Fantasy Football Week 9: Flex Rankings, Waiver-Wire Targets and Projections

Bye weeks weren't really a factor for many fantasy football managers in Week 8. That's because only the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers were out of action. But they'll be much more prevalent in Week 9.

During the upcoming week, there will be six NFL teams with a bye: the Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, New York Giants, Pittsburgh Steelers and San Francisco 49ers. So some key players will be at home, leaving fantasy managers to find suitable replacements.

Here are early flex rankings for Week 9, followed by some top waiver-wire targets who fantasy managers should look to pick up this week.

1. Tennessee Titans RB Derrick Henry (at KC)

2. Los Angeles Chargers RB Austin Ekeler (at ATL)

3. Los Angeles Rams WR Cooper Kupp (at TB)

4. Minnesota Vikings RB Dalvin Cook (at WAS)

5. Cincinnati Bengals RB Joe Mixon (vs. CAR)

6. Minnesota Vikings WR Justin Jefferson (at WAS)

7. Las Vegas Raiders RB Josh Jacobs (at JAX)

8. Philadelphia Eagles WR A.J. Brown (at HOU)

9. Miami Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill (at CHI)

10. Las Vegas Raiders WR Davante Adams (at JAX)

11. Cincinnati Bengals WR Tee Higgins (vs. CAR)

12. Green Bay Packers RB Aaron Jones (at DET)

13. Jacksonville Jaguars RB Travis Etienne (vs. LV)

14. Indianapolis Colts RB Jonathan Taylor (at NE)

15. Buffalo Bills WR Stefon Diggs (at NYJ)

16. Miami Dolphins WR Jaylen Waddle (at CHI)

17. Kansas City Chiefs TE Travis Kelce (vs. TEN)

18. Tampa Bay Buccaneers RB Leonard Fournette (vs. LAR)

19. Philadelphia Eagles RB Miles Sanders (at HOU)

20. New Orleans Saints RB Alvin Kamara (vs. BAL)

21. Baltimore Ravens TE Mark Andrews (at NO)

22. Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR Mike Evans (vs. LAR)

23. Seattle Seahawks RB Kenneth Walker III (at ARI)

24. New Orleans Saints WR Chris Olave (vs. BAL)

25. Arizona Cardinals WR DeAndre Hopkins (vs. SEA)

With Cordarrelle Patterson out due to a knee injury, the Falcons have been splitting up their backfield duties between Caleb Huntley and rookie Tyler Allgeier. They've each flashed their potential at times and proven to be worthy of flex consideration for favorable matchups.

Huntley has been more involved in recent weeks, as he's had 16 carries in two of Atlanta's past three games. That included the Falcons' Week 8 win over the Panthers on Sunday, when he rushed for a season-high 91 yards.

There aren't a ton of start-worthy running backs on the waiver wire at this point. But if Patterson continues to miss time, Huntley could be a decent starting option for Week 9, when the Falcons host the Chargers, who are allowing 137.6 rushing yards per game (sixth most in the NFL).

This appears to be an opportune time for Huntley to score his first touchdown since Atlanta's Week 4 win over Cleveland. So don't be surprised if the 24-year-old gets into the end zone on Sunday.

Projection: 55 yards and a touchdown

Even though the Raiders were blanked in a 24-0 loss to the Saints on Sunday, Mack Hollins' consistent season continued. And the 29-year-old proved that he can still have a solid fantasy showing if Las Vegas' offense underperforms.

Hollins had seven catches for 64 yards while getting targeted eight times in the defeat. That came a week after he scored his second touchdown of the season in the Raiders' Week 7 win over the Houston Texans.

Although Hollins doesn't have a ton of breakout potential, the North Carolina product has proven to be a reliable receiving option in his first season in Las Vegas. So if you need a WR for your fantasy lineup in Week 9, Hollins could be a decent choice.

The Raiders will be going on the road to face the Jacksonville Jaguars, and it could be a great opportunity for a bounce-back performance by their offense. Expect Hollins to stay involved and potentially get back into the end zone in the contest.

Projection: 64 yards and a touchdown

After three career NFL games, Greg Dulcich has proven to be a fantasy-relevant tight end. And that's because he's been productive in each of those contests for the Denver Broncos.

In Week 6, Dulcich scored his first touchdown in a loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. In Week, 7, he had six catches and nine targets while recording 51 yards in a loss to the New York Jets. And in Week 8, the 22-year-old had 87 yards on four catches and five targets.

It's typically difficult to find consistent producers among the tight ends on the waiver wire, which is why Dulcich now needs to be rostered in all leagues. As he gains more experience, he has the potential to put up even better numbers.

In Week 9, the Broncos will have their bye. But it's worth picking up Dulcich now to have him when Denver returns to action with a Week 10 matchup against the Tennessee Titans. And the UCLA product should have another solid performance then.

Projection: 52 yards and a touchdown