Tell your friends (just not your leaguemates until next week)

by Optimus Staff

Published On: October 20th, 2025

Oh boy, the times, they are a-changin’! In Week 7 we saw not one but two QBs benched midgame, we saw two more leave with injuries, and those are just the tip of the iceberg. We saw multiple rookies explode in expanded roles. And we saw offensive futility like we almost never have before. 

That Thursday night barn-burner between Pittsburgh and Cincinnati already seems like so long ago now. Make sure you’re up to speed on all of the developments and stay ready so you don’t have to get ready!

As a reminder, this week is “Bye-Mageddon,” and as always, we have our graphic to help you out!

Week 8 Waiver Wire Adds For Your 2025 Fantasy Football Team

Check out our Premium Tools – Use Code “OptimusFall” for 25% OFF 4 Months!

Quarterbacks:

Joe Flacco, Cincinnati Bengals | Sleeper 15% | ESPN 4.9% | 25-30% FAAB

This season just keeps getting weirder, folks. We’re approaching Week 8 of the NFL season, and Joe Flacco, the veteran journeyman QB, is now the hotttest waiver wire add in fantasy football. It defies logic, sure, but you can’t argue with it.

Flacco, who started the season in Cleveland, is now behind center for a once-reeling Bengals squad. However, while he started the 2025 season as an afterthought, he’s beginning to look like more of a season saviour in Cincinnatti. In two games with the team, Flacco has completed 60 of 92 passing attempts for 561 yards and five touchdowns. More importantly, Flacco has yet to turn the ball over. 

While Flacco is long in the years for an active NFL player, it doesn’t matter here. The team isn’t asking him to be mobile; just get the ball to Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase — which he has done, and well. Chase, since Flacco’s acquisition, has 26 catches on 35 targets, for 255 receiving yards and two TDs.

If you’re hurting at QB, especially in 2QB and Superflex formats, you won’t find a better option on the Week 8 waiver wire. It won’t be cheap, but in this offense, Flacco has league-winning upside, which doesn’t come along often this late in the NFL season. 

Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh Steelers | Sleeper 41% | ESPN 27.6% | 8-10% FAAB

We didn’t want to write about Aaron Rodgers today. However, if we’re being honest, we had no choice. Whether you like it or not, Rodgers has creeped his way back into fantasy football relevance.

The divisive veteran QB got this mild hype-train going in Week 1, finish as the overall QB7. In subsequent weeks, Rodgers fell off, locking in as QB28 in Weeks 2 through 5. However, over the last two weeks, Rodgers has been QB10. In those games, the veteran has completed 44 of 64 passing attempts for 484 yards, six TDs and no INTs.

Given the landscape at QB, you might not have a choice but to snag Rodgers on the waiver wire this week. The upcoming schedule for the Steeler isn’t awful, and he should have a solid shot at being a mid to back-end QB2 the rest of the 2025 season. Don’t run to the wire to grab him, but if you’re needy at the position in 2QB or Superflex formats, you may not have a choice.

Running Backs:

Kyle Monangai, Chicago Bears | Sleeper 12% | ESPN 4.1% | 3-5% FAAB

Caveat: The Bears do not play the New Orleans Saints again in 2025. “Well yeah, duh! But why does that matter?” We’re glad you asked.

The Saints are bad. They’re very bad. Chicago hasn’t run the ball well in 2025, but managed to run for over 220 yards against New Orleans. We’re gonna go out on a limb and say they’re not able to do the same against Detroit, Green Bay, and Minnesota, etc. In fact, they’ve only got two “plus” matchups for RBs the entire rest of their schedule — Week 9 vs Cincinnati and Week 11 vs Pittsburgh.

So that’s the Bear case, har har. But with that in mind, it’s heartening to see him get 40% of the main rushing attempts between him and D’Andre Swift. Considering Ben Johnson came from Detroit where they have the much-ballyhooed split between David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs, it’s reasonable to think he wants something similar in Chicago. The Bears’ offensive line has improved throughout the season, especially in the running game, so Monangai is someone who is worth kicking the tires on in case the positive momentum continues.

Brashard Smith, Kansas City Chiefs | Sleeper 9% | ESPN 2.7% | 2-3%/5-10% FAAB (Standard vs PPR)

We’ve been banging the drum for Brashard Smith for several weeks now, and it seems like most people still haven’t listened. Oh well, pity for them, bully for you. This is a perfect example of why we say you need to stay ready so you don’t have to get ready. Now don’t get out over your skis seeing 14 carries – 11 of them came after backup Gardner Minshew came into the game in mop-up duty. However five catches on five targets along with a few carries per game seems to be the area where he lives. There’s value in that, especially as we enter Bye-Mageddon week.

Additionally, Kareem Hunt tweaked his ankle in Week 7. Will it keep him out? To be determined, but if it even limits him, we should see more of Smith. Also keep in mind, this was right around the time of year when Kansas City started ramping up 2024 rookie Xavier Worthy’s role in the offense, and this situation looks similar. You can probably still get him pretty cheaply so don’t break the bank, but don’t be surprised if you miss out if you wait, either.

