NFL Fantasy Football Week 9: Is Odell Beckham Jr. worth picking up?

Odell Beckham Jr.'s situation with the Cleveland Browns was a complete mess, and their relationship ended on Friday, as the team announced a settlement with the player that will have him placed on waivers by Monday, ending his 3-year tenure in Ohio.

Beckham Jr. and quarterback Baker Mayfield's on-field relationship deteriorated over the last two years after a promising 2019 season. With a coaching staff change that saw the Browns prioritize the running game more since 2020, alongside Beckham Jr.'s injuries, it became nearly impossible to make everyone happy in Cleveland, and something had to give.

Fantasy managers will look at Odell's release as an opportunity to, maybe, grab a talented player in the final weeks before the playoffs kick in, while others will deem him unworthy of a roster spot. Check out our analysis about what you should do with Beckham Jr. for Week 9:

Is it worth picking up Odell Beckham Jr.?

Before anything else, a quick reminder: Odell won't play in Week 9, so if you have him on the roster, take him out of the starting lineup.

Cleveland Browns v Cincinnati Bengals

Adding a player to your fantasy team goes way beyond a single week, though. There's a possibility that Odell was already available in your league after a few dysmal appearances and injuries for the Browns, and now he'll have a better chance to produce, wherever he lands.

Let's imagine Odell lands on one of the teams who can pick him directly through the waiver wire, say, the Los Angeles Chargers. He would obviously not become the main target, but at the same time, the passing volume and Justin Herbert throwing deep balls would be enough for him to merit WR3 consideration on your team, especially if he joins the team by Tuesday and plays on Sunday.

It depends more on how your roster is shaped up than about Odell himself. It's difficult to make any projections considering we don't know what team he'll play on, but with such a talented player, one you might be able to pick up for free, you could maybe add him to your bench and just leave him there until a good matchup presents.

There are also a lot of teams that could use Beckham Jr. as their number one receiver, which would make him a starting option for basically every week.

Put simply: you must analyze your own roster and decide whether you can use a bench spot for a talented player who's not going to perform like a superstar every week, but can be the difference maker depending on the matchup in a given week, especially on a bye week for your starters. It all depends on your judgment, but Beckham Jr.'s talent is undeniable.