Fantasy Football Week 9 QB and TE FAAB Bids: Joe Flacco, Oronde Gadsden, and More

Many fantasy football leagues start their playoffs some time around Week 15, which means we are more than halfway through the fantasy regular season. There's still plenty to be decided, but we can start seeing the end of the tunnel. Some owners may have already punched their ticket to the postseason, while others might already be eliminated from contention.

In FAAB, it means that the time to use your remaining dollars is also ticking. It's not a dire situation; don't go out and waste your whole budget this week. If you see a player who can help your fantasy roster, though, there's not much reason to wait for later.

Let's look at some of the hottest quarterback and tight end names on the waiver wire heading into Week 9 and reasonable FAAB bids for each. Your numbers might shift a little based on your remaining budget and roster needs, but this is a good baseline to start from. Bids are based on a $100 budget.

Use FantasySP's waiver wire tool to find the players who are being added to rosters most often in fantasy leagues each week!

Quarterback

Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks had their bye in Week 8, but before that, Darnold ranked as QB13. His first game and his last game were a little slower, but between those two, he had five straight contests in which he scored over 16 fantasy points and averaged at least 8.9 yards per pass attempt, throwing 11 touchdowns to just three interceptions in that time.

In that stretch (Weeks 2 through 6), Darnold was QB6, showing high-level play on a weekly basis that made him both a real-life and fantasy football star for that short time. Now returning off the bye, fantasy owners are tasked with determining whether Darnold can pick up where he left off.

The matchup against the Commanders in Week 9 is a great one, and Darnold is a player I will be hyping up all week. He doesn't run the ball, which gives him a lower floor and ceiling than the guys who regularly use their legs, but he has shown that he can be a productive fantasy player who can be part of a rotation, if nothing else.

Conservative Bid: $2-4

Need Bid: $5-6

Desperation Bid: $11

Justin Fields, New York Jets

Fields was possibly going to be benched in Week 8, but Tyrod Taylor couldn't play because of an injury, so Fields kept the job and had a good game, throwing for 244 yards on 7.6 per attempt with a touchdown and running for another 31 yards. Most importantly, the Jets picked up their first victory of the season with a 39-38 win over Cincinnati.

The Bengals have one of the worst defenses in the league, so we need to put everything into perspective. We have seen Fields show both the flashes of greatness and the worst parts of his game (inaccuracy, holding the ball too long), and that's the best thing to expect moving forward.

Fields is in his fifth season; we know what to expect. That's a guy who can be a dynamic fantasy player because he runs as well as any QB in the league, but there will always be downsides and low floors that similar players like Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson don't have to worry about as often because they are better throwers of the football.

Fields is owned in about half of leagues, and he's probably worthy of a roster spot, even as part of a rotation. The Jets have their bye this week, so you might be able to wait and grab him next week, but if you have a roster spot and want to add Fields, you can probably get him at a cheap price.

Conservative Bid: $1-2

Need Bid: $3-4

Desperation Bid: $6

Joe Flacco, Cincinnati Bengals

Opposing Fields in that high-scoring game was Flacco, who had a fine game but didn't excel the way he did the previous week against Pittsburgh. Flacco threw for 223 yards on 6.6 per attempt, but he really helped himself out in fantasy by throwing two touchdowns with no interceptions and running in another score.

While he has been better with the Bengals than the Browns, Flacco has been middling throwing the ball, and he never runs, so he doesn't have that second way to score fantasy points. The touchdown he ran in on Sunday was his first since 2017, and he only reached 100 rushing yards in two seasons in his career, most recently in 2013.

I'm not looking to count on Flacco often. He will have some good games throwing to Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, but he also has a low floor that could cause issues any week. It's more about playing matchups with Flacco.

The matchup against the Bears in Week 9 is a positive one, so Flacco has some value here, but don't count on him as anything more than a streamer in the right situation.

Conservative Bid: $0-1

Need Bid: $2

Desperation Bid: $3

Tight End

Harold Fannin, Cleveland Browns

Fannin has become a regular in this spot. He's good enough to be on the fantasy radar each week but just a step behind the guys who are rostered in most leagues and/or weekly starters. Fannin is owned in about half of leagues.

He had a nice game in Week 8, catching six passes for 62 yards and a touchdown, leading the team in each category. Fellow tight end David Njoku also caught a TD, and with another guy heavily involved at his position, it would seem like Fannin wouldn't be a good option, but Cleveland has so few good pass catchers that both players can be heavily involved.

I like Fannin as a low-to-mid-level player at his position. Cleveland has a poor passing game, which can make things tough, but someone has to catch the ball, and without much competition around him, Fannin is at least tied for the team lead in targets, receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns.

There's a ceiling here that keeps him from being a top option, but Fannin will be involved. The Browns have their bye this week, and many owners will probably drop Fannin (who had a good matchup last week), so you might be able to pick him up for free later, or you can throw down a few bucks if you want a better chance at grabbing an involved offensive player.

Conservative Bid: $1-2

Need Bid: $3-4

Desperation Bid: $6

Oronde Gadsden II, Los Angeles Chargers

This will be your last chance to pick up Gadsden. He was already owned in around 60% of leagues heading into Week 8, then he had five receptions, 77 yards, and a touchdown against the Vikings on Thursday night.

Over the past three weeks, Gadsden combined for 17 receptions, 309 yards, and two touchdowns. He was TE2 in both standard and PPR in that time behind Tucker Kraft of Green Bay, who just had 143 yards and two touchdowns on Sunday night.

Gadsden has taken over and played by far the most tight end snaps on the team recently, so there's not much reason to doubt that he will still be involved. He might not be one of the best tight ends in football, but Gadsden can continue this strong stretch of play.

Conservative Bid: $3-4

Need Bid: $6

Desperation Bid: $11

Mason Taylor, New York Jets

Taylor had volume but inefficiency in Week 8, catching five of eight targets for 34 yards and his first career touchdown. It was a phenomenal matchup against the Bengals: Cincinnati has given up the third-most yards per pass attempt and by far the most fantasy points to tight ends.

It won't always be so easy, as tougher matchups will come along, and the Jets have a low-level passing game, but Taylor was seen as an impact pass catcher entering the league, and it would make sense for him to keep improving throughout his rookie season.

With their bye this week, not many owners are going to pick up Taylor, so you can probably grab him for free if you're intrigued. There's a low floor and ceiling most weeks, but we can play matchups with Taylor and likely get a few good games.

Conservative Bid: $0

Need Bid: $1

Desperation Bid: $2