Fantasy football: Top 10 waiver wire Week 8 pickups
Stay on top of the best players to add to your fantasy football team by checking out my top 10 waiver wire Week 8 pickups.
Washington = wide receiver Jamison Crowder (80) is one of my favorite pickups from the waiver wire week 8. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Fantasy football value can change in just one play as players go down with injuries or coach’s decide to give other players opportunities to step up. When you add in the extra drama of a busy bye week season, fantasy rosters can be stretched pretty thin. If you’re in a maxed out situation and need some help from the waiver wire Week 8, check out my top 10 pickups on the following slides.
This week there are only 24 teams in action as the Ravens, Rams, Dolphins, Giants, Steelers, and 49ers sit Week 8 out. The next two weeks are the toughest for fantasy owners to naviaged with six teams out each week followed by four teams out in Week 10 and Week 11. If injury or bye week trouble has you scrambling, don’t worry there are some solid fill-in options widely available on the waiver wire Week 8.
To help you find those solid options, each Tuesday you can find my weekly waiver wire post here on FanSided.com. I focus on the top ten options who are available in more than half of ESPN leagues. So far this season, players like Jordan Howard, Terrelle Pryor, Jay Ajayi, Quincy Enunwa, Tevin Coleman, Tyrell Williams, and Matt Ryan were on my waiver wire pickup list when they were available in over 50% of leagues. Those players won’t be found in my waiver wire week 8 picks, though, since the ownership percentage is already over 50%.
Each week, I make sure to include players at each of the main fantasy football positions–quarterback, running back, wide receiver, tight end, and team defense. The players are listed in the general order that I would target them, but be sure to take into account your league’s roster requirements and your team’s strength and weaknesses. I’ve included each player’s ownership percentage as of Tuesday morning at the top of their page. If you’re in deeper leagues or are looking for more options, check out the final slide of this post where I’ve listed some extra other options from the waiver wire week 8.
If you have any specific questions about your team or other players who may be available, you are welcome to drop them in the comments section at the bottom of the page or give me a shout out on Twitter.
To keep up with all our fantasy football coverage, also make sure to drop a bookmark on our fantasy football hub and follow us on Twitter @FansidedFantasy. I do my best to answer all questions to our Twitter feed, and you’ll even have a chance for your tweets to appear in one of our future posts.
With those introductory comments out of the way, let’s jump into the waiver wire Week 8 options who can help your team get through the next few weeks and into the playoffs.
Oct 23, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston (3) hands off the ball to running back Jacquizz Rodgers (32) against the San Francisco 49ers during the fourth quarter at Levi
Jacquizz Rodgers-RB-Tampa Bay Bucs (34.5%)
The top target on Waiver Wire week 8 was just a depth option in last week’s top ten pickups, but midway through the week his entire situation changed. I had him as my top RB pickup later in the week after Doug Martin re-aggravated his hamstring injury in practice.
With Martin out again Week 7, Rodgers got the start and heavy workload for Tampa Bay in San Francisco. Quiz had a monster game totaling 154 yards rushing on his 26 carries. He added nine more yards receiving, but even with his second straight week with over 100+ rushing yards he’s still looking for his first touchdown of the season.
Looking ahead, Doug Martin is without a timetable to return meaning he’ll probably miss at least the next few weeks. For as long as Martin is side-lined, Coach Dirk Koetter has shown he’s ready and willing to give Quiz all the touches he can handle. The next two weeks, the Bucs have the Raiders and Falcons at home in plus matchups for Quiz. He’s really a top-ten RB back at this point in the season which is ironic considering he was cut by the now-talent-hungry Bears at the start of the season.
Oct 23, 2016; Detroit, MI, USA; Washington Redskins wide receiver Jamison Crowder (80) runs after a catch against Detroit Lions strong safety Miles Killebrew (35) during the third quarter at Ford Field. Lions won 20-17. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
Jamison Crowder-WR-Washington (39.8%)
Jamison Crowder has been a regular in my WR sleepers and my waiver wire pickups, but he is still unowned enough to make the list of best additions from the waiver wire week 8. Crowder has become a key piece in the Washington passing attack, and he’s become the team’s No. 1 receiver based on his gritty play and solid rapport with Kirk Cousins.
