Podcast Summary:
Footballguys Fantasy Football Show – Week 9 Waiver Wire Targets
Hosts: Alfredo Brown & Dave Kluge
Date: October 28, 2025
Episode Overview
In this episode, Alfredo Brown and Dave Kluge dive into their Week 9 Waiver Wire targets for the 2025 fantasy football season. They break down priority running backs, emerging wide receivers, tight end stashes, and discuss new segments on quarterbacks and defenses to stream. Throughout, their signature blend of sharp analysis and playful banter keeps things lively—perfect for fantasy managers looking for actionable advice and a good laugh.
"We finally have a guy here who—I don't want to throw around the term 'league winner'—but, like, it's not often that you can find a guy on the waiver wire that is just a plug and play option for the rest of the year.”
— Dave Kluge (09:02)
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. The Clear Waiver Gem: Tyrone Tracy (RB, New York Giants)
[06:35 - 09:07]
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Availability: 66% of leagues
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Why he’s special: Coming off consistent RB2 value last year in a poor offense, Tracy now finds himself as the lead back on an improved Giants team.
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Rest of Season Outlook: Dave ranks Tracy as RB19, a weekly start with both rushing and passing game work.
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Action: "Dump everything you got," says Dave, using your #1 waiver priority or a large % of FAAB.
“This is a guy that if he is available on waivers, you can theoretically pick him up and put him in your lineup every week between now and the end of the season.”
— Dave Kluge (07:02)- Alfredo adds the Giants are throwing more to RBs and touts Tracy’s pass-catching upside, while noting Eric Gray could eventually take on a backup role when he returns.
2. Tier Two: Priority Running Back Stashes
[09:10 - 14:41]
A. Tank Bigsby (RB, Philadelphia Eagles)
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Availability: 91%
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Situation: Saquon Barkley’s groin injury could open the door; Bigsby is the clear “injury away” upside stash.
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Fab Guidance: Low priority in shallow leagues, more aggressive (up to 25-30% of FAAB) in deep formats.
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Analysis: Bigsby fits well in the Eagles offense, especially bouncing runs outside, but upside depends strictly on Barkley’s health.
“If Saquon Barkley misses any time... Tank Bigsby would be a guy that you can look at as like a plug-and-play top 10, top 12 player.”
— Dave Kluge (10:18)
B. Ollie Gordon II (RB, Miami Dolphins)
- Action: Priority stash; listed as Alfredo’s #2 waiver RB.
- Why: Dolphins have spiked rushing volume recently (up to 57% last week due to injuries/game script).
- Standalone Value: He’s earning early game touches—not just garbage time; Dolphins have a string of easy run defenses on the horizon.
- Long-Term Outlook: Could gain weekly value if Dolphins keep up higher rushing rates.
3. Tier Three: Additional RB Stashes & Emerging WRs
[16:16 - 26:33]
A. Isaiah Davis (RB, New York Jets)
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Availability: 68%
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Why: Backup to Breece Hall (amidst trade rumors); broke out with 100+ scrimmage yards last week, will be an RB2 if Hall is traded/injured.
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Outlook: Similar to Ollie Gordon—stash now, could explode later.
"Isaiah Davis has been steadily growing his role. Just 23 years old... great size, adjusted speed, pass catching chops."
— Dave Kluge (18:00)
B. Troy Franklin (WR, Denver Broncos)
- Availability: 67%
- Role: Solidified as WR2, but wideout production is inconsistent in Denver’s crowded offense.
- Advice: Flex play in bye/injury pinch, but beware boom/bust profile.
- Quote:
"You never really feel good about Troy Franklin... It does feel like we’re kind of chasing points here."
— Dave Kluge (20:53)
C. Dylan Sampson (RB, Cleveland Browns)
- Availability: 89%
- Status: Pure stash; depends on health of Quinshon Judkins and potential trades.
4. Tier Four: Deep-League & Upside WR Fliers
[28:12 - 36:33]
A. Christian Watson (WR, Green Bay Packers)
- Availability: 85%
- Upside: High, coming off injury—opportunity surging with depleted WR corps; hosts’ preferred flier over Shamir D.K.
- Quote:
“Watson’s one of those guys that…nobody moved up more than him in my rest of season rankings.”
— Dave Kluge (31:53)
B. Shamir D.K. (WR, Tennessee Titans)
- Availability: 81%
- Comparisons: Watson is more proven and on a better offense. D.K.’s upside stems from his rookie status and Titans’ likely negative game scripts.
5. Rookie WRs & TE Fliers for Late-Season Value
[33:12 - 39:51]
Texans WRs: Jaden Higgins vs. Jalen Noel
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Debate: Higgins offers immediate upside if Nico Collins misses time; Jalen Noel offers Tank Dell–like skillset and long-term upside, especially if he can grab a larger role later in the year.
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Tip: Both have earned expanded roles and are solid stashes.
“Once you find success doing that one thing, you sort of keep… doing that one thing because you need to get some wins.”
