by Nate Polvogt
Share
If you like winning, come back every week for under-the-radar fantasy waiver wire pickups to keep you in contention until the final contest. We leave no stone unturned to ensure we give you the BEST chance to win week in and week out. Let’s get to it with our Week 8 waiver wire pickups.
The fantasy football season is an unstoppable force. Regardless of injuries, underperformances or subpar coaching scenarios, it moves forward like a living, breathing thing. We do what we can with what we have. However, your Week 8 waiver wire pickups could be the saving grace that keeps your season going.
Let’s get into who’s who and who you should target for your Week 8 waiver wire pickup, plus D/STs you can stream with confidence and droppable roster cloggers.
Week 8 Waiver Wire Pickups + Streaming D/STs & Droppable Players
These Week 7 waiver wire pickups aren’t hot takes or an attempt to be bolder than the crowd. They are here to help you win your week, build depth on your rosters or stay on the course to the fantasy football playoffs.
Here. We. Go.
*Rostership percentages courtesy of FantasyPros waiver wire rankings
Week 8 Waiver Wire Pickups | QBs
Jameis Winston (QB – CLE) | 1.2%
We all know what happened this past Sunday in Cleveland and how we feel about it. There’s no need to rehash that here because it’s next man up for the head coach, Kevin Stefanski, and company.
While backup Dorian Thompson-Robinson stepped in after Deshaun Watson‘s injury, he soon exited the game with a thumb injury on his throwing hand. Veteran Jameis Winston entered the game for Cleveland, throwing the only touchdown for the Browns on Sunday.
Thompson-Robinson will likely miss Week 8, which means we get to see Winston for 60 minutes this weekend against Baltimore. Sure, the match-up isn’t great, but Winston will do what he does best: sling it like a wild man.
Indeed, this team isn’t loaded with top-notch talent, but that shouldn’t matter for Winston’s fantasy value. As long as he’s putting the ball downfield to Jerry Jeudy, Cedric Tillman and David Njoku, he’s a candidate to be a top 10 fantasy football QB every week he’s behind center.
Russell Wilson (QB – PIT) | 9%
I tried to tell you.
The QB9 through 16 weeks in 2023 – before being benched by the Denver Broncos for asinine political and financial reasons – showed out in his first start with a talented offense.
To be fair (insert Letterkenny gif), I didn’t foresee Chef DangeRuss punctuating his return by locking in as the fantasy QB3.
Can Wilson keep this up? Well, he did it against a Jets D/ST that has allowed an average of 13 fantasy points to QBs this season, which ranks fourth among all units. His next three opponents are the Giants, Commanders and Ravens, who all rank in the bottom half of fantasy points allowed to QBs.
You don’t have to like it. You just have to enjoy winning. Wilson has proven to produce consistently in fantasy football, regardless of the situation.
In his widely mocked 2022 season in Denver, Wilson was the overall QB16 despite missing two games.
In 2QB and Superflex formats, this is a no-brainer. In 1QB formats, he is worth serious consideration as a plug-and-play universal handcuff that could become a must-start in the fantasy football playoffs.
Week 8 Waiver Wire Pickups | RBs
Tyler Goodson (RB – IND) | 11.5%
For the sake of brevity – we all have things to do – I’ll make this simple. If you are a Jonathan Taylor manager or a manager with a deep bench and still waiting on Christian McCaffrey news that you trust – Tyler Goodson is a solid bet to stash on your roster.
For the Taylor managers, you know as well as I do that his ankles are always a concern. Rostering Goodson is insurance. Trey Sermon tried—and failed—to be the handcuff. Goodson, it is.
For the CMC managers, you know as well as I do that even if he is cleared to play, this is playing roulette with McCaffrey’s hamstrings, Achilles, ankles, and so on. His handcuffs—Jordan Mason and Isaac Guerendo—are widely rostered. Goodson, it is.
Ray Davis (RB – BUF) | 22.8%
When stud RB James Cook missed the Bills Week 6 contest against New York, rookie ball-carrier Ray Davis stepped in like a veteran. The stout RB from Kentucky locked in like the Terminator in Week 6 against the Jets, taking 20 carries for 97 yards and a TD on top of catching all three of his targets for 55 additional yards.
And you thought he was going to disappear.
