Before we get into my favorite fantasy football wide receivers for Week 9, let's take a look back at some of the players I liked in Week 8.

Most of the time, I gently mock myself to open the article by looking back at some of my favorites from the previous week who disappointed. 

In Week 8, though, I had some hits.

Let's see if I can keep the good times going as we hit the midway point of the regular season.

As of Tuesday evening, here's an early look at my (preliminary) favorite Week 9 fantasy plays — the guys who (in some combination)…

  • Might be high in my fantasy rankings relative to the industry consensus.
  • Need to be started in most season-long leagues.
  • Must be added if they are on waivers.
  • Possess underappreciated upside.
  • Have advantageous matchups.
  • Should be considered in daily fantasy.
  • Make for desirable dynasty acquisition targets.
  • Are on teams with player-friendly betting odds.
  • Catch my eye with their player projections.
  • Stand out in our Fantasy Life Player Prop Tool.

Some notes.

Updates: After I submit this piece, any changing opinions I have will be reflected in my rankings and my projections (accessible with a FantasyLife+ subscription), which I will update throughout the week.

Scoring & Ordering: All fantasy points are half-PPR scoring unless otherwise stated. Players are ordered within position roughly (but maybe not precisely) according to my rankings.

Abbreviations: Check out the end of the piece for abbreviations I might use.

Bye Week: This week, the Steelers and 49ers are on bye.. 

Sports Betting Data: Odds are as of 10 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Oct. 29, and based on the consensus lines in our Fantasy Life Odds Page.

Freedman's Favorites: Although we publish this piece as four separate articles broken out by position, I think of it as one cohesive whole and write it as such. With that in mind, please be sure to check out the rest of my favorite Week 8 fantasy football plays in the other positional previews.

Best WRs for Fantasy Football Week 9

Amon-Ra St. Brown (Lions) at Packers

  • Lions: -3
  • O/U: 47.5
  • TT: 25.25

St. Brown notably underwhelmed in Week 1 (3-13-0 receiving, six targets), but since then he has either 100 yards or a TD in every game.

And in the three games that have been kept within one score, he has looked every bit like the dominator who had 1,515 yards and 10 TDs receiving last year.

  • Buccaneers (Week 2): 11-119-0 receiving | 18 targets
  • Cardinals (Week 3): 7-75-0 receiving | 8 targets
  • Vikings (Week 7): 8-112-1 receiving | 8 targets

I expect this divisional matchup with the Packers to be close, so St. Brown should benefit from a reasonable game script, especially without No. 2 WR Jameson Williams (suspension).

Additionally, I like St. Brown's individual matchup in the slot, where he'll face either returner-turned-CB Keisean Nixon (55.4 coverage grade) or rookie safety-turned-CB Javon Bullard (44.5 coverage grade, per PFF). Either way, St. Brown has a clear advantage.

In two games against the Packers last year, St. Brown had a solid 14-151-1 receiving on 18 targets. 

Chris Olave (Saints) at Panthers

  • Saints: -7
  • O/U: 43.5
  • TT: 25.25

Even without Derek Carr (oblique), Olave last week flashed with 8-107-0 receiving on 14 targets, and I expect him once again to have heavy target volume without No. 2 WR Rashid Shaheed (knee, IR) and potentially WRs Bub Means (ankle) and Cedrick Wilson (hip).

Even more important is the potential return of Carr, who has missed the past three weeks but is slated to practice this week.

Olave did almost nothing against the Panthers in Week 1 (2-11-0 receiving, two targets), but that's explainable by the fact that the Saints got out to a big lead and ended up winning 47-10.

Given the WR injuries, Olave should still enjoy a large workload this week even if the Saints handily defeat the Panthers, who are No. 31 in defensive pass DVOA (33.2%).

Courtland Sutton (Broncos) at Ravens

  • Broncos: +9.5
  • O/U: 45.5
  • TT: 18

Week to week, you never know what you're going to get with Sutton:

Two games ago, he had zero targets in a 33-10 win despite easily having a team-high 85% route rate. And then last game he had an identical 85% route rate — except he leveraged it into 8-100-0 receiving with a 31% target rate and 30% target share.

If you want, you can chalk up the success Sutton had last week to his advantageous matchup against the Panthers, and that's fair. Maybe he wouldn't have gotten 11 targets against another opponent.

But this week he's in another good spot, as the Ravens are No. 1 in most fantasy points allowed to WRs (37.2) and could be without CBs Marlon Humphrey (knee) and Nate Wiggins (shoulder, illness), both of whom missed last week.

As a big road underdog, Sutton has a chance once again to see double-digit targets.

