We’re now halfway through the fantasy football regular season. As we begin our second-half push, it comes with a great deal of significant injuries. In Week 7, Brandon Aiyuk (ACL) and Chris Godwin (ankle) suffered season-ending injuries. We also know that Jameson Williams will miss his next two games with a Performance-enhancing Enhancing Substance suspension. These are just a few of the obstacles to navigate on the Week 8 waiver wire.
You may be dealing with injuries or just need to cycle out players from your bench. Whatever the case may be, the waiver wire is there to help. There’s not always a need to put in a claim for players each week, but if you do, make it count. Below, we’ll look at players at each position, who are on 50% or less of most fantasy football rosters, that could be considered on the Week 8 waiver wire.
Teams with a Week 8 Bye: N/A
Week 8 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire By Position
Running Backs
Tyler Allgeier, Atlanta Falcons
This should be the last call for Tyler Allgeier on the Week 8 waiver wire. Not only is he the most valuable handcuff in fantasy football, to Bijan Robinson, but depending on game script and matchup, Allgeier has standalone flex value. So far this season, Allgeier is averaging 5.7 yards per carry. He doesn’t add much in the passing game but did just log an 18/105/1 rushing line in Week 6. This was followed up by just five carries for 36 yards in Week 7. While that may seem underwhelming, that’s back-to-back games with a 5.8 or more yards per carry average.
A key piece to Allgeier’s value is his role in the red zone. Allgeier currently ranks 20th in red zone rush attempts with 14. That’s just five less than Bijan Robinson (19) who ranks sixth. The Week 8 waiver wire doesn’t have too many must-have running backs. Allgeier leads the list as the closest thing to that.
Kimani Vidal, Los Angeles Chargers
The Los Angeles Chargers rank inside the top 10 in rush attempts per game. Their leadback this season is J.K. Dobbins. Since placing Gus Edwards on the Injured Reserve list, rookie Kimani Vidal is serving as Dobbins’ handcuff. Vidal saw an uptick in snap percentage in Week 7. However, his 18 snaps were a far second to Dobbins’ 45. The good news is that Vidal was on the field for the Chargers’ two-minute drill to end the first half. He does have pass-catching upside, as well, taking his first NFL touch last week to the house on a 38-yard catch and run. In Week 7, Vidal ran 14 routes and drew one target. Again, the Week 8 waiver wire doesn’t have a ton of significant running back options. However, if Dobbins were to go down, Vidal’s value would skyrocket. Add him now just in case.
Other Running Backs to Consider
Jaylen Warren is still playing behind Najee Harris even with Russell Wilson taking over as quarterback. Warren’s 12 carries in Week 7 were second to Harris’ 21. It’s worth noting Najee Harris yielded 102 yards and a late-game touchdown on his 21 carries, though Warren averaged a respectable 3.7 yards per carry average of his own. Warren still presents pass-catching upside. He had three targets to just one from Najee Harris. By no means is Jaylen Warren worth starting, but he’s a potential flex play if his role were to expand. He’s a must-start if Najee Harris becomes unavailable for whatever reason.
Ray Davis remains the obvious handcuff to James Cook out of the Buffalo Bills’ backfield. He is the only other Bills running back to record a carry in Week 7. Davis rushed just five times but for 41 yards and a touchdown. That includes a 22-yard run, the longest of any player on the team for the day. The Bills host the Miami Dolphins in Week 9. They’ve allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to running backs. That includes allowing the second-most rushing touchdowns (9) to the position this season. Davis is a deeper league flex play, but should be on benches everywhere, especially those with James Cook.
Tyler Goodson is coming off a 14/51/1 rushing day against the Miami Dolphins. He had six more carries than Trey Sermon in Week 7. This is after posting an 8/51/0 rushing line in Week 6 with 10 fewer carries than Sermon. Jonathan Taylor remains out with a high ankle sprain with no specific timetable for his return. Sermon himself entered Week 7 limited by a knee injury. Goodson is a deeper league stash, but worth starting in certain lineups depending on the matchup.
Wide Receiver
Jauan Jennings, San Francisco 49ers
It’s an up-and-down season for Jauan Jennings, but I still believe he is the best waiver wire pickup of this season. That could be especially true if he’s once again available to managers on the Week 8 waiver wire. The 49ers wide receivers have had their struggles this season. Not only did Deebo Samuel miss Week 3 with a calf strain, but he left extremely early in Week 7 with what we now know to be complications from pneumonia. Additionally, Brandon Aiyuk’s underwhelming 2024 season is now over after suffering a torn ACL in Week 7.
Since Jauan Jennings’ 46.5 outburst in Week 3, in Deebo’s absence, Jennings has just 19.8 total points since. He missed Week 7 altogether with a hip injury. It sounds like Jennings could return as soon as Week 8, however. That being said, if Jennings has been made available in your league, he is the top wide receiver on the Week 8 waiver wire. If you can’t afford to wait and see if Jennings will play, there are other options on the Week 8 waiver wire that are readily available.
