Fantasy Football: Waiver Wire Rankings (Week 8)

We finally had a week void of major injuries to fantasy relevant players (sorry Joe Thomas, we know how valuable you are to the actual team). While that may be a blessing for everyone that’s doing well, it does typically leave the waiver wire a little less interesting. That said, after another week of football, there are still some intriguing names that are widely available in leagues based on Yahoo! and ESPN ownership. We’re also faced with six teams on bye this week so while some teams may appear set, expect an active waiver wire.

To help you with your waiver decisions, our featured experts below are ranking the top readily-available candidates (<50% owned) and providing commentary on their favorite targets, how much they’d spend on them, and which defenses they’ll be targeting for streaming purposes this week.

Week 8 Byes: Arizona, Green Bay, Jacksonville, Los Angeles Rams, New York Giants, Tennessee

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Featured Experts:
Dan Clasgens – Pro Football Focus
Mike Tagliere – FantasyPros
Justin Boone – theScore
Jon Collins – Fantasy Sports LR
Bobby Sylvester – FantasyPros

*Ownership % derived from a consensus of Yahoo & ESPN leagues

On a mobile device? Click here for rankings table

Q1. Give us your thoughts on a waiver wire target (or two) you especially like as a pickup.

“Knowing that Corey Davis is available in over 75 percent of leagues is somewhat inexcusable. If you’ve watched the Titans offense, it’s clear they’re missing something. The thing they knew they were missing this offseason was a true No. 1 wide receiver, which is precisely what Davis is and why they snagged him with the fifth overall pick in the draft. In the one full game he played this year, he saw 10 targets, hauling in six of them for 69 yards. Keep in mind that was without having any game action with Marcus Mariota, as he missed the entire preseason. Davis is well worth 30-40 percent of your overall budget, though it’s important to note that he’s on a bye this week.”
– Mike Tagliere (FantasyPros)

“How is Dion Lewis only owned in less than a third of leagues? Lewis reasserted himself as the best back on the Patriots and has seen more touches than his competition the last few weeks. As a potential RB2 the rest of the way, he’s worth a hefty 50 percent or more bid. Corey Davis should also be picked up in every league, as a player who could have a featured role for the Titans in the second half of the season. Since he’s been sidelined with a hamstring injury and is on bye this week, a 5-10 percent bid should be enough to stash him.”
– Justin Boone (theScore)

“While this week lacks the “must grab guy”, owners need to remain active and constantly be working to improve their team. I continue to like what I see out of Cooper Kupp. The Rams’ rookie saw a season-high 10 targets in Week 7’s win over the Cardinals. He’s on a bye in Week 8 so he won’t be as targeted, therefore you might get him cheap. Kenny Stills is another wideout to keep on your radar. He scored twice in the Dolphins comeback win over the Jets and with Matt Moore in line to start the next couple of weeks there are reasons for optimism with the Miami passing attack. Between these two I prefer Kupp, but both are worth $8-$12 bids in $100 FAAB setups.”
– Dan Clasgens (Pro Football Focus)

“This weekend’s three targets aren’t really worth getting excited over, unless you’re Martavis Bryant, but I’m pleased with the body of work that JuJu Smith-Schuster has put together on the season. It often takes Steelers WRs a year or two to earn the trust of their QB and coordinator, but Smith-Schuster has been involved from the start and has a nose for the end zone. He’s well behind Brown on the target depth chart and is fighting Bryant for his share (the latter kicking and screaming), but he could develop into a solid option in the second half and is available in most leagues.”
– Jon Collins (Fantasy Sports LR)

“Can the answer be nobody? I’m not advising anyone to spend more than $5 FAAB on any of the players who are available in most leagues. Two players I’m eager to add to all of my teams for $1 are Kenny Golladay and Demarcus Robinson. Both are supreme athletes stepping into more targets because of injuries. I don’t intend on playing either for the time being, nor would I recommend it, but both have substantial upside.”
– Bobby Sylvester (FantasyPros)

Q2. For owners renting a D/ST in Week 8, what readily available option (under 40%) should they target and why?

“The Bengals‘ defense was missing some key parts on Sunday in Pittsburgh, but now they get to return home to face at Colts’ offense that is scoring just 17.0 ppg (27th in NFL) and managing only 291 ypg (28th). With six teams on a bye this week, Cincinnati makes for a nice streaming option.”
– Dan Clasgens (Pro Football Focus)

“The Bengals defense may not have looked great against the Steelers in Week 7, but it’s important to note that game was in Pittsburgh, where the Steelers often post a lot of points. It’ll be a different story in Week 8 when they play the Colts, a team that has allowed an average 4.1 sacks per game and more than one turnover per game. The Bengals are one of the top defensive plays in Week 8.”
– Mike Tagliere (FantasyPros)

“The Bengals are the clear streamer to target this week, going up against a Colts team that’s generously giving up sacks and turnovers to anyone who takes the field with them. Indy has allowed at least three sacks in six of their seven outings, and are coming off a 10-sack dismantling at the hands of the Jaguars.”
– Justin Boone (theScore)

“I’m all over the Dolphins D/ST. They’re getting the woeful Ravens offense on a short week and should put up double digit points with ease. With turnovers in four of six games so far and four multi-sack outings as well, they’ve been a steady if not solid option all season and should turn up the heat in Baltimore this week.”
– Jon Collins (Fantasy Sports LR)

“The Dolphins may have surrendered 28 points to the Jets last week, but let’s not forget how strong their defense had been up until then. This was the first time they gave up more than 20 points this season despite playing the Saints and Falcons already, plus they have multiple sacks in 4 of their last 5 games. This week, they draw Joe Flacco and Alex Collins, who as we know, are both prone to gift wrapping turnovers.”
– Bobby Sylvester (FantasyPros)

Thank you to the experts for naming their top waiver targets. Be sure to give them a follow on Twitter if you’re not already doing so and check out our latest podcast below for more great advice.