Week 8 Waiver Wire – NFL Fantasy Football

DFS Army’s Gthom goes over the waiver wire targets for this week. These waiver wire targets are normally available in 50-percent of ESPN leagues.

Follow Gthom on the cesspool they call X, or Twitter, or whatever it’s called @GarettThomas.

 

QUARTERBACKS

 

Tua Tagovailoa (MIA) – 27% Ownership

Off most fantasy rosters due to an injured reserve stint, Tagovailoa should return to practice leading into Week 8, giving him the potential to suit up either in Week 8 or Week 9. Tagovailoa is a QB2 you can count on each week, with the upside to finish as the QB1 overall on any given week.

Last season, Tagovailoa finished as the QB9 overall in fantasy and QB19 in fantasy points per game, with 16.7. Additionally, he recorded 4,624 passing yards, 29 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions.

Sam Darnold (MIN) – 45% Ownership

Darnold continues to get it done for fantasy managers this season, something he has failed to do in previous campaigns. He is currently averaging the 15th most fantasy points per game at his position, with 17.3.

The great thing about Darnold is that he generates fantasy points with his legs. He averages 4.17 yards per carry and has run the ball 24 times, which comes out to four carries per contest. Additionally, Darnold continues to be efficient through the air, throwing 12 touchdowns in six games—the fourth most in the NFL prior to Monday Night Football.

Darnold will travel to face the Rams in Week 8. The Rams are an average team at defending the quarterback position for fantasy, allowing 16 fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks through six games.

Jared Goff (DET) – 48% Ownership

Goff stayed hot in Week 7, capping it off with 18.8 fantasy points. Over his last four games, Goff has posted a completion percentage of 83%, a 9:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio, and is tied for the 5th most fantasy points per game during that stretch with 23.4.

For the season, Goff is the QB12 overall (prior to Monday Night Football) and is averaging 18.1 fantasy points per game. His next contest against the Titans won’t be so simple, but luckily it’s at home. The Titans have been a middling defense against opposing quarterbacks, allowing 15.9 fantasy points per game to the position. One thing Tennessee does well is limiting quarterbacks’ touchdown count, having allowed just seven touchdowns so far, tied for the 9th fewest in the NFL.

At this point, Goff remains a startable asset any given week. Being available in over half of ESPN leagues is a mistake, and managers should capitalize if they are quarterback-needy.

Bo Nix (DEN) – 16% Ownership

Nix has been a fringe fantasy asset for a few weeks now, but after a solid performance against the New Orleans Saints, he enters the streaming conversation. In Week 8, he will face the Carolina Panthers, who have yet to stop any team this season. In the Panthers’ most recent game against Washington, the Commanders lost their starting quarterback early in the contest, and backup Marcus Mariota still finished as the fourth overall quarterback in Week 7.

Looking at Nix’s data, since Week 5, he has averaged 19.6 fantasy points per contest, outperforming fantasy studs like C.J. Stroud, Kyler Murray, and Patrick Mahomes during the same timeframe. While Nix has been limited through the air this season, he does enough on the ground to leave his fantasy managers satisfied, averaging 6.7 carries per game and 5.43 yards per carry.

The biggest risk for Nix in Week 8 is that Carolina has become a run-funnel defense, meaning Denver’s running backs could absorb most of the team’s fantasy production. While that risk exists, the Panthers have allowed a top-12 quarterback in five of their seven games.

 

RUNNING BACKS

 

Alexander Mattison (LV) – 43% Ownership

Mattison saw a season-high in snap count, snap share, carries, and rushing yards in Week 7 against the Rams, finishing with 15.3 PPR points. Any fantasy player that is averaging the volume that Mattison commands over the last three games must be picked up.

Over the last three, Mattison has amassed a total of 52 carries (17.3 per contest), 163 rushing yards (54.3 yards per game), 11 receptions (3.6 per game) for 86 receiving yards (28.6 yards per game) and one touchdown. Those averages equate to 13.8-PPR points per game, which would be the 22^nd best per-game average at the running back position this season.

The usage bump is clear for Mattison, and fantasy managers need to secure him on their roster prior to Week 8. Though, Mattison will be a tough player to start against a stingy Kansas City Chiefs defense.

