Waiver Wire Targets for Week 8 (2021)

Tyler Heil

Going into week 8 we have some very productive targets at the running back and wide receiver position available. There are even some productive tight end targets if you’re in a bad situation or need a bye week fill in for Darren Waller or Mark Andrews. Lets examine some of these names that will help you keep 4 EYES on the prize.

As always I will be focusing on players that are below the 50% rostered mark according to consensus numbers from ESPN and Yahoo.

Quarterback Streamers

Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars, Consensus Roster Percentage 38.1%, Week 8 matchup at Seahawks

Trevor has improved every week this year and coming off a bye and the Seahawks coming off a short week of Monday night football I would expect the Jags to continue to put up points against an average Seahawks defense that is the 18th graded defense according to PFF.

Daniel Jones, New York Giants, Consensus Roster Percentage 28.5%, Week 8 Matchup vs Chiefs

The Chiefs defense has been downright bad this season (31st graded PFF defense) and coming off 3 extremely tough matchups in a row Jones has the chance to have himself a nice game, particularly if Pat Mahomes gets back on track and starts playing like himself again.

Taylor Heinicke, Washington Football Team, Consensus Roster Percentage 19.5%, Week 8 Matchup at Broncos

Coming off two underwhelming games in a row Heinicke had himself a nice fantasy day against the Packers. The Broncos haven’t been as good on defense as everyone was expecting and possibly missing Von Miller will really increase Heinicke’s chance to have a nice game.

Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks, Consensus Roster Percentage 5.1%, Week 8 Matchup vs Jaguars

The Jacksonville Jaguars defense is bad. Geno Smith has two guys named DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett to throw the ball to. Sometimes you just have to play the matchups.

Running Backs

Kenneth Gainwell, Philadelphia Eagles, Consensus Roster Percentage 23.7%

Gainwell has been in this article more often than he was not, but the Eagles went ahead and forgot about the running back position for a couple of weeks and dropped his roster percentage like Deontay Wilder fighting Tyson Fury. Gainwell is going to push 20 touches a week while Sanders is out and be given the opportunity to earn an even larger role even when Sanders returns.

Rashaad Penny, Seattle Seahawks, Consensus Roster Percentage 21.6%

This is speculation, but it seems we are going to get a preview of the usage the Seahawks are going to attempt to give to Penny and hope he doesn’t get hurt. I wouldn’t spend too much FAB on him at all, but he’s worth a shot if you have an open spot.

Boston Scott, Philadelphia Eagles, Consensus Roster Percentage 1.4%

Boston Scott isn’t going to win anyone any leagues but he will see at least 8-12 touches a game for a few weeks and could be a good fill-in for roster’s struggling with injuries.

Demetric Felton, Cleveland Browns, Consensus Roster Percentage 12.9%

Felton looked good in his limited work on Thursday night, elusive and dynamic as we expected. The problem was D’Ernest Johnson had himself the game of a lifetime and was hitting the right hole at the right time every time he got the ball, there was no real reason to get Felton anymore work. Chubb returning should decrease Johnson’s role and give Felton an opportunity to steal all of the passing work that Kareem Hunt has been receiving this year.

Speculative adds for potential injury
Players to drop
Wide Receivers

Rashod Bateman, Baltimore Ravens, Consensus Roster Percentage 24.6%

Bateman has come off the IR and instantly received a 65% and 63% snap share. The Ravens are going into a bye but I expect Bateman’s snap share and already considerable target share (6 per game) to increase coming off the bye and be a real starting option rest of season.

Christian Kirk, Arizona Cardinals, Consensus Roster Percentage 47.4%

A.J. Green, Arizona Cardinals, Consensus Roster Percentage 48.5%

Kyler Murray has shown us that he can sustain multiple top fantasy options with the WRs 11 (Hopkins), 22 (Kirk), and 33 (Green) on his team. I would still want Kirk over Green but both are options I’d be happy to flex every week.

Marquez Callaway, New Orleans Saints, Consensus Roster Percentage 48.3%

After a slow start to the season, Callaway has shown he is capable of starting level production the past 3 weeks. He is a big-play threat that should benefit from the eventual return of Michael Thomas (not a big-play threat) to steal top coverage away from him.

Players to drop
Tight Ends

Jared Cook, Los Angeles Chargers, Consensus Roster Percentage 47.6%

Cook continues to be hot and cold and not a guy you want to start every week. The hope this week is that the Pats key on the Chargers’ top 3 offensive options and allow Cook to have a nice game with 7+ targets.

Mo Alie-Cox, Indianapolis Colts, Consensus Roster Percentage 14.9%

Touchdown or bust! If Alie-Cox doesn’t get in the endzone he won’t be startable but the good thing is he is tied for 6th in the NFL in 10 zone targets and should have a chance each week to get that in that sweet, sweet paint.

C.J. Uzomah, Cincinnati Bengals, Consensus Roster Percentage 14.2%

Uzomah is yet another touchdown or bust tight end. Good thing Joe Burrow is playing elite football right now giving him a chance to get in the end zone for the sixth time against the absolute tire fire that is the New York Jets.

Cole Kmet, Chicago Bears, Consensus Roster Percentage 20.7%

Kmet has been playing approximately 90% of snaps every single week and has seen 5 and 6 targets in the last two games. His involvement continues to grow as Justin Fields stays on the field. He isn’t a great option, but if you’re in a bad place he will be a sufficient fill-in for a week.

Players to drop

I would not drop hardly any players over 50% rostered for any of these players so be smart with your roster and don’t add players just to add them.

Defense/Special Teams

Cincinnati Bengals, Consensus Roster Percentage 20.1%, Week 8 Matchup at Jets

The Bengals have been an extremely solid defense this year (6th graded defense according to PFF) and as referenced earlier, the Jets are a tire fire. The Bengals might well be the number 1 ranked DST this week.

Washington Football Team, Consensus Roster Percentage 35.3%, Week 8 Matchup at Broncos

Washington hasn’t lived up to the billing of what everyone thought they would be coming into the season, but against a banged-up Broncos team and after a couple of solid performances in a row, they have a chance to put up a top 5 week.

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