Ricky Pearsall, San Francisco 49ers
Pearsall belongs this high on the Week 8 waiver wire piece for a few reasons. The first is obvious: Brandon Aiyuk is done for the season, as previously mentioned above. In his NFL debut in Week 7, Pearsall played the most snaps of any 49ers wide receiver. That’s also in part to Deebo Samuel’s exit, after four snaps, with pneumonia. Reports from Monday that Samuel is in the hospital with fluid in his lungs cast serious doubt on his availability for Week 8.
With Aiyuk confirmed out, Deebo Samuel currently on the wrong side of questionable, and Jauan Jennings still up in the air, Ricky Pearsall becomes surprisingly relevant. This is upon his own return from getting shot as a victim of a robbery attempt before the season. Though he caught just three receptions for 21 yards in his debut, Pearsall’s five targets were second to only Brandon Aiyuk. If need be, you may be able to start Pearsal in Week 8. He’s at least worth the stash if you want to see his role and production in one more game, but just know he has a Week 9 bye.
Romeo Doubs, Green Bay Packers
The most production wide receiver available on the Week 8 waiver wire for immediate lineup assistance is Romeo Doubs. If you can’t afford to risk the uncertainties that come with either of the above 49ers, then target Doubs. Since his Week 5 suspension, Doubs leads all Green Bay Packers in snaps and targets. Over his last two games, Doubs boasts a 3/49/2 and 8/94/0 receiving lines. He’s averaging 18.55 fantasy points per game in that span.
Up next for Doubs and the Packers are the Jacksonville Jaguars and Detroit Lions, the latter of which is at home. Then the Packers have a Week 10 bye. The Jaguars and the Lions respectively rank third and fourth in fantasy points allowed to opposing wide receivers. They also rank as the top-two teams in receiving yards allowed to the position. The Lions notably have allowed 1,279 total receiving yards to opposing wide receivers in just six games. In other words, 213 receiving yards per game. Doubs is the most confident plug-and-play wide receiver on the Week 8 waiver wire and shouldn’t be as available as he is after this week.
Other Wide Receivers to Consider
Rashod Bateman now has exactly four catches in each of his last three games. From Weeks 5 through 7, he has logged 58, 71, and 121 receiving yards respectively, as well. To top it all off, Bateman has a receiving touchdown in two of these three games. His quarterback, Lamar Jackson, is the MVP frontrunner, as well. Bateman’s 26 targets in seven games isn’t much to get excited about, especially since he’s second to Zay Flowers’ 48 targets. Bateman is a boom-or-bust deep-threat receiver on arguably the best team in the NFL, which also happens to be the run-heaviest. Take that as you will.
Keon Coleman has his first-ever 100-yard game! Coleman’s 125 yards in Week 7 led all Bills receivers. He did so on four receptions with a season-high seven targets, tied for most of the team. Despite Coleman’s success in Week 7, a newcomer via trade, Amari Cooper, still managed to catch four of his five targets for 66 yards and a touchdown. As Cooper settles in with the playbook and Josh Allen throwing him the ball, I expect him to lead the way in volume and production for the Bills. Coleman will continue to battle Cooper, Khalil Shakir, and others for looks each week. Josh Allen has now targeted at least seven players in each of their last four games, including nine in Week 7.
Cedric Tillman is now on the fantasy radar following the Amari Cooper trade. In what could be a second-year breakout, Tillman emerged as a top target for the Cleveland Browns in Week 7. His 12 targets were second only to David Njoku (14). Tillman is 6’3″ and 215 pounds, a similar build to Amari Cooper. He played a career-high number of snaps, second only to Jerry Jeudy amongst Browns wide receivers. With Deshaun Watson’s season over due to a torn Achilles, it’s likely Cleveland turns to Jameis Winston in Week 8 and beyond. We don’t have enough of a sample size of Winston under center for this team to know how he will distribute the ball around. However, Tillman’s role and production in Week 7 is worth throwing a dart at for now. Jerry Jeudy also belongs in the conversation for this same reason.
Xavier Legette comes and goes as a waiver wire suggestion. I do think the rookie is talented and can be productive. The Carolina Panthers offense can just be painful to watch week-to-week. Legette is also behind Diontae Johnson as the team’s top receiver. However, Johnson is one of a few big wide receiver names floating around in trade rumors. The NFL trade deadline is two weeks away. If Johnson is in fact on the move, Legette could emerge as a much more fantasy relevant player for the second half of the season. If you have room, he’s worth stashing now off of the Week 8 waiver wire.
