Waiver Wire Week 9: Marcus Mariota, Mack Hollins Highlight Pickups to Know

It's getting to be crunch time for fantasy football managers, as the 2022 NFL season reaches its midpoint. The fantasy playoffs are in the not-too-distant future, bye weeks are still obstacles to overcome, and the injury bug continues to bite.

For many managers, the next few weeks will make or break their fantasy season.

Several key fantasy players—including Chuba Hubbard, James Conner, Michael Thomas and Darren Waller—missed Week 8 due to injury and will need to be monitored in the coming days. The Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, New York Giants, Pittsburgh Steelers and San Francisco 49ers will be on bye this week, severely limiting the available player pool.

To help navigate the uncertainty, we're here to examine some waiver-wire targets worth targeting ahead of Week 9. All choices here are based on point-per-reception (PPR) scoring.

Dak Prescott is the only notable fantasy quarterback on bye this week, but Prescott managers may need to pivot to the waiver wire to get through Week 9. Options there are obviously limited, but Atlanta Falcons signal-caller Marcus Mariota is worth a look.

Mariota has a solid floor because of his rushing ability. He ran six times for 43 yards against the Carolina Panthers in Week 8 and has logged at least 31 rushing yards in each of his last four games.

Managers can count on at least a few bonus points from Mariota's legs against the Los Angeles Chargers this week. No team has allowed more yards per carry (5.7) than Los Angeles.

Mariota is also coming off of a three-touchdown passing performance and should have a fair stat line against L.A.'s 31st-ranked scoring defense. Mariota is rostered in only 26 percent of Yahoo leagues and 24 percent of ESPN leagues.

Managers can also look to Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields, who has started to find his own rhythm as a dual-threat signal-caller. Fields is rostered in 41 percent of Yahoo leagues and 26 percent of ESPN leagues.

The Pittsburgh Steelers ground game has struggled for most of 2022, and second-year back Najee Harris believes that the offensive line should bear the blame.

"I can't make the hole, he said, per 93.7 The Fan. "I can't do everything."

Harris, who was a rookie Pro Bowler in 2021, has been a major disappointment for fantasy managers this season. It's time for some of them to consider adding Jaylen Warren, and not just as a handcuff.

With Harris (3.3 yards per carry) continuing to struggle, the Steelers have started to turn to Warren more often. Over the past two weeks, the rookie has notched eight carries and five receptions. He caught three passes and notched 75 scrimmage yards against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 8.

With Harris just not getting it done, we could see even more of Warren against a New Orleans Saints team that has allowed 4.5 yards per carry up to Week 10. The Steelers are on bye this week, but Warren is a player to consider for the stretch run.

Warren is rostered in only five percent of Yahoo leagues and three percent of ESPN leagues.

For this week, managers should consider Falcons running back Tyler Allgeier, who has logged double-digit carries in five straight games. He's rostered in 54 percent of Yahoo leagues and 55 percent of ESPN leagues.

Managers of wide receivers like Deebo Samuel, CeeDee Lamb, Courtland Sutton and Amari Cooper will need a fill-in this week, and Las Vegas Raiders wideout Mack Hollins could deliver.

Hollins has emerged as a big piece of the Raiders passing attack, even if his fantasy production has been inconsistent. He has finished with fewer than 40 receiving yards three times this year but has one 158-yard game on his resume and has found the end zone twice.

In Week 8, Hollins finished with seven receptions for 64 yards.

This week's matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars is a favorable one. While the Jags rank 11th in points allowed, they've surrendered 10 passing touchdowns and rank 22nd in passing yards allowed. They'll be coming back from a London trip and may give the Raiders offense—which was shut out in Week 8—a chance to rebound.

Hollins is rostered in seven percent of Yahoo leagues and six percent of ESPN leagues.

Managers can also look to Green Bay Packers wideout Romeo Doubs, who had four catches for 62 yards and a touchdown on Sunday night. He'll face a Detroit Lions defense that has allowed 8.1 yards per pass attempt this season, the most in the NFL.

Doubs is rostered in 46 percent of Yahoo leagues and 47 percent of ESPN leagues.

The Baltimore Ravens may or may not have star tight end, Mark Andrews, this week after he exited early against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday night with a shoulder injury. Managers should scoop up teammate Isaiah Likely as insurance.

Likely took over as Lamar Jackson's go-to target on Thursday, finishing with six catches, 77 yards and a touchdown. That's a production that helped virtually no one, as Likely is rostered in only five percent of Yahoo leagues and two percent of ESPN leagues.

The rookie fourth-round pick out of Coastal Carolina might not be a high-end play if Andrews is close to 100 percent against the Saints, but with both Andrews and wideout Rashod Bateman (foot) ailing, Likely could still be a big part of the game plan against New Orleans.

The Saints rank 13th in passing yards allowed and have allowed 10 passing touchdowns on the season.

Managers should also check to see if Jaguars tight end Evan Engram is available, as he is rostered in 43 percent of Yahoo leagues and 32 percent of ESPN leagues. Engram has been targeted at least six times in his last four games and is coming off of a four-catch, 55-yard, one-touchdown performance.

*Fantasy roster information via FantasyPros.