Week 7 is in the books. Some surprise upsets have sent the football world into a spiral (looking at you Mac Jones) and fantasy managers need to navigate their Week 8 waiver wire to make a playoff push. Which players are worth a pickup this week that are widely available?
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Note: This was written before the conclusion to Sunday Night and Monday Night Football. If there is a catastrophic injury, adjust accordingly
Week 8 Waiver Wire – Josh Downs, Kyler Murray and More
Darrell Henderson Jr. RB Los Angeles Rams
Heading into Wednesday of Week 7, Kyren Williams was just dealing with a minor injury and wasn’t expected to lose much time. Now he’s been placed on IR, and Darrell Henderson Jr. has been resurrected in fantasy football and is a top waiver wire option in Week 8. It was roughly a 50/50 split between Henderson Jr. and Royce Freeman, but Henderson Jr. got more opportunities in the passing game and more total touches. As he continues to acclimate to the offense, he could be a long-term option for zero RB teams. Darrell Henderson Jr. is available in 94% of leagues on ESPN.
Josh Downs, WR Indianapolis Colts
Week 5 felt a little bit like a flash in the pan. This week, Downs has officially broken out. He’s a talented player who was slightly capped by the impact rookie quarterbacks have on their offenses. But after Gardner Minshew’s performance against a top-three defense in Cleveland, the sky is the limit for Downs in fantasy. In the last three weeks, Downs has received six or more targets every week. They enter a New Orleans matchup next week that is middle of the road for wide receiver fantasy production. Josh Downs is available in 65% of leagues on ESPN.
Rashee Rice, WR Kansas City Chiefs
This is hopefully the last week this is a recommendation available. The cutoff used for this article is 50% rostership, and despite touting Rice week after week he is still available in over 50% of leagues on ESPN. He leads all Chiefs receivers in targets. His snap percentage continues to climb. Get him while you still can, and happy belated Rashee Rice day.
Happy Rashee Rice Day to those that celebrate #ChiefsKingdom pic.twitter.com/WOPNehQaMC
— FF Mike Kash (@FFMikeKash) October 22, 2023
Kyler Murray, QB Arizona Cardinals
Here are Kyler Murray’s ranks in PPG among QBs since he’s entered the league:
- 11th
- 5th
- 4th
- 9th *Including his 0.7 point game where he tore his ACL
There’s a top-12 quarterback who’s basically free on waivers. With injuries to Richardson, Fields, and bye weeks hitting many teams can’t afford to leave Kyler Murray on the Week 8 waiver wire. He might take a game or two to acclimate, but he’s had almost a full year to recover from a projected nine-month injury. He’ll be back and performing before long. Kyler Murray is available in 77% of leagues on ESPN (and over 50% on Sleeper).
Michael Mayer, TE Las Vegas Raiders
After a huge game against the New England Patriots, Mayer went cold in Week 7. He gets another week of development under his belt, and more importantly, plays the Detroit Lions who have given up the seventh most points to tight ends in fantasy football. Michael Mayer is available in 91% of leagues on ESPN.
Los Angeles Chargers D/ST
Before disregarding this, the Chargers play the Chicago Bears next week. Justin Fields could be out again, but even if he isn’t they’ve been an offense to target. The D/ST playing the Bears averages 12.5 fantasy points, and no D/ST has gone negative. Khalil Mack could have another field day. The Chargers D/ST is available in 97% of leagues on ESPN.
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Main Photo Credit: Michael Chow-Arizona Republic
