FantasyPros – Fantasy Football Podcast
Week 9 Waiver Wire: Must-Have Players to Add to Your Roster (Ep. 1801)
Release Date: October 27, 2025
Hosts: Joe P. Zapia (Joey P.), Derek Brown (D Bro), Pat Fitzmaurice (Fitzy)
Episode Overview
This episode of the FantasyPros Fantasy Football Podcast is all about setting you up for success on the Week 9 waiver wire. The hosts break down the most impactful injuries, trending handcuff targets, and must-add running backs and wide receivers, while also diving into FLEX-worthy streamers, speculative stashes, and some surprising drop recommendations. With multiple teams on bye and key players going down, the guys help listeners navigate the ever-changing fantasy football landscape with actionable advice and their usual dose of humor.
Main Themes
- Navigating significant running back injuries and their waiver wire fallout
- Identifying and prioritizing RB handcuffs as “stuffing and cuffing” season starts early
- Analyzing emerging WR options, particularly amid injuries
- Deep stashes and upside pickups for playoff-minded owners
- Streamer recommendations for QB, TE, D/ST, and kicker
- Notable drop candidates as rosters tighten for the stretch run
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Waiver Wire RB Priorities & Injury Fallout
Starting at 05:00
Cam Scadaboo Injury & Giants Backfield
-
Tyrone Tracy (RB – NYG):
- 35% rostered; expected volume play with Scadaboo out for the year
- Upcoming schedule is mixed—tougher in the short term, but softens later (vs. Commanders, Vikings, Raiders)
- Not a league-winner, but a plug-and-play RB2; volume is “king”
- “If he's out there … pick him up. He is a plug-and-play RB2… probably a top-20 back rest of season.” – Joey P. (05:52)
-
Devin Singletary:
- Worth a stash in deeper leagues as a potential secondary option due to familiarity with Brian Daboll’s system
Other RBs to Add/Stash
-
Tyjae Spears (TEN):
- 46% rostered; workload increasing with Tony Pollard possibly on the block
- Positive in passing game; could become the lead if Pollard is traded
- “He has more juice than Pollard. He seems to be easing his way past Pollard in terms of usage.” – Fitzy (11:01)
-
Isaiah Davis (NYJ):
- 33% rostered; similar situation to Spears
- High upside if Breece Hall is traded; showed flashes vs. Bengals (12 touches, 107 yards)
- Until a trade or injury, more of a stash than surefire start
-
Tank Bigsby (PHI):
- Saquon Barkley groin injury worth monitoring; Bigsby logged 16 backup snaps last week and flashed elite efficiency (9 carries, 104 yards)
- More TD-dependent; strong stash if you have Saquon or want lottery tickets
- “This is… the $1 scratch off that could pay dividends.” – Joey P. (17:43)
-
Dylan Sampson (CLE) & Drum Ford:
- Sampson got most post-injury snaps; intrigue depends on Quinchon Judkins’ health
- Likely short-term interest, but in PPR could be a solid one-week fill-in
2. Deep League & Handcuff Stashes
Around 18:30
- It’s “stuffing and cuffing” season: time to grab prominent handcuffs even in October, especially with injury volatility and bye weeks
“Generally, I don’t think that’s a good idea. But maybe late October isn’t the worst time to handcuff this year.” – Derek Brown (01:16)
3. Wide Receiver Waiver Options
From 24:18
Troy Franklin (DEN)
- 33% rostered; had 6/89/2 line vs. Cowboys
- Healthy target share, red-zone involvement (3rd most NFL red zone targets)
- Next 3: @Houston, vs. Raiders, vs. Chiefs (before bye)—matchups not all favorable
- Fitz: “I still think he’s borderline playable… I do think I’m probably going to have him ranked as a WR4 the next few weeks.” (26:44)
Texans WRs – Jaden Higgins, Jalen Noel, Xavier Hutchinson
- All benefited from Nico Collins and Christian Kirk absences
- Jalen Noel: double-digit PPR performance (5/63), athletic slot profile
- Higgins: 4/34/1 and strong comp to Nico Collins
- Both are stashes for deeper leagues; usage may fluctuate when starters return
