Week 8 Waiver Wire pickups
The Week 8 waiver wire might be the most important one of this season. Six teams are on a bye each of the next two weeks, which means you might need to start players who are typically bench-quality. Don’t fret too much, though, as there are a few options sitting out there to help you survive. It’s time to deal out the Week 8 waiver wire pickups and quarterback streamers.
Due to the Cowboys’ bye and owners streaming other quarterbacks in addition to Prescott, some may have dropped him. The looming return of Tony Romo throws his long-term outlook into question, but Prescott has been Fantasy starter material. He entered his bye with a 68.7 completion percentage, 1,486 yards, seven touchdowns and one interception. The Cowboys exit the bye rested and ready to host the Eagles, and wouldn’t you know Prescott gets Dez Bryant back, too.
While Fitzpatrick deserved to lose his job, it’s hard to ignore a matchup with the Browns. After all, the Browns have allowed every quarterback to throw for at least two TDs, including four games with over 300 yards passing. Fitz either continues that streak, cements his place in the Fantasy graveyard … or loses his job again.
RUNNING BACKS
You Should Have Picked Them Up: Jacquizz Rodgers, TB; James White, NE.
Everyone knew that the Bills should have sat LeSean McCoy last week. Assuming they do the smart thing and rest him in Week 8, Gillislee becomes the starter and is a must-own and must-start. Reggie Bush will likely be involved, but any running back getting the majority share needs to be in lineups, especially with so many byes.
Matt Jones still has fumbling issues, which opens the door for Thompson … and Rob Kelley. While Thompson won’t see a workhorse role, he’s the most consistent option in Washington, especially in PPR leagues. If this were a normal week, Thompson’s value would be relegated to those leagues only.
Asiata’s value will see a big boost if Jerick McKinnon misses time. If so, Asiata would be the top waiver-wire back. Asiata has actually racked up more fantasy points than McKinnon thanks to touchdowns, and if Asiata weren’t sharing touches, his value would be firmly inside the Top 20 running backs.
The Broncos seemed set on creating a Falcons-like backfield, and that means Booker needs to be owned by more than just C.J. Anderson owners. It would be tough to start him regularly, but you may be thin at running back, and his value would skyrocket if Anderson were to miss time.
I would not recommend starting either player unless you’re desperate, as Ty Montgomery might just be the lead option again with Davis and Jackson sprinkled in a bit. However, there is still potential here if the Packers want to go more traditional, but it’s tough to predict who will emerge. These are true fliers.
The 49ers’ backfield is messy without Carlos Hyde, and with the team on a bye, Hyde could return and render everyone else moot. Davis scored a rushing touchdown, Harris saw more work and Shaun Draughn had a receiving touchdown. Draughn is behind Davis and Harris, but as with the Packers, neither player is worth using unless you’re desperate.
It’s yet another messy backfield for Fantasy purposes. Zenner has been serviceable as the lead option with Theo Riddick out, but the Lions like Washington and want to see what he brings … if he can get on the field. If Washington is active, this will be a risky situation, and if Riddick returns, all bets are off outside of Riddick.
Arian Foster surprisingly retired, which puts Williams as the next man up if Jay Ajayi misses time. Kenyan Drake has deep value, more so in PPR leagues, and is worth a stash as well. Ajayi looks amazing (finally) but if the waiver wire is thin and you’re just shooting for future value, feel free to stash Williams.
Deep Leagues/Handcuffs: Dion Lewis (time to stash), Thomas Rawls, Alfred Morris, Derrick Henry, Tim Hightower, Cameron Artis-Payne.
WIDE RECEIVERS
You Should Have Picked Them Up: Michael Thomas, NO; Ty Montgomery, GB; Tyrell Williams, SD; Sammie Coates, PIT; Quincy Enunwa, Jets. A few weeks ago, I asked you what Kenny Britt had to do in order to get some respect.
Well, that applies to Crowder now. Crowder is WR27 in standard leagues, eliminating those “PPR only” concerns. On top of that, Crowder is second on the team in receptions and first in yards and touchdowns. Crowder has been Washington’s most consistent receiver, and you can definitely use him against a Bengals team struggling to stop the pass.
Trusting a team’s third receiver is inherently risky, and there will be weeks when Adams is left out. However, Adams has greatly improved in route running and his receiving skills since last season. The Packers look to be extremely pass-heavy with no Eddie Lacy, and Adams will have weekly value if Aaron Rodgers is going to be attempting 40-plus throws a week.
No one would have predicted that Lee would lead the team in receptions at this point and that only Allen Hurns would have more yards. The lack of touchdowns is overshadowing the fact that Lee has improved this year and has 60-plus yards in three games. Lee is just a score or two from becoming the highest-scoring Jaguars receiver.
Deep Leagues/Watch List: Corey Coleman, Rishard Matthews, Tyler Lockett, Kendall Wright, Brandon LaFell
TIGHT ENDS
With Doyle it’s very simple. As long as Dwayne Allen is out, Doyle is a must-add and muststart TE1. Doyle has 13 catches, 131 yards and two touchdowns over the past two weeks, and it doesn’t get much better than that for tight ends.
Brate’s numbers have decreased the last two weeks, but the upside is still there. Brate is still the second-highest targeted option in the red zone for the Buccaneers. The schedule is nice with the Raiders, Falcons and Bears next and all at home. This will be the last time I point this out, but with so many teams on a bye, Brate is almost a TE1. Deep Leagues/Watch List: Eric Ebron, C.J. Fiedorowicz. If you want more great in-depth analysis from the RotoExperts team, including weekly rankings and recommendations, visit rotoexperts.com/dailynews. Promocode “DAILYNEWS” gets you a special discount on your ticket to award-winning expert insights for the rest of the Fantasy season.