— Alfredo Brown (34:26)
Colston Loveland (TE, Chicago Bears)
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Availability: 75%
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Why to Add: Cole Kmet injury, Bears’ TE-friendly matchup vs Cincy, and a rapidly growing role make him a TE streamer with possible breakout potential.
“Here's…players I would drop for Colston Loveland… like T.J. Hockenson, Taysom Hill, Juwan Johnson, Dalton Schultz, Jonnu Smith…”
— Dave Kluge (38:44)
6. New Segment: Quarterbacks and Defenses to Stream
[39:51 - 43:22]
Quarterback Streamers:
- Sam Darnold (SEA, vs. WAS): Top option, likely shootout. [40:27]
- Trevor Lawrence (JAX, vs. LV)
- Tua Tagovailoa (MIA, vs. BAL): Highest upside, but toughest matchup.
Defense/Special Teams Streamers:
- Rams (vs. Saints): Rookie QB target—top recommendation.
- Chargers (vs. Titans): Tennessee is a “sack machine” for fantasy DSTs.
- Jaguars (vs. Raiders): Turnover potential.
- Order: Rams → Jaguars → Chargers (Dave’s preference, 42:25)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
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On Tracy Being a Must-Add:
“Dump everything you got. If you've got the number one waiver priority, if you've got $85 in fab remaining… this is like we saw last year.”
— Dave Kluge (06:42) -
Waiver Wire Philosophy:
“The first eight weeks is not the final eight weeks and this could be a very different Texans team going forward.”
— Alfredo Brown (34:26) -
On League Winner Upside:
“It's not often that you can find a guy on the waiver wire that is just a plug and play option for the rest of the year.”
— Dave Kluge (09:02) -
On Navigating Unpredictable Offenses:
"Even when you are grinding matchups and trying to find every edge you possibly can, it still goes haywire every now and then."
— Dave Kluge (22:49) -
Healthy Fantasy Mindset:
"Stay in it. Keep studying the matchups, keep looking at the waiver wire."
— Alfredo Brown (24:06)
Important Timestamps
- Wholesome Banter/Cold Open: [01:37 - 05:36]
- Tracy Deep Dive: [06:35 - 09:07]
- Tier 2 RBs (Bigsby, Gordon): [09:10 - 14:41]
- Jets/Broncos RB & WR Analysis: [16:16 - 21:59]
- Franklin & WR Flex Philosophy: [21:59 - 23:08]
- Waiver Wire Mindset (Changing Seasons): [23:12 - 24:45]
- Deeper RB/WR Stashes: [24:45 - 33:12]
- Texans Rookie WRs, Colston Loveland TE Streamer: [33:12 - 39:51]
- QB & DST Streamers: [39:51 - 43:22]
- Show Wrap/Jokes: [43:23 - 44:32]
Tone & Style
The hosts mix practical, deep fantasy insight with witty, relatable banter. They acknowledge shifting dynamics, reference last year’s fantasy stats, and tie in listener engagement jokes for community feel.
Quick Hit List: Week 9 Waiver Targets (in Consensus Order)
- Tyrone Tracy (RB, NYG) – Plug-and-play “league winner” potential.
- Tank Bigsby (RB, PHI) – Stash with RB1 upside if Barkley misses time.
- Ollie Gordon II (RB, MIA) – Growing workload in run-heavy pivot.
- Isaiah Davis (RB, NYJ) – Next man up if Hall moves or gets hurt.
- Christian Watson (WR, GB) – High-upside WR flier, preferred over Troy Franklin.
- Troy Franklin (WR, DEN) – Boom/bust flex for deep/bye weeks.
- Jaden Higgins/Jalen Noel (WRs, HOU) – Both worth deep stashes as Texans sort out WR pecking order.
- Dylan Sampson (RB, CLE) – Emergency stash.
- Shamir DK (WR, TEN) – Deep stash; upside capped by team/offense.
- Colston Loveland (TE, CHI) – TE streamer/breakout candidate.
Top Streamers:
- QB: Sam Darnold (SEA)
- DST: Rams, Jaguars, Chargers
Summary for the Busy Fantasy Manager
This week features an unusually strong waiver wire, with Tyrone Tracy as the rare “set-and-forget” RB. The hosts urge managers not to coast in the back half of the season—upside and league-changers can still emerge, especially among RB stashes and ascending receivers. With byes and injuries mounting, managers should churn their benches and aggressively pursue both opportunity and long-term upside. Special attention is given to rookie TE Colston Loveland as a sneaky late-year pickup.
Engage with the Show:
“If you made it this far…tell us how awesome this show is!” — Hosts (44:05)
For Week 9, it’s about priority RB stashes—with Tracy the clear #1—while still hunting for the emerging WR who can flex in a pinch. There's real value in streaming the right QBs and defenses, as outlined above. Stay tuned for Alfredo and Dave’s trade and rankings episodes later in the week for more playoff push advice.