Devin Neal, New Orleans Saints | Sleeper 4% | ESPN 0.3% | 0% FAAB

We know we have him down as a 0% FAAB bid, and that’s because we don’t want you spending anything resembling a real asset to go out and get him. Seriously. Stash him on the end of your bench in a really deep league, but that’s it.

Maybe you’ve already heard because you follow Optimus FF News, but Kendre Miller tore his ACL yesterday. It’s a huge bummer for the snakebitten Miller, but it’s a tremendous opportunity for Neal. The RB-who-looks-like-Alvin-Kamara-but-doesn’t-play-like-Alvin-Kamara needs someone else to take some of the work off his back at best, and take over the job at worst. Neal will probably start seeing some work the way Miller was prior to his injury and be up next in case of a Kamara injury or the like.

Make no mistake, the Saints offense is very bad. They don’t get into the red zone enough for any RB to have the opportunities for spike weeks. In addition, Kamara seems to have no interest in another team trading for him, so the odds of Neal seeing the field aren’t great. But you gotta stay ready so you don’t have to get ready. 

Wide Receivers:

Kayshon Boutte, New England Patriots | Sleeper 43% | ESPN 27.1% | 3-5% FAAB

The Drake Maye second-season breakout has been awesome to watch, but for him to keep that going, he’s going to need to bring a pass-catcher or two along with him. Sure, he has Stefon Diggs, who has come on in recent weeks as the top pass-catcher in New England. But Kayshon Boutte, the team’s “X” receiver, has been a solid part of this team’s offense. Despite just seven targets in the past two weeks combined, he’s made his opportunities count with 148 yards and three touchdowns.

Boutte is consistently targeted downfield, with air yards percentages of 30% or more in the past two weeks. He’s also a consistent route runner on the outside, running 74% of the team’s routes this season. While some of his target-earning profile is a work in progress, he’s been very efficient this season with a 1.88 yards per route run. In a Week 8 “BYE-MAGEDDON™️” week with six teams on bye, the player pool expands for fantasy managers.

Boutte is a solid pickup this week and is a decent short-term flex option with the hope of his role growing on the target-earning side of things.

Alec Pierce, Indianapolis Colts | Sleeper 13% | ESPN 3% | 2-4% FAAB

One thing Alec Pierce always has going for him when healthy is that he runs routes. In four of five games this season, he’s run routes on at least 80% of Daniel Jones’ dropbacks. But this Indianapolis offense is the most efficient and productive offense in the NFL, so with player pools expanding for bye weeks, Pierce makes sense as a beneficiary of circumstance as well as a continued bet on the Colts’ offense.

Pierce earned 10 targets in the Colts win against the Chargers in Week 7, with a whopping 244 air yards that leads all pass-catchers in Week 7 after Sunday’s games. With Josh Downs out because of a concussion in Week 7, the Colts’ targets in the offense condensed a bit, which gave Pierce some runway to earn more targets than he typically would.

With deep threats like Pierce (21.1-yard aDOT this season), yards per route run numbers are depressed for players that run a ton of routes and aren’t earning a ton of targets, but that’s being counteracted here by Pierce’s total efficiency on the season. Grab Pierce this week as a flex option as the Colts face the hopeless Titans at home in Week 8.

Troy Franklin, Denver Broncos | Sleeper 27% | ESPN 29.2% | 2-4% FAAB

The Denver Broncos’ offense is one of the least condensed offenses in the NFL, but Courtland Sutton is the safest, most trustworthy option in the passing game because of how many routes he runs each week. Troy Franklin may not fully be in that circle of trust yet, but he’s run at least 70% of routes per dropback in each of his last six games, with three games of eight or more targets in that span.

Perhaps their furious comeback win over the New York Giants was the spark that quarterback Bo Nix needed? He’s been disappointing as a fantasy quarterback through seven weeks, but if Nix is going to go on a run, he’s going to need more than Sutton to do so.

Franklin earned a team-high 10 targets in the Broncos’ Week 7 win, and while he only caught 3-of-10 targets for 19 yards, he led Denver in air yards (177) and caught a touchdown pass while adding a two-point conversion. He’s a work in progress, but it’s a bet on forward momentum with the only non-Sutton route runner we can conceivably trust in a good Broncos’ offense during fantasy bye weeks.

Tight Ends:

Oronde Gadsden, Los Angeles Chargers | 11% Sleeper | 2.1% ESPN | 100% FAAB

The rookie out of Syracuse and son of former Dolphins wide receiver, Oronde Gadsden, is easily the most popular add for all tight ends this week! This past offseason, the Chargers kept Will Dissly and signed Tyler Conklin to fill out their tight end room. Neither of them was ever expected to be the team’s long-term option at the position. The Chargers appear to have found a steal in the fifth-round of the draft in Gadsden who has 17 targets over the last two games combined. He caught 14 of them over that same span, and one of them was a touchdown this past Sunday against the Colts.

The team wanted to get the ball in his hands starting in Week 3 against the Broncos, in which he caught five of seven passes for 46 yards. He has become a vital part of the Chargers’ offense. This young man should be rostered in all formats, moving forward. Whatever you have left in your FAAB, empty the bank for him. He won’t necessarily have 30+ point games every week in PPR leagues, but the volume he’s been getting speaks for itself.

