Week eight was again dominated by many players thriving in the passing game. Last week’s top lineup would have included Derek Carr, Peyton Barber, Larry Fitzgerald, and Jordan Thomas. If you had these four in your starting lineup, you likely won your Week 8 match-up. For Week 9, Dalvin Cook and Geronimo Allison, among others, may not be available this week for fantasy football team owners. Your fantasy football waiver wire should still be filled with some quality players if you need the help.
Last week,we advised to be cautious to add Cowboys wide receiver Allen Hurns who hauled in five of six passes for 74 yards, his best game of the season. Not only is it the exception rather than the norm for Hurns in 2018, but the Cowboys added Amari Cooper to the mix during their bye week.
This week, be cautious to add the aforementioned Jordan Thomas of the Texans, who played additional snaps with tight end Ryan Griffin out.
It’s Week 8, and eight teams are in their bye week. We’ll list extra players you can consider if your waiver wire is thin.
Don’t add a player to your fantasy football team if you don’t need one.
QUARTERBACKS
1 Andy Dalton, Bengals
2 Mitch Trubisky, Bears
3 Ryan Fitzpatrick, Buccaneers
4 Joe Flacco, Ravens
5 Derek Carr, Raiders
6 Dak Prescott, Cowboys
7 Brock Osweiler, Dolphins
8 Baker Mayfield, Browns
9 Case Keenum, Broncos
There are plenty of options at quarterback for fantasy football team owners.
It’s amazing to see Andy Dalton still available in almost a quarter of leagues especially with the favorable schedule he has had the past three weeks. While the Bengals are on the bye, they will emerge to play the Saints in Week 10 in a game expected to be a shootout.
The Bears Mitch Trubisky continued to roll in Week 8, throwing for 220 yards and 2 touchdowns while adding 51 yards rushing. Besides a great match-up against the Bills this week, Trubisky has one of the easiest passing schedules for the rest of the season. He’s available in near thirty percent of fantasy football leagues.
No surprise, the Buccaneers Ryan Fitzpatrick took over the reins of the Buccaneers offense with Jameis Winston continuing to struggle. In just under a half of football, Fitzpatrick went eleven for fifteen for 194 yards and two touchdowns good for a top third finish in many leagues. In the three games Fitzpatrick has started for the Buccaneers, he’s thrown for over four hundred yards and three or more touchdowns per game.
Last week was the first time Joe Flacco didn’t throw for over two hundred yards. Otherwise, he’s been a steady option. After the Panthers in Week 8, Flacco has six straight games against teams that have been fantasy football heaven for quarterbacks. Flacco is available in four of ten leagues.
Derek Carr emerged from the Raiders bye week without Amari Cooper and had his best game of the season, totaling 244 yards passing and 4 touchdowns (one rushing). This week, Carr plays a 49ers team that gave up multiple touchdowns to a struggling Josh Rosen. Carr is available in seventy-five percent of leagues.
The Cowboys Dak Prescott’s may have turned a corner Week 6 performance as a fluke and not the norm, Prescott followed this up with 273 yards and 2 touchdowns (one rushing) in Week 7. In addition, the Cowboys added Amari Cooper to the receiving mix which will only help Prescott and raises his floor. Prescott is definitely bye week help for fantasy football team managers in Weeks 9, 10, and 11. Prescott is available in two-thirds of leagues.
The Dolphins Brock Osweiler gets at least one more start. Despite his first game without a touchdown pass last week, Osweiler has been solid through his previous two games, averaging 37 pass attempts, 310 yards, and two touchdowns per game. He gets the Jets in Week 9 and is a great plug-n-play. Osweiler is available in almost every league.
Rookie Baker Mayfield threw multiple touchdowns for a second game in a row. For the next two weeks, his opponents are the Chiefs and Falcons. Mayfield remains an excellent streaming and QB2 option in two quarterback leagues. He’s available in six of ten leagues.
RUNNING BACKS
1 Dion Lewis, Titans
2 Peyton Barber, Buccaneers
3 Doug Martin, Raiders
4 Latavius Murray, Vikings
5 Jalen Richard, Raiders
6 Frank Gore, Dolphins
7 Derrick Henry, Titans
8 Nyheim Hines, Colts
With injuries and roster changes, there’s something on waiver wires for almost every fantasy football team owner. Give these running backs a look if you need help. The running backs with a longer view are ranked higher.
Dion Lewis and Derrick Henry were dropped in many leagues as the Titans offense struggled. Plus, the Titans were on a bye in Week 8. Between the two, Dion Lewis has consistently been more productive taking 19 touches for 155 all-purpose yards and a touchdown in Week 7. Henry had a good game too finishing with 14 touches for 65 all-purpose yards and one touchdown. But if you have an option, target Lewis. Lewis is still available in about twenty-five percent of the fantasy football leagues while Henry is available in near half of the fantasy football leagues.
Peyton Barber took advantage of the early exit of Ronald Jones (hamstring) and turned 19 rushes for 85 yards and a score. With Jones expected to miss at least two weeks, Barber should dominate the Buccaneers backfield now.He is available in near half of the fantasy football waiver wires.