Crowder leads Washington in receiving yards, receiving touchdowns, and is second in catches behind only Jordan Reed after seven weeks of the season. He finished the team’s tough Week 7 loss with 109 yards receiving on nine targets and seven catches. The catches and yardage were a season high for the second-year receiver out of Duke, and he’ll look to continue to draw targets moving forward.
Part of Crowder’s workload on Sunday was definitely due to the absence of Jordan Reed who was missing his second week in a row with a concussion. Reed has a history of concussions, so it’s hard to determine how long he’ll be out. Even if Reed is back this week against the Bengals in London, Crowder is still a plug-and-play option if you need WR help. With so many teams on a bye, he can help you fill the gap this week.
Oct 20, 2016; Green Bay, WI, USA; Green Bay Packers wide receiver Ty Montgomery (88) runs from Chicago Bears linebacker Willie Young (97) after catching a pass in the first quarter at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports
Ty Montgomery-RB/WR-Green Bay Packers (20.2%)
Another player who can jump right into your lineup and contribute is Packers’ Swiss Army knife Ty Montgomery. Montgomery has been extremely involved the last two weeks both as a receiver and a running back. Check in your league to see where exactly he is eligible since he may be able to help you at multiple spots.
Montgomery has caught ten passes in each of the last two weeks with 98 receiving yards in Week 6 and 66 receiving yards in Week 7. In Week 7, though, he was more effective as a rusher totaling 60 yards on nine carries.
The only danger for Montgomery moving forward is that the Packers have a ton of different weapons they could go to instead of continuing to get him the ball quite as much. With James Starks and Eddie Lacy still out, it’ll be Montgomery and Knile Davis in the backfield this week against the Falcons. In the short-term, Montgomery is a great pickup from the Week 8 waiver wire and should be started in almost every format this week.
In PPR leagues, I’d make Montgomery my second waiver wire priority behind only Quiz, but in standard scoring I’d give Crowder a slight advantage only because Montgomery’s workload is less secure. Knile Davis has had a couple of weeks to get ready now, so it’ll be interesting to monitor how involved Montgomery is this week against Atlanta in what could be a high-scoring shootout in the Georgia Dome.
Oct 23, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Minnesota Vikings running back Matt Asiata (44) rushes the ball against the Philadelphia Eagles during the second half at Lincoln Financial Field. The Philadelphia Eagles won 21-10. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Matt Asiata-RB-Minnesota Vikings (26.0%)
While Jerick McKinnon still has the higher upside of the two backs filling in for Adrian Peterson, Matt Asiata has been the more productive option the last few weeks. If you need a bye-week back from the waiver wire week 8 and Quiz and Ty are not available, Asiata is definitely a serviceable starter for this week.
In Week 7 against the Eagles, Asiata got extra work due to McKinnon battling an ankle injury. He ended up with 55 yards on 12 carries while catching a season-high six passes for another 25 yards. Asiata also had a big game in Week 5 when he totaled 100 yards rushing and receiving against the Texans while also scoring his second touchdown of the season.
If McKinnon is out for next Tuesday night against the Bears, Asiata will be a solid RB2 in that matchup. However, if McKinnon is able to play Asiata will be a fringe flex option since he’ll have to share the work.
Oct 23, 2016; Nashville, TN, USA; Indianapolis Colts tight end Jack Doyle (84) spikes the ball after catching a pass for touchdown against the Tennessee Titans during the second half at Nissan Stadium. Indianapolis won 34-26. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports
Jack Doyle-TE-Indianpolis Colts (14.9%)
It’s been a breakout season for Jack Doyle who was un-drafted out of Western Kentucky and is now in his fourth year with the Colts. Doyle has already set career-highs in every major category and is set up for more work moving forward making him the top tight end to target on the waiver wire Week 8.