Evan Engram, Denver Broncos | 48% Sleeper | 57.2% ESPN | 5-7% FAAB 

Yes, Engram is not the most exciting name anymore to roster at the tight end position, but he’s got quite the juicy matchup against the Dallas Cowboys this coming Sunday afternoon in Denver! The Cowboys allow an average of 11.4 fantasy points per game (Half-PPR) to the tight end position. If you missed out on adding Oronde Gadsden to your team, then you can settle on Engram to stream for one week.

Ever since Engram missed the Week 3 matchup against the Chargers, he’s been fed a minimum of six targets over the last four games. Unfortunately, it only led to double-digit fantasy points once against the Eagles in PPR leagues because he scored a touchdown. Engram has yet to exceed 42 receiving yards in one game this season. Bo Nix and the rest of that Broncos offense are not playing well, despite their insane comeback win over the New York Giants this past Sunday. Treat Engram as a solid streaming TE2 in your lineups.

For More In-Depth Analysis, Check Out Our Waiver Wire YouTube Show:

Defense/Special Teams (D/STs):

Atlanta Falcons | Sleeper 9% | ESPN 18.6% | 0-1% FAAB

The Atlanta Falcons defense has been surprisingly decent at times this season, with double-digit fantasy point totals in two games (at Minnesota in Week 2 and vs. Buffalo in Week 6). This weekend, they get to host the struggling Maimi Dolphins offense that surrendered 28 fantasy points to Cleveland last week. While a score north of 20 is certainly not to be expected, the Falcons’ D/ST unit has a solid floor this week as a streaming option against Tua and company. 

Cincinnati Bengals | Sleeper 2% | ESPN 2% | 0-1% FAAB

In the world of streaming defenses, you won’t always love your options, and this week could be one of those weeks. However, for a one-week rental, you could do worse than the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 8. With a favorable matchup against the hapless New York Jets, this could be a confidence building for one of the bottom-ranked defenses in the league. Whether head coach Aaron Glenn decides to roll out Justin Fields or Tyrod Taylor behind center, this team is mistake prone, and in a shootout, will be forced into mistakes. This Bengals D/ST unit is a great one week rental as a streamer that you can move from once Week 8 is in the books. 

Kickers:

Evan McPherson, Cincinnati Bengals | Sleeper 24% | ESPN 9.1% | 3-5% FAAB

No one ever doubted that Bengals kicker Evan McPherson has a big, accurate leg. His lack of fantasy production this season has been less about skill and more about lack of opportunity in a bad offense. While it might be a stretch to call this offense good now, there’s no question Flacco has them moving the ball and getting into sacoring position. Last week, McPherson had his best performance of 2025, logging 18 fantasy points in an upset of the division-rival Steelers.

With Flacco locked in behind center the resf of the season, McPherson should see significantly increased opportunities, making him a must-add in all kicker leagues ahead of Week 8.

Parker Romo, Atlanta Falcons | Sleeper 2% | ESPN 1.0% | 0-1% FAAB 

The less exciting, and less long-term, kicker option on the Week 8 waiver wire is the Atlanta Falcons’ Parker Romo. While the veteran kicker has been less-than-stellar this season, much like the Falcons’ D/ST on waivers this week, the matchup calls. The Falcons get the Miami Dolphins at home, who are giving up the third most fantasy points to opposing kickers (11.1) this season. While Romo is nore more than a one week rental, with six teams on bye this week, he is a solid option you can cut loose after Week 8 comes to an end. 

For more waiver wire pickup advice, head over to our Discord channel and ask our analysts! For breaking news and injury updates, follow Optimus Fantasy News on Bluesky!

Oh boy, the times, they are a-changin’! In Week 7 we saw not one but two QBs benched midgame, we saw two more leave with injuries, and those are just the tip of the iceberg. We saw multiple rookies explode in expanded roles. And we saw offensive futility like we almost never have before. 

That Thursday night barn-burner between Pittsburgh and Cincinnati already seems like so long ago now. Make sure you’re up to speed on all of the developments and stay ready so you don’t have to get ready!

As a reminder, this week is “Bye-Mageddon,” and as always, we have our graphic to help you out!

Week 8 Waiver Wire Adds For Your 2025 Fantasy Football Team

Check out our Premium Tools – Use Code “OptimusFall” for 25% OFF 4 Months!

Quarterbacks:

Joe Flacco, Cincinnati Bengals | Sleeper 15% | ESPN 4.9% | 25-30% FAAB

This season just keeps getting weirder, folks. We’re approaching Week 8 of the NFL season, and Joe Flacco, the veteran journeyman QB, is now the hotttest waiver wire add in fantasy football. It defies logic, sure, but you can’t argue with it.

Flacco, who started the season in Cleveland, is now behind center for a once-reeling Bengals squad. However, while he started the 2025 season as an afterthought, he’s beginning to look like more of a season saviour in Cincinnatti. In two games with the team, Flacco has completed 60 of 92 passing attempts for 561 yards and five touchdowns. More importantly, Flacco has yet to turn the ball over. 

While Flacco is long in the years for an active NFL player, it doesn’t matter here. The team isn’t asking him to be mobile; just get the ball to Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase — which he has done, and well. Chase, since Flacco’s acquisition, has 26 catches on 35 targets, for 255 receiving yards and two TDs.

