Injuries and bye weeks. Basically, from Week 6 to Week 14, my intros boil down to injuries and bye weeks. As we all pour one out for Breece Hall, we still need to win fantasy matchups in this crucial time. While scouring the names on the Week 8 waiver wire, I was actually pretty struck by how much talent is available—time to fix that.
As always, be sure to check on players from last week’s bye-week teams. That was the Bills, Rams, Vikings, and Eagles in Week 7, and managers may have cut the better players from those teams to make room on their roster during the bye. I mentioned this last week, but pay special attention to the Eagles D/ST. Their schedule is quite favorable to end the season, and now that they’ve had their bye, you can play them every week. Also, watch this week’s drop list for players from the Chiefs and Chargers, as they are both on bye in Week 8.
Quick Note: All players listed are available in around 50% of ESPN leagues. While not everyone plays on ESPN, studies show most do. So, if they’re available there, they’re likely available on your platform. Pick ‘Em Up!
Week 8 Waiver Wire
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Quarterbacks
Much like last week, I would not recommend blowing much, if any, FAAB on a QB in Week 8. In fact, I’m only recommending one to help you get ahead of my Stream of the Week pick. Otherwise, you can wait to see who is free on Wednesday.
Daniel Jones (71% Available)
The Giants are 6-1, and Daniel Jones is the QB10 in fantasy football. In the famous words of Alexander Hamilton, “The world turned upside down!” Good luck getting that song out of your head. From a fantasy standpoint, Jones is getting it done with his legs and is 3rd in the league in QB rushing yards. He gets a Week 8 date with the Seattle Seahawks, who give up the 11th-most points to QBs this season. So you can pencil him in as my Stream of the Week. The only real issue with Jones is that he is then on bye in Week 9, so this is likely a one-week rental.
Running Backs
Gus Edwards (83% Available)
Sometimes you think you know, but you don’t know, you know? After JK Dobbins went down and to the IR, it was widely believed that Kenyan Drake would once again be the starter for Baltimore. After a strong showing against the Giants, it just made sense. But, of course, nothing makes sense, and we’ll all do better in fantasy once we come to grips with that fact. Instead, the Gus Bus was back and took 50% of the carries against Cleveland and added two TDs for good measure. Is he the starting back going forward? Who knows, but if he is, you want a piece of this running attack.
Khalil Herbert (55% Available)
Not going to lie; as I sit here writing about Khalil Herbert for what I believe is the 4th-consecutive waiver article, I begin to question how much some fantasy managers want to win. Not you; you’re reading this, so you’ve likely already added the season’s RB18. If you haven’t, he should probably be a priority this week. His upcoming schedule is basically perfect, and this is likely your last chance…but I’m pretty sure I would have said that last week.
D’Onta Foreman (64% Available)
Foreman will not get you 118 yards every week, but he is a starting RB, and no starting RB should be this available. With a pretty easy schedule, which includes two games against Atlanta in the following three weeks, Foreman is a low-end RB2. However, he could move to the Top 20 if Chuba Hubbard misses time.
Tyler Allgeier (70% Available)
Allgeier falls into the Khalil Herbert category of “How many damn times do I have to tell you?” He has been the RB33 since Week 4, and that was with a pretty tough schedule. However, things open up now, including two games against the Panthers in the next three weeks. As long as Cordarrelle Patterson is on the IR, Allgeier has RB2 upside.
Latavius Murray (76% Available)
You might not even know who Murray plays for at this point, but he is worth an add. Now in Denver, Murray has earned the backup role and has been in an even carry split with Melvin Gordon. Murray also scored a TD in Week 7. With Mike Boone headed to the IR, this backfield is just Gordon and Murry, though the team is adding Marlon Mack. Murray’s appeal is limited, but RBs with 10+ fantasy point potential are few and far between. Denver does have a Week 9 bye, so don’t spend much on him.
If you missed our new Monday Hangxiety show, you missed a great time! Josh and Ryan gave their reactions to Sunday’s action to let you know whether you need to worry or Chill TF Out! We’ll be live every Monday at 11 AM EST. Check out last week’s episode now!
Wide Receivers
George Pickens (45% Available)
I might as well change the name of this article to “Have you signed Khalil Herbert and George Pickens yet?” Yes, Pickens finally crossed the 50% rostership threshold I use for this article, but he still should be far closer to 100% rostered. While he is just the WR44 on the season, in the last four games, he is the WR18 in fantasy football. As Kenny Pickett improves, so will George Pickens. I could tell you this is your last chance, but that’s just redundant at this point.
Wan’Dale Robinson (86% Available)
I was resistant to Wan’Dale Robinson this season due to one major issue: I don’t like signing WRs that are smaller than I am. At 5’8′, 185 lbs, Robinson is not built like a WR, let alone a WR1, but that is what he represents for the New York Giants. Over the last two weeks, they have schemed for him, and he has turned 12 targets into a WR26 standing over that span. He is constantly marked with the Questionable tag, so monitor his health, but if you need a Flex play, Robinson is worth your FAAB.
Parris Campbell (97% Available)
When coaches speak, listen. Two weeks ago, during the broadcast of the Colts game, the commentators mentioned that Frank Reich believed that Campbell was ready to go off. Since that comment, Campbell has 23 targets that he has turned into a 17/127/2 stat line. That is the 6th-best for any fantasy WR over the last two games. If you’ve played fantasy over the previous three years, you know we’ve been waiting on this for a while. Enjoy it.
Tyler Boyd (45% Available)
Yes, Boyd is also below my usual 50% threshold, but pieces of this Bengals offense should not be available in this many leagues. Boyd was the WR2 in Week 7, and while we can’t expect that every week, his floor is pretty damn safe too.
Donovan Peoples-Jones (90% Available)
It has been a bumpy season for DPJ, but he is the WR31 over the last four games. In that span, he has been targeted at least five times per game and scored nine fantasy points in every outing. That’s already solid, and then you factor in Deshaun Watson. Love Hate him or despise him, Watson is going to upgrade this Browns’ offense, and Peoples-Jones could be a fantasy WR2 after Week 11.
Tight Ends
Taysom Hill (47% Available)
Here is my somewhat controversial take: Outside of Travis Kelce or Mark Andrews, Taysom Hill is the only other TE that should be started every week. He has the same downside as every other tight end, but none can match his upside. If the risk is the same and the reward is greater, Hill should be a full-time starter in every fantasy league. Is he a tight end? No. But he is a fantasy asset that you should use to your advantage.
Irv Smith (68% Available)
Even if I didn’t already like Irv Smith, he plays the Cardinals in Week 8. Arizona has given up the 2nd-most fantasy points to TE and has allowed seven TEs to score 10+ fantasy points this season. Of course, It helps that Smith and the Vikings have already had their bye as well, so you might be able to play him for more than one week, but Week 8 alone is worth it.
Greg Dulcich (92% Available)
Rookie TEs take time, and Dulcich did his time on the IR. Since returning, he has put up back-to-back 10+ point weeks. The sample is small, but he has been the TE7 since his Week 6 return. It’s hard to trust this Broncos offense, but it’s hard to trust any fantasy TE, so why not gamble on the guy who is yet to score fewer than 11 fantasy points?
Hayden Hurst (53% Available)
Much like Tyler Boyd, this is about not leaving pieces of this Bengals offense on waivers. Joe Burrow is red-hot lately, and Hurst is the TE11 on the season. With four games of 7+ targets, you can’t leave that volume in this kind of offense for anyone else in your league.
If you’re looking for Week 8 Rankings, Ryan and Austin have you covered! We do our first upload early on Tuesday and update them throughout the week!