With the Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers on a bye this week, we've got a lot of pieces missing from our fantasy lineups. No Dak Prescott? We need to find a quarterback here. What are we going to do at running back without Saquon Barkley, Christian McCaffrey, Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard -- not to mention Nick Chubb? Oh, yes -- did I forget to mention that the Cleveland Browns are also taking a Week 9 break, along with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Denver Broncos?
With all of that in mind, let's get into it with the top streaming options for your Week 9 fantasy lineups. I've identified some key players -- all rostered in less than 50% of ESPN leagues -- who can be picked up for this week's slate of NFL games. While you might notice some overlap with Eric Moody's pickup column that publishes on Mondays, an important distinction is that the options mentioned in this column are focused solely on this week's matchup and not the players' values for the remainder of the season.
So let's start in Chicago, where there's a quarterback with dual-threat ability just waiting to be claimed in nearly three out of every four ESPN fantasy football leagues.
Quarterbacks
Justin Fields, Chicago Bears (45.1% rostered; vs. Dolphins): With back-to-back games of 23-plus fantasy points and playing in an offensive system that is now scheming around his strengths, Fields has fringe QB1 value in Week 9 versus Miami. Fields has logged 22 carries over the past two weeks, with two touchdowns on designed rushes in the low red zone. Plus, Chicago's passing game is now creating more defined throws for Fields, with isolated matchups in scoring position. Even without the high-volume passing numbers, Fields' rushing totals put him at the top of my QB streaming options this week.
Andy Dalton, New Orleans Saints (17.5% rostered; at Ravens): Dalton, who has thrown six TD passes over his past two starts, gets the nod here as a deeper-league streaming option due to his ability to play within the scheme and take the throws that are available. For the Saints, that means target volume for RB Alvin Kamara. Over the past four games, Kamara has logged 28 receptions with Dalton as the starter -- angle/choice routes, swings out of the backfield, screens and checks underneath. Dalton can see it fast from the pocket and deliver the ball within rhythm. He will also take the second- or third-level throws to target rookie WR Chris Olave. Play the veteran here in the Monday night game.
Other potential options: Taylor Heinicke, Washington Commanders (15.2% rostered; vs. Vikings), Marcus Mariota, Atlanta Falcons (34.0% rostered; vs. Chargers), Jared Goff, Detroit Lions (35.8% rostered; vs Packers)
Running backs
Deon Jackson, Indianapolis Colts (54.8% rostered; at Patriots): With Jonathan Taylor officially out for Sunday's game due to an ankle injury, Jackson should be added as a potential fantasy starter for the Sunday matchup versus the Patriots. Jackson logged 22 touches and a rushing score back in Week 6 versus the Jaguars, and we know he has the receiving chops to work underneath in the Colts route tree (10 receptions in that game). Yes, Jordan Wilkins and the newly acquired Zack Moss figure to be in the backfield rotation for the Colts, too. But I would target Jackson as a must-grab given the offensive structure with Sam Ehlinger at quarterback and Jackson's anticipated volume as the lead back.
Khalil Herbert, Chicago Bears (61.1% rostered; vs. Dolphins): I was shocked to see Herbert still rostered at under 50% entering the week. What are we doing here? (Editor's note: Herbert's roster percentage has been updated, but he's still available in nearly 40% of leagues.) Herbert is the best back on one of the NFL's most run-heavy teams. Even playing in a committee approach alongside David Montgomery, Herbert has posted back-to-back games with 15-plus PPR points and 13 total touches. He's decisive with the ball. He plays with vision. And the contact balance works, too. Given the amount of running backs on a bye this week, I would scoop up Herbert to fit into the lineup.
Kenyan Drake, Baltimore Ravens (31.3% rostered; at Saints): Gus Edwards left Week 8's game versus the Buccaneers with a hamstring injury. That's something to monitor. If Edwards remains down, we may even boost Drake into the RB2 mix. However, I also look at what the Ravens did in the second half during that win over Tampa Bay. That was "old-school Baltimore" in the running game -- big personnel, motion and movement, zone and power. I expect more of that this week versus the Saints, with Drake seeing the ball. The veteran runner logged 16.7 PPR points again the Buccaneers' defense -- and on only 11 touches. We saw the big-play juice on a counter scheme, and Drake also scored as a receiver on a play-action concept in the red zone. If he can get another 10-12 touches, I like Drake as a PPR flex for the Monday night game.