If you’re hurting at QB, especially in 2QB and Superflex formats, you won’t find a better option on the Week 8 waiver wire. It won’t be cheap, but in this offense, Flacco has league-winning upside, which doesn’t come along often this late in the NFL season. 

Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh Steelers | Sleeper 41% | ESPN 27.6% | 8-10% FAAB

We didn’t want to write about Aaron Rodgers today. However, if we’re being honest, we had no choice. Whether you like it or not, Rodgers has creeped his way back into fantasy football relevance.

The divisive veteran QB got this mild hype-train going in Week 1, finish as the overall QB7. In subsequent weeks, Rodgers fell off, locking in as QB28 in Weeks 2 through 5. However, over the last two weeks, Rodgers has been QB10. In those games, the veteran has completed 44 of 64 passing attempts for 484 yards, six TDs and no INTs.

Given the landscape at QB, you might not have a choice but to snag Rodgers on the waiver wire this week. The upcoming schedule for the Steeler isn’t awful, and he should have a solid shot at being a mid to back-end QB2 the rest of the 2025 season. Don’t run to the wire to grab him, but if you’re needy at the position in 2QB or Superflex formats, you may not have a choice.

Running Backs:

Kyle Monangai, Chicago Bears | Sleeper 12% | ESPN 4.1% | 3-5% FAAB

Caveat: The Bears do not play the New Orleans Saints again in 2025. “Well yeah, duh! But why does that matter?” We’re glad you asked.

The Saints are bad. They’re very bad. Chicago hasn’t run the ball well in 2025, but managed to run for over 220 yards against New Orleans. We’re gonna go out on a limb and say they’re not able to do the same against Detroit, Green Bay, and Minnesota, etc. In fact, they’ve only got two “plus” matchups for RBs the entire rest of their schedule — Week 9 vs Cincinnati and Week 11 vs Pittsburgh.

So that’s the Bear case, har har. But with that in mind, it’s heartening to see him get 40% of the main rushing attempts between him and D’Andre Swift. Considering Ben Johnson came from Detroit where they have the much-ballyhooed split between David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs, it’s reasonable to think he wants something similar in Chicago. The Bears’ offensive line has improved throughout the season, especially in the running game, so Monangai is someone who is worth kicking the tires on in case the positive momentum continues.

Brashard Smith, Kansas City Chiefs | Sleeper 9% | ESPN 2.7% | 2-3%/5-10% FAAB (Standard vs PPR)

We’ve been banging the drum for Brashard Smith for several weeks now, and it seems like most people still haven’t listened. Oh well, pity for them, bully for you. This is a perfect example of why we say you need to stay ready so you don’t have to get ready. Now don’t get out over your skis seeing 14 carries – 11 of them came after backup Gardner Minshew came into the game in mop-up duty. However five catches on five targets along with a few carries per game seems to be the area where he lives. There’s value in that, especially as we enter Bye-Mageddon week.

Additionally, Kareem Hunt tweaked his ankle in Week 7. Will it keep him out? To be determined, but if it even limits him, we should see more of Smith. Also keep in mind, this was right around the time of year when Kansas City started ramping up 2024 rookie Xavier Worthy’s role in the offense, and this situation looks similar. You can probably still get him pretty cheaply so don’t break the bank, but don’t be surprised if you miss out if you wait, either.

Devin Neal, New Orleans Saints | Sleeper 4% | ESPN 0.3% | 0% FAAB

We know we have him down as a 0% FAAB bid, and that’s because we don’t want you spending anything resembling a real asset to go out and get him. Seriously. Stash him on the end of your bench in a really deep league, but that’s it.

Maybe you’ve already heard because you follow Optimus FF News, but Kendre Miller tore his ACL yesterday. It’s a huge bummer for the snakebitten Miller, but it’s a tremendous opportunity for Neal. The RB-who-looks-like-Alvin-Kamara-but-doesn’t-play-like-Alvin-Kamara needs someone else to take some of the work off his back at best, and take over the job at worst. Neal will probably start seeing some work the way Miller was prior to his injury and be up next in case of a Kamara injury or the like.

Make no mistake, the Saints offense is very bad. They don’t get into the red zone enough for any RB to have the opportunities for spike weeks. In addition, Kamara seems to have no interest in another team trading for him, so the odds of Neal seeing the field aren’t great. But you gotta stay ready so you don’t have to get ready. 

Wide Receivers:

Kayshon Boutte, New England Patriots | Sleeper 43% | ESPN 27.1% | 3-5% FAAB

The Drake Maye second-season breakout has been awesome to watch, but for him to keep that going, he’s going to need to bring a pass-catcher or two along with him. Sure, he has Stefon Diggs, who has come on in recent weeks as the top pass-catcher in New England. But Kayshon Boutte, the team’s “X” receiver, has been a solid part of this team’s offense. Despite just seven targets in the past two weeks combined, he’s made his opportunities count with 148 yards and three touchdowns.

Boutte is consistently targeted downfield, with air yards percentages of 30% or more in the past two weeks. He’s also a consistent route runner on the outside, running 74% of the team’s routes this season. While some of his target-earning profile is a work in progress, he’s been very efficient this season with a 1.88 yards per route run. In a Week 8 “BYE-MAGEDDON™️” week with six teams on bye, the player pool expands for fantasy managers.

