Each week throughout the NFL regular season, we will discuss the top fantasy football streaming options. These are deeper-league targets who have shown viable production or fit as a matchup-dependent play to give you a boost in the lineup this week.
Players listed below are rostered in under 50% of ESPN leagues entering Week 9's waiver wire period. Although you might notice overlap with Eric Moody's waiver wire column that publishes Mondays, an important distinction is that the options mentioned in this column are focused solely on this week's matchup and not on the players' values for the remainder of the season.
With four teams on a bye this week -- Jacksonville Jaguars, San Francisco 49ers, Detroit Lions and Denver Broncos -- and with injuries to quarterbacks mounting, I'm starting with two QBs you can slot into your lineups. Plus, we'll look at four receivers with potential WR3/flex upside, a selection of running backs and a defense that is heating up the pocket with pressure.
All references to fantasy points are for PPR leagues.
Quarterbacks
Sam Howell, Washington Commanders (is now 61.6% rostered; at Patriots)
Howell's 30.8 fantasy points led all quarterbacks in Week 8, and he's logged at least 15 points in six of eight games played this season. Yes, Howell can be a very streaky thrower, and he's posted at least one interception in five games. However, NFL defenses have to respect his arm talent and his 4.6 speed. With Brock Purdy, Trevor Lawrence, Jared Goff, Russell Wilson, Justin Fields and Kirk Cousins not playing this week due to byes or injury, I'll take Howell, and his aggressive mentality, to produce versus the Patriots.
Derek Carr, New Orleans Saints (33.1%; vs. Bears)
Carr finished with 18.3 fantasy points in the Week 8 win over the Colts, and he's thrown for at least 300 yards in three straight games. So, let's take the matchup here against a Bears defense that will play heavy Cover 2 and Cover 3, with a pass rush that can't get home with any consistency. Look for the Saints to scheme up coverage voids for Carr here, where he can play as a ball distributor from the pocket.
Wide receivers
Rashid Shaheed, New Orleans Saints (28.2%; vs. Bears)
Shaheed dropped a season-high 24.3 points on the Colts in Week 8, posting 153 yards receiving and a score -- on just three receptions. Shaheed, who has seen 17 targets in his past three games, will remain that boom-or-bust player in your lineup this week in a positive matchup against the Bears. Let's get Shaheed isolated here on a deep-half safety to take a vertical shot, plus run the crossers and unders to expose the Bears' zone schemes. Shaheed can be played as a WR3 in deeper leagues this week, with more upside in non-PPR formats.
Khalil Shakir, Buffalo Bills (2.7%; at Bengals)
Shakir's role expanded in the Week 8 win over the Bucs, and he responded with season highs in receptions (six), targets (six), receiving yards (92) and fantasy points (15.2). The game plan also fit for Shakir, as Josh Allen averaged just 5.8 air yards per attempt. That allowed Shakir to work the underneath levels, while averaging 6.5 yards after the catch. Plus, he had one explosive-play reception on a deep over route. Given this offensive approach from the Bills, Shakir should continue to see enough volume to produce as a deep-league WR3.
Jayden Reed, Green Bay Packers (17.1%; vs. Rams)
With 12.3 fantasy points in the Week 8 loss to the Vikings, Reed has now posted double-digit production in three of his past four games. Sure, this Packers offense is a tough watch right now. I get it. But I do like Reed's ability to uncover at all three levels of the field, and he's seen at least five targets in six games. With four teams on a bye this week, Reed can potentially help you fill that WR3 spot.
Demario Douglas, New England Patriots (17.4%; vs. Commanders)
Douglas had a team-high seven targets in the Week 8 loss to the Dolphins, catching five passes for 25 yards, and he's now seen 13 targets over his past two games. Douglas has also recorded a rushing attempt in each those games, which plays to his speed and ball carrier vision. With a Week 8 matchup against a shaky Commanders secondary, Douglas has value in deeper formats, and his role could expand even more with Patriots wide receiver Kendrick Bourne now down for the season with a knee injury.
Running backs
Emari Demercado, Arizona Cardinals (45.4%; at Browns)
I don't love the matchup for Demercado versus the Browns' defense, but we can't ignore the volume here. Demercado got 21 touches in the Week 8 loss to the Seahawks, after getting 17 the week before. He's the clear lead back for the Cards right now. If you roster must-start, bye-week RBs like Christian McCaffrey, Travis Etienne Jr. or Jahmyr Gibbs, then Demercado could serve as a one-week fill-in for your lineup.
Devin Singletary, Houston Texans (37.4%; vs. Buccaneers)
The Texans' lack of run-game production/efficiency is still an issue, but Singletary is getting more opportunities in the Houston backfield. In the Week 8 loss to Carolina, Singletary and Dameon Pierce both finished with 12 touches. In the Texans' previous game back in Week 6, Singletary had 62 total yards on 13 touches. With another 10-12 touches potentially in the cards this week, which could include some checkdowns out of the backfield, he can be played this week as a deeper-league option.
Royce Freeman, Los Angeles Rams (22.2%; at Packers)
Darrell Henderson Jr. is the current lead back in L.A. and he has more receiving upside than Freeman. However, Freeman, who rushed for 44 yards and a touchdown in the Week 8 loss to the Cowboys, has 21 carries over his past two games. He's another deeper-league option if you are looking for rushing volume in your lineup. Something else to keep an eye on this week is the status of QB Matthew Stafford. If he is out for this game due to his thumb injury, it could be a run-heavy approach against the Packers.
Tight ends
Trey McBride, Arizona Cardinals (40.3%; at Browns)
McBride figures to be a priority waiver add this week -- not just a streaming choice -- after he posted 25.5 fantasy points this past Sunday against the Ravens. With Zach Ertz on IR, McBride played the No. 1 tight end role in the Cards' offense, catching 10 of 14 targets for 95 yards and a touchdown. He runs the seams, produces after the catch and works the middle of the field. McBride will be a TE1 this week versus the Browns.
Logan Thomas, Washington Commanders (57.2%; at Patriots)
Thomas had 16.4 fantasy points in the Week 8 loss to the Eagles and he's caught 10 of 14 targets over the past two games, including one touchdown. With must-start TEs George Kittle, Sam LaPorta and Evan Engram on byes this week, Thomas fits here as a solid streaming option who has seen an uptick in volume.
D/ST
New York Giants (37.7%; at Raiders)
The Giants have been heating up the pocket the past two weeks, with at least four sacks in each game and a league-leading blitz rate of 57.1% over that stretch. Coming off back-to-back games of at least 13 fantasy points, and a pressure heavy scheme, you can roll with the Giants defense this week in the matchup against the Raiders.