Jaylen Warren (PIT) – 45% Ownership

Warren continues to see his role grow in this offense after a slow start to his season. His snap share reached a season high of 51% against the Jets in Week 7. Additionally, he saw season-high marks in rushing yards, rushing attempts, and tied his season high for targets.

While he has yet to make a significant impact for fantasy managers in 2024, solid weeks are ahead for Warren. Additionally, if Najee Harris were to get injured for any reason, Warren would become the primary back for this offense. His next game will be against the Giants, who are allowing opposing running backs to score an average of 23.4 PPR points per game, good for the 15th highest in the league.

Last season in full-PPR formats, Warren finished as the RB22, accumulating 149 carries for 784 yards and four touchdowns on the ground, along with 61 receptions for 370 yards and five touchdowns through the air.

Tyrone Tracy Jr. (NYG) – 48% Ownership

We knew that Tracy would likely not take over as the primary back for the Giants, but how much he would be utilized was something to watch heading into Week 7. The good news is that Tracy dominated the snap count compared to Devin Singletary, but it came on the back of a blowout loss to the Eagles. Was Tracy the preferred back, or did the game script, plus Singletary’s injury designation leading up to Week 7, result in more snaps for him? A larger sample size will be needed to understand that, but despite playing 67% of the snaps, Tracy delivered six carries for 23 yards on the ground and three receptions for nine yards on three targets.

A true 50/50 split could leave this New York backfield in a bigger mess than it was at the start of the NFL season. Even if he remains the RB2 in this offense, Tracy’s PPR volume may keep him on fantasy radars for deeper leagues.

Tyler Goodson (IND) – 9% Ownership

Goodson is a viable player who can be streamed as long as starter Jonathan Taylor remains sidelined with his high-ankle sprain. He continues to outperform the other running back featured within Indy’s committee, Trey Sermon.

Over the last three games without Jonathan Taylor, Goodson has scored 30.3 total fantasy points compared to Sermon’s 27.1. Additionally, Goodson has outperformed Sermon in yards per carry, total rushing yards, receptions, and receiving yards. The coaching staff is starting to believe in Goodson more, too; he saw his highest snap share of 48% in Week 7.

Taylor missed practice all last week, which casts reasonable doubt about his availability in Week 8. If he misses again, Goodson becomes a fringe RB2. On a per-game basis, Goodson has been the RB23 over his last three games without Taylor.

Ray Davis (BUF) – 15% Ownership

Bursting onto the scene in Week 6, Davis had a decent fantasy outing in Week 7 against the Titans. While his lone rushing touchdown boosted his numbers significantly, Davis finished with 11.7 PPR points, recording five carries for 41 yards and one touchdown on the ground, along with one reception for six yards through the air.

Davis will primarily be viewed as a handcuff for starter James Cook. We saw what Davis can do when Cook is not in the backfield, and we can presume that usage would continue if Cook were to ever miss additional time. Davis can currently be played in desperate situations by managers in deeper leagues, but his fantasy floor is extremely low.

JaMycal Hasty (NE) – 0% Ownership

Diving into the underlying metrics, Hasty has set season highs in snap share each of the last two weeks. This may be related to the negative game script that his team has been a part of, but it may also indicate that Hasty is ascending on the depth chart. In Week 7, Hasty’s teammate Antonio Gibson saw season lows in snap count and snap share, with only 17%. Gibson had primarily played the scatback role behind starter Rhamondre Stevenson, but Hasty saw five targets compared to Gibson’s one.

With their rookie quarterback, Drake Maye, playing well enough through two games, it may open the door to fantasy value within this New England offense. If these trends continue, it could lead to Hasty becoming the main scatback for the Patriots, which would give him value in deeper PPR leagues. Hasty finished Week 7 with five catches for 49 receiving yards and one touchdown, along with two carries for -2 yards on the ground.

Kimani Vidal (LAC) – 8% Ownership

Vidal is hard to play unless you are desperate, but his offense has one of the highest run rates in the NFL. The Chargers run the ball 52.4% of the time (3rd most) and average 30.6 rushes per game (9th most). If the starting running back were to get injured, his fantasy value would sharply rise.