Boutte is a solid pickup this week and is a decent short-term flex option with the hope of his role growing on the target-earning side of things.

Alec Pierce, Indianapolis Colts | Sleeper 13% | ESPN 3% | 2-4% FAAB

One thing Alec Pierce always has going for him when healthy is that he runs routes. In four of five games this season, he’s run routes on at least 80% of Daniel Jones’ dropbacks. But this Indianapolis offense is the most efficient and productive offense in the NFL, so with player pools expanding for bye weeks, Pierce makes sense as a beneficiary of circumstance as well as a continued bet on the Colts’ offense.

Pierce earned 10 targets in the Colts win against the Chargers in Week 7, with a whopping 244 air yards that leads all pass-catchers in Week 7 after Sunday’s games. With Josh Downs out because of a concussion in Week 7, the Colts’ targets in the offense condensed a bit, which gave Pierce some runway to earn more targets than he typically would.

With deep threats like Pierce (21.1-yard aDOT this season), yards per route run numbers are depressed for players that run a ton of routes and aren’t earning a ton of targets, but that’s being counteracted here by Pierce’s total efficiency on the season. Grab Pierce this week as a flex option as the Colts face the hopeless Titans at home in Week 8.

Troy Franklin, Denver Broncos | Sleeper 27% | ESPN 29.2% | 2-4% FAAB

The Denver Broncos’ offense is one of the least condensed offenses in the NFL, but Courtland Sutton is the safest, most trustworthy option in the passing game because of how many routes he runs each week. Troy Franklin may not fully be in that circle of trust yet, but he’s run at least 70% of routes per dropback in each of his last six games, with three games of eight or more targets in that span.

Perhaps their furious comeback win over the New York Giants was the spark that quarterback Bo Nix needed? He’s been disappointing as a fantasy quarterback through seven weeks, but if Nix is going to go on a run, he’s going to need more than Sutton to do so.

Franklin earned a team-high 10 targets in the Broncos’ Week 7 win, and while he only caught 3-of-10 targets for 19 yards, he led Denver in air yards (177) and caught a touchdown pass while adding a two-point conversion. He’s a work in progress, but it’s a bet on forward momentum with the only non-Sutton route runner we can conceivably trust in a good Broncos’ offense during fantasy bye weeks.

Tight Ends:

Oronde Gadsden, Los Angeles Chargers | 11% Sleeper | 2.1% ESPN | 100% FAAB

The rookie out of Syracuse and son of former Dolphins wide receiver, Oronde Gadsden, is easily the most popular add for all tight ends this week! This past offseason, the Chargers kept Will Dissly and signed Tyler Conklin to fill out their tight end room. Neither of them was ever expected to be the team’s long-term option at the position. The Chargers appear to have found a steal in the fifth-round of the draft in Gadsden who has 17 targets over the last two games combined. He caught 14 of them over that same span, and one of them was a touchdown this past Sunday against the Colts.

The team wanted to get the ball in his hands starting in Week 3 against the Broncos, in which he caught five of seven passes for 46 yards. He has become a vital part of the Chargers’ offense. This young man should be rostered in all formats, moving forward. Whatever you have left in your FAAB, empty the bank for him. He won’t necessarily have 30+ point games every week in PPR leagues, but the volume he’s been getting speaks for itself.

Evan Engram, Denver Broncos | 48% Sleeper | 57.2% ESPN | 5-7% FAAB 

Yes, Engram is not the most exciting name anymore to roster at the tight end position, but he’s got quite the juicy matchup against the Dallas Cowboys this coming Sunday afternoon in Denver! The Cowboys allow an average of 11.4 fantasy points per game (Half-PPR) to the tight end position. If you missed out on adding Oronde Gadsden to your team, then you can settle on Engram to stream for one week.

Ever since Engram missed the Week 3 matchup against the Chargers, he’s been fed a minimum of six targets over the last four games. Unfortunately, it only led to double-digit fantasy points once against the Eagles in PPR leagues because he scored a touchdown. Engram has yet to exceed 42 receiving yards in one game this season. Bo Nix and the rest of that Broncos offense are not playing well, despite their insane comeback win over the New York Giants this past Sunday. Treat Engram as a solid streaming TE2 in your lineups.

For More In-Depth Analysis, Check Out Our Waiver Wire YouTube Show:

Defense/Special Teams (D/STs):

Atlanta Falcons | Sleeper 9% | ESPN 18.6% | 0-1% FAAB

The Atlanta Falcons defense has been surprisingly decent at times this season, with double-digit fantasy point totals in two games (at Minnesota in Week 2 and vs. Buffalo in Week 6). This weekend, they get to host the struggling Maimi Dolphins offense that surrendered 28 fantasy points to Cleveland last week. While a score north of 20 is certainly not to be expected, the Falcons’ D/ST unit has a solid floor this week as a streaming option against Tua and company. 