In Week 7, Davis averaged 8.2 YPA versus Cook’s 2.67, with both scoring a touchdown. Those numbers may be skewed, given this matchup was against Tennessee. That said, Davis has shown me enough, and I think Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott would agree. You will want him on your fantasy rosters for the rest of the 2024 season.
Tyrone Tracy (RB – NYG) | 49.1%
In fantasy football, no matter the format, volume is king. As far as the New York Giants are concerned, hand the crown to rookie RB Tyrone Tracy.
It was veteran Devin Singletary‘s backfield to lose in New York when the season started, and he held steadfast until an injury sidelined him. Tracy took that two-week absence to make an impression on the Giants coaching staff, and it didn’t go away.
Singletary returned in Week 7 with a clean bill of health and saw a 21 percent snap share. Tracy, however, saw the bulk of the snaps, logging a 67 percent share.
While Singletary (5) was only a carry shy of Tracy (6) last week, the snap share says it all. If you’re okay paying a premium in FAAB, grab the Giants rookie ball carrier while you can.
D’Ernest Johnson (RB – JAC) | 9.4%
Like it or not, for practical purposes, Travis Etienne is a dead asset in fantasy football. This isn’t an indictment of his talent—it’s an observation of his level of play this season, coupled with known and lingering injuries.
Veteran RB D’Ernest Johnson doesn’t boast a “household” name. You might remember him from the four-year stint in Cleveland, where he saw occasional flashes of brilliance. Well, you might have guessed he now finds himself in Jacksonville, and with Etienne’s hamstring on the fritz, Johnson has been called into action behind second-year RB Tank Bigsby.
Johnson hasn’t been electric, but he’s been serviceable when needed. With Etienne inactive last week, Johnson logged 10 fantasy points, good enough for overall PPR RB27 – ahead of J.K. Dobbins, James Cook, Jordan Mason and Alvin Kamara. If Etienne continues to underperform, Johnson will continue to see work behind Bigsby and could provide situational flex value nearly every week.
Week 8 Waiver Wire Pickups | WRs
Keon Coleman (WR – BUF) | 42.9%
The arrival of veteran WR Amari Cooper in Buffalo has opened the door for rookie WR Keon Coleman. Week 7 saw Coleman earn a career-high seven targets from QB Josh Allen. He hauled four of those targets for 125 receiving yards, another career-high.
While Coleman already has two TDs this year, the yardage and volume have been a concern. However, the rookie flourished with Cooper in the lineup, drawing premium coverage from the opposing team’s defense. Coleman isn’t going to be a WR1, but he provides a little stability for your flex slots in fantasy football moving forward.
Cedric Tillman (WR – CLE) | 0.8%
I wasn’t expecting to write up any Browns receiver as a waiver wire addition the rest of this season. However, things have changed in The Land of the Cleves, with Deshaun Watson done for the season.
With Watson down last week, veteran WR Cedric Tillman had a banner day, notching career highs in targets (12), receptions (8) and receiving yards (81). That banner day locked Tillman in as the PPR WR10, his highest finish in fantasy football.
There are other options for Watson’s replacement, which now appears to be veteran Jameis Winston. That said, Tillman appears as likely as WRs Jerry Jeudy or Elijah Moore to take over the receiving corps on a putrid Browns squad.
Ricky Pearsall (WR – SF) | 14.3%
Heading into the 2024 NFL Draft, Florida WR Ricky Pearsall was among my favorite prospects. Unfortunately, a random mugging and consequent shooting of Pearsall delayed his NFL debut. However, it finally came last week, and the timing couldn’t be better for San Francisco.
Pearsall saw his first NFL action on a weekend when the 49ers left their home stadium as wounded as any team in the league. Illness befell start WR Deebo Samuel, landing him in the hospital with Pneumonia (he has since been released). Fellow WR Brandon Aiyuk suffered a torn ACL, ending his season, and TE George Kittle (ankle, day-to-day) was yet again banged up.
Amidst the chaos, Pearsall saw a 75 percent snap share, leading to five total targets from QB Brock Purdy. He turned those targets into three catches for 21 yards. Now, Aiyuk is done for 2024, Kittle is day-to-day, Christian McCaffrey is still persona non grata, and Deebo is unlikely to suit up in Week 8. Pearsall could be in for a quickly expanding role in San Francisco.
