Eight weeks in the books, and that likely means your fantasy season is two thirds of the way done, and hopefully, unless you are the Bengals or Dolphins of your league, you still are in the playoff hunt. Time to hunker down and work a little magic on the waiver wire.
NOTE: All ‘Percent Rostered’ stats are based off ESPN.com fantasy leagues
Quarterbacks:
The list of quarterbacks on the waiver wire continues to be pretty solid – which is a good thing if you are looking for someone to fill in on a bye week. We have some big names on here this week.
Cam Newton, QB, Car:
Percent Rostered: 43.9%
Stats thru Week 8: 572 yds, 0 TD, 1 INT
Sounds like Newton is still a week or two away, and he certainly didn’t inspire excitement before his injury, but he is available in more than 50% of leagues and if I told you at the beginning of the season that you could pick up Cam Newton for free mid-way through the season, I bet you would sign up for that.
Derek Carr, QB, Oak:
Percent Rostered: 18.0%
Stats thru Week 8: 1,695 yds, 11 TD, 4 INT
The last two games, against two solid defenses (Green Bay and Houston), Carr has put up 578 yards, five touchdowns and one interception and the back half of the Raiders schedule has some defenses which will allow Carr to continue putting up good numbers.
Jacoby Brissett, QB, Ind:
Percent Rostered: 49.3%
Stats thru Week 8: 1,590 yds, 14 TD, 3 INT, 1 Rushing TD
Another week with Brissett on the list as a waiver wire pickup. He didn’t have a particularly good fantasy week this past week, with just 202 yards and zero touchdowns. But, he also had zero interceptions and nearly put up double-digit fantasy points for the seventh week in a row.
Kirk Cousins, QB, Min:
Percent Rostered: 63.2%
Stats thru Week 8: 1,711 yds, 13 TD, 3 INT
Cousins didn’t have any touchdowns this week, but for the sixth time in eight games, he also threw no interceptions either. And, if he keeps playing the way he is playing, the touchdowns will be there. Last week, Cousins, completed a staggering 88.5% of his passes for 285 yards.
Daniel Jones, QB, NYG:
Percent Rostered: 32.2%
Stats thru Week 8: 1,466 yds, 10 TD, 7 INT; 134 Rushing yards, 2 Rushing TD
I am still not sold on Jones as a franchise quarterback or fantasy starter, but after a four touchdown, 322 yard performance with zero interceptions, I am finally buying in on him as a spot starter, especially with what he can give you with his legs.
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Running Backs:
Like normal, the waiver wire for running backs is slim pickings, but there are a few options out there which are worth a flyer.
Jamaal Williams, RB, GB:
Percent Rostered: 55.4%
Stats thru Week 8: 50 carries, 218 yds, 1 TD; 19 rec, 127 yds, 4 TD
Despite being the clear number two back in Green Bay, Williams is on this list for the second week in a row because he has a role. Against the Chiefs, Williams found the endzone twice on 10 touches for 36 yards.
Giovani Bernard, RB, Cin:
Percent Rostered: 16.7%
Stats thru Week 8: 30 carries, 80 yds, 0 TD; 18 rec, 126 yds, 0 TD
Bernard had his best game since Week 1 – which isn’t saying much – but with A.J. Green back soon and the possibility of the Bengals trading Tyler Eifert, I expect Bernard’s role to expand…at least if I keep telling myself that, it may happen.
Devin Singletary, RB, Buf:
Percent Rostered: 65.8%
Stats thru Week 8: 20 carries, 172 yds, 1 TDs, 9 rec, 58 yds, 1 TD
Singletary is still working his way back from injury, but with four receptions, 30 receiving yards and a receiving touchdown, Singletary worked his way back into fantasy relevance this week. With two of his next three against the Redskins and Dolphins, his value should continue to improve.
Kareem Hunt, RB, Cle:
Percent Rostered: 57.5%
Stats thru Week 8: Suspended
Hunt has been cleared to practice, and though he won’t be eligible to play for another week, if you want him, you are going to have to pick him up now. With Nick Chubb having a solid season, Hunt is unlikely to have a huge role in the offense, but who knows. If Chubb would go down, you would have a legit RB1. He is worth a shot.
Darrell Henderson, Jr., RB, GB:
Percent Rostered: 55.4%
Stats thru Week 8: 29 carries, 119 yds, 0 TD; 4 rec, 37 yds, 0 TD
It is so tough to play Henderson never knowing how much Todd Gurley will or will not play, but the fact remains, Gurley’s load is going to be limited and someone is going to have a role each week. This past week, it was Henderson. Not surprising, going against the league’s worst run defense, Henderson had his best game of the season with 69 yards from scrimmage. If you are depleted at the running back position, either as a result of injuries, byes, or both, he is worth a flyer.
