Week 9 Fantasy Football Wide Receiver Rankings for PPR and Non-PPR Leagues

Week 9 of the fantasy football season brings another round of lineup challenges, but wide receivers remain the backbone of success in PPR and standard leagues. With stars like Ja’Marr Chase, Michael Pittman Jr., and Wan’Dale Robinson surging — and Xavier Worthy trending down — our updated wide receiver rankings break down who to trust and who to bench this week.

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. (11) warms up before the game against the Tennessee Titans at Lucas Oil Stadium. | Robert Goddin-Imagn Images

Volume is king in fantasy football, and while running backs often get the most touches, wide receivers can also rack up fantasy points at a rapid pace, particularly in PPR formats. Week 8 didn’t see a ton of difference-maker performances from the wide receiver position as only two players posted 25+ points: Denver’s Troy Franklin (26.9 points) and Rashee Rice (25.5 points). The previous week saw seven players surpass the 25-point marker. However, with so many teams on byes with standout wide receivers, they may have played a role in the lack of explosive outputs from receivers.

In PPR fantasy football formats, chain-moving wideouts are the cream of the crop. That’s why it’s not surprising to see guys who operate out of the slot such as Puka Nacua, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and Jaxon Smith-Ngigba leading the position group. But with all three of those players on a Week 8 bye, we have a new king of the wide receiver position. Or a previous king reclaiming his throne in Ja’Marr Chase, whose bye isn’t until Week 10. 

Before we get to our Week 9 wide receiver rankings, let’s examine the best wideouts in 2025 thus far. 

The Best Wide Receivers In 2025 Fantasy Football Leagues

Through eight weeks of NFL action, here are the top 12 wide receivers in PPR formats:

1. Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals
2. Jaxon Smith-Ngigba, Seattle Seahawks
3. George Pickens, Dallas Cowboys
4. Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions
5. Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams
6. Michael Pittman Jr., Indianapolis Colts
7. Emeka Egbuka, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
8. Keenan Allen, Los Angeles Chargers
9. Chris Olave, New Orleans Saints
10. DeVonta Smith, Philadelphia Eagles
11. Courtland Sutton, Denver Broncos
12. Davante Adams, Los Angeles Rams

With JSN, St. Brown, and Nacua all out of action in Week 8, Chase took advantage of his opportunity, climbing into first place after securing 12 of 19 receptions for 91 scoreless yards en route to 21.1 fantasy points. Chase has now topped 20 fantasy points in each of his previous four contests and the switch to Joe Flacco seems to have done wonders. 

Bye weeks become a critical landmine that fantasy football managers need to strategically set lineups around. With four teams out of action – the Philadelphia Eagles, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New York Jets, and Cleveland Browns – fantasy managers will need to get creative this week. A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, Emeka Egbuka, Tez Johnson, Garrett Wilson, and Jerry Jeudy will not be options this week. 

With Week 9 underway after the Ravens dominated the Dolphins, let’s take a look at the best and worst wide receivers across the fantasy football landscape. 

Michael Pittman Jr. Enters The Top 10

Michael Pittman Jr. is now the WR6 in PPR formats for an Indianapolis Colts that seems to have come out of nowhere. With Daniel Jones performing as an MVP candidate, Pittman is a “set it and forget it” starting option unless we saw a significant downtick in production. While the veteran receiver has yet to eclipse the century mark, he’s coming off a season-best eight receptions on nine targets for 95 yards and a touchdown (23.5 fantasy points). Pittman has now topped 20 fantasy points in two consecutive contests and has 14+ points in six of eight games. 

MICHAEL PITTMAN CATCH OF THE YEAR CONTENDERpic.twitter.com/wj3rKPjiPf

— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) October 26, 2025

This week, Pittman and the Colts face a Pittsburgh Steelers secondary that was exposed on Sunday night against the Green Bay Packers. Pittsburgh is currently surrendering the fifth-most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers in 2025. The Steelers have really struggled containing opposing teams’ top targets as evidenced by Tucker Kraft’s massive outing on National Tight End Day. 

