Waiver Wire Pickups Week 8 – Fantasy Football (2024)

Welcome to this week’s edition of our top waiver wire pickups for your fantasy football leagues. The season is flying by and we’re already on to Week 8 of the 2024 NFL season. Whether you have the top waiver wire priority this week or you’re not sure how much FAAB to spend, we’re here to help you out. Continue reading to check out the top waiver wire pickups for Week 8 in your fantasy football leagues.

Top Waiver Wire Pickups for Fantasy Football Week 8

With our expert fantasy football advice, you’ll be able to determine who to pay up for on the waiver wire. You’ll also find out which players you might fade or not waste your top priority on. Follow along with us all season long and we’ll help you win your fantasy football league this year. These should also help you determine who to buy low or sell high in Week 8 as well. Continue reading for the top waiver wire pickups as we head into Week 8 of the 2024 fantasy football season.

Keep in mind, that rostered percentages are from Sleeper on Monday, October 22nd.

Quarterbacks

Drake Maye – New England Patriots (25% Rostered)

Last week, Drake Maye was by far the most popular streaming candidate as he faced the Jaguars. Despite this, he’s still rostered in just 25% of Sleeper leagues. He did not disappoint, throwing for 276 yards, two touchdowns, and zero interceptions. In Week 6 against the Texans, he finished as the QB10 on the week. This week, he’s the QB4 prior to Monday Night Football.

Next week, Maye takes on the New York Jets. This defense has disappointed this year, after heading into the season as arguably the top defensive unit for 2024. Don’t get too excited, as the Patriots have a string of tougher matchups on paper against the Jets, Titans, and Bears. However, Maye certainly looks the part and his fantastic arm has been on display as well. – Aaron Schill

Jameis Winston – Cleveland Browns (3%)

After an unfortunate Achilles injury to starter Deshaun Watson, it appears that Jameis Winston will be the starting quarterback for the Browns for the rest of the 2024 season. He completed 5 of 11 passes for 67 yards and a touchdown in the Browns win over the Bengals.

Winston is currently rostered in just 3% of leagues on Sleeper, but that’s certainly going to skyrocket. If you’re in Superflex or 2QB leagues, he’s someone you can drop some FAAB on. For your traditional 1QB leagues, Winston takes on the Ravens in Week 8, the Chargers, and then is on his bye week in Week 10. You can count on Winston airing it out, despite losing Amari Cooper to the Bills recently. He’ll also have his share of interceptions, but Winston will put up solid fantasy numbers along the way. – Aaron Schill

Russell Wilson – Pittsburgh Steelers (13%)

After being named the starter over Justin Fields for Week 7, Russell Wilson came out and played fantastic against the Jets. In total, he threw for 16 of 29 for 264 yards and two touchdowns. In the rushing game, he took three carries for one single yard. However, he found the end zone. Prior to Monday Night Football, that puts him as the QB1 overall for the week. After Monday, he finished as the QB3 on the week.

We also saw George Pickens find the end zone for the first time this year, which could bode well for his fantasy value moving forward. Pickens caught 5 of 9 passes for 111 yards and a touchdown. Meanwhile, Pat Freiermuth caught just two of three passes for 51 yards. Overall, this offense has decent weapons and if Wilson can continue with this production, he’ll be a solid waiver wire pickup for Week 8 against the Giants.

Keep in mind, the Steelers have their bye week coming up in Week 9. After that, they have a string of good matchups for quarterbacks with the Commanders, Ravens, and Browns. Rostered in just 14% of leagues on Sleeper, Wilson is a solid waiver wire pickup at the quarterback position for Week 8 and beyond. – Aaron Schill

Tua Tagovailoa – Miami Dolphins (46%)

Tua Tagovailoa is set to play in Week 8 against the Cardinals, having been designated to return from IR, though he still needs to clear NFL concussion protocol. Assuming no setbacks, it’s full steam ahead for Tagovailoa and the struggling Dolphins offense. Given how inconsistent the quarterback position has been in 2024, Tagovailoa offers league-winning potential for the rest of the season if he can get back to his previous form. – Anthony Cervino

Running Backs

Ray Davis – Buffalo Bills (28%)

