Week 7 was a bit of a nightmare for fantasy managers. Jayden Daniels, Brandon Aiyuk, and DK Metcalf all left with injuries, and lineups were littered with busts like Tyreek Hill and Chase Brown. If you left your matchup feeling disappointed, it’s time to reset and address the first thing on the Week 8 to-do list, filing waiver claims.
If you lost a player to an injury or are just sick of a particular player underperforming, chances are you’ll have to head to the waiver wire to find a replacement. It’s less than ideal, but starter-level production can be found on waivers if you identify strong matchups and players with elevated opportunity within their offense.
Last week we provided names like Hunter Henry and Drake Maye as strong waiver pickups. Both of these players went on to have quality performances in Week 7. We’ll be looking to provide another batch of candidates as you prepare to file waiver claims for Week 8.
Top fantasy football waiver wire pickups for Week 8: Drake Maye, Keon Coleman, Jauan Jennings among best adds
Roster percentages representative of Yahoo! fantasy leagues.
Drake Maye, New England Patriots (16% Rostered)
Drake Maye is similar to Bo Nix (who you’ll read more about in a bit) in the sense that his scrambling ability often goes overlooked. His production on the ground hasn’t quite been as strong as Nix’s, but he’s ripped off 15-yard runs in each of his two starts. However, Maye has been able to generate explosive plays through the air in a way that Nix has not. Maye has thrown for at least 240 yards and two scores in each of his two starts this season. He’s looking to be a very promising talent and is worth a bench spot on teams without a reliable quarterback.
Keon Coleman, Buffalo Bills (32% Rostered)
The arrival of Amari Cooper seemed to work wonders for the Buffalo pᴀssing attack. Cooper was on the field for less than half of snaps, but Josh Allen set a season-high with 323 pᴀssing yards. Rookie Keon Coleman also had a big day, leading the team and setting a career-high with 125 receiving yards on Sunday. Even with this encouraging result, it doesn’t change the fact that Coleman remains a low-volume receiver who relies on big plays to drive his fantasy production. He’s more of a speculative stash while evaluating the new-look Buffalo receiving room.
Jauan Jennings, San Francisco 49ers (29% Rostered)
Jauan Jennings is a receiver who is worth a pickup despite not playing (hip) in Week 7. Fellow receiver Brandon Aiyuk suffered what appeared to be a serious knee injury against the Chiefs last week. If Aiyuk misses extended time, Jennings will likely be elevated into the WR2 role while 1st-rounder Ricky Pearsall acclimates to NFL game speed. Jennings has thrived in this role in the past, including a 46-point explosion in Week 3.
Who are the top quarterback waiver wire targets?
Bo Nix, Denver Broncos (13% Rostered)
Bo Nix continues to be one of the league’s most underrated dual-threat quarterbacks. He’s averaging 6.3 points per game from rushing production across his last five games. Nix looked nimble on the ground last week on Thursday Night Football, rushing for 75 yards on 10 carries. Even though he’s struggled as a pᴀsser, Nix’s rushing production has allowed him to finish as a top-10 QB twice during this stretch. He can certainly function as a bye-week fill-in.
Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins (45% Rostered)
After yet another frightening head injury, the reports surrounding Tua Tagovailoa point towards a return in the near future. The expectation is that he’ll return to practice this week and could play as soon as this week as well. Tagovailoa has consistently delivered starter-level production in his time with Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. ᴀssuming the reports continue to be positive, Tagovailoa is certainly worth a roster spot.
Who are the other top running back waiver wire targets?
Tyler Goodson, Indianapolis Colts (14% Rostered)
After Trey Sermon averaged 2.4 yards per carry in the last two weeks, Tyler Goodson was handed the keys to the Indianapolis backfield. Goodson led the way with 14 carries, turning them into 51 yards on the ground. Starting running back Jonathan Taylor has not practiced in three weeks, so there’s no guarantee that he will return in Week 8. If Taylor is ruled out again, Goodson can provide value as the 1A in Indianapolis. And even if Taylor returns, Goodson is the backup to roster from the Colts now.
Jaylen Warren, Pittsburgh Steelers (41% Rostered)
Najee Harris had a season-best game in Week 6 but has not quite done enough to shake his reputation as a plodder. Harris is average to below average in most key rushing efficiency metrics, including yards per carry, yards after contact per attempt, missed tackles forced per attempt, and rush yards over expected per attempt. Jaylen Warren, on the other hand, has consistently been one of the league’s most efficient backs and offers the pᴀss-catching skills that drive his PPR value. Picking up Warren as a bet against Harris isn’t a bad idea for RB-needy teams.
