We've reached the midpoint of the NFL season, which means we are more than halfway through the fantasy football season.
Week 7 reminded us how essential the waiver wire is to fantasy football success. Lions wide receiver Marvin Jones (10 receptions, 93 receiving yards, four touchdowns) and Cardinals running back Chase Edmonds (150 total yards, three touchdowns) both were former waiver wire pickups who had massive Sundays.
With Week 8 featuring two teams on a bye (Dallas and Baltimore), let's take a look at the best long- and short-term options available on the waiver wire.
Note: We've limited their recommendations to players owned in fewer than 50% of Yahoo leagues. All data as of Monday.
Week 8 Waiver Wire Pickups
Quarterback Streaming Targets
Jacoby Brissett, Colts
Ownership: 48%
Brissett was fantastic off the Colts' bye week. He torched the Texans for 326 passing yards and four touchdowns in a big 30-23 win that put the Colts in first place in the AFC South.
Brissett, who will face the Broncos on Sunday, is a fantastic streaming option for Dak Prescott or Lamar Jackson owners and is a worthy bench stash with three of Indianapolis' next four games at home.
Sam Darnold, Jets
Ownership: 33%
Darnold returned from mononucleosis in Week 6 against Dallas and promptly posted 338 passing yards and two touchdowns. While his Week 8 matchup at Jacksonville is challenging, he has one of the best quarterback schedules for the remainder of the season.
The Jets face the Dolphins (twice), Giants, Redskins, Raiders and Bengals over the next six weeks.
With Le'Veon Bell, Robby Anderson, Jamison Crowder, and (hopefully) Chris Herndon at his disposal, Darnold has all the necessary tools to be a QB1 rest of season.
Teddy Bridgewater, Saints
Ownership: 16%
If you only need a one-week quarterback replacement, strongly consider Bridgewater.
With Drew Brees on schedule to return after New Orleans' Week 9 bye, Bridgewater only has streaming appeal for the Saints' Week 8 battle against the Cardinals.
Arizona is allowing the second-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks, so Bridgewater is a viable option, especially in two QB leagues.
Running Back Targets
Ronald Jones, Buccaneers
Ownership: 48%
Will head coach Bruce Arians ever trust Ronald Jones?
The answer is unknown, but it certainly doesn't hurt that Jones has accumulated two touchdowns in Tampa Bay's past two games.
Sometimes coaches make changes coming out of a bye week, and Jones could be in line for a bigger role. He does have three games of 70 rushing yards or more this season.
It's a risk, but Jones translates to a Flex worthy add with RB2 upside … if he stays in Arians' good graces.
Chase Edmonds, Cardinals
Ownership: 48%
Edmonds took advantage of an essentially David Johnson-free game to post 126 rushing yards and three touchdowns in Arizona's 27-21 win over the Giants.
Fantasy owners were certainly frustrated with Johnson being named the starter, only to see him pulled from the game after two plays. However, Edmonds seized his opportunity.
While he lacks consistency as a weekly play, Edmonds is flashing enough efficiency for weekly Flex consideration, while maintaining massive upside in the event that Johnson's injury turns out to be a long-term concern.
Ty Johnson, Detroit
Ownership, 1%
Johnson received the majority of the touches after teammate Kerryon Johnson left in the first quarter with a knee injury. He totaled 10 carries for 29 yards with four receptions for 28 receiving yards against a stout Minnesota defense.
With a Week 8 home game against the Giants (who were just torched by Chase Edmonds), Ty Johnson is an intriguing add if Kerryon Johnson cannot play.
Potential RB Stashes
Gus Edwards, Ravens
Ownership: 5%
The Ravens Gus Edwards has no weekly value as long as Mark Ingram is healthy, but is worth a stash in the event of an injury.
Edwards has rushed for 34 or more yards in five games this season and has averaged 6.5 carries over the past four games.
Wide Receiver Targets
Corey Davis, Titans
Ownership: 41%
All it took to unleash Corey Davis was a quarterback change.
