Welcome to the Week 8 Waiver Wire. In this article, Wolf Trelles-Heard highlights the players you should prioritize on waivers as we head into Week 8. The targets are listed in shallow, standard, and deeper league options. However, there will be the most options under the standard column, as that will be the most popular range of targets.
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Week 8 Shallow League Waiver Wire Targets
Note: This range will primarily apply to home leagues and those with shorter benches, with players available in at least 25% of leagues. Each player is listed with their current rostership percentage and a recommended FAAB bid range for a $100 budget. All values are in reference to four-point per passing touchdown leagues with PPR scoring unless otherwise noted.
Quarterback
Daniel Jones, Colts (60% rostered) | $ 3-5
With six teams on bye this week, Danny Dimes is probably looking mighty fine if you are in need of a quarterback. After a couple of slow outings, Jones has now delivered back-to-back weeks of at least 22 fantasy points, totaling 500 passing yards, 27 rushing yards, and five touchdowns to only one interception over that span.
Indiana Jones ranks top 10 in several key metrics: QB rating (80.8), expected fantasy points per game (18.8), and fantasy points per dropback (0.65). You’ll take that all day long from a guy sitting on waivers. He gets the lowly Titans this week. Their pass defense isn’t half-bad, but you can cram Jones into your lineup with confidence and should see low-end QB1 production.
Other options: Brock Purdy, 49ers (75% rostered), C.J. Stroud, Texans (66% rostered)
Running Back
Woody Marks, Texans (57% rostered) | $3-5
It’s time to put Nick Chubb in the nursing home —his career as a difference-maker appears to be done. Coming out of a bye week, Chubb had just six touches for 11 yards Monday night vs. the Seahawks. It was Woody Marks who shouldered the load with a 61% snap share and 13 total touches.
Marks’ efficiency was poor, just 15 yards on 10 carries and 20 yards through the air, but he scored a TD late during Houston’s comeback attempt. As long as the Texans are playing from behind, Marks will be the guy in the backfield. He offers low-end flex appeal based on opportunity volume in this offense.
Kimani Vidal, Chargers (75% rostered) | $4-6
Well, you can’t play the Dolphins’ pathetic run defense every week. Kimani Vidal took a step back in Week 7, but some of that was expected after the Chargers fell behind so quickly. He only averaged 2.2 yards per carry and caught four passes for a measly 15 yards. Now, for the good news: He still saw over a 60% snap share and dominated the volume over Hassan Haskins, out-touching him 13 to three.
The matchup is a little better this week against the Vikings. Maybe Vidal isn’t a plug-and-play RB2 like we thought following his breakout performance, but he’s still seeing the bulk of the work —volume is king in fantasy. Vidal is still worth snagging if he’s available in your league.
Other options: RJ Harvey, Broncos (74% rostered), Trey Benson, Cardinals (56% rostered)
Wide Receiver
Wan’dale Robinson, Giants (54% rostered) | $6-8
I advocated for Wan’dale Robinson in last week’s waiver article. Hope you listened and scooped him up. He followed up Week 6’s 20-point performance with another solid effort, hauling in six of 12 targets (his new season-high) for 95 yards against the Broncos.
Malik Nabers isn’t coming back this season, and Darius Slayton continues to miss time with injuries. This is Robinson’s WR room for the foreseeable future. With the volume he’s getting, Wan’Dale is a bargain low-end WR2 to high-end WR3 in PPR formats. Grab Jaxson Dart‘s top man and reap the benefits.
Rashid Shaheed, Saints (74% rostered) | $2-3
If you need four catches, Rashid Shaheed will get those four. If you need 10 catches, Shaheed will get you four. Outside of Week 1 (six catches for 33 yards), Shaheed has hauled in four catches in every game and provided low-end WR3 output on average.
Start Shaheed, and you’re praying that he gets into the end zone. Otherwise, you’re probably staring at single-digit fantasy points when the dust settles. The good news is the Saints draw the Buccaneers this week, and they should be playing catch-up. Maybe Shaheed will get loose on a deep shot and make you look smart if you do start him.
Other options: Romeo Doubs, Packers (51% rostered), Jauan Jennings, 49ers (73% rostered)
Tight End
Zach Ertz, Commanders (71% rostered) | $2-3
The old man just keeps on trucking, much to the chagrin of anyone who thought Ben Sinnott would be doing anything in Year 2. After putting up a goose egg in Week 5, Zach Ertz bounced back against the Bears, grabbing six catches for 43 yards and a score. Then, in a zesty matchup vs. Dallas, Ertz hauled in three for 37 with a TD.