Jalen McMillan (WR – TB) | 3.1%
Injuries keep piling up league-wide, and the surging Tampa Bay Buccaneers finally felt the bite in Week 8. On Monday night, QB Baker Mayfield lost his two elite WRs, Chris Godwin (ankle) and Mike Evans (hamstring). While Evans is hopeful to return after a Week 11 bye, Godwin dislocated his ankle, effectively ending his 2024 season.
The obvious choice to replace some of the volume vacated by Godwin and Evans is TE Cade Otton, who is already third on the team in most receiving categories. However, rookie Jalen McMillan could also be a candidate for an increased workload. While the rookie WR hasn’t been electric so far this season, he did draw eight targets on Monday night, his most of the season. There’s always a chance he might not produce for fantasy football, but if McMillan and Mayfield click, he could be a diamond in the rough.
Week 8 Waiver Wire Adds | TEs
Ben Sinnott (TE – WAS) | 1.5%
The second-best TE in the 2024 rookie class had a breakout in Week 8, folks.
To be fair, “breakout” is a relative term for TEs. Rookie Ben Sinnott, the breakout bookend in question, caught his first and only NFL pass on Sunday. That pass just happened to be a TD from Commanders back-up QB Marcus Mariota in a blowout win over Carolina. That catch locked Sinnot in as the PPR TE18 (8.6 fantasy points) for Week 7.
I know that’s not impressive. It was a junk-time TD from a backup signal caller against a bad team. However, let’s not forget that around this time last year, rookie TE Trey Mcbride began his ascension to elite status while behind Zach Ertz in Arizona. Sinnot is also behind Ertz this season in Washington.
Is the comparison a reach? Probably. But so is trying to find a reliable starting TE. With rookie QB Jayden Daniels likely sidelined a week or two, Mariota could look to Sinnott, as the two have been matched all season long with the second team in practice. It’s not guaranteed, but Chargers TE Will Dissly was the overall PPR TE7 this week, so don’t count it out.
Cade Otton (TE – TB) | 33.3%
If you hesitated to roster Buccaneers TE Cade Otton before, you shouldn’t now. With WR Chris Godwin (ankle) done for the season and fellow WR Mike Evans (hamstring) out for the next few weeks, the Tampa Bay offense doesn’t have many target options for QB Baker Mayfield.
In his third NFL season, Otton has already established himself as a reliable TE in fantasy football. He is currently the overall TE12 in PPR formats, and this past Monday saw a season-high 10 targets and 100 receiving yards. With Evans and Godwin out, that volume isn’t going away soon.
Mayfield will have limited reliable options moving forward, with RB Rachaad White, WR Sterling Shepard and rookie Jalen McMillan being the most reliable outside of Otton.
This isn’t rocket science, folks. Get Otton on your roster.
Week 8 Waiver Wire Streaming D/STs
LAC (vs NO)
The Saints’ offense was good with QB Derek Carr. Then, it wasn’t. Now, Carr is gone, and it’s even worse. Rookie QB Spencer Rattler was given the keys to the Corvette and crashed it into a ditch. Carr is possibly back in Week 8, but he’ll be without WRs Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed.
Conversely, the Chargers’ D/ST unit doesn’t give up much, especially in fantasy. Through six games, they rank 17th or better in fantasy points allowed among all defenses. Whether or not Carr plays this week, the Chargers D/ST is a safe and solid screaming bet in fantasy football.
Texans (vs IND)
The Anthony Richardson experiment was fun while it lasted, but let’s be honest: the second-year QB out of Florida looks in over his head. He’s relying on freak athletic ability to mask his inequities – that he can’t throw a football accurately consistently – and it’s worked on some level until now.
Richardson has started five games this season and has thrown six INTs, lost a fumble, yet thrown for a paltry three TDs. Richardson and the Indianapolis offense are becoming an easy target when looking to scream a D/ST unit in fantasy football, and this week is no different. This is less about Houston’s defense and more about the offensive ineptitude we are witnessing in Indianapolis.
Week 8 Droppables
Patrick Mahomes (QB – KC)
It’s true: Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes is officially droppable in fantasy football. It might sound crazy, but Mahomes is currently the overall QB22, and things aren’t looking up for his fantasy value despite Kansas City remaining undefeated through 7 weeks.
Darius Slayton (WR – NYG)
If Malik Nabers, then no Darius Slayton. It’s sad but true.
Devin Singletary (RB – NYG)
A healthy Devin Singletary has officially ceded his starting role to rookie Tyrone Tracy. Singletary saw just 21 percent of the offensive snap share on Sunday compared to Tracy’s 67 percent. He has entered handcuff-value-only in fantasy football.
