old is rostered in 24 percent of Yahoo leagues and 28 percent of ESPN leagues. Teammate and rookie runner Tyler Allgeier is also worth checking in on after last week's three-reception, 85-yard, one-touchdown outing.

Allgeier is rostered in 69 percent of ESPN leagues and 68 percent of Yahoo leagues.

Kansas City Chiefs rookie running back Isiah Pacheco could be an option in deeper leagues. He hasn't seen a big workload this season, but he did start over Clyde Edwards-Helaire in Week 7. He carried eight times for 43 yards.

Pacheco is rostered in 31 percent of Yahoo leagues and 25 percent of ESPN leagues.

WR Top 10

1. Tyreek Hill, Miami Dolphins

2. Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings

3. Stefon Diggs, Buffalo Bills

4. Davante Adams, Las Vegas Raiders

5. Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams

6. Jaylen Waddle, Miami Dolphins

7. Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions

8. Tee Higgins, Cincinnati Bengals

9. Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

10. Chris Olave, New Orleans Saints

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Injury Report and Wire Targets

The big injury news at receiver is that both Mike Williams and Keenan Allen will be out for the Chargers. Jahan Dotson has also been ruled out for the Commanders.

Rashard Higgins is out for the Panthers, while Cincinnati Bengals receiver Ja'Marr Chase will be out for a second straight week with a hip ailment. Allen Lazard and Christian Watson are both questionable for the Packers.

DeVante Parker is out for the New England Patriots, while the Seattle Seahawks will be without Marquise Goodwin. Cooper Kupp (ankle) is expected to play for the Los Angeles Rams.

Colts rookie receiver Alec Pierce has started to flash ever since his eight-catch outing in Week 5. His role hasn't changed following the switch from Matt Ryan to Sam Ehlinger, either. Pierce has caught three passes in each of his last three games.

Pierce has a relatively high floor and could have a high ceiling with Taylor out. Indy is likely to go a bit pass-heavy against a Patriots defense ranked 19th in passing yards allowed. Pierce is rostered in 35 percent of Yahoo leagues and 24 percent of ESPN leagues.

Bears wideout Darnell Mooney could also be a fine fill-in against a Dolphins defense ranked 28th in passing yards allowed.

Mooney caught five passes for 70 yards last week and is rostered in 60 percent of Yahoo leagues and 73 percent of ESPN leagues.

TE Top 10

1. Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs

2. Zach Ertz, Arizona Cardinals

3. Gerald Everett, Los Angeles Chargers

4. Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons

5. Tyler Higbee, Los Angeles Rams

6. Taysom Hill, New Orleans Saints

7. Robert Tonyan, Green Bay Packers

8. Evan Engram, Jacksonville Jaguars

9. Hayden Hurst, Cincinnati Bengals

10. Dawson Knox, Buffalo Bills

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Injury Report and Wire Targets

With Freiermuth, Dalton Schultz and George Kittle on bye—along with injured Browns tight end David Njoku—managers may need a fill-in at tight end this week. Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Cameron Brate remains out with a neck injury, while Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews hasn't practiced this week. Andrews doesn't have a designation yet as the Ravens play on Monday.

With Andrews (shoulder) ailing, teammate Isaiah Likely becomes a top wire target if he's still available in your league. He had six catches for 77 yards and a touchdown last week and could see a significant role even if Andrews is able to take the field.

Likely is rostered in only 35 percent of Yahoo leagues and 13 percent of ESPN leagues.

Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Evan Engram is more heavily rostered—62 percent of Yahoo leagues and 56 percent of ESPN leagues—but may have an even safer floor than Likely.

Engram had four catches for 55 yards and a touchdown last week and has at least four receptions and 40 yards in each of his past four games.

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*Fantasy roster information via FantasyPros. Injury report via NFL.com.