Ertz has a decent slate coming up, so he can be used as more than just a one-week mercenary in your TE slot. The Chiefs, Seahawks, Lions, and Dolphins are on deck before Washington’s Week 12 bye. Many of those matchups have serious shootout potential. With a 22% first read target share, Jayden Daniels is looking Ertz’s way often — if you need a TE this week, you probably should too.
Other options: Kyle Pitts, Falcons (67% rostered), Harold Fannin Jr., Browns (65% rostered)
Week 8 Standard League Waiver Wire Targets
Note: This range will primarily apply to most leagues with standard benches, with players available in at least 50% of leagues. Each player is listed with their current rostership percentage and a recommended FAAB bid range for a $100 budget. All values are in reference to four-point per passing touchdown leagues with PPR scoring unless otherwise noted.
Quarterback
Aaron Rodgers, Steelers (28% rostered) | $2-3
“Hold onto your butts.” It’s Packers week for Aaron Rodgers. The man spent 18 years in green and yellow, so you know he’s going to be extra fired up for this one. Just look at what he did to the Jets back in Week 1 — 22-of-30 for 244 yards and four TDs. Vintage Rodgers.
On a week where Jared Goff, Trevor Lawrence, Matthew Stafford, and Sam Darnold are all out on bye, Rodgers is a fine plug-and-play option. He’s thrown for 484 yards and six TDs over the last two games. The Packers have a top 10 pass defense, but Rodgers will likely be fueled by nostalgia (and pettiness). Expect low-end QB1 to high-end QB2 numbers from the future Hall of Famer.
Other options: Jaxson Dart, Giants (47% rostered)
Running Back
Kyle Monangai, Bears (7% rostered) | $15-20
Ben Johnson might have finally settled on his backfield combo. D’Andre Swift, who had 138 total yards and a score, is still the main guy, but rookie Kyle Monangai appears to be the new power back in this offense. The Bears pounded the rock all afternoon against the Saints, letting Monangai rack up career highs in snap share (46%), touches (15), and yards (94); he also scored his first TD as a pro.
Running backs on good offenses are tough to find. Here’s a chance to grab discount David Montgomery while he’s still under the radar. With some tasty matchups coming up against the Ravens, Bengals, and Giants, be aggressive if you need RB help — Monangai could pay off big down the stretch.
Tyrone Tracy Jr., Giants (42% rostered) | $1-2
It’s slim pickings for running backs on waivers this week with all the byes, but Tyrone Tracy Jr. should probably be on your bench. He ran for 46 yards on nine carries on Sunday and punched in a 31-yard TD where he burst straight up the middle untouched.
Tracy Jr. is clearly the backup to Cam Skattebo at this point, but he carries contingent upside if Skattebo ever misses time — which isn’t out of the question given the way he runs, lowering his head like a Bighorn ram on every run. Pick Tracy Jr. up for a buck or two and stash him in case he’s ever called upon to handle the lead role again.
Other options: Zonovan Knight, Cardinals (23% rostered), Tyler Allgeier, Falcons (38% rostered)
Wide Receiver
Kayshon Boutte, Patriots (21% rostered) | $2-3
While he’s running hot with TDs on limited volume in a way that likely won’t last forever, Kayshon Boutte still deserves a spot on your roster. He followed up his Week 6 breakout with another nice game, catching both of his targets for 55 yards and a TD, giving him four scores (and seven years ago) so far this season.
Tied to Drake Maye, who’s playing QB as good as anyone in the league right now, Boutte has proven to be a strong 1B to Stefon Diggs‘ 1A in this passing attack. He can’t be expected to find the end zone every week, but as a flex play, Boutte offers some nice upside given the offense he operates in.
Other options: Darnell Mooney, Falcons (46% rostered), Marquise Brown, Chiefs (41% rostered), Marvin Mims Jr., Broncos (34% rostered)
Tight End
Oronde Gadsden II, Chargers (6% rostered) | $15-20
Your #1 waiver wire add of the week, folks. I’m going to pat myself on the back here as I wrote about Oronde Gadsden II as a dynasty buy just a couple of days ago. I didn’t expect a blowup game of this magnitude so quickly, but he certainly made my timing look good.
Gadsden II just delivered one of the best games by a rookie TE in NFL history, catching seven of nine targets for a whopping 164 yards and a score. Gadsden II was a big-play machine, with four plays over 20 yards, and a YAC monster, showcasing some tantalizing tackle-breaking ability. He’s now averaging 11.4 fantasy PPG, putting him practically neck-and-neck with Travis Kelce (11.5 PPG).