 

WIDE RECEIVERS

 

Jauan Jennings (SF) – 46% Ownership

The big news from San Francisco is the unfortunate season-ending ACL tear suffered by starting receiver Brandon Aiyuk. While Aiyuk will be missed by this offense, it does open the door for Jennings and his rookie teammate, Ricky Pearsall.

Earlier this season, we saw what Jennings can do when the 49ers are forced to feature him. In Weeks 3 and 4, Jennings finished with 11 receptions for 175 yards and three touchdowns, followed by three receptions for 88 yards, respectively. Now he will face the Dallas defense, which has been burned to a crisp in 2024. They are 31st in points allowed per game, 31st in opponents’ red zone scoring percentage, 29th in opponent touchdowns per game, and 24th in opponent yards per game. This Cowboys secondary has allowed 32.9 fantasy points per game to opposing receivers, a middling amount.

Jennings is a great rest-of-season pickup and a solid option in Week 8.

Romeo Doubs (GB) – 37% Ownership

Following a suspension from the team in Week 5, Doubs is coming into his own in 2024. He has scored a combined 37.3 PPR points over the last two weeks, with three receptions for 49 yards and two touchdowns in Week 6 and eight receptions for 94 yards in Week 7, making him the WR1 for fantasy in Green Bay across both weeks.

While Doubs will continue to generate solid fantasy production, there will be some down weeks along the way. Green Bay has an elite receiver room, and any one of them can go off. But you cannot discount pass catchers within Green Bay’s offense. Their offense ranks 7th in points scored per game, 7th in yards per pass, and 10th in passing yards per game, and that includes two games without their starting quarterback.

Doubs can be started any week due to his role within this offense and the talented quarterback he is tied to. This week presents a plus matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jags’ defense allows the 4th most fantasy points to the receiver position, with 42.5 PPR points per game and 33.5 in half-point formats. Additionally, Jacksonville’s 27.7 points allowed per game and 3.3 opponent touchdowns allowed per game rank 30th and 31st worst, respectively.

Ricky Pearsall (SF) – 6% Ownership

As mentioned above, Brandon Aiyuk is expected to miss the remainder of the 2024 season, which opens the door for Pearsall’s usage to increase. Pearsall played his first game of the season in Week 7, finishing with three receptions for 21 yards on five targets and 76% of the snaps.

Pearsall was a 1st-round pick by the 49ers in their 2024 Draft, so we know the coaching staff will want to get him involved now that he is healthy and playing. Between him and teammate Jauan Jennings, there should be a solid production bump now that Aiyuk has been lost for the season.

Jalen McMillan (TB) | Sterling Shepard (TB) – 1% Ownership

Tampa Bay lost their top receivers to injuries on Monday Night Football. Chris Godwin was lost for the season, and Mike Evans looks to be week-to-week with a hamstring injury. These vacated targets will go somewhere, and they may fall to either McMillan or Shepard. McMillan is an unproven 3rd-round rookie from Washington, while Shepard is a 31-year-old veteran with a history of great PPR performances and frequent soft tissue injuries.

Managers may be nervous about picking either up. In Week 8, McMillan finished with three catches for 15 yards on eight targets, while Shepard converted his lone target for 15 yards. Despite this, the offense still totaled 370 passing yards. It’s worth noting that Evans left in the first half, and Godwin exited in the closing minutes.

Both have merit as pickups, but McMillan gets the lean due to his youth, high snap count early in the season, and Shepard’s documented injury history.

Cedric Tillman (CLE) – 0% Ownership

Two seismic shifts have happened in Cleveland: first, starting quarterback Deshaun Watson has been lost for the season. This is significant because Watson had been the worst veteran quarterback this season. Second, Amari Cooper was traded leading into Week 7, vacating a ton of targets.

After saying goodbye to alpha receiver Amari Cooper, Tillman saw the largest increase in snaps among the three starting receivers (Jerry Jeudy and Elijah Moore). Tillman finished with 82% of snaps and he previously had a season-high of 37% of snaps. Jeudy saw a slight increase, but Elijah Moore surprisingly did not see any additional usage and stayed at 64% of snaps.