Cincinnati Bengals | Sleeper 2% | ESPN 2% | 0-1% FAAB

In the world of streaming defenses, you won’t always love your options, and this week could be one of those weeks. However, for a one-week rental, you could do worse than the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 8. With a favorable matchup against the hapless New York Jets, this could be a confidence building for one of the bottom-ranked defenses in the league. Whether head coach Aaron Glenn decides to roll out Justin Fields or Tyrod Taylor behind center, this team is mistake prone, and in a shootout, will be forced into mistakes. This Bengals D/ST unit is a great one week rental as a streamer that you can move from once Week 8 is in the books. 

Kickers:

Evan McPherson, Cincinnati Bengals | Sleeper 24% | ESPN 9.1% | 3-5% FAAB

No one ever doubted that Bengals kicker Evan McPherson has a big, accurate leg. His lack of fantasy production this season has been less about skill and more about lack of opportunity in a bad offense. While it might be a stretch to call this offense good now, there’s no question Flacco has them moving the ball and getting into sacoring position. Last week, McPherson had his best performance of 2025, logging 18 fantasy points in an upset of the division-rival Steelers.

With Flacco locked in behind center the resf of the season, McPherson should see significantly increased opportunities, making him a must-add in all kicker leagues ahead of Week 8.

Parker Romo, Atlanta Falcons | Sleeper 2% | ESPN 1.0% | 0-1% FAAB 

The less exciting, and less long-term, kicker option on the Week 8 waiver wire is the Atlanta Falcons’ Parker Romo. While the veteran kicker has been less-than-stellar this season, much like the Falcons’ D/ST on waivers this week, the matchup calls. The Falcons get the Miami Dolphins at home, who are giving up the third most fantasy points to opposing kickers (11.1) this season. While Romo is nore more than a one week rental, with six teams on bye this week, he is a solid option you can cut loose after Week 8 comes to an end. 

For more waiver wire pickup advice, head over to our Discord channel and ask our analysts! For breaking news and injury updates, follow Optimus Fantasy News on Bluesky!

Oh boy, the times, they are a-changin’! In Week 7 we saw not one but two QBs benched midgame, we saw two more leave with injuries, and those are just the tip of the iceberg. We saw multiple rookies explode in expanded roles. And we saw offensive futility like we almost never have before. 

That Thursday night barn-burner between Pittsburgh and Cincinnati already seems like so long ago now. Make sure you’re up to speed on all of the developments and stay ready so you don’t have to get ready!

As a reminder, this week is “Bye-Mageddon,” and as always, we have our graphic to help you out!

Week 8 Waiver Wire Adds For Your 2025 Fantasy Football Team

Check out our Premium Tools – Use Code “OptimusFall” for 25% OFF 4 Months!

Quarterbacks:

Joe Flacco, Cincinnati Bengals | Sleeper 15% | ESPN 4.9% | 25-30% FAAB

This season just keeps getting weirder, folks. We’re approaching Week 8 of the NFL season, and Joe Flacco, the veteran journeyman QB, is now the hotttest waiver wire add in fantasy football. It defies logic, sure, but you can’t argue with it.

Flacco, who started the season in Cleveland, is now behind center for a once-reeling Bengals squad. However, while he started the 2025 season as an afterthought, he’s beginning to look like more of a season saviour in Cincinnatti. In two games with the team, Flacco has completed 60 of 92 passing attempts for 561 yards and five touchdowns. More importantly, Flacco has yet to turn the ball over. 

While Flacco is long in the years for an active NFL player, it doesn’t matter here. The team isn’t asking him to be mobile; just get the ball to Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase — which he has done, and well. Chase, since Flacco’s acquisition, has 26 catches on 35 targets, for 255 receiving yards and two TDs.

If you’re hurting at QB, especially in 2QB and Superflex formats, you won’t find a better option on the Week 8 waiver wire. It won’t be cheap, but in this offense, Flacco has league-winning upside, which doesn’t come along often this late in the NFL season. 

Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh Steelers | Sleeper 41% | ESPN 27.6% | 8-10% FAAB

We didn’t want to write about Aaron Rodgers today. However, if we’re being honest, we had no choice. Whether you like it or not, Rodgers has creeped his way back into fantasy football relevance.

The divisive veteran QB got this mild hype-train going in Week 1, finish as the overall QB7. In subsequent weeks, Rodgers fell off, locking in as QB28 in Weeks 2 through 5. However, over the last two weeks, Rodgers has been QB10. In those games, the veteran has completed 44 of 64 passing attempts for 484 yards, six TDs and no INTs.

Given the landscape at QB, you might not have a choice but to snag Rodgers on the waiver wire this week. The upcoming schedule for the Steeler isn’t awful, and he should have a solid shot at being a mid to back-end QB2 the rest of the 2025 season. Don’t run to the wire to grab him, but if you’re needy at the position in 2QB or Superflex formats, you may not have a choice.

Running Backs:

Kyle Monangai, Chicago Bears | Sleeper 12% | ESPN 4.1% | 3-5% FAAB

Caveat: The Bears do not play the New Orleans Saints again in 2025. “Well yeah, duh! But why does that matter?” We’re glad you asked.

The Saints are bad. They’re very bad. Chicago hasn’t run the ball well in 2025, but managed to run for over 220 yards against New Orleans. We’re gonna go out on a limb and say they’re not able to do the same against Detroit, Green Bay, and Minnesota, etc. In fact, they’ve only got two “plus” matchups for RBs the entire rest of their schedule — Week 9 vs Cincinnati and Week 11 vs Pittsburgh.

