Waiver Wire Angle - Week 8

Welcome to the Week 8 Waiver Wire Angle. Usually this is @DynastyAngleFF's arena, but I'm stepping in this week to provide some waiver wire insight. For those that aren't familiar with my content, you can find me on X @fantasyinstall.

In this installment, you’ll see previous priority stashes rise to the forefront with league-winning ability, players off injuries that hopped right back on the point-scoring train, and options that you can slot in as desperation plays (potentially) over frustrating veteran players. 

Teams on bye in Week 8 include the Houston Texans, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, and the San Francisco 49ers. Players like CJ Stroud, Tyler Shough, QB1 JJ McCarthy, Brock Purdy, Christian McCaffrey/Kaelon Black, Cam Skattebo, Nico Collins, Chris Olave, Malik Nabers, Isaiah Likely, and George Kittle are all out of our lineups. Yikes.

Injuries to monitor: Christian McCaffrey (quad), Jaylen Waddle (shoulder), Kenny Gainwell (hip), Jaylin Noel (toe), Aaron Jones (knee), Tyrone Tracy/Cam Skattebo (hamstring)

Below, I will be giving you this week’s Priority Claims, Adds, and Stashes.

Week 8 Priority Claims

*Disclaimer - Look to see if the players below are still on waivers as they would take precedent over the players listed in this week’s article (in order):

KC Concepcion
Kaelon Black
Omar Cooper Jr.
Jordyn Tyson (On IR Week 9 potential return - elite upside swing)
Zach Charbonnet

I am comfortable spending 40-50+% FAAB on these five guys to secure them on my squad, depending on team structure and BYE week situations.. Make sure to look ahead and be prepared for your players’ BYE weeks. 

1. Jonah Coleman, RB - DEN

FAAB: 30-40%

Coleman has been a priority claim since he went to IR after his coming out party in Week 2. Coleman looked awesome in limited action in Week 7, turning nine carries into 54 rushing yards and securing his two targets for 15 yards in the pass game. Those aren’t “jump off the page” type numbers, but the involvement of Coleman and the work he was given immediately coming off his injury is what caught my eye. Jonah Coleman has workhorse-type usage in his range of outcomes, whether it be from further injuries to J.K. Dobbins or RJ Harvey, or from him straight up taking the bulk of the carries for this backfield moving forward. Regardless, I have been impressed with everything Coleman has shown for a team that is begging for some offensive juice. 

2. Rachaad White, RB - WAS

FAAB: 30-40%

Rachaad White is high on this list simply for the fact that he is a plug-and-play top-24 PPR option for the short-term future with how banged up the Commanders’ backfield/team is. Playable RBs are hard to come by (especially this week), and White provided seven carries for 27 yards with four catches on five targets for 30 yards and a score in Week 6. I suspect his usage will ramp up, and he will continue to be involved heavily in the pass game with Terry McLaurin done for the season. With the Commanders on a bye this week, he may have slipped through the cracks and still be lurking on waiver wires.

3. Antonio Williams, WR - WAS

FAAB: 10-20%

Speaking of the Commanders’ pass game, Williams now joins Stefon Diggs as the two highest upside WRs on this decimated Washington team. Williams' versatility is appealing, and coming out of the bye week, I would assume he’ll be quite heavily integrated and targeted for the rest of the season. Williams should be a plug-and-play FLEX option moving forward. 

4. Caleb Douglas, WR - MIA

FAAB: 10-20%

Welcome back, Caleb Douglas! Back from injury, Douglas caught two footballs from Malik Willis for a combined 70 yards and two touchdowns. Douglas is a player that showed an awesome connection with Willis throughout the offseason, and that chemistry carried through to Week 1 where he saw seven targets, catching five of them for 94 yards before getting hurt. There’s some volatility to his game, but Douglas is a player that is oozing with upside and could be an easy plug-in option for these upcoming bye weeks. 

5. Chig Okonkwo, TE - WAS 

FAAB: 10-20%

Chig saw an awesome uptick in usage and production in Weeks 5 and 6. If you are TE-needy, Okonkwo might be a guy you can pick up and start for the rest of the season. Before the bye week, Chig posted stat lines of 4/60 and 7/69 through the air.

Week 8 Adds

6. Dylan Sampson, RB - CLE

FAAB: 5%-12%

Sampson returned from his IR stint in Week 7, carrying the ball six times for 45 yards and catching all three of his targets for 32 yards. He’s a versatile weapon for the Browns that could provide FLEX-worthy weeks moving forward with contingent upside to Quinshon Judkins (who came back from his own injury). 

7. Travis Hunter, WR/DB - JAX

FAAB: 5-12%

Is it happening? Will Travis Hunter continue getting opportunities on offense coming out of the bye? Is Brian Thomas Jr. on the move? The do-it-all trio of Parker Washington, Travis Hunter, and Josh Cameron could be productive enough for the Jags to send BTJ elsewhere, which would send Travis Hunter on a rocketship up weekly ranks. After what we saw in Week 6, it’s worth stashing and seeing how this situation develops. 

8. Seth McGowan, RB - IND

FAAB: 5-12%

The Jonathan Taylor trade rumors are swirling (just ask his wife!). Seth McGowan saw an uptick in opportunity and snap share in Week 7, carrying the ball 11 times for 46 yards. My eyebrows are raised to say the least, and if Taylor does get moved, McGowan will be an uninspiring start, albeit one that will seemingly receive the volume of a startable fantasy asset. 

9. Makai Lemon, WR - PHI

FAAB: 5-10%

It’s been a disappointing start for the rookie on a messy Eagles team. Lemon gets an uptick moving forward with a team that is seemingly “playing it safe” with its veteran players and letting the youth play. If I’m the Eagles, Lemon is my featured WR without DeVonta Smith in the lineup and should command a large target share.

Week 8 Stashes

*Low single-digit/free FAAB spend players

10. Dameon Pierce (if dropped after MNF - Saquon trade rumors. If his injury ends up being more serious, Elijah Mitchell is the guy to own.)

11. Samaje Perine (Chase Brown ain’t dead, but he’s limping)

12. JJ McCarthy (Sneaky stash for SF or QB-needy teams as he goes into BYE week)

13. Mason Taylor (5/62/2 on six targets in Week 6)

14. Greg Dulcich (5/86 line coming out of the BYE with fully healthy MIA team)

Quick QB Hits

1-QB Streams and Superflex Starts

1. Jacoby Brissett at DAL
2. Kirk Cousins at NYJ
3. Justin Herbert at LAR
4. Malik Willis vs NE
5. Aaron Rodgers vs CLE
6. Cam Ward at CIN

Week 8 has some heavy hitters at the top of the Priority Claims. “League-winner” is thrown around plenty, but Jonah Coleman leads the list of highly available players that fit that category. The Commanders trio will all see usage upticks that will place them in the weekly start conversations. Stay ahead of your teams BYE weeks and happy bidding!