Dorian Thompson-Robinson will likely operate as the starting quarterback for the Browns. He was 11-of-24 for 82 passing yards and two interceptions while filling in for the injured Watson.

Tillman was a target hog in Week 7 and it makes him an extremely interesting player on waivers. He turned 12 targets into eight receptions for 81 yards, scoring 18.1 PPR points. He currently sits as the WR9 overall for Week 7.

Keon Coleman (BUF) – 44% Ownership

Coleman has been increasing his fantasy production over the last three weeks. In Week 7, he finished the day with four receptions for 125 yards and 16.5 PPR points. This was his second double-digit fantasy performance in his last three games.

While the addition of Amari Cooper disrupts the target distribution in this offense, it may open more opportunities for Coleman. Prior to the Cooper trade, Coleman was the most talented receiver on the roster, and defenses knew this. Now, with Cooper drawing more attention, teams will have to gameplan to limit him, which could inadvertently leave Coleman with more opportunities to get open. Additionally, Cooper could elevate the entire passing offense, which has struggled. After seven games, the Bills rank 24th in completion percentage and 18th in passing yards per game.

The biggest issue is the lack of passing volume from the Bills in 2024. They attempt just 27.4 passes per game, which ranks 30th in the NFL. If the Bills don’t throw the ball more, it could leave Coleman in fantasy limbo. However, Coleman was the 33rd player off the board in the 2024 draft, and the Bills highly value him, even after the Cooper trade. Expect him to still be heavily involved.

DeMario Douglas (NE) – 40% Ownership

It was a tough break for fantasy managers who relied on Douglas, as he was pulled after the first half due to an apparent illness. He finished with just 2 catches for 14 yards on 33% of snaps.

Douglas remains a player to consider for managers looking for WR3/FLEX production. From Weeks 3–6, Douglas was the WR24 overall in fantasy, averaging 13.1 PPR points per game. With Drake Maye being a significant upgrade at quarterback, Douglas and all New England pass catchers are more attractive moving forward.

Jalen Tolbert (DAL) – 27% Ownership

With two games as the WR2 on the depth chart, Tolbert has recorded 11 catches for 120 yards on 15 targets. He posted 21.7 fantasy points in Week 5 and 8.3 fantasy points in Week 6. For the season, Tolbert has produced WR3/FLEX numbers in PPR formats, averaging 10.8 fantasy points per game.

He remains an attractive option in Week 8, as the Cowboys attempt 39.7 passes per game and average 259.3 passing yards—both 2nd highest in the league. However, the matchup against the 49ers is less than ideal. They limit opposing receivers to 30.2 PPR points per game, the 11th lowest in the league.

Elijah Moore (CLE) – 1% Ownership

We expected a boost to Moore in Week 7 following the trade of his teammate Amari Cooped. While Moore saw a boost in production, finishing with 6/41, he did not see much more snaps and played 64% of snaps (he has averaged 66.6% over his last three). This likely shows that Cleveland is still focusing on two-wide sets and Moore remains the slot receiver.

Quarterback Deshaun Watson was also lost for the season. While injuries are never good, this Browns offense needed to try another option under center. Dorian Thompson-Robinson, presumed starter for the rest of the season, may slightly boost the passing offense. He was 11-of-24 for 82 passing yards and two interceptions while filling in for the injured Watson.

Moore will head into Week 8 against the Baltimore Ravens as a WR3/FLEX consideration.

Mason Tipton (NO) | Cedrick Wilson Jr. (NO) | Bub Means (NO) – 0% Ownership

With Rasheed Shaheed lost for the season and Chris Olave still in concussion protocol, these three players can be streamed by desperate managers. However, their matchup will be tough, as they travel to face the Chargers’ defense, which is smothering opposing receivers, allowing just 26.6 PPR points per game—the 4th lowest in the NFL prior to Monday Night Football.

