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Through The Wire - Week 8



By Antonio D'Arcangelis | 10/26/20 | Updated: 10/27/20

Targeting weekly waiver picks is a completely subjective business, but this column hopes to point out some obvious and not-so-obvious selections to help your team from week to week while you strive to collect fantasy wins, reach your league playoffs, and win the elusive title that your friends say is out of your grasp. While I’m a big proponent of making trades to bolster your roster, the waiver wire can be an almost limitless resource when it comes to discovering fantasy value in strange places. Each week, I’ll highlight some of the popular (and not-so-popular) players who can help your squad and may still be available in your league. I’ll also provide a brief update on the players I covered the previous week.

Feedback is always welcome, appreciated and encouraged. I’ll get to as many e-mails as I can.


Quarterbacks

Tua Tagovailoa, MIA – Unknown fantasy commodities with athletic ability as good as Tua’s offer plenty of upside, even if the Dolphins are losing what’s been a pretty reliable producer in Ryan Fitzpatrick. He’s being snatched up everywhere, so this week might be your only shot to get in at the ground floor of what could be a wild ride. Getting chased by Aaron Donald might not be the best matchup to get started, but the guy could have huge value in the near future.

Derek Carr, LV – Faced against the tough Bucs defense, Carr finished with 284-2-1 in the 45-20 loss, adding 19 yards rushing. Things should be easier in Week 8 against the Browns, and Carr is owned in just 25-35 percent of leagues.

Other QBs to consider: Baker Mayfield, Jared Goff, Nick Foles

UPDATE:

Teddy Bridgewater, CAR – Teddy completed 23 of 28 passes for 254-2-0 in the Panthers’ 27-24 loss to the Saints on Sunday, adding 10 rushing yards. He’s got a great Week 8 matchup vs. ATL too.

Jimmy Garoppolo, SF – Handsome Jimmy stunk it up on Sunday with 277-0-2, but it should be easier against the shootout-happy (or sad) Seahawks in Week 8.

Joe Burrow, CIN – Burrow had a nice little day, throwing for 406-3-1, adding 34 rushing yards and a TD. While he fumbled three times, losing one, he’s on such a potent offense – and it’s clicking heading into a Week 8 date with Tennessee.

Chase Edmonds

Running Backs

Chase Edmonds, ARI – Edmonds had 58 rushing yards and caught 7-87-0 in Week 7 against Seattle and could be looking at an every-down role with Kenyan Drake injured. The week 8 bye shouldn’t stop you from adding Edmonds, who’s looking a lot like a solid flex play or better.

UPDATE: Drake is expected to miss several weeks, so Edmonds is the top add for Week 8.

La’Mical Perine, NYJ – We’ve been clamoring for more Perine in this column, and he got his chance Sunday, playing about 70 percent of the team’s offensive snaps and tallying 39 yards and a TD on 11 carries in Week 7 (2-16-0 receiving). Adam Gase may be a lunatic, but he’s smart to give him more of a role in this offense. Next week against KC offers a shot for more touches.

DeeJay Dallas / Carlos Hyde, SEA – Chris Carson is injured again, and Hyde rushed 15 times for 68 yards and a TD in Week 7 against the Cardinals in his stead. Carson left with a foot injury (MRI scheduled for Monday) but was seen walking around the sidelines, so he might be okay. But Hyde is really too valuable when Carson is out to ignore.

UPDATE: A clearer picture of the Seattle backfield situation should develop in the next couple days, but there’s a lot going on. Hyde picked up a hamstring injury on Sunday night, Carson is being called “week-to-week,” Travis Homer suffered a knee contusion during the game as well, and rookie DeeJay Dallas may be the only healthy back heading into Week 8. Hyde still could be worth an add if his hamstring is good enough to practice this week, but we really need to stay tuned on the news each day – focusing on Dallas first, since he’s healthy.

Other RBs to consider: Alexander Mattison, Latavius Murray, J.D. McKissic, Wayne Gallman, Devine Ozigbo, Eno Benjamin

UPDATE:

Boston Scott, PHI – Scott had a modest 46 rushing yards in the Week 7 win over the Giants, adding 3-46-1 receiving. Solid, not amazing, numbers that could continue and even improve dramatically if Miles Sanders (knee) misses Week 8 against the woeful Cowboys.