Wide Receivers:
As the season wears on, the wide receivers on the waiver wire are getting more and more picked over. Not a lot of starters in the list below, but a bunch of guys worth trying if you need a starter for a week or two.
Chris Conley, WR, Jax:
Percent Rostered: 9.7%
Stats thru Week 8: 21 rec, 429 yds, 2 TD (targets)
Over the last two weeks, Conley has established a nice repoire with Gardner Minshew, seeing 14 targets and pulling in seven of those for 186 yards and a touchdown.
Auden Tate, WR, Cin:
Percent Rostered: 34.4%
Stats thru Week 8: 27 rec, 391 yds, 1 TD (54 targets)
Even with A.J. Green set to return after the Bengals bye this week, Tate should still have a role in the Bengals offense – especially in the redzone. The big receiver has great hands and a knack for pulling in the contested catches. Tate has 30 targets, 13 receptions and 221 yards over the past three weeks.
Hunter Renfrow, WR, Oak:
Percent Rostered: 2.3%
Stats thru Week 8: 18 rec, 203 yds, 1 TD (30 targets)
We are going deep with this one, but after averaging more than four targets a game all season, Renfrow finally had a breakout with four catches, 88 yards and a touchdown. In PPR leagues, Renfrow could be worthy of a spot start in the Flex position
Demaryius Thomas, WR, NYJ:
Percent Rostered: 5.1%
Stats thru Week 8: 17 rec, 213 yds, 0 TD (29 targets)
The one-time prolific receiver has found a role the last few weeks in New York and over the past four weeks, he has seen 27 targets and pulled in 16 of those targets for 214 yards. While he has yet to find the endzone, I expect that to change. In the next six weeks, the Jets play the Dolphins twice, the Giants, Redskins, Raiders and Bengals.
DeVante Parker, WR, Mia:
Percent Rostered: 12.7%
Stats thru Week 8: 18 rec, 284 yds, 3 TD (31 targets)
For the second week in a row, Parker finds himself on this list and for good reason – he is quietly having a solid season. Over the last four weeks, Parker has 26 target, 18 receptions, 212 yards and three touchdowns. In PPR leagues, that is an average of 14+ fantasy points per game.
Tight Ends:
For the first time in a while, the tight end position actually has a few options I like this week! If you are looking for a true starting tight end, you’re still out of look, but if you are looking for a bye week/injury fill in, there are a few viable options out there.
Tyler Eifert, TE, Cin:
Percent Rostered: 13.9%
Stats thru Week 8: 23 rec, 192 yds, 1 TD (33 targets)
I am buying Eifert for two reasons: 1) he finally looks healthy and is coming off his best game of the season (nine targets, six catches, 74 yards), and 2) shortly after this article hits the interwebs, I expect Eifert to be traded, probably to a team who can utilize him more on offense. Even if not, with A.J. Green returning soon, that should help free up the middle of the field for Eifert.
Darren Fells, TE, Hou:
Percent Rostered: 12.5%
Stats thru Week 8: 23 rec, 244 yds, 5 TD (27 targets)
Fells productivity is extremely inconsistent and his value is very touchdown dependent, so he isn’t ideal as an every week starter, but he is a solid fill in. Last week was one of his up weeks, pulling in all six of his targets for 58 yards and two touchdowns.
Jonnu Smith, TE, Ten:
Percent Rostered: 19.8%
Stats thru Week 8: 15 rec, 239 yds, 1 TD (18 targets)
Who? I said the same thing. Apparently, he is the Titans backup tight end and with Delanie Walker out, he saw seven targets, pulling in six of them for 78 yards and a touchdown. Over the last two weeks, Smith has 10 targets, nine receptions, 142 yards and a touchdown.
Noah Fant, TE, Den:
Percent Rostered: 8.0%
Stats thru Week 8: 20 rec, 185 yds, 1 TD (32 targets)
With Emmanuel Sanders being traded, his targets are going to go somewhere and Fant is a good candidate for an uptick in targets. This past week, Fant saw a season high eight targets, pulling in a season high five catches. While he only had 26 yards and no touchdowns, his value should be on the upswing.
Ryan Griffin, TE, NYJ:
Percent Rostered: 0.3%
Stats thru Week 8: 13 rec, 112 yds, 3 TD (15 targets)
Chris Herndon has been out with a hamstring injury, and when he returns – possibly this week – Griffin’s value will take a hit, but hamstrings can be tricky, so Griffin may still see plenty of work the rest of the season, and after bringing in all four of his targets this week for 66 yards and two touchdowns, it looks like he will be capable of contributing when he does play.