While he has a lot of competition for looks in this Chargers offense, Gadsden II is clearly emerging as a difference-maker. Don’t expect these spike games every week, but his ceiling is higher than a giraffe’s nuts. He should be viewed as a low-end TE1 moving forward.
Other options: Jonnu Smith, Steelers (36% rostered), Mason Taylor, Jets (37% rostered)
Week 8 Deep League Waiver Wire Targets
Note: This range will apply to leagues with deeper benches and more experienced managers, with players available in at least 75% of leagues. Each player is listed with their current rostership percentage and a recommended FAAB bid range for a $100 budget. All values are in reference to four-point per passing touchdown leagues with PPR scoring unless otherwise noted.
Quarterback
Joe Flacco, Bengals (10% rostered) | $1-2
Don’t look now, but Joe Flacco has been balling out since his arrival in Cincinnati. To be fair, they’ve made things simple for him — it’s basically just “throw the ball to Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins” — but it’s working. Flacco’s averaging 22.4 fantasy PPG in his two games, throwing for 561 yards and five TDs. That’s legit QB1 production and just a touch below what Josh Allen (22.9) is averaging per game.
He might not have to throw much this week against the lowly Jets, but he has the Bears on deck before a Week 10 bye. There’s some short-term value here. You need high volume for Flacco to pay off, but with how porous this Bengals defense has been, shootouts are always possible.
Other options: Marcus Mariota, Commanders (2% rostered) – if Jayden Daniels misses time, Andy Dalton, Panthers (1% rostered)
Running Back
Brashard Smith, Chiefs (6% rostered) | $3-5
There was a lot of wish-casting by analysts early on that Kansas City would deploy rookie Brashard Smith in the “Jerick McKinnon role.” It took a few weeks, but it appears that that dream is coming to fruition. The seventh-round pick flashed his pass-catching prowess, nabbing a career-high five receptions in Sunday’s drumming of the Raiders. He also helped salt the game away late on the ground with 14 carries. In all, Smith tallied 81 total yards and 13.1 fantasy points.
When Smith is on the field, Patrick Mahomes is finding ways to get the ball in his hands courtesy of the short passing game. Smith will continue to split snaps with Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt, but he’s shown to be the most explosive option of the three. It’s worth a few FAAB to see if he can wrestle more work away from the veterans as the season goes along in what’s shaping up to be another MVP-like campaign from Mahomes.
Other options: Blake Corum, Rams (12% rostered), Justice Hill, Ravens (15% rostered), Isaiah Davis, Jets (6% rostered)
Wide Receiver
Tez Johnson, Buccaneers (18% rostered) | $5-7
Get ready to learn about Tez Johnson, people. The diminutive rookie from Oregon has been thrust into a larger role than anyone expected with all the injuries in Tampa Bay’s WR room. With Mike Evans now sidelined for most of the season due to a broken clavicle, Johnson has a shot to earn targets at a high clip.
Johnson earned a career-high nine targets Monday night vs. Detroit, catching four for 58 yards and a TD. He scored on a screen pass where he juked, spun, and hurdled defenders on his way to paydirt. He should’ve had another score on a deep shot, but Baker Mayfield sailed the ball just out of reach in the end zone. Johnson has some Tank Dell in his game, and he could now be the deep threat in Tampa Bay’s offense. He won’t approach double-digit targets every week, but Johnson is worth a few FAAB if you need a high-upside flex play.
Other options: Xavier Legette, Panthers (15% rostered), Jayden Higgins, Texans (21% rostered), Sterling Shepard, Buccaneers (12% rostered)
Tight End
Noah Fant, Bengals (3% rostered) | $1-2
Welcome back to fantasy relevance, Noah Fant. With Mike Gesicki sidelined, Fant logged his highest snap share of the season (68%) in Thursday night’s shootout against Pittsburgh. He finished third in targets behind Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins but made the most of his chances, catching all four for 44 yards and scoring his first TD since Week 1.
Only five players saw targets from Joe Flacco, so this passing attack looks very consolidated. That could benefit Fant, as he currently ranks top 10 among TEs in target separation (3.00) and yards per route run (1.78). Fant also has some favorable matchups on deck: Jets, Bears, and Steelers again after their Week 10 bye. With Flacco breathing new life into Cincinnati’s offense, Fant deserves a look in deeper formats.
Other options: Theo Johnson, Giants (14% rostered), Pat Freiermuth, Steelers (7% rostered)
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Wolf Trelles-Heard is a fantasy football contributor for PlayerProfiler. Find him on X at @DynastyFFWolf.
