Week 8 Waiver Wire Top Pickups & Adds: Chase Edmonds Should Be Your First Priority
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Week 8 was a wild ride with plenty of scoring and a lot of scoring from waiver wire backs that popped up due to injury late in the week. Aaron Jones and Joe Mixon sat out, and Jamaal Williams and Giovani Bernard both had a strong week. Boston Scott filled in nicely, but it took the game’s last play to really get over the hump. Week 7 brought us a few key injuries, and one was Odell Beckham Jr, who is believed to be out for the year. This is certainly going to shift the targets around that passing game for the rest of the season. The other is Kenyan Drake, who had to be carted off. This week’s waiver wire adds are mostly about short term pickups and them potentially getting more run. Given these backups are still available in over 50% of leagues, there is a good chance they are your priority this week. Week 8 has Arizona, Washington, Jacksonville, and Houston on bye. Tune into our Week 8 fantasy football rankings & projections to help guide you throughout the week with any decisions.
Running Backs
Chase Edmonds – Arizona Cardinals
Average % Rostered: 54%, FAAB: 20%
This week, there will be a mad dash for Chase Edmonds, who will take over lead back duties from Kenyan Drake. While we don’t know the extent of the injury, it did not look like a good one, and he had to be helped then carted off. Edmonds was gaining steam already with his recent play, which has led to him already being owned in about half of leagues. Edmonds has looked like the better back, and he had 58 yards on five attempts against Seattle and seven catches for 87 yards. This is his second 20+ fantasy point game and his fourth double-digit fantasy point game in seven games this season. He should be your priority number one add this week.
Boston Scott – Philadelphia Eagles
Average % Rostered: 50%, FAAB: 10%
The Miles Sanders injury isn’t as bad as expected, but Boston Scott will get another starting gig next week against the Cowboys and then the bye week. Scott bodes well as a replacement option for Week 8, and then we will get the bye week and Sanders likely back. Scott had 15 touches against the Giants, going for 46 yards on the ground and through the air. While it wasn’t going to be a special performance on the ground, his receiving work and final play of the game masked many issues behind that offensive line. He will be in a great spot against the Cowboys in Week 8.
Jamaal Williams – Green Bay Packers
Average % Rostered: 45%, FAAB: 10%
Aaron Jones has a calf strain, and these can be tricky. The team played it cautiously as expected, and Jamaal Williams played solid football with 23 touches going for over 100 all-purpose yards and a score. He gets Minnesota next week if Aaron Jones isn’t able to suit up, and they are bottom-12 against the run this season. We have seen Williams have a solid fantasy role when he can get even 12+ touches in a game, which will be the case with Jones iffy. We will keep an eye on the news over the next few weeks.
Giovani Bernard – Cincinnati Bengals
Average % Rostered: 48%, FAAB: 13%
Joe Mixon is listed as week-to-week, which means Giovani Bernard needs to be grabbed everywhere, even if Mixon remains this questionable option moving forward. Bernard has plenty of PPR value, and while the offensive line is still below average, his 5-59-1 line is a lot better. This is another one where you can likely get him for a week, and then he is not usable the next two against Pittsburgh and then with the bye week. If you are like me, though, you likely need plenty of options to have come Sunday morning.
Gus Edwards – Baltimore Ravens
Average % Rostered: 3%, FAAB: 7%
Mark Ingram has a mid-to-high ankle sprain that isn’t considered bad but still enough for us to keep an eye on. If you have the bench space to plan, Gus Edwards and JK Dobbins would see a big tick up in usage. While Dobbins is a hot name, Edwards has been very productive whenever he is on the field and isn’t going to be as popular of a name to pick up. This is one of those fliers we can wait and see with.
Wide Receivers
Sterling Shepard – New York Giants
Average % Rostered: 36%, FAAB: 8%
Sterling Shepard is back and healthy and saw a season-high in targets when he returned against Philadelphia. He posted a 6-59-1 line on eight targets and has been a go-to guy when healthy for Daniel Jones. At 36%, there is a good chance he is out there in your league and will be a WR3 moving forward or FLEX option. Shepard’s issues have certainly been through health, but with the positive game script and other options not showing up this season, Shepard has WR2 upside.
Tim Patrick – Denver Broncos
Average % Rostered: 24%, FAAB: 7%
Tim Patrick continues to produce for Denver and has been a top 40 wide receiver over the past five weeks. Denver continues to find themselves in a favorable situation. Patrick has some favorable matchups with the Chargers, Falcons, Raiders, Dolphins, and Saints. Patrick is at least deserving of a bench spot and should be used in these favorable spots over the next few weeks with heavy bye weeks coming and injuries to receivers piling up. Regardless of who is under center for Denver and their overall game flow, Patrick has four straight double-digit fantasy performances under his belt.
Rashard Higgins – Cleveland Browns
Average % Rostered: 43%, FAAB: 8%
The Odell Beckham injury still needs to be watched over the next day, but the injury is likely one that ends his season. With Jarvis Landry bothered by an injury and just not being effective, the Browns will look towards other options. Rashard Higgins stepped up in a big way and had been a touchdown-dependent option the last few weeks but now gets a prime role. Donovan Peoples-Jones is a deep league guy to consider as well. They have a bye in Week 9, but the Raiders, Texans, Eagles, Jaguars, and Titans over the next few weeks after.
Mecole Hardman – Kansas City Chiefs
Average % Rostered: 31%, FAAB: 7%
The Chiefs offense was hit with a defensive and special team set of touchdowns this week, which took two drives away, but Mecole Hardman was far more involved in the offense and had plenty of upside whenever he touches the ball. With injuries and byes piling up, Hardman will have to be an option for some desperate owners as a WR3 or FLEX. In the best offense in the league, you can certainly do much worse. The Chiefs also face the Jets, Panthers, and Raiders in three of the next four weeks, which are favorable defenses.
Tight Ends
Richard Rodgers – Philadelphia Eagles
Average % Rostered: 4%, FAAB: 5%
Zach Ertz is out the next few weeks, and Dallas Goedert is eying Week 10 as a return. This means we get Richard Rodgers as a fill-in option in the meantime. The Eagles continue to be decimated with injuries, and Rodgers had eight targets. He gets Dallas this upcoming week, which is a great spot for him as their defensive struggles. If Goedert isn’t ready for Week 10, then he gets this Dallas defense again.
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