Tight End
Cade Otton, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Chris Godwin will miss the rest of the season with an ankle injury. Mike Evans is in jeopardy of missing multiple weeks with a hamstring injury. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are down their two top targets in the passing game. This makes Cade Otton a priority pickup on the Week 8 waiver wire. If you’ve been streaming tight ends week-to-week, Otton is a golden opportunity for steady production at the tight end position. His 10 targets, eight receptions, and 100 yards in Week 7 are all season-highs. Otton should command the majority of Tampa’s targets, or close to it, until further notice. He has a 19.8% target share since Week 3. Up next for Otton in Week 8 is a matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs who have allowed the most receptions and yards to opposing tight ends.
Hunter Henry, New England Patriots
Without any teams on bye in Week 8, you might not need to pick up and start Hunter Henry. However, given the inconsistency at the position, he’s a good player to stash on your bench for future streaming opportunities. If the rest of Henry’s season is anything like Week 7, he will be a set-and-forget tight end in most formats. In rookie quarterback Drake Maye’s second start, Hunter Henry commanded nine of 36 targets (25%) against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Despite not finding the end zone, Henry’s 17.2 points still earned him a spot inside the top-six tight ends for the week. Henry leads the Patriots in targets (39), receptions (27), and yards (313) this season. He’s also one of seven different players with a receiving touchdown. He possesses a higher floor than most tight ends in fantasy football. If you need some stability in your lineup, Henry can provide it off of the Week 8 waiver wire.
Other Tight Ends to Consider
Zach Ertz finished second in team targets (5) from Marcus Mariota after he took over for an injured Jayden Daniels at quarterback. He caught four of them for 40 yards and his first touchdown of the season. It looks as though Daniels’ Iribs) availability for Week 8 is seriously in doubt. If Marcus Mariota gets the start, Zach Ertz could remain a key target for him. Either way, Ertz is second in total targets (34) this season behind only Terry McLaurin. Regardless of who the quarterback is, Ertz is seeing fantasy-friendly volume of nearly five targets per game.
Noah Fant could see an expanded role if DK Metcalf (knee) does miss Week 8 and beyond. Fant has at least four receptions and 63 yards in each of the Seahawks’ last two games. While he has yet to find the end zone this season, he has caught 85.7% of his passes, proving to be a reliable target for Geno Smith. Fant is a Week 8 waiver wire addition for deeper league teams but could have some streaming value for anyone in specific matchups moving forward.
Quarterback
Aaron Rodgers, New York Jets
Rodgers may have six interceptions across his last three games, but unless your league penalizes picks with major negative points, I’m willing to look past it if I need a quarterback on the Week 8 waiver wire. Sitting at 2-5, the Jets need to push for an 8-2 or better finish if they want to make the playoffs. One week at a time. Luckily, they’ll face the 1-6 New England Patriots in Week 8. They’ve allowed the seventh-most passing yards this season. Rodgers has already had his best fantasy performance of this season against the Patriots with 21.0 points in Week 3. Especially with the addition of Davante Adams, Rodgers should be in most Superflex and 2QB lineups with some consideration in 1QB formats.
Russell Wilson, Pittsburgh Steelers
If you’re streaming the quarterback position and chasing those with advantageous matchups, then consider Russell Wilson on the Week 8 waiver wire. He and the Steelers have a Week 9 bye, so you’re probably plugging and playing Wilson for Week 8 then dropping him. Luckily, he faces the New York Giants on Monday Night Football. They’re allowing the eighth-most fantasy points to quarterbacks this season. Wilson is a good replacement for Jayden Daniels if he misses Week 8, could maybe start over Brock Purdy without his weapons and, dare I say, Patrick Mahomes, who has been one of the bigger disappointments this season. Albeit a 24.9 points QB3 finish, we only have a one-game sample size for Russell Wilson this season for fantasy football. He’s not a must-start, but he’s a strong start if you need a change at quarterback.
Other Quarterbacks to Consider
Tua Tagovailoa looks like he will return to the field in Week 8. I’m nervous just typing that. We all know Tua has an extensive concussion history. It’s hard not to bake that into his value week-to-week for fantasy football. If he takes one more significant hit to the head, his career is likely over. It’s a risk worth taking, in certain leagues, as soon as Week 8. The Miami Dolphins host the Arizona Cardinals, who rank inside the top in fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks. As we know, Tua only needs one big play to Tyreek Hill to make his start worthwhile. The Dolphins could take a more conservative approach to their playbook with Tua back, but he has playmakers who can rack up points for him once the ball is in their hands.
Bo Nix now has 145 total rushing yards and a rushing touchdown over his three days. After last week’s Thursday night runaway from the Saints in New Orleans, Nix gets a fantasy friendlier matchup hosting the Carolina Panthers in Week 8. They have a -133 point differential through seven weeks, the worst in the league. Nix has the matchup, playmakers, and rushing upside to warrant consideration on the Week 8 wavier wire.