So that’s the Bear case, har har. But with that in mind, it’s heartening to see him get 40% of the main rushing attempts between him and D’Andre Swift. Considering Ben Johnson came from Detroit where they have the much-ballyhooed split between David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs, it’s reasonable to think he wants something similar in Chicago. The Bears’ offensive line has improved throughout the season, especially in the running game, so Monangai is someone who is worth kicking the tires on in case the positive momentum continues.

Brashard Smith, Kansas City Chiefs | Sleeper 9% | ESPN 2.7% | 2-3%/5-10% FAAB (Standard vs PPR)

We’ve been banging the drum for Brashard Smith for several weeks now, and it seems like most people still haven’t listened. Oh well, pity for them, bully for you. This is a perfect example of why we say you need to stay ready so you don’t have to get ready. Now don’t get out over your skis seeing 14 carries – 11 of them came after backup Gardner Minshew came into the game in mop-up duty. However five catches on five targets along with a few carries per game seems to be the area where he lives. There’s value in that, especially as we enter Bye-Mageddon week.

Additionally, Kareem Hunt tweaked his ankle in Week 7. Will it keep him out? To be determined, but if it even limits him, we should see more of Smith. Also keep in mind, this was right around the time of year when Kansas City started ramping up 2024 rookie Xavier Worthy’s role in the offense, and this situation looks similar. You can probably still get him pretty cheaply so don’t break the bank, but don’t be surprised if you miss out if you wait, either.

Devin Neal, New Orleans Saints | Sleeper 4% | ESPN 0.3% | 0% FAAB

We know we have him down as a 0% FAAB bid, and that’s because we don’t want you spending anything resembling a real asset to go out and get him. Seriously. Stash him on the end of your bench in a really deep league, but that’s it.

Maybe you’ve already heard because you follow Optimus FF News, but Kendre Miller tore his ACL yesterday. It’s a huge bummer for the snakebitten Miller, but it’s a tremendous opportunity for Neal. The RB-who-looks-like-Alvin-Kamara-but-doesn’t-play-like-Alvin-Kamara needs someone else to take some of the work off his back at best, and take over the job at worst. Neal will probably start seeing some work the way Miller was prior to his injury and be up next in case of a Kamara injury or the like.

Make no mistake, the Saints offense is very bad. They don’t get into the red zone enough for any RB to have the opportunities for spike weeks. In addition, Kamara seems to have no interest in another team trading for him, so the odds of Neal seeing the field aren’t great. But you gotta stay ready so you don’t have to get ready. 

Wide Receivers:

Kayshon Boutte, New England Patriots | Sleeper 43% | ESPN 27.1% | 3-5% FAAB

The Drake Maye second-season breakout has been awesome to watch, but for him to keep that going, he’s going to need to bring a pass-catcher or two along with him. Sure, he has Stefon Diggs, who has come on in recent weeks as the top pass-catcher in New England. But Kayshon Boutte, the team’s “X” receiver, has been a solid part of this team’s offense. Despite just seven targets in the past two weeks combined, he’s made his opportunities count with 148 yards and three touchdowns.

Boutte is consistently targeted downfield, with air yards percentages of 30% or more in the past two weeks. He’s also a consistent route runner on the outside, running 74% of the team’s routes this season. While some of his target-earning profile is a work in progress, he’s been very efficient this season with a 1.88 yards per route run. In a Week 8 “BYE-MAGEDDON™️” week with six teams on bye, the player pool expands for fantasy managers.

Boutte is a solid pickup this week and is a decent short-term flex option with the hope of his role growing on the target-earning side of things.

Alec Pierce, Indianapolis Colts | Sleeper 13% | ESPN 3% | 2-4% FAAB

One thing Alec Pierce always has going for him when healthy is that he runs routes. In four of five games this season, he’s run routes on at least 80% of Daniel Jones’ dropbacks. But this Indianapolis offense is the most efficient and productive offense in the NFL, so with player pools expanding for bye weeks, Pierce makes sense as a beneficiary of circumstance as well as a continued bet on the Colts’ offense.

Pierce earned 10 targets in the Colts win against the Chargers in Week 7, with a whopping 244 air yards that leads all pass-catchers in Week 7 after Sunday’s games. With Josh Downs out because of a concussion in Week 7, the Colts’ targets in the offense condensed a bit, which gave Pierce some runway to earn more targets than he typically would.

With deep threats like Pierce (21.1-yard aDOT this season), yards per route run numbers are depressed for players that run a ton of routes and aren’t earning a ton of targets, but that’s being counteracted here by Pierce’s total efficiency on the season. Grab Pierce this week as a flex option as the Colts face the hopeless Titans at home in Week 8.

Troy Franklin, Denver Broncos | Sleeper 27% | ESPN 29.2% | 2-4% FAAB

The Denver Broncos’ offense is one of the least condensed offenses in the NFL, but Courtland Sutton is the safest, most trustworthy option in the passing game because of how many routes he runs each week. Troy Franklin may not fully be in that circle of trust yet, but he’s run at least 70% of routes per dropback in each of his last six games, with three games of eight or more targets in that span.

