We are now embarking on the second half of the 2023 fantasy football season. The NFL landscape continues to shift, and fantasy managers should always be looking to improve their rosters. Let’s take a look at the top Week 8 waiver wire targets and pickups that fantasy managers should consider adding to their rosters.
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Top Waiver Wire Pickups in Week 8 | Quarterbacks
Note: As always, all players are rostered in 50% or less of Yahoo leagues.
Derek Carr, New Orleans Saints (35% Rostered)
At this time, we still don’t have any information on Derek Carr’s groin injury. It could be nothing. It could force him to miss next week’s game. For now, let’s assume he plays. If he does, Carr has a great matchup against a Colts defense that struggles to defend the pass.
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Carr has shown a willingness to air it out. He has a whopping 105 pass attempts over his last two games and threw for over 300 yards in each.
While Carr only has one game with multiple touchdown passes, he could put up his second against the Colts He’s a viable streaming option for those in need.
FAAB Recommendation: 2-5%
Top Waiver Wire Pickups in Week 8 | Running Backs
This a very weak waiver wire group. Darrell Henderson and Devin Singletary are the top adds.
Darrell Henderson, Los Angeles Rams (24% Rostered)
Once again, NFL head coaches prove reluctant to turn their backfield over to a Day 3 rookie. Zach Evans was the RB3 last week and only entered the game after Kyren Williams and Ronnie Rivers got hurt. This week, Evans played the same role. Since Darrell Henderson and Royce Freeman did not get hurt, Evans never entered the game.
Henderson started and was the 1A in the Rams’ two-man committee. He carried the ball 18 times for 61 yards and a touchdown. That’ll work.
Williams and Rivers are out for at least another three weeks. Henderson sure looks like a touchdown-dependent RB2 until one of them returns. Given the team’s lack of investment in either, it’s entirely possible Henderson can keep the job if he plays well. Pick him up.
FAAB Recommendation: 25-35%
Devin Singletary, Houston Texans (14% Rostered)
I’m going to assume the reason Devin Singletary is still rostered in so few leagues is that many fantasy managers had no choice but to pass over him for players playing this week. But let’s not forget about him.
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When we last saw the Texans play, Singletary was out-snapping and outperforming the incredibly underwhelming Dameon Pierce. There is a nonzero chance Singletary will be the more valuable back going forward. I’m not sure what that’s worth, but it’s definitely worth a spot on your bench to find out.
FAAB Recommendation: 10-15%
Emari Demercado, Arizona Cardinals (14% Rostered)
I guess the Cardinals just like to mess with fantasy managers. Two weeks ago, when James Conner went down, it was Emari Demercardo as the lead back. Everyone rushed to grab him off the waiver wire. Then, he barely touched the ball the following week as Keaontay Ingram was the lead back. So, fantasy managers understandably dropped Demercado.
Now, Demercado is back on the menu. He saw 13 carries and five targets against the Seahawks. Ingram exclusively played on special teams — he did not play a single offensive snap.
I certainly do not trust Demercado. But Conner is out for at least another two weeks. Running backs are hard to come by. I would not trust him in Week 8 lineups, but he’s worth picking up.
FAAB Recommendation: 10-15%
Joshua Kelley, Los Angeles Chargers (21% Rostered)
Joshua Kelley carried the ball just seven times and didn’t see a target. He’s only even in consideration because he happened to break off a long touchdown run. It’s a fluke. We saw what he did when Austin Ekeler was out. He is never startable; do not pick up Kelley.
FAAB Recommendation: 0%
Top Waiver Wire Pickups in Week 8 | Wide Receivers
We have a clear priority add off the Week 8 waiver wire at wide receiver. Josh Downs needs to be picked up. Kendrick Bourne and Jalin Hyatt are also worth adding.
Josh Downs, Indianapolis Colts (36% Rostered)
Week 7 was the Josh Downs breakout game. The rookie caught five passes for 125 yards and a touchdown. He has now scored at least 13 fantasy points in three straight games.
Downs is vastly more talented than Alec Pierce. Despite profiling primarily as a slot guy, Downs is the second option in this passing game behind Michael Pittman Jr. He is the clear top add this week.
FAAB Recommendation: 20-35%
Kendrick Bourne, New England Patriots (26% Rostered)
Every once in a while, Kendrick Bourne pops off for a big game. Then, he usually disappears. Not this time, though.
After going 10-89 last week, Bourne caught six of seven targets for 63 yards and a touchdown in the Patriots upset win over the Bills. Two strong weeks are enough for me to recommend adding him.
The Patriots’ next three games are against the Dolphins, Commanders, and Colts. Bourne could be a nice bye-week/injury filler.
FAAB Recommendation: 5-15%
Jalin Hyatt, New York Giants (5% Rostered)
This one is more for deep leagues, but it’s a rough waiver wire this week. The Giants do not have good wide receivers. They seem to refuse to feature Jalin Hyatt, but at least there’s potential with him.
Hyatt displayed his downfield ability with 75 yards on just two receptions. He only saw five targets; maybe they will start using him more. Probably not, but if you have the spot on your bench, it can’t hurt to stash him and find out.
FAAB Recommendation: 0-5%
Top Waiver Wire Pickups in Week 7 | Tight Ends
The tight end position is not in a good spot this season, but there are some players who are solid adds.
Dalton Kincaid, Buffalo Bills (9% Rostered)
Dalton Kincaid saw his best usage of the season against the Patriots. The rookie TE caught all eight of his targets for 75 yards.
It could just be a blip, but it also could be a rookie figuring it out. If it’s the latter, he has the talent to be a TE1 over the second half of the season.
We are constantly chasing any semblance of upside at tight end. Kincaid embodies that; he’s the top add at the position this week.
FAAB Recommendation: 5-10%
Taysom Hill, New Orleans Saints (9% Rostered)
That’s back-to-back double-digit fantasy point outings for Taysom Hill. At fantasy’s worst position, that’s enough to pay attention.
Hill now has 11 receptions for 99 yards over his past two games. That is easily the best two-game stretch of his career. This week, he added a short touchdown, his first of the season. You can certainly do worse at the tight end position.
FAAB Recommendation: 3-8%