Doyle started the season, you may remember with a pair of touchdowns against the Lions before a few quiet weeks in Week 4 and Week 5. The last two weeks, though, he has re-emerged and claimed a big part of the Colts passing attack. Last week, Dwayne Allen and Phillip Dorsett both joined the already-injured Donte Moncrief and Quan Bray on the sideline. With so few options, there was plenty of work for Doyle who caught nine passes for a career-high 78 yards and a touchdown. His touchdown sealed an important win for the Colts, and he is one of Andrew Luck’s new favorite targets.
Luck will need to get him involved again this week even in a tough matchup against the Chiefs. If Allen and Dorsett are out again, he can be started as a TE1 even though Kansas City is allowing the sixth-fewest fantasy points in the NFL to opposing tight ends so far this season.
Oct 20, 2016; Green Bay, WI, USA; Green Bay Packers wide receiver Davante Adams (17) is tackled by Chicago Bears cornerback Jacoby Glenn (39) in the third quarter at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports
Davante Adams-WR-Green Bay Packers (17.5%)
The second member of the Packers in our waiver wire Week 8 pickups is receiver Davante Adams who had a huge game against the Bears on Thursday Night Football despite a concussion just a few days earlier. He was surprisingly able to get on the field, and he lit up the Bears for one of the highest scores of the week.
Aaron Rodgers targeted Adams a massive 16 times while basically ignoring star Jordy Nelson and feeding the ball to Adams and Montgomery. Adams hauled in 13 of those 16 targets and racked up 132 yards and a pair of touchdowns. While obviously many of those were short catches, he still piled up the fantasy points and was an absolute beast in PPR leagues where owners took a flier on him.
This week, Adams is in a good matchup against the Falcons with more good matchups ahead against the Colts, Titans, and Washington in the coming weeks. The question with Adams is whether he’ll stay so involved moving forward. Aside from the game where he left with a concussion, though, he has found the end zone in four of his five games this season. I think he’s a great grab based on upcoming matchups for the Pack.
Oct 23, 2016; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith (11) signals his team during the second half against the New Orleans Saints at Arrowhead Stadium. The Chiefs won 27-21. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
Alex Smith-QB-Kansas City Chiefs (40.1%)
There are a number of good QB streaming options on the waiver wire Week 8, but the one I like the most is Alex Smith. It surprises me too, but he’s got a few great matchups in the coming weeks and is making the most of the weapons he has in the KC offense.
Smith came out of the bye week with good matchups against the Raiders and the Saints. He threw a pair of touchdown scores in Kansas City’s win over the Saints in Week 7 while completing 17 of his 24 passes for 214 yards.
He doesn’t have as high a high ceiling as some of the other options, but with the Colts and Jaguars the next two weeks, Smith can be a serviceable fill-in. If you lost Big Ben or need a one-week patch, Smith is worth a short-term pickup as a plug-and-play option. He’s a midrange play, but he’s a relatively safe play compared to Ryan Fitzpatrick, Brock Osweiler, and Landry Jones.
Sep 25, 2016; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Buffalo Bills running back Mike Gillislee (35) runs the ball during the first half against the Arizona Cardinals at New Era Field. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports
Mike Gillislee-RB-Buffalo Bills (6.1%)
The Bills may have pushed LeSean McCoy too hard to come back from a midweek hamstring injury. He re-injured himself against the Dolphins and is in just about the same place coming into Week 8 against the Patriots. The Bills would be smart to sit McCoy and give the ball to Mike Gillislee.
Gillislee has shown he can produce when he has been given the chance, but coach Rex Ryan and the Bills’ coaching staff doesn’t seem ready to give him the full workload. Gillislee has averaged over six yards a carry posting 137 yards on his 22 chances this season and getting into the end zone two times as a rusher and a third time as a receiver on one of this three catches on the season.
Even with that success, Gillislee only got work in Week 7 after McCoy was out. He ended up with just five carries for 20 yards. While the Patriots are pretty good against the run, Gillislee would be a starting option if McCoy is out this week. Montior the practice reports, though, since the Bills have shown they’ll push him to play even if resting him would be the choice that makes the most sense.