Tipton seems to be the top pickup of this group based on usage and production. He finished with six receptions for 45 yards on nine targets and added one carry for 21 rushing yards while playing 83% of the snaps. Wilson had the best game but played the fewest snaps at 69%, finishing with six receptions for 57 yards and a touchdown on seven targets. Means was expected to lead this trio heading into Week 7 but underwhelmed with three receptions for 37 yards on five targets, despite playing 89% of the snaps.

If Olave cannot suit up, all three of these receivers are playable. If Olave returns, it becomes difficult to predict who will be the next best option. Additionally, chasing the production of a Saints WR2 against the 4th toughest fantasy defense for receivers will not lead to optimal results over time. Proceed with caution, but there are worse options.

 

TIGHT ENDS

 

Cade Otton (TB) – 42% Ownership

In Week 8, Otton posted season highs in both receptions and receiving yards, finishing the night with eight catches for 100 yards. Tampa Bay’s receiving corps took a major hit on Monday Night Football, with Chris Godwin out for the season and Mike Evans sidelined week-to-week due to a hamstring injury. This leaves a significant number of targets up for grabs, potentially benefiting Cade Otton. We’ve already seen Otton targeted at a high rate this season, and with the current injury crisis, he could become even more involved in Tampa Bay’s offense.

Hunter Henry (NE) – 27% Ownership

Once rookie quarterback Drake Maye was announced as the starter in Week 6, it instantly boosted Hunter Henry and the rest of the New England pass catchers. Through two games with Maye at the helm, Hunter Henry is averaging 15.1-PPR points and has totaled 11 catches on 16 targets for 113 receiving yards and one touchdown.

Henry may be rare plug-and-play tight end that is left on the waiver wire heading into Week 8, but his opponent, the New York Jets, have one of the better defenses against tight ends. The Jets’ defense has allowed just 8.8-PPR points per game to tight ends and only one touchdown all season. Proceed with caution, but when it comes to tight ends, there are limited “good” options.

Noah Fant (SEA) – 8% Ownership

Fant is a player to consider moving forward. In his last five contests, he has averaged 4.2 receptions for 53.6 receiving yards, which equates to 9.3 fantasy points. Averaging 9.3 fantasy points per contest would be good enough for TE11 overall this season.

Fant has yet to score a touchdown this season, which has suppressed his fantasy value. Positive touchdown regression should be coming, especially within the offense he operates in. The Seattle offense leads the NFL in total passing yards, passing yards per game, passing attempts per game, and total completions.

It will be tough to rely on Fant in Week 8 against the Buffalo Bills, but his Week 9 opponent, the Rams, have allowed three touchdowns to the tight end position this season. This is tied for the 2nd most in the NFL prior to Monday Night Football. Additionally, D.K. Metcalf will likely miss their Week 8 contest and is considered week-to-week. This may further boost Fant’s target share and red zone usage.

likely miss their Week 8 contest which may boost Fant’s target share.

Will Dissly (LAC) – 1% Ownership

With injuries impacting their pass-catching options, Dissly became a key target for quarterback Justin Herbert. The tight end saw 11 targets, catching eight passes for 81 yards, earning 16.1 PPR points.

Quentin Johnston (ankle) and Hayden Hurst (groin) were unable to practice leading up to Week 7, casting doubt on their availability for Week 8. If both miss another game, fantasy managers can confidently turn to Dissly, who will face the New Orleans Saints.

Jonnu Smith (MIA) – 2% Ownership

It might surprise you to learn that since Week 2, Jonnu Smith is the TE11 overall in PPR points per game, with 9.8. His most recent outing against the Colts really boosted his per-game average. Smith finished with seven catches, 96 receiving yards, and a touchdown for 22.6 PPR points. He has also received 15 targets across his last two games.

The toughest part about Smith is his variance, which naturally comes with the tight end position. Smith has three games with fewer than 3.8-PPR points and three games with more than 11-PPR points. Clearly, this indicates Smith is more of a “streamer” than an every-week starter on your fantasy squad.

Smith and the Dolphins will face the Arizona Cardinals in Week 8. The Cardinals have been tough against opposing tight ends, allowing just 9.9 PPR points per game (pre-Monday Night Football). Additionally, this game may mark the return of Miami’s starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. If Tua plays, Miami’s passing weapons get a significant boost. Lock up Smith this week if you can.