Hear more of the conversation on the Waiver Wire podcast on the QBList Fantasy Football Podcast.
Week 7 Review
Week 7 was a week of extremes: Christian McCaffrey was traded (and played!) to San Francisco, decimating Jeff Wilson’s fantasy value and opening up opportunities for the Panthers’ backfield in his absence. Both D’onta Foreman and Chuba Hubbard paid off for waiver wire maestros who were quick enough to add either of them. Breece Hall is potentially done for the season after suffering a knee injury. The Packers and Bucs look awful, and P.J. Walker resuscitated D.J. Moore’s fantasy relevance. Let’s take a look back to see how our top waiver recommendations held up:
- Kenyan Drake ? was slotted to start for Baltimore with J.K. Dobbins going on IR, but Gus Edwards ? was activated and immediately assumed RB1 duties for the Ravens.
- Wan’Dale Robinson ? was heavily involved in the first half against Jacksonville (eight targets) but didn’t receive a target after getting banged up. If he’s healthy, he’s still my favorite receiving option in New York.
- Rondale Moore ? nabbed an early 31-yard reception over the middle on Thursday Night Football but was only targeted one other time the rest of the game. It baffles the mind, but it makes him impossible to start until we see if it was a fluke.
- Alec Pierce ? was outperformed again by Parris Campbell, casting doubts on his outlook. It’s hard to know what Matt Ryan is going to do from week to week, making Pierce a difficult hold if you have bye-week needs.
- Deon Jackson ??️ became a drop candidate the moment Jonathan Taylor was cleared for Week 7.
Top Players to Add in Week 8
Teams on Bye: Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers
Only two teams are on bye in Week 8, so the waiver wire needs may not be as acutely felt. Of course, some of the players you’re missing (Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Austin Ekeler, Mike Williams) this week are elite starters. Breece Hall, the RB6 on the season, is feared to have suffered a season-ending ACL injury in Week 7. It’s a real-life bummer for such an exciting player to go down in the middle of his breakout rookie season. From a fantasy perspective, Michael Carter (66% rostered) is a must-add if available in your leagues.
Gus Edwards (43% Yahoo, 38% Sleeper)- The Gus Bus was activated late in the week and operated as the RB1 for the Ravens, finishing with 16 carries for 66 yards and 2 TDs. He’s not going to offer much as a receiver, but you weren’t expecting that from a Baltimore halfback anyway. Kenyan Drake pitched in 11 attempts but totaled only five yards. Barring any health setbacks, Edwards is a locked-in starter ahead of Thursday Night Football and for the foreseeable future.
Bid: 25-50%
D’onta Foreman (49%) & Chuba Hubbard (36%)– News broke Thursday night of the 49ers’ blockbuster trade for Christian McCaffrey, and the immediate question was whether Foreman or Hubbard would get the starting nod. As it turns out, both players paid off for fantasy managers in a week where P.J. Walker looked competent under center. Hubbard was hobbled (say that 5x fast) by an ankle injury in Week 7, but it isn’t expected to be serious. Hubbard got the start and the touchdown, but Foreman looked like the more impressive runner. It’s a coin flip, but both backs should offer FLEX value against Atlanta in Week 8. If I had to pick, I prefer Foreman for the season on a lackluster Carolina offense.
Bid: 15-20% each
Isaiah McKenzie (40% Yahoo, 38% Sleeper)– The Bills are coming off their bye week, making McKenzie a savvy pickup. Coming back from a concussion, McKenzie produced a dud in Week 6, but the Buffalo offense makes him a worthy pickup. Plus, Jamison Crowder is still on injured reserve, so McKenzie could solidify his role as the primary slot receiver. Khalil Shakir could complicate things but the rookie seems to be more of an injury fill-in at the moment. It might be a good idea to wait a week before starting McKenzie, but I’m putting him on my roster while I still can.
Bid: 5-10%
Parris Campbell (5% Yahoo, 11%, Sleeper)– Disclaimer: I’m a Parris Campbell fan and have been rooting for him to get healthy since he was drafted. It was too early to get excited when Campbell saw 11 targets in Week 6. His 12-target performance last week, however, makes him more of a reasonable option, especially in full-PPR formats. The Washington Commanders rank 31st in passing touchdowns allowed this season, and Michael Pittman will continue to draw coverage away from Campbell.
Bid: 3-5%
Kyren Williams (31% Yahoo, 21% Sleeper)– With Cam Akers on the trade block, Darrell Henderson and Malcolm Brown are the lead-backs for the Rams. Brown has never flashed real upside, and Sean McVay isn’t likely to use Henderson as a true workhorse. I’m stashing Kyren Williams where I can, just in case. Williams was a training camp darling and could be given a significant role when activated from injured reserve. He may not pan out, but he’s worth a stash ahead of the trade deadline.
Bid: 1%
Other Adds:
Wide Receiver
Jahan Dotson (27%), Wan’Dale Robinson (29%), Donovan Peoples-Jones (20%), Marquise Goodwin (1%), Kalif Raymond (0%)
Running Back
Tyler Allgeier (40%), Latavius Murray (40%), James Cook (21%), Isiah Pacheco (50%)
Tight End
At the tight end position, Cade Otton (14%) is worth a look in Tampa Bay as long as Cameron Brate is out. Juwan Johnson (3%) is a bit risky if New Orleans has its full complement of pass catchers, but he has shown the ability to come through in the red zone. Russell Wilson’s availability adds uncertainty, but Greg Dulcich (11%) saw nine targets in Week 7 and has the most potential to be a weekly starter for the remainder of the season.
Quarterback
At quarterback, Daniel Jones has been hit or miss, but he’s coming off a 100-yard rushing performance. Seattle presents a solid matchup. Las Vegas is giving up the most fantasy points to quarterbacks, so either Jameis Winston or Andy Dalton are options in deeper leagues.
Defense
For streaming defenses, I’m recommending Indianapolis and Tennessee. The Colts should have opportunities for takeaways against Taylor Heinicke and the Commanders, while the Titans are heading to Houston on the heels of a three-turnover, one-touchdown performance against the Colts. For deeper streaming options, the lowest implied totals in Week 8 are the Panthers/Falcons and Broncos/Jaguars.
(Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire)