Fantasy Football Week 8 Waiver Wire
By Brandon Lane
QUARTERBACK
Carson Wentz, Indianapolis Colts
Roster Percentage: 38%
Wentz has continued to be a fairly consistent option for fantasy. He completed 17-of-26 passes for 150 yards and two touchdowns while rushing 4 times for 23 yards and another TD. And while the passing yardage isn’t as high as we might like, he continues to have one of the best deep ball completion percentages. The Colts get a match-up vs the Titans in Week 8 who have given up the 5th most points to fantasy QBs.
Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars
Roster Percentage: 41%
Coming off a bye Lawrence gets a Week 8 match-up against a Seahawk defense that has allowed 280 yards per game. Lawrence had a rough start to his NFL career but has continued to show improvement each week. After completing 70% of his passes in Week 5 he went on to complete 25-of-41 passes for 319 yards and a touchdown in Week 6. The Jaguars are finally starting to let him run a bit more which is what fantasy managers where expecting coming into the season.
Teddy Bridgewater, Denver Broncos
Roster Percentage: 20%
This recommendation comes with a warning label. Last week Bridgewater came into Week 7 as questionable with a foot injury and it noticeably hampered his play in Week 7 vs the Browns. He finished the game completing 23-of-33 passes for 187 yards and two touchdowns. So while you will want to monitor the injury report through the week, what we love here is the match-up vs the Washington Football Team. WFT has been a gold mine for fantasy quarterbacks giving up the most points to QBs so far this season. I doubt the Broncos hold out Bridgewater this week, but if they do Drew Lock would also be a streaming option.
Others to Consider:
Daniel Jones (38% @ KC) Deshaun Watson (18%)
RUNNING BACK
If available:
Eli Mitchell (78%) Devontae Booker (67%) Kenyan Drake (62%) Michael Carter (62%) Khalil Herbert (60%)
Kenneth Gainwell, Philadelphia Eagles
Roster Percentage: 22%
Lead back Miles Sanders seemed to finally get things going in week 7 although he was forced out of the game with an ankle injury. While we are waiting on test results its seems doubtful we’ll see Sanders in Week 8. Kenneth Gainwell caught 4-of-8 targets (26% target share) for 41 yards and a touchdown while adding five rushes for 20 yards. Boston Scott is also someone to consider who will compete for opportunities between the tackles and likely to get the goal-line opportunities. If Sanders is out this week Gainwell is a strong play in Week 8 when the Eagles take on the Lions who have given up the 4th most yards to fantasy RBs.
Samaje Perine, Cincinnati Bengals
Roster Percentage: 7%
Returning from the COVID list Perine rushed 11 rushes for 52 yards and a touchdown and adding one catch for an additional 23 yards in Week 7. The surprising fact was Perine’s usage. It ended up being an almost 50/50 split between Perine and starter Joe Mixon. The Bengals take on the Jets who have given up the most fantasy points to RBs this season. There is some definite flex appeal here this week for Perine.
Salvon Ahmed, Miami Dolphins
Roster Percentage: 1%
Malcolm Brown received the “start” in Week 7 but went down with a quad injury and is now on IR. Salvon Ahmed rushed seven times for 26 yards and added 26 additional yards through the air in Week 7. Miles Gaskin will see more usage now that the three-headed monster is down to two. I wouldn’t recommend using Ahmed this week against the stout Bills defense but moving forward Ahmed could be considered as a low-end streamer in deeper leagues.
Ty Johnson, New York Jets
Roster Percentage: 4%
Johnson flourished in the receiving back role in Week 7 catching 6 balls for 65 yards while rushing five times for six yards. While it seems like teammate Michael Carter is the 1A in this backfield, Johnson has shown enough usage to consider adding him in deeper leagues. The Jets take on the Bengals in Week 8.
Marlon Mack, Indianapolis Colts
Roster Percentage: 17%
Mack once again makes the list due to trade rumors. Its not only fantasy teams who need healthy running backs, the real-life teams are also struggling with injuries. If he lands in the right spot he could very well take over as a lead back. The NFL trade deadline is one week away on 11/2.
