Week 9 Fantasy Football Early Waiver Wire Pickups: Tyler Allgeier, Adonai Mitchell among top adds

Well, that was an interesting early window in the Week 8 fantasy football slate. Things were looking pretty bleak in the first half of games before a flurry of fantasy points and exciting finishes came in the second half. There's still plenty of action left but we're already thinking ahead to Week 9 as we hit the halfway mark of the 2026 NFL season. Below are some early waiver wire pickups to consider as we head into next week.

Tyler Allgeier, RB, Cardinals (52% rostered)

Allgeier climbs just over the usual threshold we use for roster percentage with this waiver piece. But we'll make an exception given his Week 8 performance. We had been looking for this type of game the previous two weeks with rookie Jeremiyah Love banged up. Instead, it was Bam Knight who stepped up and performed well.

But in Week 8, things shifted big time. Love and Knight both got injured against the Cowboys and it forced Arizona to lean on Allgeier, who did not disappoint. He had one of the most efficient games by a back we've ever seen, taking just 16 touches (five catches) for 191 total yards and two touchdowns. Allgeier finished with 36.60 fantasy points; he had a combined 40 fantasy points in the previous seven games. If Love and Knight are out, Allgeier is in the RB2/3 conversation moving forward. Just know next week's matchup against the Seahawks is not ideal.

Adonai Mitchell, WR, Jets (11% rostered)

We had pretty much written off Mitchell after last week. He must have gotten offended. After returning from injury, AD put up a goose egg on three targets in Week 7 against the Dolphins. Rookie Omar Cooper Jr. had a second straight 20+ fantasy-point outing.

Well, the roles reversed in Week 8 against the Raiders.

Cooper was non-existent, finishing the game without a target. Mitchell, on the other hand, led the receiving group with a 7-142-1 line for 23.7 fantasy points, finishing the 1 p.m. ET Sunday window as the WR1 overall. This Jets passing game is clearly going to be tough to crack. Garrett Wilson voiced frustration after last week's game and saw 10 targets this week. The Cooper disappearing act, you'd think, won't become the norm.

Mitchell looked too good to leave on the wire in deeper formats. He may be volatile but we know what his ceiling looks like when peppered with targets. Mitchell will be a decent WR3/flex option moving forward, though the Chiefs on the road next week aren't a great draw.

Ryan Flournoy, WR, Cowboys (34% rostered on Yahoo)

Yahoo analyst Scott Pianowski loves his carnival teams and the Cowboys have been exactly that this season — good offense, bad defense. So, with a strong offense and passing game come multiple pass-catchers who can thrive. Flournoy is carving out a nice role as the third option behind CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens. There's clear chemistry with QB Dak Prescott as well, developed over the past three seasons.

Flournoy now has two touchdowns in the past three games and has at least nine fantasy points in four straight weeks. He's also not a bad bench stash considering what his role would become if something were to happen to Lamb or Pickens, the latter of whom was questionable going into Week 8 (but active). Despite being the third option, Flournoy is a useful flex in PPR formats, and a receiver who has upside as we head into the second half of the season.

If Week 8 was the last game for Jonathan Taylor in a Colts uniform, that would be kind of sad. Indy got demolished on the road by the Jaguars on Sunday, and JT finished with just 47 total yards on 12 touches, also losing a fumble. The rookie McGowan had only five carries for 29 yards, but you've got to think the Colts could make some more deals after this dismal performance.

If Taylor gets traded before Week 9, McGowan would likely be thrust into the featured back role. Second-year player DJ Giddens is the only other back on the roster right now. If McGowan is taken in your league, Giddens isn't a bad add either. He ended up getting some garbage-time runs, finishing with 31 yards on four carries.

Starting running backs don't grow on trees for fantasy, so being able to snag a potential starter off the waiver wire this late into the season is an opportunity you can't pass up. The Colts are still very bad, so temper expectations for McGowan, but the seventh-rounder should get a long look and could see upwards of double-digit touches per week.