“It’s a total frapping mess… I added Jaden Higgins and Jalen Noel as stashes and that’s where they should be.” – Derek Brown (31:31)
Chimere Dike (TEN)
- Notable week (7/93), expanding role in the slot
- PPR-flex streamer for slot-friendly matchups (vs. Chargers this week)
- “His role in this passing offense is growing… and his route share and target share are both trending up.” – Joey P. (33:51)
Alec Pierce (IND)
- Big play upside in single-high coverage matchups
- Next two: vs. PIT (1st in single-high coverage %), vs. ATL (2nd)
- “Alec Pierce absolutely flex-worthy over the next two weeks.” – D Bro (37:21)
4. Notable Drops & Underperformers
From 37:44
- Calvin Ridley: Considered droppable (“Sayonara, Calvin. Sorry, man.” – Fitz, 37:50)
- Jerry Jeudy: Also droppable; little optimism with rookie QB
- Kendrick Bourne: Value vanished with TE George Kittle returning and WRs getting healthy
- Hassan Haskins: Safe to drop
5. Streamers: QB, TE, Defense, and Kicker
From 39:13
Quarterback Streamers:
- Sam Darnold (SF): Top pick vs. WAS (“QB streamer du jour” – Joey P., 40:51)
- Trevor Lawrence (JAX): Decent fill vs. Raiders
Tight End Streamers:
- Colston Loveland (CHI): Plug-in with Cole Kmet likely out
- A.J. Barner (SEA): Touchdown upside; five red-zone targets, three TDs in four games
Defensive Streamers:
- Rams D/ST: Faces the Saints likely starting rookie Tyler Shough (“The Rams might get to pick on Tyler Shuck.” – Fitz, 42:15)
- Seahawks D/ST: Top-4 pressure rate; matchup against Washington; strong play
Kicker Streamers:
- Jason Myers (SEA): At least 10 points in 4/6 games
- Tyler Loope (BAL): Reliable, with John Harbaugh favoring FG attempts
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
Waiver Wire Philosophy
- “It’s stuffing and cuffing season, baby.” – Joe P. Zapia (44:59)
- “Volume can be king sometimes.” – Joe P. Zapia (05:15)
- “This is the $1 scratch off that could pay dividends.” – Joey P. (17:43)
On RB Tiers
- “Tracy, a plug-and-play RB2… Is he a Scadaboo replacement? Not on my fantasy team. But the volume’s there.” – Joe P. Zapia (05:02)
On Wide Receiver Flexes
- “You can play [Troy Franklin]. It’s at least nice Bo Nix seems to be on an upswing…” – Fitz (26:44)
- On Texans WRs: “The fact that Jared freaking Wayne got more snaps than Jalen Noel is… criminal!” – Joey P. (32:44)
On QB Streaming
- “Sam Darnold, Trevor Lawrence: that’s what you want this week.” – Joe P. Zapia (40:55)
Important Timestamps
- 05:00: Giants backfield situation post-Scadaboo
- 10:15: Deep-diving Tyjae Spears’ value
- 12:00: Isaiah Davis stash and upside cases
- 17:07: Tank Bigsby, stash for upside during Saquon groin injury
- 24:18: Must-add wide receivers and week’s highlights
- 37:44: Drop candidates: Ridley, Jeudy, Bourne, Haskins
- 39:13: Streaming tight ends and defense
- 44:58: Top 5 waiver adds rundown
Week 9 Top Waiver Adds (Hosts Consensus)
Joey P. / D Bro:
- Tyrone Tracy
- Isaiah Davis
- Tyjae Spears
- Colston Loveland (TE streamer)
- Alec Pierce
Fitzy:
- Tyrone Tracy
- Kayshon Boutte
- Sam Darnold
- Tyler Allgeier
- Tyjae Spears
Additional Tips
- Now is the best time to load up on high-upside handcuffs before the stretch run and further injuries hit.
- Don’t break the bank chasing last week’s WR breakouts in poor matchups.
- Prioritize RBs who can absorb volume, especially those with passing-game chops.
Summary
Takeaway: This episode meticulously breaks down smart, aggressive waiver wire strategies for Week 9, focusing on injury fallout at RB, sneaky RB/WR stashes, the time to handcuff, and where to avoid chasing outlier performances. The hosts back their advice with player usage data, matchup analysis, and a dash of good-natured banter—preparing listeners to win the week and stay playoff-ready.
For all actionable insights and more discussion, listen to the full episode or check out FantasyPros’ Waiver Wire Central.