Oct 23, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson (84) breaks the tackle of Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Nolan Carroll (22) during the second half at Lincoln Financial Field. The Philadelphia Eagles won 21-10. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Cordarrelle Patterson-WR-Minnesota Vikings (1.1%)
Patterson has been a fantasy football tease for several seasons since he has huge play-making ability, but he hasn’t been involved enough in the Minnesota offense on a regular basis. Lately, though, the Vikings are getting him more involved and he’s starting to become a fringe WR3 option with plenty of home run potential in a Minnesota offense that needs some big hitters.
Patterson has found the end zone in each of his last two games and has caught a total of 16 passes in his last three contests. He caught all seven passes Sam Bradford threw his way on Sunday against the Eagles including the Vikings’ only touchdown of the game. Patterson got crushed on the touchdown catch, but he held on and continues to be a hard-working option earning more playing time.
Coach Mike Zimmer has been a big proponent of Patterson, and he should continue to have a high ceiling in his upcoming matchups. Patterson and the Vikings don’t play again until Monday Night Football when they face the Bears which is a great matchup for Patterson. He’s a WR3 option to consider if you need a plug-and-play option from the wavier wire Week 8 even in leagues where the waiver wire is pretty picked clean.
Oct 23, 2016; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets outside linebacker Lorenzo Mauldin (55) reacts after a defensive stop against the Baltimore Ravens during second half at MetLife Stadium. The New York Jets defeated the Baltimore Ravens 24-16.
Mandatory Credit: Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports
New York Jets D/ST (22.7%)
It’s another thin week at streaming defense, but there is one option that has some momentum and a good matchup. The Jets defense isn’t quite as good as many people though it would be coming into the season, but they get a great Week 8 matchup against the winless Browns.
Their trip to Cleveland makes them the top defense from the Week 8 Waiver wire especially since they are coming off their first double-digit performance of the season (in ESPN standard scoring). New York’s defense held the Ravens to just 16 points which was their best total points allowed of the season. They were able to hold Baltimore in check most of the game while forcing three turnovers.
Two of those turnovers were Joe Flacco interceptions by Buster Skrine and Marcus Gilchrist. Skrine set up a New York Field goal returning the ball to the three-yard line, but the Jets were able to put up their big week even without a defensive TD. Sheldon Richardson had the only sack of the day for the Jets while also leading the team in tackles with eight.
Against the Browns, the Jets are a top ten defense this week. Cleveland may have Josh McCown, Kevin Hogan, or Cody Kessler under center, but any of those three still make the Jets the best streaming option from the Week 8 waiver wire.
October 23, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Russell Shepard (89) scores a touchdown against San Francisco 49ers cornerback Rashard Robinson (33) during the second quarter at Levi
Other Waiver Wire Week 8 targets
These options are also available in over 50% of ESPN and make good pickups as well. They’re listed in the general order that I would target them if the top 10 aren’t available in your league.
QB: Brock Osweiler-Houston Texans (one-week fill-in), Ryan Fitzpatrick-New York Jets, Sam Bradford-Minnesota Vikings
RB: Devontae Booker-Denver Broncos, Dion Lewis-New England Patriots (stash for when he returns), Chris Thompson-Washington, Bilal Powell-New York Jets, Knile Davis-Green Bay Packers, Thomas Rawls-Seattle Seahawks (stash for when he returns), Dwayne Washington-Detroit Lions, Kenneth Dixon-Baltimore Ravens (bye this week), Zach Zenner-Detroit Lions
WR: Brandon LaFell-Cincinnati Bengals, Anquan Boldin-Detroit Lions, Russell Shepard-Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Kenny Britt (bye this week), Donte Moncrief (stash for his return),
TE: C.J. Fiedorowica-Houston Texans, Cameron Brate-Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Charles Clay-Buffalo Bills, Vernon Davis-Washington, Ladarius Green-Pittsburgh Steelers (back soon),
D/ST: Cowboys D/ST, Titans D/ST, Lions D/ST, Browns D/ST
More from FanSided
This article originally appeared on 