Who are the other top wide receiver waiver wire targets?
Jalen McMillan, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2% Rostered)
With Chris Godwin and Mike Evans sustaining injuries on Monday night, Jalen McMillan is set to operate as the team’s WR1 in the coming weeks. Godwin’s injury is reportedly season-ending, so McMillan will be the No. 2 option at worst for the rest of the season. McMillan didn’t put up the strongest stat line in Week 8, but still garnered a respectable eight targets. Given the pᴀss-heavy nature of the Tampa Bay offense, expect him to be a high-volume receiver moving forward.
Ricky Pearsall, WR, San Francisco 49ers (14% Rostered)
Ricky Pearsall is yet another receiver who will be in line for an elevated role due to the injuries of receivers in front of him. Brandon Aiyuk is out for the season with an ACL/MCL tear and Deebo Samuel is currently dealing with a case of pneumonia. Pearsall could realistically function as the 49ers’ WR1 in his second-career NFL game. He’s worth taking a stab at on waivers given his new opportunity and unknown upside as a rookie receiver.
Jalen Tolbert, Dallas Cowboys (20% Rostered)
Jalen Tolbert and the Cowboys didn’t play in Week 7, but Tolbert is a strong waiver pickup nonetheless. Since Brandin Cooks was placed on IR, Tolbert ᴀssumed a full-time role in the Dallas offense. Tolbert has played over 89 percent of snaps in the two games without Cooks and has seen 15 targets in these two contests. With matchups against San Francisco, Atlanta, and Philadelphia in the coming weeks, the Dallas offense will likely have to lean on their pᴀssing attack quite regularly.
Cedric Tillman, Cleveland Browns (0% Rostered)
The departure of Amari Cooper allowed Cedric Tillman to build an expanded role in the Cleveland offense. He ran a route on 82 percent of dropbacks and led the Browns with 11 targets on Sunday. With Jameis Winston potentially taking over the offense, all receivers in Cleveland see a boost thanks to his aggressive and borderline reckless mentality. Tillman is worth a stash in deep leagues.
Who are the other top тιԍнт end waiver wire targets?
Cade Otton, TE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (39% Rostered)
Cade Otton is the other Buccaneers pᴀss catcher who stands to benefit from the absence of Godwin and Evans. Otton carried the pᴀssing attack on Monday night, leading the team with eight receptions and 100 receiving yards. Otton has always been a full-time player, but those routes will likely turn into targets at a higher rate now that the target compeтιтion has weakened.
Hunter Henry, New England Patriots (21% Rostered)
Drake Maye’s arrival in New England has done wonders for the fantasy value of Patriots pᴀss catchers. Hunter Henry was the beneficiary of Maye’s presence in Week 7, posting a team-leading nine targets, eight receptions, and 92 yards. Henry certainly benefitted from the absence of DeMario Douglas (illness) at various points in this game, but Henry has proven to be able to earn targets in this offense; he’s hit a 24-percent target share twice this season. Given the lack of consistency from the bottom-tier TE1 options, Henry is worth a pickup.
Jonnu Smith, Miami Dolphins (4% Rostered)
Jonnu Smith has put together several respectable weeks this year. Week 7 was his best week of the year (22.6 PPR points) and marked the third time he’s scored at least 11 points. Smith has seen 7+ targets in each of those three games, which has allowed him to rack up PPR points. The issue is that Smith’s usage has been unpredictable; he’s combined for just six targets in his three other games. Given his inconsistent role, he’s more of an option for teams whose TE1 is injured or on bye.
Who are the top defense waiver wire targets and streamers?
Los Angeles Chargers (40% Rostered)
There’s no reason for the Chargers to be rostered in less than 50 percent of leagues. Frankly, they should be rostered in just about every league. They rank 8th or higher in yards allowed per play, EPA per play, and fantasy points per game. We’re talking about a defense that has yet to allow 20 points this season and is facing off against a defunct Saints offense. This is a good spot for Los Angeles, and this defensive unit could be a regular starter in fantasy lineups with Cleveland and Tennessee on the upcoming schedule.
Detroit Lions (18% Rostered)
The Lions have the privilege of facing the тιтans this week. There was some optimism that the arrival of Brian Callahan, Tony Pollard, and Calvin Ridley would lead to drastic improvements in Tennessee. Those hopes have not yet come to fruition. The тιтans rank 30th in offensive yards per play and have scored just 10 touchdowns on the year. This is an offense to attack with D/ST streamers this season, making Detroit a strong option in Week 8.