Back in Week 7, the Steelers allowed Ja’Marr Chase to go off for 16 catches, 161 yards and a touchdown, while Tee Higgins also tallied 96 yards and a score. In Week 6, Pittsburgh contained Dillon Gabriel and the Browns offense but that isn’t saying much. Go back to Week 4 before the Steelers bye week and Justin Jefferson also shredded this secondary to the tune of 10 catches for 126 yards. Jordan Addison also topped 100 yards, and that was with Carson Wentz, not J.J. McCarthy under center. Back in Week 2, JSN corralled eight catches for 103 yards while Cooper Kupp managed seven catches for 90 yards. And even in Pittsburgh’s Week 1 victory over the New York Jets, Garrett Wilson dominated with seven receptions for 95 yards and one trip to the end zone.

Are you seeing a theme? Pittsburgh cannot stop solid weapons in the aerial attack. Pittman is poised to explode in Week 9.  

Wan’Dale Robinson Is A WR2 In Week 9

New York Giants wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson (17) reacts after a play during the second half against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Robinson has officially stepped into the WR1 role for the Giants following a season-ending injury to star rookie Malik Nabers, and the opportunity couldn’t come at a better time for the rising wideout. Robinson has quietly developed each year since entering the league and is now on pace for a career-best campaign. His Week 8 outing was underwhelming — just three catches for 48 yards — but that came in a disjointed game where the offense lost rookie running back Cam Skattebo to injury and never found its footing. With Skattebo out and the Giants desperate for offensive spark, Robinson’s role as the team’s primary playmaker makes him a strong bounce-back candidate.

Better yet, the matchup sets up perfectly. The 49ers’ defense, once one of the league’s most intimidating units, has become a fantasy target. Injuries, coverage breakdowns, and a shaky pass rush have left them vulnerable, allowing the 12th-most fantasy points per game to opposing wide receivers. Robinson’s blend of speed, agility, and YAC ability makes him the ideal weapon to exploit those weaknesses. Expect New York to feed him early and often as they try to jumpstart their offense — giving Robinson legitimate WR3 appeal with upside in Week 9 fantasy lineups.

Fantasy Managers Can No Longer Trust Xavier Worthy With Rashee Rice Back In Action

As for Xavier Worthy, the second-year’s breakout buzz has cooled off in a hurry. Since Rashee Rice returned to action, Worthy has seen a clear downtick in production, sliding into the third option role behind Rice and Travis Kelce. That pecking order isn’t ideal heading into a matchup against a Bills defense allowing the ninth-fewest fantasy points per game to wide receivers. 

While this Kansas City–Buffalo matchup has all the makings of a shootout, Worthy’s fantasy output will likely hinge on one big play — and that’s not a bet you want to make in Week 9. Until his target share rebounds, Worthy is better left on the bench in favor of more reliable options. If Isiah Pacheco is ruled out, Worthy could be utilized as an extension of the running game but until I see some solid production, I will not be starting him and neither should you.

Chimere Dike Rises

With Calvin Ridley sidelined the past two games, Chimere Dike has stepped up in a big way, delivering back-to-back productive outings (4/70/1 and 7/93 on 12 total targets) after managing just nine catches for 26 yards through Tennessee’s first six contests. His chemistry with Cam Ward—built during their 2024 season at Florida (42/786/2)—is clearly translating at the next level. The Titans’ offense has opened up through the air lately, averaging 250 passing yards over their last four games on 149 attempts. Even if Ridley returns, Dike looks to have cemented himself as Tennessee’s WR2, outpacing the declining Elic Ayomanor in recent weeks.

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Let’s take a look at where the rest of the receivers across the NFL stack up in our Week 9 rankings.

Week 9 Fantasy Football Wide Receiver Rankings