Here are our waiver wire candidates for week nine. As usual, you’ll find players who are either [Startable], a [Stopgap] to get you past a BYE or injury, [Worth a look] and spot on your bench, or [One-week-wonder]s who don’t warrant a roster spot, so you make your roster moves accordingly. You’ll also see the percent owned in parenthesis (and if you see an asterisk by the players name, it means they’re on a BYE this week.)

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This week the talent is really starting to fall off the cliff, with the only real interesting additions to the list being Texans’ running back Ryan Moats and Chargers’ receiver Malcom Floyd…but even they don’t raise all that much excitement. Anyways, here’s the guys that are still available out there in case you’re in desperate need of help at a position. Hopefully you don’t have to rely on these guys too much!

Quarterbacks
  • [Worth a look] Mark Sanchez, NYJ (48%) – Everyone loved Sanchez’s “poise” when he started the season, but now I’d say the word to describe him is “INCONSISTENT.” He’s more of a keeper league prospect at this point.
  • [Worth a look] Alex Smith, SF (34%) – He didn’t get three touchdowns again this weekend and probably won’t very often, but I guess he’s a possibility if you’re really in a bind at the position.
  • [Worth a look] Vince Young, TEN (14%) – Just someone to watch and see how he performs as he gets back into the swing of things. By no means should you start him.
  • [Stopgap] Matt Hasselbeck, SEA (76%) – Coming off the BYE, Hasselbeck had another solid performance (like week 5, NOT like week 6!) and is worth a start if your QB is on a BYE.
Running Backs
  • [Worth a look] Beanie Wells, ARI (75%) – Wells had a rough go of it last week, but he is getting at least 50% of the carries for the Cardinals and that number should increase as the season goes on.
  • [Worth a look] Jamaal Charles, KC (61%) – With the suspension of Larry Johnson, Charles will take over as the staring running back in Kansas City. Just remember, it’s Kansas City.
  • [Worth a look] Ryan Moats, HOU (37%) – He was the top scoring RB of last weekend, but don’t expect that to ever happen again. Moats will probably get carries (especially if Slaton fumbles early again), but he is a risky play unless the team commits to him as the starter.
  • [Stopgap] Mike Bell, NO (76%) – He was outperformed by Pierre Thomas last night (and Reggie Bush got the red-zone score!) but Mike Bell will still get carries for an explosive Saints offense and is worth a spot start here and there if you’re in a tough spot.
  • [Stopgap] Laurence Maroney, NE (70%) – Maroney scored in the two games leading up to the BYE, but besides a long run in the snow against the Titans, he hasn’t been all that effective. He might be worth the risk this weekend though if you need someone to fill-in for Adrian Peterson or something…just don’t expect him to match A-Pete’s numbers!
  • [Stopgap] Correll Buckhalter, DEN (67%) – He’s losing more and more carries to Knowshon Moreno, but Buckhalter is still the tailback of choice when it comes to the passing game. He’s usually good for around 10 points or so if you’re in a bind.
  • [Stopgap] Jamal Lewis, CLE (61%) – Bad team, but he gets the bulk of the carries…he just can’t seem to find the endzone this year.
  • [Stopgap] Justin Fargas, OAK (36%) – Owned in only a third of the leagues out there, Fargas is putting up better numbers than Jamal Lewis and actually found the endzone last week! However, he plays for the Raiders…
  • [One-week-wonder] Maurice Morris, DET (4%) – Filling in for Kevin Smith, Morris did alright…but it was against the Rams. When Smith returns, Morris has no fantasy value.
  • [One-week-wonder] Leonard Weaver, PHI (1%) – Take away his 41 yard touchdown scamper last weekend and you’ll get the type of numbers you can expect from Weaver while Brian Westbrook is out.
  • [One-week-wonder] LaRod Stephens-Howling, ARI (1%) – He had a touchdown, but the real reason he’s on here is because his name is awesome.
Wide Receivers
  • [Startable] Jeremy Maclin, PHI (69%) – Maclin is clearly the number two receiver in Philly at this point and should be owned in nearly all leagues (especially keeper leagues!)
  • [Startable] Mike Wallace, PIT (54%) – With Ben Roethlisberger throwing the ball better than most quarterbacks in the league, his number three receiver is putting up solid numbers as well. He only catches two or three balls a week, but he turns those into 50-70 yards and is good for a touchdown every once in a while. I especially love Wallace in keeper leagues.
  • [Worth a look] Lance Moore, NO (63%) – After two straight sub-par games, it’s hard for me to say anything good about Moore, but I have a feeling he’ll make a late-season push and put up some decent numbers down the stretch.
  • [Worth a look] Malcom Floyd, SD (15%) – With Chris Chambers being cut from the team, Malcom Floyd takes over as the starter alongside Vincent Jackson. In last week’s game (his first game as a starter) he had two catches for 64 yards. I think you can expect a bit more production from him over the rest of the season, as he gets more comfortable with Philip Rivers.
  • [Worth a look] Mike Thomas, JAX (5%) – Thomas now has 11 catches for 107 yards in the past two games AND he’s been handling some kick/punt returns. Probably not a good start quite yet, but someone to keep an eye on.
  • [Worth a look] Sammie Stroughter, TB (5%) – Like Thomas (above), Stroughter is a double threat, getting some looks at receiver, as well as some action in the return game.
  • [Stopgap] Antonio Bryant, TB (60%) – He is getting healthier as the weeks go by, but with a new (rookie) quarterback, he’s an even more risky play now.
  • [Stopgap] Patrick Crayton, DAL (57%) – Worth a lot more in leagues that award for kick returns, but he’s the fourth or fifth option in the passing game at this point.
  • [Stopgap] Laveranues Coles, CIN (36%) – He had a touchdown in two straight games heading into the BYE…let’s see if he can pick up where he left off.
  • [One-week-wonder] Ted Ginn, MIA (40%) – Unless your league awards points for kick returns (where he is pretty nasty!), Ginn seems to have been completely phased out of the Dolphins passing game.
  • [One-week-wonder] Deion Branch, SEA (8%) – Branch is the fourth or fifth option in the Seahawks passing game.
Tight Ends
  • [Worth a look] Fred Davis, WAS (15%) – With Chris Cooley out, Davis will be the primary recipient of the passes that would have went his way. He ended up 78 yards and a touchdown on eight receptions and is someone to keep an eye on…and who could possibly start for your team against Atlanta in week nine.
  • [Worth a look] Joel Dreessen, HOU (2%) – Like Davis and Cooley, Dreessen will be the Texans’ replacement for Owen Daniels.
  • [Stopgap] Zach Miller, OAK (65%) – He’s JaMarcus Russell’s #1 target in the passing game, but he still plays for the Raiders and should only be used in an emergency.
  • [Stopgap] Tony Scheffler, DEN (50%) – Coming off the BYE, I expected Scheffler to pick up where he left off…where he was putting up big numbers and seemed to be one of Orton’s favorite targets. However, he did not live up to expectations and seems to be an inconsistent play at best.
  • [Stopgap] Dustin Keller, NYj (47%) – Keller obviously has talent, but he only has two games all season where he caught for over 31 yards. He’s a risky play, but maybe you’re willing to roll the dice.
  • [Stopgap] Kevin Boss, NYG (30%) – Boss is in the same boat as Keller (above.)
  • [One-week-wonder] Daniel Fells, STL (3%) – He catches one or two passes a game (three of which have now gone for touchdowns), but he’s no where near consistent enough to be in your line-up.
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