Other potential options: Nyheim Hines, Buffalo Bills (56.8% rostered; at Jets), Jeff Wilson Jr., Miami Dolphins (45.5% rostered; at Bears), Isiah Pacheco, Kansas City Chiefs (25.1% rostered; vs. Titans), Rachaad White, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (19.8% rostered; vs. Rams), Dontrell Hilliard, Tennessee Titans (10.2% rostered; at Chiefs), Ronnie Rivers, Los Angeles Rams (4.3% rostered; at Buccaneers)
Wide receivers
Rondale Moore, Arizona Cardinals (64.0% rostered; at Seahawks): Another player who somehow entered the below our 50% rostered threshold (which has since changed), Moore just dropped 23.4 PPR points on the Minnesota defense in Week 8. He has now logged six-plus receptions in three of his past four games. As we've said before about Moore's offensive fit in Arizona, he's a motion/movement target -- lots of unders, screens and slot receptions. Plus, Kliff Kingsbury will also sprinkle in some run-game touches for Moore, who had a pair of rushing attempts last week. I see Moore as a WR3 in PPR formats versus Seattle's defense.
Romeo Doubs, Green Bay Packers (56.0% rostered; at Lions): I got burned by Doubs earlier this season, but I'm going to try the rookie again here given the matchup and the coverage tendencies of the Lions. Doubs had a TD reception in the Week 8 loss to the Bills -- his first since Week 4 -- and he has now seen seven-plus targets in two of his past three games. Look for the Packers to heavily scheme the passing game in this one versus the Detroit corners, with man-beating concepts and the strike-zone throws (20-35 yards out) to the end zone. That's when Rodgers will identify and take the one-on-ones. There's scoring upside here for Doubs in a positive matchup.
Other potential options: Devin Duvernay, Baltimore Ravens (48.5% rostered; at Saints), Joshua Palmer, Los Angeles Chargers (60.6% rostered; at Falcons), DeAndre Carter, Los Angeles Chargers (8.3% rostered; at Falcons), Terrace Marshall Jr., Carolina Panthers (7.0% rostered; at Bengals), Zay Jones, Jacksonville Jaguars (32.3% rostered; vs. Raiders)
Tight ends
Isaiah Likely, Baltimore Ravens (13.2% rostered; at Saints): Likely's Week 9 value hinges upon the health of Mark Andrews. If Andrews (shoulder) can't go, then you need to scoop up Likely and put him in your lineup. Last week versus Tampa Bay in relief of Andrews, the rookie had a breakout game with 19.7 PPR points, six receptions and a score. We can look at his offensive deployment here, with flexed alignments to get into the route tree. He's slippery and rugged after the catch, too. Likely can turn crossers or unders into explosive plays. He will be a fringe TE1 for me if he gets the start versus New Orleans.
Evan Engram, Jacksonville Jaguars (55.7% rostered; vs. Raiders): With double-digit PPR production in three of his past four games and 19 receptions over that stretch, Engram continues to find his way into this column. It's the steady production here and the route traits. Engram also caught his first touchdown of the season in the Week 8 loss to Denver on a schemed corner route to isolate the safety in coverage. With a good matchup against a Raiders defense that has struggled to limit opposing tight ends, I would have no issues playing Engram in Week 9.
Other potential options: Tyler Conklin, New York Jets (33.6% rostered; vs. Bills), Noah Fant, Seattle Seahawks (32.4% rostered; at Cardinals)
Defense/special teams
Kansas City Chiefs (36.6% rostered; vs. Titans): Yeah, the Chiefs have to win early-down situations here versus the Titans, limiting the production of Derrick Henry and Tennessee's ability to control offensive tempo. If they can do that, and force either Ryan Tannehill or Malik Willis into dropback situations, we can start to cash in on the fantasy production. The Chiefs currently have a top-10 blitz rate on third down. They've logged eight sacks over their past three games and are starting to take the ball away, with four forced turnovers over the past two games. In a matchup in which Kansas City could jump ahead early and force the Titans to throw, this Chiefs defense could be in a position to turn up the pressure rate.
Other potential options: Cincinnati Bengals (74.6% rostered; vs. Falcons), Indianapolis Colts (60.0% rostered; at Patriots)