The third-year Tennessee wideout tallied seven targets, six receptions, 80 receiving yards and a touchdown in the Titans 23-20 win over the Chargers.
With upcoming home games against Tampa Bay and Kansas City during the next three weeks, consider Davis as a WR3/Flex play as long as Ryan Tannehill is the starting quarterback.
A.J. Brown, Titans
Ownership: 17%
Brown has started to show consistency in the Titans offense, totaling four or more targets in five of Tennessee's seven games. He received a team-high eight targets against the Chargers.
With a favorable schedule, Brown is a desirable WR3 waiver wire pickup. I would prioritize Brown over Corey Davis because of season-long consistency.
DeVante Parker, Dolphins
Ownership: 13%
Parker delivered a solid WR2 performance against an elite Buffalo pass defense with Ryan Fitzpatrick as quarterback (five catches, 55 receiving yards, and one touchdown on a team-high 10 targets).
As the lead wide receiver on a Dolphins team that will constantly have a negative game script, Parker is worth a WR3/Flex look as long as Fitzpatrick remains as the starter.
Anthony Miller, Bears
Ownership: 12%
Over the past two weeks, Miller has totaled 16 targets as the Bears' second-most targeted wide receiver.
Trubisky loves his slot receivers and should continue to look in Miller's direction for the remainder of the season.
Miller will battle running back Tarik Cohen for targets behind lead wide receiver Allen Robinson and is a matchup-dependent Flex asset.
Alex Erickson, Bengals
Ownership: 2%
The fourth-year Wisconsin product enjoyed a career game with eight receptions on 14 targets for 137 receiving yards. Erickson totaled 110 yards by the end of the first half.
The Cincinnati offense is one of the NFL's worst, but with 20 targets and 12 receptions over the past two weeks, he is at least worth consideration in the deepest of leagues.
Next week's matchup at the Rams presents the possibility of a heavy negative game script, giving Erickson another chance for high volume.
Zach Pascal, Colts
Ownership: 1%
Pascal enjoyed a breakout performance with six receptions on seven targets, for 106 passing yards and two touchdowns. His recent volume increase is attributed to an injury to rookie wideout Parris Campbell. He now has seven targets in two of the past three games.
He is worth consideration as a WR3/Flex play as long as Campbell remains sidelined. Indianapolis has four home games over the next six weeks, including one against Miami.
Jaron Brown, Seahawks
Ownership: 1%
There is simply no reason for Brown's ownership to be this low after he totaled three catches for the fourth time in the past five weeks.
Brown finished with 60 receiving yards, his highest total of the season. With the season-ending injury to tight end Will Dissly, Brown is entrenched as the third receiving option behind Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf.
He is worth WR4 consideration tethered to All-Pro quarterback Russell Wilson.
Tight End Streaming Targets
Vance McDonald, Steelers
Ownership: 49%
McDonald should be healthy coming off Pittsburgh's bye week with a plum matchup against the Dolphins at home. Miami has allowed the ninth-most receiving yards to opposing tight ends.
Quarterback Mason Rudolph should return, giving McDonald streamable appeal in an ideal matchup.
Kyle Rudolph, Vikings
Ownership: 28%
Rudolph will never be a high-volume target in Minnesota's run-first offense, but he did produce 58 receiving yards and a touchdown in the Vikings 42-30 win at Detroit.
He is worth streaming consideration over the new two weeks with a Thursday home game against Washington followed by a date with the TE-friendly Chiefs.
Potential TE Stashes
Ricky Seals-Jones, Browns
Ownership: 3%
The uber-athletic Seals-Jones has found the end zone twice over the past three games, accumulating six targets, three receptions and 47 receiving yards in Cleveland’s Week 6 loss to Seattle.
Cleveland travels to New England in Week 8, but in a shallow fantasy position, Seals-Jones is a potential TE stash with a favorable second-half fantasy schedule.