Perhaps their furious comeback win over the New York Giants was the spark that quarterback Bo Nix needed? He’s been disappointing as a fantasy quarterback through seven weeks, but if Nix is going to go on a run, he’s going to need more than Sutton to do so.

Franklin earned a team-high 10 targets in the Broncos’ Week 7 win, and while he only caught 3-of-10 targets for 19 yards, he led Denver in air yards (177) and caught a touchdown pass while adding a two-point conversion. He’s a work in progress, but it’s a bet on forward momentum with the only non-Sutton route runner we can conceivably trust in a good Broncos’ offense during fantasy bye weeks.

Tight Ends:

Oronde Gadsden, Los Angeles Chargers | 11% Sleeper | 2.1% ESPN | 100% FAAB

The rookie out of Syracuse and son of former Dolphins wide receiver, Oronde Gadsden, is easily the most popular add for all tight ends this week! This past offseason, the Chargers kept Will Dissly and signed Tyler Conklin to fill out their tight end room. Neither of them was ever expected to be the team’s long-term option at the position. The Chargers appear to have found a steal in the fifth-round of the draft in Gadsden who has 17 targets over the last two games combined. He caught 14 of them over that same span, and one of them was a touchdown this past Sunday against the Colts.

The team wanted to get the ball in his hands starting in Week 3 against the Broncos, in which he caught five of seven passes for 46 yards. He has become a vital part of the Chargers’ offense. This young man should be rostered in all formats, moving forward. Whatever you have left in your FAAB, empty the bank for him. He won’t necessarily have 30+ point games every week in PPR leagues, but the volume he’s been getting speaks for itself.

Evan Engram, Denver Broncos | 48% Sleeper | 57.2% ESPN | 5-7% FAAB 

Yes, Engram is not the most exciting name anymore to roster at the tight end position, but he’s got quite the juicy matchup against the Dallas Cowboys this coming Sunday afternoon in Denver! The Cowboys allow an average of 11.4 fantasy points per game (Half-PPR) to the tight end position. If you missed out on adding Oronde Gadsden to your team, then you can settle on Engram to stream for one week.

Ever since Engram missed the Week 3 matchup against the Chargers, he’s been fed a minimum of six targets over the last four games. Unfortunately, it only led to double-digit fantasy points once against the Eagles in PPR leagues because he scored a touchdown. Engram has yet to exceed 42 receiving yards in one game this season. Bo Nix and the rest of that Broncos offense are not playing well, despite their insane comeback win over the New York Giants this past Sunday. Treat Engram as a solid streaming TE2 in your lineups.

For More In-Depth Analysis, Check Out Our Waiver Wire YouTube Show:

Defense/Special Teams (D/STs):

Atlanta Falcons | Sleeper 9% | ESPN 18.6% | 0-1% FAAB

The Atlanta Falcons defense has been surprisingly decent at times this season, with double-digit fantasy point totals in two games (at Minnesota in Week 2 and vs. Buffalo in Week 6). This weekend, they get to host the struggling Maimi Dolphins offense that surrendered 28 fantasy points to Cleveland last week. While a score north of 20 is certainly not to be expected, the Falcons’ D/ST unit has a solid floor this week as a streaming option against Tua and company. 

Cincinnati Bengals | Sleeper 2% | ESPN 2% | 0-1% FAAB

In the world of streaming defenses, you won’t always love your options, and this week could be one of those weeks. However, for a one-week rental, you could do worse than the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 8. With a favorable matchup against the hapless New York Jets, this could be a confidence building for one of the bottom-ranked defenses in the league. Whether head coach Aaron Glenn decides to roll out Justin Fields or Tyrod Taylor behind center, this team is mistake prone, and in a shootout, will be forced into mistakes. This Bengals D/ST unit is a great one week rental as a streamer that you can move from once Week 8 is in the books. 

Kickers:

Evan McPherson, Cincinnati Bengals | Sleeper 24% | ESPN 9.1% | 3-5% FAAB

No one ever doubted that Bengals kicker Evan McPherson has a big, accurate leg. His lack of fantasy production this season has been less about skill and more about lack of opportunity in a bad offense. While it might be a stretch to call this offense good now, there’s no question Flacco has them moving the ball and getting into sacoring position. Last week, McPherson had his best performance of 2025, logging 18 fantasy points in an upset of the division-rival Steelers.

With Flacco locked in behind center the resf of the season, McPherson should see significantly increased opportunities, making him a must-add in all kicker leagues ahead of Week 8.

Parker Romo, Atlanta Falcons | Sleeper 2% | ESPN 1.0% | 0-1% FAAB 

The less exciting, and less long-term, kicker option on the Week 8 waiver wire is the Atlanta Falcons’ Parker Romo. While the veteran kicker has been less-than-stellar this season, much like the Falcons’ D/ST on waivers this week, the matchup calls. The Falcons get the Miami Dolphins at home, who are giving up the third most fantasy points to opposing kickers (11.1) this season. While Romo is nore more than a one week rental, with six teams on bye this week, he is a solid option you can cut loose after Week 8 comes to an end. 

For more waiver wire pickup advice, head over to our Discord channel and ask our analysts! For breaking news and injury updates, follow Optimus Fantasy News on Bluesky!
By Published On: October 20th, 2025

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