Fantasy: Waiver Wire - Week 8
Every Tuesday during the season, theScore's NFL editors run down the recommended waiver wire pickups.
Ownership percentages are based on Yahoo! leagues. FAAB bids are set at a $100 budget.
QuarterbackAndy Dalton, Bengals
| Next Up | Ownership | FAAB bid |
|---|---|---|
| vs. Colts | 55% | $8 |
Week 7 was an exceptionally low-scoring week with seven teams failing to record an offensive touchdown. Dalton leads a paltry group of available quarterbacks as Carson Palmer is yet another weekly starter set to miss extended time. Cincinnati's Week 8 matchup with Indy makes Dalton a must-get.
Tyrod Taylor, Bills
| Next Up | Ownership | FAAB bid |
|---|---|---|
| vs. Raiders | 58% | $6 |
Taylor put together a surprisingly excellent fantasy performance in Week 7 with tight end Charles Clay sidelined and receiver Jordan Matthews unable to do much. As his passing options get healthier, Taylor will rejoin the weekly starter ranks.
Teddy Bridgewater, Vikings
| Next Up | Ownership | FAAB bid |
|---|---|---|
| TBD | 3% | $4 |
Bridgewater has been all but officially ruled out for Week 8 and the Vikings will be on bye in Week 9, making Week 10 the earliest possible return date. Owners who've been relying on quarterback streamers to this point of the season could stash a potential top-tier starter for the most important part of the fantasy calendar.
Running BackDion Lewis, Patriots
| Next Up | Ownership | FAAB bid |
|---|---|---|
| vs. Chargers | 29% | $21 |
Lewis received a season-high 13 carries in Week 7, racking up 76 yards with a long of 25. He caught just a single pass, but has established a sustainable role on the ground and will provide a consistently usable floor.
DeAndre Washington, Raiders
| Next Up | Ownership | FAAB bid |
|---|---|---|
| at Bills | 3% | $15 |
With Marshawn Lynch ejected from Oakland's Week 7 win over Kansas City, Washington was able to score his first rushing touchdown of the season. His style is much more similar to Lynch than Jalen Richard's (below), making Washington the most likely candidate to absorb the bulk of the rushing work during Lynch's one-game suspension, and possibly beyond.
D'Onta Foreman, Texans
| Next Up | Ownership | FAAB bid |
|---|---|---|
| at Seahawks | 13% | $15 |
The Texans come out of their Week 7 bye with Foreman coming off his best rushing game of the season. He outperformed Lamar Miller on the ground in Week 6, and should receive a near-equal workload going forward. His schedule also gets much more appealing beyond the tough Week 8 road matchup in Seattle.
Jalen Richard, Raiders
| Next Up | Ownership | FAAB bid |
|---|---|---|
| at Bills | 11% | $12 |
Richard has nearly even yardage totals as a rusher and a receiver this season, with only a quarter of his total touches coming through the air. He's the superior weekly complement to Lynch, but he's unlikely to gain much value in the veteran's absence.
Matt Forte, Jets
| Next Up | Ownership | FAAB bid |
|---|---|---|
| vs. Falcons | 30% | $8 |
Forte's touchdown potential remains incredibly low, but he's topped 80 total yards in consecutive weeks and has another nice matchup on deck.
Marlon Mack, Colts
| Next Up | Ownership | FAAB bid |
|---|---|---|
| at Bengals | 41% | $7 |
Mack's usage remains sparse but his production has been strong with 4.9 yards per carry and 10.6 yards per reception. Meanwhile, starter Frank Gore has been averaging just 3.4 yards per attempt on the season. The Colts should turn to the rookie more often as they quickly fall out of contention.
Matt Breida, 49ers
| Next Up | Ownership | FAAB bid |
|---|---|---|
| at Eagles | 15% | $6 |
Breida's value hinges on the very possible trade of starter Carlos Hyde as the 49ers continue trending toward the top pick in the 2018 draft.
Wendell Smallwood, Eagles
| Next Up | Ownership | FAAB bid |
|---|---|---|
| vs. 49ers | 40% | $6 |
Smallwood led the Eagles' backfield in first-half usage against the Redskins, but his lack of production led to a greatly diminished role in the second session. He's still worthy of another chance in a very promising Week 8 matchup against San Francisco.
Latavius Murray, Vikings
| Next Up | Ownership | FAAB bid |
|---|---|---|
| at Browns | 42% | $4 |
Murray finally made himself noticed in Week 7, busting a 35-yard touchdown run against the Ravens in a game where nobody did much of note. He still holds less weekly promise than Jerick McKinnon, keeping him as more of a fantasy afterthought.