We saw Ray Davis go off two weeks ago without James Cook. While Cook returned to the lineup this week, Davis was still involved running five times for 41 yards and a touchdown. Clearly, Davis is still behind Cook in this rotation. However, he could start earning Flex value at some point. At the very least, he’s an excellent stash or handcuff in case Cook misses time again in the future. – Steve DeAngelo

Tyler Allgeier – Atlanta Falcons (50%)

Based on his rookie campaign, we know Tyler Allgeier can produce solid fantasy numbers. He ran for 1,035 yards on 210 carries in 2022 and has averaged 9.3 yards per catch on his 42 career receptions. Against the upcoming Buccaneers, he is averaging 4.2 yards per carry and 11 yards per reception.

Ultimately, Allgeier is probably not going to give a week-winning performance. However, he’ll get some solid points if you’re in need of a reliable runner. – Benjamin Ditlevson

Tyler Goodson – Indianapolis Colts (14%)

Jonathan Taylor has now missed multiple games and has not even practiced. So there is a chance he could be out another week or more. Keep in mind, this is the same ankle that gave him trouble two years ago as well. Unfortunately, this is something that could linger. If you are a Taylor manager or just need running back, help Goodson should be a waiver wire priority. Notably, Goodson has been outplaying Trey Sermon, finishing last week with 14 carries for 51 yards and a touchdown. – Steve DeAngelo

Jaylen Warren – Pittsburgh Steelers (42%)

Jaylen Warren started the 2024 season slow, still recovering from a lower-body injury. However, he showed signs of his usual explosiveness in Sunday night’s win over the Jets. He played a season-high 33 snaps, matching Najee Harris, and took 14 touches for 59 total yards. While the production wasn’t exceptional, the increased volume is encouraging.

With Russell Wilson under center, the Steelers offense could become more efficient, potentially leading to better fantasy numbers for Warren. Right now, he’s a solid injury-contingent handcuff to Harris. However, if his workload continues to rise, Warren could develop into a reliable weekly Flex option. – Anthony Cervino

Wide Receivers

Jalen McMillan – Tampa bay Buccaneers 6%

This is a nice dart throw given the Mike Evans and Chris Godwin injuries. Prior to missing a few games McMillian saw no less than 77% of the snap share in the first three weeks. He did find the end zone in Week 1 which was the rookies first game of his career.

Getting pieces in one of the best offenses in the NFL is valuable. We don’t know how severe the Evans injury is but he missed practice all week before reinjuring it on Monday Night Football. The Godwin injury was also so bad that they wouldn’t even show the replay on live TV and he ended up getting carted off. Overall, this is awful news for the Buccaneers offense. However, McMillan is clearly a top waiver wire pickup for Week 8. – Pete Nova

Trey Palmer – Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2%)

With both Evans and Godwin sidelined due to injuries, the Buccaneers are facing a major hit at wide receiver in one of the NFL’s most prominent throwing offenses. Although McMillan has yet to play more than 31% of snaps or see more than three targets in a game this season, his usage is likely to increase as Tampa adjusts.

McMillan is a promising long-term play, especially with Godwin out for the year. He and Evans should be rostered, particularly as Evans’ return timeline remains uncertain. If you miss out on McMillan, Palmer is someone that you should have on your radar off the waiver wire. – Anthony Cervino

Cedric Tillman – Cleveland Browns (2%)

Cedric Tillman stepped up in the absence of former Brown Amari Cooper. Notably, he played in 82% of the offensive snaps, catching eight balls for 81 yards and a two point conversion. Tillman is a 6’3, former third round pick out of Tennessee, that came into this game with just three catches on the year. However, along with David Njoku, there is a chance he leads this team in receiving as Jerry Jeudy and Elijah Moore have underwhelmed throughout their NFL careers. – Steve DeAngelo

Jauan Jennings – San Francisco 49ers (37%)

Jauan Jennings was added weeks ago, but may have been dropped recently. Especially since he did not play this past week against the Chiefs. Now with Brandon Aiyuk out for the year and Deebo Samuel currently hospitalized with pneumonia, Jennings is a must-add again.