With Marshawn Lynch placed on injured reserve, Doug Martin established himself as the Raiders most productive running back, taking 13 rushes for 72 yards (5.5 YPC) and adding 17 yards on two receptions. Jalen Richard was great too, but more in the passing game, taking his 8 receptions for 50 yards but his 13 rushes for just 38 yards (2.9 YPC). Richard is the better option in PPR leagues. Both Martin and Richard are available in about half of the waiver wires.
Latavius Murray gets at least one more start with Dalvin Cook expected back after the Vikings Week 10 bye. In Week 8, Murray posted another solid outing, turning 18 touches into 95 all-purpose yards and one touchdown. Murray is still available in almost two of ten leagues fantasy football leagues and has a favorable match-up against the Lions this week.
WIDE RECEIVERS
1 Sammy Watkins, Chiefs
2 Keke Coutee, Texans
3 DeVante Parker, Dolphins
4 Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals
5 Tyrell Williams, Chargers
6 Danny Amendola, Dolphins
7 Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Packers
8 Courtland Sutton, Broncos
9 Dante Pettis, 49ers
This is a good week to add a wide receiver who will serve as a WR3, flex-play or bye week replacement depending on the size of your league.
Sammy Watkins is still available in almost two of ten leagues. In the past four games, Watkins is averaging 5 receptions on 7 targets an d 70 yards per game. The flood gates seemed to have opened for Watkins and he is the top add if available in your league.
With Will Fuller done for the season, Keke Coutee should become a top producer for the Texans. With Fuller out for two games, Coutee hauled in 17 receptions on 22 targets for 160 yards and a touchdown. Coutee has a hamstring injury, so monitor his situation leading into Week 9. It looks like he will play.
Forced into action, DeVante Parker was six-for-nine for 134 yards. Going forward, Parker should remain the Dolphins number one receiving option. While there has been talk of him being traded that does not look to be the case. He is available on almost ninety percent of fantasy football waiver wires.
With teams focusing on limiting Keenan Allen and Mike Williams, Tyrell Williams continues to be the Chargers deep receiving option, posting back-to-back one hundred yard receiving games and three touchdowns the past two games. Tyrell Williams is available in many fantasy football leagues.
Danny Amendola has been Brock Osweiler’s favorite receiver on the Dolphins. Despite the return of DeVante Parker, Amendola was still targeted six times in Week 8. Over the past three games, Amendola has 19 receptions for 179 yards and one touchdown. As long as Osweiler remains quarterback, Amendola should continue to thrive. He’s available in two-thirds of leagues.
Even with the return of Randall Cobb and Geronimo Allison, Packers rookie Marquez Valdes-Scantling remained a significant part of the Packers being targeted five times (as much as Cobb) for 45 yards and a touchdown. In three games, he has 12 receptions, 216 yards, and two touchdowns. Valdes-Scantling is a flex option in deeper leagues. He’s available in two-thirds of fantasy football leagues.
With the Broncos entertaining trading Demaryius Thomas, Courtland Sutton is worth a bench stash. Likewise, 49ers rookie Dante Pettis is worth a bench staff as the 49ers are entertaining trading Pierre Garcon.
TIGHT ENDS
1 Jared Cook, Raiders
2 Austin Hooper, Falcons
3 OJ Howard, Buccaneers
4 Jack Doyle, Colts
5 Vance McDonald, Steelers
6 Chris Herndon, Jets
7 Benjamin Watson, Saints
8 CJ Uzomah, Bengals
Now that Amari Cooper has been traded, tight end Jared Cook will be a clear cut top receiving option for the Raiders. Cook turned five targets into four receptions for 74 yards and one touchdown. Yet, Cook is still available on some fantasy football league waiver wires.
Austin Hooper has established himself as a regular option in the Falcons offense going for 196 yards and one touchdown on twenty-one-for-twenty-six receiving over the past three games. Hooper is available in almost one-third of leagues.
OJ Howard has been a consistent option in the Buccaneers passing game. The arrow continues to point up for him especially with Ryan Fitzpatrick under center. Howard is still available in nearly two of ten fantasy football league waiver wires.
Jack Doyle returned to the Colts lineup in Week 8 and immediately made his presence felt, going 6-for- 7 for 70 yards and a touchdown. Andrew Luck has loved getting both his tight ends involved in the offense. Doyle is available in three-quarter of leagues.
Despite a disappointing 3-for-3 for 47 yards stat line in Week 8, Vance McDonald is still a solid waiver wire option. He’s 23 for 27 for 321 yards and a touchdown. The chemistry he has with Ben Roethlisberger has shown all season long. McDonald is available in half of fantasy football leagues.
Yet again, the Jets Chris Herndon made an impact in the passing game hauling in one of two passes for 16 yards and a touchdown, now one in each of the last three games. Herndon is available in most fantasy football leagues.
DEFENSES
1 Dolphins v. Jets
2 Chiefs at Browns
3 Cowboys v. Titans
4 Panthers v. Buccaneers
5 Titans at Cowboys
6 49ers v. Raiders
7 Raiders at 49ers
8 Lions at Vikings
Most of this week’s waiver wire adds highlight good defenses with favorable fantasy football match-ups.
Each defense noted above faces an offense in this week’s top ten of most fantasy football points allowed to opposing defenses.
Week 9 Injury Report