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Week 9 waiver-wire pickups and fantasy targets

NEW ORLEANS, LA - OCTOBER 30: Tim Hightower #34 of the New Orleans Saints runs for a first down past Kelcie McCray #33 of the Seattle Seahawks druing the third quarter at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on October 30, 2016 in New Orleans, Louisiana. New Orleans won the game 25-20. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)

Back-to-back weeks with six teams on bye means we have to hustle and scramble to fill out our starting lineups. Fortunately, there are a number of potential adds who are likely to be available on your waiver wire this week.

Remember, we cast a wide net every week in our waiver wire advice. Below you’ll see recommendations for shallow, regular and deep leagues. Players are listed in order of priority and the suggested auction budget percentage is in parentheses.

Keep in mind that some leagues may be more aggressive or conservative in terms of bidding, so know your league tendencies. Regardless of the size of your league, it’s suggested that you work your way down the list and prioritize the top players in your waiver claims for this week.

Shallow leagues (8-10 teams)

Quarterback

With six teams on bye, the pickings are extremely thin at quarterback. Fantasy owners are unlikely to stream a top-10 play, though it should be noted that both Jameis Winston (vs. ATL) and Dak Prescott (at CLV) have favorable matchups this week. They’re available in roughly a quarter of fantasy leagues, and should be considered this week’s top streamers.

Running back

1. Derrick Henry, Tennessee (25%) – It’s odd to recommend a handcuff as one of the top pickups, but that’s exactly what we’re doing. Henry is still clearly behind DeMarco Murray, but we got a glimpse of what could be this past week when Murray briefly exited the game. Henry has RB1 upside if Murray goes down.

2. Rob Kelley, Washington (20%) – He isn’t the next Jay Ajayi, but Kelley showed that he’s a capable starter this past week. The Redskins head into their bye, but Kelley is still worth stashing. He’s likely owned at least a committee role, and could possibly leapfrog Matt Jones for the starting gig.

3. Tim Hightower, New Orleans (20%) – In a move nobody saw coming, the Saints benched Mark Ingram after an early fumble. Hightower came in and put up 102 yards on 26 carries. Let it be clear that Hightower did not play well, but a committee is likely in New Orleans. He’s in play as a flex option this week with a fantastic matchup against the 49ers on the calendar

Wide receiver

1. Davante Adams, Green Bay (30%) – A banged-up and floundering Packers receiver corps has opened the door for Adams over the last two weeks. He’s racked up 30 targets during that span, and more importantly, has seemed to turn a corner as a player. Expect Adams’ expanded role to continue going forward, and consider him an every-week WR3-plus.

2. J.J. Nelson, Arizona (25%) – In Week 8, Nelson led the Cardinals in targets and played the most snaps out of the wide receivers. Nelson has moved past Michael Floyd on the depth chart and is now a starter. His field-stretching ability bodes well for upside moving forward.

3. Corey Coleman, Cleveland (20%) – He’s cleared to practice and will almost certainly return to the field this week after missing the last six weeks. Coleman has a breakout performance in Week 2 with two scores and 104 yards on five catches. If he’s available, scoop Coleman up this week.

Tight end

1. Eric Ebron, Detroit (20%) – Tight end has been a rough position this season. Those struggling to generate consistent fantasy points should pounce on Ebron this week. After a three-week absence, Ebron returned this past weekend and saw 10 targets. That healthy workload bodes positively for Ebron going forward.

2. C.J. Fiedorowicz, Houston (12%) – Yep. He’s for real. Over the last month, only Rob Gronkowski and Delanie Walker have more fantasy points at the tight end position. Keep in mind that Fiedorowicz isn’t a dynamic player like Ebron, but he’s seeing consistent targets and offers a high weekly floor.

Regular leagues (12 teams)

Quarterback

1. Colin Kaepernick, San Francisco (5%) – It really isn’t an ideal time to have to be in need of a quarterback, but here’s one for the desperate crowd. In two games as a starter, Kaepernick has 150 rushing yards. In terms of fantasy points, that’s the equivalent of nearly four passing touchdowns. He’s in play this week as a streamer against New Orleans.

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