Antonio Gibson (RB – NE)
Stop trying to make fetch happen. In Antonio Gibson’s last two games, he has 16 carries for 23 yards and four catches for 33 yards.
Jameson Williams (WR – DET)
I was a Jameson Williams stan, but enough is enough. The latest two-game suspension for PED use will make it hard for the third-year wideout to get back in the good graces of head coach Dan Campbell.
Daniel Jones (QB – NYG)
IYKYK
Ja’Lynn Polk (WR – NE)
Someday, Ja’Lynn Polk might be relevant to fantasy. This season is not that time. If you were holding out hope, open up that roster spot and let it live.
Jordan Whittington (WR – LAR) The hype never materialized, and then Cooper Kupp came off of IR. Puka Nacua is next. The DeMarcus fantasy devaluation is coming soon.
Nate Polvogt is a Co-Founder and the lead senior analyst for Optimus Fantasy Football. Find more from Nate on X (formerly Twitter) @NatePolvogt and on Optimus Fantasy
by Nate Polvogt
Share
If you like winning, come back every week for under-the-radar fantasy waiver wire pickups to keep you in contention until the final contest. We leave no stone unturned to ensure we give you the BEST chance to win week in and week out. Let’s get to it with our Week 8 waiver wire pickups.
The fantasy football season is an unstoppable force. Regardless of injuries, underperformances or subpar coaching scenarios, it moves forward like a living, breathing thing. We do what we can with what we have. However, your Week 8 waiver wire pickups could be the saving grace that keeps your season going.
Let’s get into who’s who and who you should target for your Week 8 waiver wire pickup, plus D/STs you can stream with confidence and droppable roster cloggers.
Week 8 Waiver Wire Pickups + Streaming D/STs & Droppable Players
These Week 7 waiver wire pickups aren’t hot takes or an attempt to be bolder than the crowd. They are here to help you win your week, build depth on your rosters or stay on the course to the fantasy football playoffs.
Here. We. Go.
*Rostership percentages courtesy of FantasyPros waiver wire rankings
Week 8 Waiver Wire Pickups | QBs
Jameis Winston (QB – CLE) | 1.2%
We all know what happened this past Sunday in Cleveland and how we feel about it. There’s no need to rehash that here because it’s next man up for the head coach, Kevin Stefanski, and company.
While backup Dorian Thompson-Robinson stepped in after Deshaun Watson‘s injury, he soon exited the game with a thumb injury on his throwing hand. Veteran Jameis Winston entered the game for Cleveland, throwing the only touchdown for the Browns on Sunday.
Thompson-Robinson will likely miss Week 8, which means we get to see Winston for 60 minutes this weekend against Baltimore. Sure, the match-up isn’t great, but Winston will do what he does best: sling it like a wild man.
Indeed, this team isn’t loaded with top-notch talent, but that shouldn’t matter for Winston’s fantasy value. As long as he’s putting the ball downfield to Jerry Jeudy, Cedric Tillman and David Njoku, he’s a candidate to be a top 10 fantasy football QB every week he’s behind center.
Russell Wilson (QB – PIT) | 9%
I tried to tell you.
The QB9 through 16 weeks in 2023 – before being benched by the Denver Broncos for asinine political and financial reasons – showed out in his first start with a talented offense.
To be fair (insert Letterkenny gif), I didn’t foresee Chef DangeRuss punctuating his return by locking in as the fantasy QB3.
Can Wilson keep this up? Well, he did it against a Jets D/ST that has allowed an average of 13 fantasy points to QBs this season, which ranks fourth among all units. His next three opponents are the Giants, Commanders and Ravens, who all rank in the bottom half of fantasy points allowed to QBs.
You don’t have to like it. You just have to enjoy winning. Wilson has proven to produce consistently in fantasy football, regardless of the situation.
In his widely mocked 2022 season in Denver, Wilson was the overall QB16 despite missing two games.
In 2QB and Superflex formats, this is a no-brainer. In 1QB formats, he is worth serious consideration as a plug-and-play universal handcuff that could become a must-start in the fantasy football playoffs.