Wide ReceiverCorey Davis, Titans
| Next Up | Ownership | FAAB bid |
|---|---|---|
| BYE | 25% | $18 |
As the Titans enter their bye week, this is the perfect opportunity to snatch up their soon-to-be No. 1 receiver. Eric Decker saw very little usage in Week 7, and tight end Delanie Walker suffered a bone bruise. Davis will have immense upside upon his return.
Marvin Jones Jr., Lions
| Next Up | Ownership | FAAB bid |
|---|---|---|
| vs. Steelers | 62% | $16 |
Jones is likely to take over as Matthew Stafford's No. 1 option with Golden Tate sidelined. He's already been used regularly in the red zone, and he'll have more consistent production for at least the next few weeks.
Cooper Kupp, Rams
| Next Up | Ownership | FAAB bid |
|---|---|---|
| BYE | 42% | $15 |
Kupp enters his bye after seeing a season-high 10 targets against the Cardinals. He caught just four of them, but those included his third career touchdown. He's firmly ahead of Sammy Watkins in Jared Goff's progressions.
Kenny Stills, Dolphins
| Next Up | Ownership | FAAB bid |
|---|---|---|
| at Ravens | 23% | $12 |
Stills has caught a total of five touchdowns in his past four regular-season games playing with Matt Moore. With Jay Cutler assured to miss at least the Week 8 Thursday nighter in Baltimore - and potentially several more contests - Stills should be a fixture in the game plan even if DeVante Parker returns.
Josh Doctson, Redskins
| Next Up | Ownership | FAAB bid |
|---|---|---|
| vs. Cowboys | 13% | $12 |
Doctson received a season-high five targets in Week 7, catching three. It wasn't quite the usage the Redskins hyped up heading into the matchup, but the increased role should continue as he moves above the rest of the receiving corps.
JuJu Smith-Schuster, Steelers
| Next Up | Ownership | FAAB bid |
|---|---|---|
| at Lions | 15% | $10 |
Smith-Schuster was again targeted just thrice against the Bengals, but recorded his third touchdown of the season. Disgruntled receiver Martavis Bryant caught one of just two targets for three yards, and seems to be behind the rookie, who's looking and performing like the No. 2 option.
Kenny Golladay, Lions
| Next Up | Ownership | FAAB bid |
|---|---|---|
| vs. Steelers | 15% | $8 |
Golladay has missed the past three games due to injury and hasn't done anything of note since a Week 1 game with two touchdowns. But if he suits up in Week 8, he'll accrue some of Tate's targets.
Jermaine Kearse, Jets
| Next Up | Ownership | FAAB bid |
|---|---|---|
| vs. Falcons | 53% | $6 |
Kearse was lucky to find the end zone with his lone reception on four targets in Week 7. Quarterback Josh McCown has been playing exceptionally well of late, likely instilling overconfidence in the Jets' receiving options. Be careful not to overspend.
Ted Ginn Jr., Saints
| Next Up | Ownership | FAAB bid |
|---|---|---|
| vs. Bears | 52% | $4 |
Ginn has excelled over the past two weeks while continuing to play a large role in place of Willie Snead. His reliance on big plays typically makes him untrustworthy, but Ginn has caught each of his last 13 targets over the Saints' past three games.
Marquise Goodwin, 49ers
| Next Up | Ownership | FAAB bid |
|---|---|---|
| at Eagles | 3% | $2 |
While the 49ers lost 40-10 against the Dallas Cowboys in C.J. Beathard's first start at quarterback, it's noteworthy that Goodwin shared the team lead in targets with Hyde. He also led the team with 80 receiving yards, bolstered by a 48-yard haul.
Tight EndCharles Clay, Bills
| Next Up | Ownership | FAAB bid |
|---|---|---|
| TBD | 17% | $8 |
As Clay nears his return, he's worth stashing. Fantasy managers typically shouldn't carry two tight ends at any one time, but an exception can be made for Clay as the clear and unchallenged No. 1 option in the Bills' passing game.
O.J. Howard, Buccaneers
| Next Up | Ownership | FAAB bid |
|---|---|---|
| vs. Panthers | 13% | $4 |
Howard continues to be targeted less than Cameron Brate, but the rookie is coming off a two-touchdown game. Meanwhile, Brate snapped his streak of four consecutive outings with a score. Both are worth roster spots in standard 12-team leagues.
Benjamin Watson, Ravens
| Next Up | Ownership | FAAB bid |
|---|---|---|
| vs. Dolphins | 13% | $2 |
Watson caught all five of his targets in a game Jeremy Maclin didn't start and Mike Wallace departed early in the first quarter. In a year with very little tight end production, Watson is perfectly serviceable with consistent usage.
(Photos courtesy: Action Images)
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