Cedric Tillman (Browns) vs. Chargers

  • Browns: +2
  • O/U: 42.5
  • TT: 20.25

To state the obvious, Tillman is a priority add on waivers in every league where he's available. And by "priority," I mean: “You should spend 99% of your remaining FAAB on him… maybe 100%.”

It's not uncommon to find RBs on waivers who step into full-time roles and immediately provide season-saving high-end production. It is, however, abnormally rare to find such WRs — but Tillman looks like the exception. He could be the waiver wire add of the year.

Over the past two weeks, the Browns have traded WR Amari Cooper and lost QB Deshaun Watson (Achilles, IR). Cooper's absence has bestowed Tillman with an amplified opportunity, and Watson's injury has allowed backup QB Jameis Winston to elevate the entire offense with his competent play and willingness to attack defenses downfield.

With his enhanced playing time, Tillman has leveled up with an 87% route rate, 23% target rate, and 24% target share over his past two games — and last week with Winston he impressed with 7-99-2 receiving on nine targets.

Given the other players on the depth chart, I don't see why Tillman shouldn't continue to function as a target-dominant No. 1 WR, and the Chargers don't have No. 1 CB Asante Samuel (shoulder, IR).

The Deep Route

Terry McLaurin (Commanders -3.5, TT: 23.5) at Giants: McLaurin was terrible in Week 2 against the Giants (6-22-0 receiving, eight targets), but since then he has 32-540-4 receiving in six games and has exhibited a high floor as the No. 1 WR for electric QB Jayden Daniels (-400 OROY favorite). The Commanders have a one-day rest-and-prep advantage, McLaurin is No. 4 with a 47% share of air yards, and the Giants could be without CBs Cor'Dale Flott (groin) and Adoree' Jackson (neck), both of whom missed last week.

DeVonta Smith (Eagles -7, TT: 26.5) vs. Jaguars: In all but one game this year Smith has either 70 yards or a TD. The Jags are No. 3 in largest fantasy boost allowed to WRs (+6.5), and in the slot Smith will likely face rookie CB Jarrian Jones, who just entered the starting lineup last week.

Calvin Ridley (Titans -3, TT: 20.5) vs. Patriots: Since the Week 5 bye Ridley has had 32 targets in three games, and last week — in his first Titans game without WR DeAndre Hopkins (traded) — Ridley had 10-143-0 on 15 targets. (He could've had an even bigger day, but … sheesh.) The Patriots are No. 29 in defensive dropback EPA (0.209).

Ladd McConkey (Chargers -2, TT: 22.25) at Browns: McConkey has seen a steady 6-8 targets since Week 3, and last week he had his best game as a pro with 6-111-2 receiving. The Chargers could once again be without WRs Quentin Johnston (ankle), D.J. Chark (groin, IR), and Derius Davis (hamstring) as well as TE Hayden Hurst (groin) — and the Browns could be without No. 1 CB Denzel Ward (concussion).

Xavier Legette (Panthers +7, TT: 18.25) vs. Saints: No. 1 WR Diontae Johnson (traded) is no longer with the team, and in his absence last week Legette led all Panthers WRs with a 27% target rate and 21% target share. He could have similar usage this week, and the Saints have a cluster situation in the secondary with injuries to CBs Marshon Lattimore (hamstring), Paulson Adebo (leg, IR), and Rico Payton (back).

Parker Washington (Jaguars +7, TT: 19.5) at Eagles: WRs Brian Thomas (chest), Christian Kirk (shoulder, IR), and Gabe Davis (shoulder) all exited Week 8 early, and in their absence Washington had a position-high 74% route rate. Kirk is out, and if Thomas and Davis also miss Week 9 then Washington could be a viable desperado flier against the Eagles, who are No. 31 in defensive pass DVOA against No. 1 WRs (28.4%) and could be without No. 1 CB Darius Slay (groin).

Abbreviations

  • Fantasy Points per Game (FPPG)
  • Against the Spread (ATS)
  • Over/Under (O/U)
  • Team Total (TT)
  • Moneyline (ML)
  • Return on Investment (ROI)
  • Adjusted Yards per Attempt (AY/A)
  • Expected Points Added (EPA)
  • Success Rate (SR)
  • Completion Percentage Over Expected (CPOE)
  • Defense-Adjusted Value Over Average (DVOA)
  • AirYAC (Air Yards + Yards After Catch)
  • Weighted Opportunity Rating (WOPR)
  • Average Depth of Target (aDOT)
  • Short Down and Distance (SDD)
  • Long Down and Distance (LDD)