As we saw when Jennings got a chance earlier this season, he’s a good player who will produce when given a chance. He will be a huge factor the rest of the way for this 49ers team, use your highest waiver priority and drop your FAAB to get him. – Steve DeAngelo

Jalen Tolbert – Dallas Cowboys (33%)

The last time we saw the Cowboys, it was a rough outing, but their pass-heavy offense is still critical due to issues in both the running game and defense. And with Brandin Cooks on IR, Jalen Tolbert has solidified his role as the No. 2 wide receiver and has one of the softest matchup schedules ahead.

Impressively, Tolbert has posted 13.2+ PPR points in three of his last five games, boasting a 14.7% target share and a 70.6% catch rate. While the Week 6 matchup against the 49ers is tough, his next four games are against teams ranked in the bottom 12 in fantasy points allowed to wide receivers (ATL, PHI, HOU, WAS), making him a strong play down the stretch.

Keon Coleman – Buffalo Bills (52%)

With the addition of Amari Cooper, many may have moved on too early from rookie Keon Coleman. However, Coleman had his breakout game catching four of his seven targets for 125 yards. This is exactly what the rookie needed. Not to be the WR1 for the Bills, but the No.2 on this offense and get a nice veteran wing to go learn under.

Moving forward, Coleman will look to continue building from this performance against a banged-up Seattle defense in Week 8. Following that, he faces the Colts, Dolphins and Chiefs before heading into their Week 12 bye. Overall, this makes Coleman a solid waiver wire pickup for this week and beyond – Ryan Miner

Ricky Pearsall – San Francisco 49ers (25%)

As stated above by Steve DeAngelo with Aiyuk being out for the season, another deep wide receiver to look at is 2024 NFL Draft first-round rookie Ricky Pearsall. Many may be surprised to see him see five targets on Sunday afternoon, yet the 49ers were depleted at the wide receiver core. Samuel left with a sickness, leaving just George Kittle being the big name on the field. Finally, if you are really desperate, look at Jacob Cowing (two catches for 50 yards) who is available in nearly all fantasy football leagues. – Ryan Miner

Tight Ends

Noah Fant – Seattle Seahawks (24%)

Noah Fant is currently the TE17 on the season in PPR leagues. With the DK Metcalf injury, he’s worth adding him to your roster. The matchups are favorable coming up as he gets the Buffalo Bills and the Los Angeles Ram. Both are in the top 10 for points allowed to the tight end position. Fant has had 60+ yards in the last two games. I would expect an uptick in usage going forward. – Pete Nova

Ja’Tavion Sanders – Carolina Panthers (7%)

Catching 14 or his 18 targets over the last three games, Ja’Tavion Sanders seems to be getting more involved in the Carolina passing game. Notably, he has reached at least 49 receiving yards in back-to-back games, hitting a season-high 61 yards on six receptions this past week. If you’re in dire need to tight end help and miss out on a sexier name, this up-and-coming athlete could help you for a couple of weeks. – Benjamin Ditlevson

Cade Otton – Tampa Bay Buccaneers (42%)

If you got ahead of the market on Cade Otton in recent weeks, you are winning. Despite only being rostered in 42% of Sleeper leagues, Otton is proving his value. Especially after a career performance on Monday night where he caught 8 of 10 targets for 100 yards.

Impressively, he’s now scored 11+ PPR points in three of his last five games, with eight or more targets in those productive outings. With the Buccaneers’ wide receiver room severely depleted due to injuries to Evans and Godwin, Otton is primed for a larger role. His upcoming schedule is favorable, with matchups against the 49ers, Chiefs, and Falcons, all of which offer decent opportunities for fantasy tight ends. – Anthony Cervino

Taysom Hill – New Orleans Saints (22%)

There is an opportunity that Taysom Hill could return Week 8. Thursday Night football showed that Spencer Rattler isn’t the answer, and Alvin Kamara can’t carry the team on his own. The Swiss Army knife of a player can make a difference as he can play every offensive position.

With the unpredictable involvement in the offense, it’s hard to predict what Hill will do. In the three games Hill has played in he has 14 carries for 77 yards and two touchdowns along with two catches. He’s a desperate start, or Flex at best until we hear more throughout the week. – Ryan Miner

Week 8 Waiver Wire Rankings

Trending Now

Weekly Fantasy Football Rankings

Waiver Wire Pickups

Start Em Sit Em

Free NFL Picks