Others to Consider:
Mark Ingram (35%) Brandon Bolden (6%) Boston Scott (2%) Peyton Barber (2%) Jordan Howard (0%)
WIDE RECEIVER
If available:
Emmanuel Sanders (76%) Jerry Jeudy (returning from IR this week, 75%) Marvin Jones Jr. (75%)
Rashod Bateman, Baltimore Ravens
Roster Percentage: 32%
Rashod Bateman had another nice showing in week 7 catching 3-of-6 targets for 80 yards (15% target share). While the target share went down from his NFL debut in Week 6 (22%) he is still a focal point of the Ravens offense. He should be owned in all leagues.
Kadarius Toney, New York Giants
Roster Percentage: 46%
Still awaiting an injury update as Toney is still questionable for week 8 but he was on FIRE prior to going down in Week 6. He should be rostered in all leagues regardless of his status is this week.
Randall Cobb, Green Bay Packers
Roster Percentage: 6%
Davante Adams & Allen Lazard have been placed on the COVID-19 list and will miss the Packers week 8 Thursday night match-up against the Cardinals. This morning I was excited to fire up Lazard who in Week 7 who caught 5-of-6 targets for 60 yards and touchdown Week 7. Adams absence leaves behind a 40% target share and now also without Lazard, the Pac will need to get creative. Expect Randall Cobb to see a big boost in target share. Their is a possibility that Marquez Valdes-Scantling could return from IR this week and he would also see opportunity to make an immediate impact.
Michael Gallup, Dallas Cowboys
Roster Percentage: 41%
Gallup has been activated from the injured reserve and is now able to return to practice and Dallas has 21 days to be activate. Its unknown if he will be ready for Week 8 at this point but he should be stashed in all leagues.
Kendrick Bourne, New England Patriots
Roster Percentage: 6%
Bourne caught 4-of-4 targets for 68 yards and also threw a 25 yard touchdown pass in Week 7. Bourne has been a consistent option over the last 5 weeks gaining 58+ yards in four of his last five games. The Patriots take on the high-powered Chargers team in week 8 who are beatable through the air.
Devante Parker/Will Fuller, Miami Dolphins
Roster Percentage: 36%/29%
The Dolphins have been decimated by injury at wide receiver. Parker was questionable for week 7 but ended up sitting. Its looking more likely that Parker (who has averaged 7 targets per game) will return this week and Will Fuller is eligible to return from IR this week. These WRs could immediately walk into a 15–20% target share on a Dolphins offense that is 6th in the NFL in pass attempts and 1st in pass rate. I do not like this match-up this week against the Bills but both are worthy of rostering for a Week 9 match-up vs Houston.
Others to Consider:
Russell Gage (10%) Bryan Edwards (on bye week 8, 12 %) Darius Slayton (15%) K.J. Osborn (7%) Kalif Raymond (3%) Dante Pettis (1%)
TIGHT END
Pat Freiermuth, Pittsburgh Steelers
Roster Percentage: 6%
Freiermuth’s usage saw a spike in both usage and targets prior to the Steelers week 7 Bye. The usage is a trend that I think will continue with JuJu Smith-Schuster out for the season. We have seen Big Ben struggle to throw down field making the MUTH a dependable option on a weekly basis. The Steelers want to develop this talented rookie and he could prove to be a low-end TE1 in weeks to come.
C.J. Uzomah, Cincinnati Bengals
Roster Percentage: 20%
C.J. Uzomah definitely got the memo about Week 7 being Tight End Week. He caught all three of his targets for 95 yards and two touchdowns. While he isn’t getting a ton of targets each week he has now scored five touchdowns over his last four games. The Bengals take on a Jets defense which has given up the 8th most fantasy points to tight ends this season.
Others to Consider:
Cole Kmet (26%) Mo Alie-Cox (17%) Foster Moreau if Darren Waller is out again (2%)
DEFENSE
Cincinnati @ NYJ
Pittsburgh @ CLE
Denver vs WAS
Los Angeles Chargers vs NE
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