Week 8 Waiver Wire Pickups | RBs
Tyler Goodson (RB – IND) | 11.5%
For the sake of brevity – we all have things to do – I’ll make this simple. If you are a Jonathan Taylor manager or a manager with a deep bench and still waiting on Christian McCaffrey news that you trust – Tyler Goodson is a solid bet to stash on your roster.
For the Taylor managers, you know as well as I do that his ankles are always a concern. Rostering Goodson is insurance. Trey Sermon tried—and failed—to be the handcuff. Goodson, it is.
For the CMC managers, you know as well as I do that even if he is cleared to play, this is playing roulette with McCaffrey’s hamstrings, Achilles, ankles, and so on. His handcuffs—Jordan Mason and Isaac Guerendo—are widely rostered. Goodson, it is.
Ray Davis (RB – BUF) | 22.8%
When stud RB James Cook missed the Bills Week 6 contest against New York, rookie ball-carrier Ray Davis stepped in like a veteran. The stout RB from Kentucky locked in like the Terminator in Week 6 against the Jets, taking 20 carries for 97 yards and a TD on top of catching all three of his targets for 55 additional yards.
And you thought he was going to disappear.
In Week 7, Davis averaged 8.2 YPA versus Cook’s 2.67, with both scoring a touchdown. Those numbers may be skewed, given this matchup was against Tennessee. That said, Davis has shown me enough, and I think Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott would agree. You will want him on your fantasy rosters for the rest of the 2024 season.
Tyrone Tracy (RB – NYG) | 49.1%
In fantasy football, no matter the format, volume is king. As far as the New York Giants are concerned, hand the crown to rookie RB Tyrone Tracy.
It was veteran Devin Singletary‘s backfield to lose in New York when the season started, and he held steadfast until an injury sidelined him. Tracy took that two-week absence to make an impression on the Giants coaching staff, and it didn’t go away.
Singletary returned in Week 7 with a clean bill of health and saw a 21 percent snap share. Tracy, however, saw the bulk of the snaps, logging a 67 percent share.
While Singletary (5) was only a carry shy of Tracy (6) last week, the snap share says it all. If you’re okay paying a premium in FAAB, grab the Giants rookie ball carrier while you can.
D’Ernest Johnson (RB – JAC) | 9.4%
Like it or not, for practical purposes, Travis Etienne is a dead asset in fantasy football. This isn’t an indictment of his talent—it’s an observation of his level of play this season, coupled with known and lingering injuries.
Veteran RB D’Ernest Johnson doesn’t boast a “household” name. You might remember him from the four-year stint in Cleveland, where he saw occasional flashes of brilliance. Well, you might have guessed he now finds himself in Jacksonville, and with Etienne’s hamstring on the fritz, Johnson has been called into action behind second-year RB Tank Bigsby.
Johnson hasn’t been electric, but he’s been serviceable when needed. With Etienne inactive last week, Johnson logged 10 fantasy points, good enough for overall PPR RB27 – ahead of J.K. Dobbins, James Cook, Jordan Mason and Alvin Kamara. If Etienne continues to underperform, Johnson will continue to see work behind Bigsby and could provide situational flex value nearly every week.
Week 8 Waiver Wire Pickups | WRs
Keon Coleman (WR – BUF) | 42.9%
The arrival of veteran WR Amari Cooper in Buffalo has opened the door for rookie WR Keon Coleman. Week 7 saw Coleman earn a career-high seven targets from QB Josh Allen. He hauled four of those targets for 125 receiving yards, another career-high.
While Coleman already has two TDs this year, the yardage and volume have been a concern. However, the rookie flourished with Cooper in the lineup, drawing premium coverage from the opposing team’s defense. Coleman isn’t going to be a WR1, but he provides a little stability for your flex slots in fantasy football moving forward.
Cedric Tillman (WR – CLE) | 0.8%
I wasn’t expecting to write up any Browns receiver as a waiver wire addition the rest of this season. However, things have changed in The Land of the Cleves, with Deshaun Watson done for the season.
With Watson down last week, veteran WR Cedric Tillman had a banner day, notching career highs in targets (12), receptions (8) and receiving yards (81). That banner day locked Tillman in as the PPR WR10, his highest finish in fantasy football.
There are other options for Watson’s replacement, which now appears to be veteran Jameis Winston. That said, Tillman appears as likely as WRs Jerry Jeudy or Elijah Moore to take over the receiving corps on a putrid Browns squad.
