FlurrySports’ best fantasy football waiver wire pickups to make in Week 8 include the New York Jets’ Omar Cooper Jr.
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To be completely honest, the Week 8 fantasy football waiver wire isn’t the strongest. However, if you are in a solid position, now may be the time to look ahead and grab one of the solid rookie handcuff RBs.
We do still have four teams on bye once again: New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, San Francisco 49ers and Houston Texans. So, if you need a bye week fill-in, I do have some pickups for you below as well. I also have my waiver wire rankings over at the FlurrySports Playbook!
On Playbook.FlurrySports.org, I have everything your league doesn’t want you to have. My fantasy rankings, the NFL Survivor tool, a weather app and hundreds of NFL team stats are all free. However, I also have my fantasy football waiver rankings, exclusive stats, fantasy football trade value chart and more for those who want more information. Simply, I wanted a one-stop shop to help you win on your NFL and college football picks this season!
Go check that out after reading the best fantasy football waiver wire targets ahead of Week 8.
Note: Players must be owned in less than 50% of ESPN leagues to be included in the best fantasy football waiver wire pickups column. Ownership percentages will reflect their status on Tuesday mornings ahead of standard waiver processing.
Best Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups Week 8
QB Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups
Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks (31%)
It was clear that Sam Darnold was playing with more confidence this past week. In one of his best games this season, he completed a season-high 71.4% of his passes for 257 yards with one touchdown and one interception.
I am not saying that Sam Darnold will light the world on fire at any point this season. However, if you are looking for a bye week fill-in, Darnold has a matchup against the Chicago Bears that doesn’t scare you. He may be able to remain in your lineup as well, with games against the Arizona Cardinals and Las Vegas Raiders after that.
Other Fantasy QBs to Consider:
- Malik Willis
- Michael Penix Jr.
- Jacoby Brissett
RB Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups
Dylan Sampson, Cleveland Browns (8.7%)
The electric second-year running back made his return from injury last week, and he looked good! He ran for 45 yards on six carries while also catching three passes for 32 yards. He was drafted to be the perfect backfield complement to Quinshon Judkins, serving as the lightning to his thunder. With the backfield finally healthy, the two should be able to work well together.
The Cleveland Browns have been playing good football. However, it is fair to assume they will lose plenty of games the rest of the season. Trailing in games is not necessarily bad for Sampson, since he is their receiving back. Look for him to be involved in the game plan every week regardless of game flow, making him a solid pickup off the Week 8 fantasy football waiver wire.
Jonah Coleman, Denver Broncos (24.2%)
The Broncos’ rookie running back returned from injury and immediately performed well, carrying the ball nine times for 54 yards while catching two passes for 15 yards. Now, seven of his carries came late in the game when Denver had a healthy lead. Still, Coleman performed well in his first game back, and he led the backfield with a 49% snap share.
For now, picking up Jonah Coleman should only be a stash. But let’s be honest, JK Dobbins hasn’t been the healthiest in his career. Dobbins has never played a full NFL season, and he’s played over 10 games just once since his rookie season. I bring this up to say that Coleman will likely see an opportunity for an increased role at some point this season.
Other Fantasy RBs to Consider:
- Emmett Johnson
- Mike Washington Jr.
- Kaelon Black
WR Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups
Omar Cooper Jr., New York Jets (34.8%)
We saw Omar Cooper Jr. return from IR last week, and he made a ton of noise in his return. He caught six passes for 103 yards and a touchdown. I was a bit hesitant to be fully on board with Cooper after this performance, since the New York Jets were still playing without Adonai Mitchell, who has been operating as the WR2.
In Week 7, Mitchell returned to the lineup, but it was still the rookie who led the way for the Jets. Cooper totaled five receptions for 115 yards and a touchdown. While there’s no doubt that Garrett Wilson will get more involved than he has been the past couple of games, it’s also clear that Cooper will continue to be a big part of the offense, and he sees natural spacing with the defense’s attention on both Wilson and the running game.
With the matchups ahead, Omar Cooper Jr. looks to be a WR3 with upside.
Antonio Williams, Washington Commanders (7%)
The Washington Commanders are coming off a bye week, so rookie Antonio Williams may fly under the radar a bit. However, we saw Terry McLaurin go down with a season-ending injury in their last game, so Williams rises to WR2 on the depth chart. Williams led all Washington wide receivers with a 67% snap share in Week 6, which should be considered a sign of things to come.
Antonio Williams turned four targets into three receptions for 50 yards in that game. He will now see an increase in role, and the Commanders likely used the bye week to help incorporate the rookie into the game plan while also cleaning up his game so he can be trusted more.
Other Fantasy WRs to Consider:
- KC Concepcion
- Tez Johnson
- Keenan Allen
TE Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups
Chig Okonkwo, Washington Commanders (4.8%)
In the same way that Antonio Williams may be an under-the-radar target off the Week 8 fantasy football waiver wire, Chig Okonkwo has the potential to be an absolute steal. We know how Jayden Daniels likes to target the tight end position in the middle of the field, and Washington brought Okonkwo in to fill that role this offseason.
Okonkwo battled injuries to begin the season, but he returned to the lineup over the past two games for the Commanders. In those two games, Chig Okonkwo has had a 22.4% target share, totaling 11 receptions for 129 yards. With McLaurin out for the rest of the season, there is a strong chance that Okonkwo will be the second receiving option more often than not.
If you need a tight end, then Chig Okonkwo should be atop your Week 8 fantasy football pickups.
Mason Taylor, New York Jets (0.3%)
New York Jets’ Mason Taylor had an outstanding National Tight End’s Day, grabbing five catches for 62 yards and two touchdowns. This game made it two straight weeks that Taylor has seen six targets. While six targets could be tough to reach three weeks in a row, it seems clear that the second-year TE will remain a big part of the Jets’ offense.
He was overshadowed by the early draft pick of Kenyon Sadiq, but the goal is for both players to be included, with the Jets hoping to play a heavy dose of 12 personnel. With that in mind, Mason Taylor has a chance to be a steady fantasy contributor the rest of the season.
Other Fantasy TEs to Consider:
- Hunter Henry
- Greg Dulcich
- Michael Mayer
DST Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups
Cincinnati Bengals (16%)
In Week 8, the Cincinnati Bengals have the privilege of facing the Tennessee Titans, who may have the worst offense in the NFL. They averaged the second-fewest points per game in the league, at 15.4. If not for Tony Pollard last week, that number would be much lower as well. Simply, Cam Ward and the passing offense is unable to form any sort of consistency. Now, he faces a Cincinnati pass rush that has been solid.
The Bengals have sacked the quarterback at least three times in all but one game this season. With four interceptions over their past four games as well, Cincinnati is a high-floor, high-ceiling DST you can pick up and plug into your starting lineup. Check out the FlurrySports Playbook to see where they rank in my waiver wire rankings!