Zack Moss, BUF – Another guy we’ve wanted to see, Moss had seven carries for 47 yards in Week 7 against the Jets and was involved in the pass game with 3-25-0 on three targets. We’ve known he could be more effective than Devin Singletary, but this week could see a shift in the committee work moving forward.

JaMycal Hasty, SF – Hasty had another good outing with nine carries for 56 yards in and 1-16-0 receiving. Jeff Wilson left the game with what appeared to be a serious ankle injury and we know Jerick McKinnon doesn’t handle a huge load and Tevin Coleman is just getting back. Hasty could have a big week against the Seahawks.

UPDATE: Wilson went on IR and Coleman isn’t ready yet, so the committee of McKinnon/Hasty will probably handle a 60-40 type split this week – with the 49ers WRs and Kyle Juszczyk handling an occasional rush or two.

Gus Edwards, BAL – The Ravens were in a bye, and Pittsburgh is up next. Kind of a tough matchup, but Devin Bush is out for the year and the Ravens really seem to like giving Edwards carries.

Wide Receivers / Tight Ends

Brandon Aiyuk, SF – I’ve written the rookie up before, but the fact remains that he’s a monster talent with an ever-expanding role (6-115-0 in Week 7). The numbers will be spotty, but that will get better and he’s a playmaker in a big spot against the Seahawks in Week 8. Get him before he’s gone everywhere (20-30 percent owned).

Nelson Agholor, LV – The entire Raiders offense should be clicking next week, and maybe Agholor is worth an add after hauling in 5-107-1 in the loss to Tampa Bay. Agholor now has three TDs in three consecutive games for the Raiders, risky play or not. He’s available nearly everywhere (1-2 percent owned) and he’s got plenty of upside vs. the Browns.

Sterling Shepard, NYG – A solid possession receiver who used to have some enormous games, Shepard (35-40 percent owned) had 6-59-1 in his first game back since Week 2. He’s got a tough Week 8 matchup (TB) but the next couple (@WAS, PHI) are much better.

Randall Cobb, HOU – Cobb caught my eye in the DFS player pool last week but I failed to pull the trigger, missing out his 8-95-0 he put up out of the slot. I like Cobb as a slot receiver alongside Fuller and Cooks on this team. He’s on a bye but weeks 9 and 10 look solid.

Rashard Higgins, CLE – Higgins assumed a larger role once Odell Beckham Jr. left the game and had 6-110-0 in the Browns’ Week 7 win over the Bengals. He’s a streaky player, but there could be something there with ODB out.

TE Harrison Bryant, CLE – The rookie caught 4-of-5 targets for 56 yards and two TDs in the Week 7 win over the Bengals, and both he and David Njoku (2-20-1) are solid red zone targets who will be involved whenever Austin Hooper is out. He’s TD-dependent but TDs are good!

Scotty Miller, TB – The forgotten commodity among the high-profile Bucs WRs, Miller translated that anonymity into 6-109-1 in the win over the Raiders – and could do it again against the Giants in Week 8. The problem is when Antonio Brown gets into the fray, things could change.

Other WRs/TEs to consider: Cole Beasley, Denzel Mims, Jalen Guyton, Kendrick Bourne, Jalen Reagor, Marquez Callaway, TE Richard Rodgers, Donovan Peoples-Jones

UPDATE:

TE Trey Burton, IND – The Colts had a Week 7 bye, but Burton still looks like a decent add.

Travis Fulgham, PHI – He hauled in five of 11 targets for 73 yards on Thursday night and draws the Cowboys in Week 8.

UPDATE: DeSean Jackson is heading back to IR, so Fulgham’s targets are probably safe in the short-term.

James Washington, PIT – It was Diontae Johnson’s night. These things are cyclical in Pittsburgh when you have that many great receiving weapons.

Tim Patrick, DEN – Patrick had 3-44-0 prior to leaving Sunday’s 43-16 loss with a hamstring injury. Stay tuned.

TE Anthony Firkser, TEN – Jonnu Smith played, but fizzled, and Firkser did too, catching just two balls for 7 yards.