Ricky Pearsall (WR – SF) | 14.3%
Heading into the 2024 NFL Draft, Florida WR Ricky Pearsall was among my favorite prospects. Unfortunately, a random mugging and consequent shooting of Pearsall delayed his NFL debut. However, it finally came last week, and the timing couldn’t be better for San Francisco.
Pearsall saw his first NFL action on a weekend when the 49ers left their home stadium as wounded as any team in the league. Illness befell start WR Deebo Samuel, landing him in the hospital with Pneumonia (he has since been released). Fellow WR Brandon Aiyuk suffered a torn ACL, ending his season, and TE George Kittle (ankle, day-to-day) was yet again banged up.
Amidst the chaos, Pearsall saw a 75 percent snap share, leading to five total targets from QB Brock Purdy. He turned those targets into three catches for 21 yards. Now, Aiyuk is done for 2024, Kittle is day-to-day, Christian McCaffrey is still persona non grata, and Deebo is unlikely to suit up in Week 8. Pearsall could be in for a quickly expanding role in San Francisco.
Jalen McMillan (WR – TB) | 3.1%
Injuries keep piling up league-wide, and the surging Tampa Bay Buccaneers finally felt the bite in Week 8. On Monday night, QB Baker Mayfield lost his two elite WRs, Chris Godwin (ankle) and Mike Evans (hamstring). While Evans is hopeful to return after a Week 11 bye, Godwin dislocated his ankle, effectively ending his 2024 season.
The obvious choice to replace some of the volume vacated by Godwin and Evans is TE Cade Otton, who is already third on the team in most receiving categories. However, rookie Jalen McMillan could also be a candidate for an increased workload. While the rookie WR hasn’t been electric so far this season, he did draw eight targets on Monday night, his most of the season. There’s always a chance he might not produce for fantasy football, but if McMillan and Mayfield click, he could be a diamond in the rough.
Week 8 Waiver Wire Adds | TEs
Ben Sinnott (TE – WAS) | 1.5%
The second-best TE in the 2024 rookie class had a breakout in Week 8, folks.
To be fair, “breakout” is a relative term for TEs. Rookie Ben Sinnott, the breakout bookend in question, caught his first and only NFL pass on Sunday. That pass just happened to be a TD from Commanders back-up QB Marcus Mariota in a blowout win over Carolina. That catch locked Sinnot in as the PPR TE18 (8.6 fantasy points) for Week 7.
I know that’s not impressive. It was a junk-time TD from a backup signal caller against a bad team. However, let’s not forget that around this time last year, rookie TE Trey Mcbride began his ascension to elite status while behind Zach Ertz in Arizona. Sinnot is also behind Ertz this season in Washington.
Is the comparison a reach? Probably. But so is trying to find a reliable starting TE. With rookie QB Jayden Daniels likely sidelined a week or two, Mariota could look to Sinnott, as the two have been matched all season long with the second team in practice. It’s not guaranteed, but Chargers TE Will Dissly was the overall PPR TE7 this week, so don’t count it out.
Cade Otton (TE – TB) | 33.3%
If you hesitated to roster Buccaneers TE Cade Otton before, you shouldn’t now. With WR Chris Godwin (ankle) done for the season and fellow WR Mike Evans (hamstring) out for the next few weeks, the Tampa Bay offense doesn’t have many target options for QB Baker Mayfield.
In his third NFL season, Otton has already established himself as a reliable TE in fantasy football. He is currently the overall TE12 in PPR formats, and this past Monday saw a season-high 10 targets and 100 receiving yards. With Evans and Godwin out, that volume isn’t going away soon.
Mayfield will have limited reliable options moving forward, with RB Rachaad White, WR Sterling Shepard and rookie Jalen McMillan being the most reliable outside of Otton.
This isn’t rocket science, folks. Get Otton on your roster.
Week 8 Waiver Wire Streaming D/STs
LAC (vs NO)
The Saints’ offense was good with QB Derek Carr. Then, it wasn’t. Now, Carr is gone, and it’s even worse. Rookie QB Spencer Rattler was given the keys to the Corvette and crashed it into a ditch. Carr is possibly back in Week 8, but he’ll be without WRs Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed.
Conversely, the Chargers’ D/ST unit doesn’t give up much, especially in fantasy. Through six games, they rank 17th or better in fantasy points allowed among all defenses. Whether or not Carr plays this week, the Chargers D/ST is a safe and solid screaming bet in fantasy football.
Texans (vs IND)
The Anthony Richardson experiment was fun while it lasted, but let’s be honest: the second-year QB out of Florida looks in over his head. He’s relying on freak athletic ability to mask his inequities – that he can’t throw a football accurately consistently – and it’s worked on some level until now.
Richardson has started five games this season and has thrown six INTs, lost a fumble, yet thrown for a paltry three TDs. Richardson and the Indianapolis offense are becoming an easy target when looking to scream a D/ST unit in fantasy football, and this week is no different. This is less about Houston’s defense and more about the offensive ineptitude we are witnessing in Indianapolis.
Week 8 Droppables
Patrick Mahomes (QB – KC)
It’s true: Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes is officially droppable in fantasy football. It might sound crazy, but Mahomes is currently the overall QB22, and things aren’t looking up for his fantasy value despite Kansas City remaining undefeated through 7 weeks.
Darius Slayton (WR – NYG)
If Malik Nabers, then no Darius Slayton. It’s sad but true.
Devin Singletary (RB – NYG)
A healthy Devin Singletary has officially ceded his starting role to rookie Tyrone Tracy. Singletary saw just 21 percent of the offensive snap share on Sunday compared to Tracy’s 67 percent. He has entered handcuff-value-only in fantasy football.
Antonio Gibson (RB – NE)
Stop trying to make fetch happen. In Antonio Gibson’s last two games, he has 16 carries for 23 yards and four catches for 33 yards.
Jameson Williams (WR – DET)
I was a Jameson Williams stan, but enough is enough. The latest two-game suspension for PED use will make it hard for the third-year wideout to get back in the good graces of head coach Dan Campbell.
Daniel Jones (QB – NYG)
IYKYK
Ja’Lynn Polk (WR – NE)
Someday, Ja’Lynn Polk might be relevant to fantasy. This season is not that time. If you were holding out hope, open up that roster spot and let it live.
Jordan Whittington (WR – LAR) The hype never materialized, and then Cooper Kupp came off of IR. Puka Nacua is next. The DeMarcus fantasy devaluation is coming soon.
Nate Polvogt is a Co-Founder and the lead senior analyst for Optimus Fantasy Football. Find more from Nate on X (formerly Twitter) @NatePolvogt and on Optimus Fantasy
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Look, in this economy, we’re all looking for bargains. Fantasy football is no different, as we’re looking to extract as much value as we can without paying a lot or anything. We know the feeling of looking through free agency or waivers on Sunday and going, “Why didn’t I start THAT guy?” after somebody produces
Every week, Kacey Kasem will bring you WR2s primed to exceed their slot in the weekly WR fantasy rankings and could help bolster your chances at fantasy football glory. The holiday season is here, and while we’re spending time with loved ones, feasting on holiday favorites, and indulging in all the football action, fantasy playoffs
The oatmeal chocolate chip cookies I baked a few weeks ago have been enshrined into the permanent rotation. Cooking and baking are like art and science, left brain and right. The former is boundless, untethered from the rules and formalities in baking. What happens if you add too much or too little of one thing
Hey folks! We cannot understate the importance of being in on Week 13’s waiver wire players early while the free agency acquisition budget (FAAB) price is cheapest (or free!), so you can add them to your roster. This is not just for adding them to your roster so your league mates don’t get them first;
Every week, Kacey Kasem will bring you WR2s primed to exceed their slot in the weekly WR fantasy rankings and could help bolster your chances at fantasy football glory. With Thanksgiving sneaking up on us, it’s time to think about the foods, the football, and, of course, the fantasy implications. Let’s be real: Thanksgiving isn’t
If you like winning, come back every week for under-the-radar fantasy waiver wire pickups to keep you in contention until the final contest. We leave no stone unturned to ensure we give you the BEST chance to win week in and week out. Let’s get to it with our Week 12 waiver wire pickups. It’s
Sometimes, when I tell someone about my family dynamic, it strikes them as peculiar. “Are you and your wife going to have any more kids?” Absolutely not. One sixth grader is enough, and we have a mountain of cats—five of them. Add in our frenetic border collie, Rosie, and the house is full. My parents
Hey folks! We cannot understate the importance of being in on Week 12 waiver wire players early while the free agency acquisition budget (FAAB) price is cheapest (or free!), so you can add them to your roster. This is not just for adding them to your roster so your league mates don’t get them first;