NFL Waiver Wire: Week 8 Pickups

Depression has hit the Payne household with the Bills falling to 4-3 and already equaling their loss total from a season ago. If there's a silver lining, there's still a lot football to be played, and you want your team peaking Week 18 as opposed to now.

We saw this week that the good teams usually bounce back from bad losses (the 49ers notwithstanding) and aren't as bad as the immediate reaction to those losses would suggest. Baltimore easily handled Detroit at home, the Eagles beat a tough Miami team after losing to the Jets the previous week and both the Falcons and Seahawks won after suffering defeats last week.

As always, hit up the comments section or DM me @KCPayne26 on X (formerly known as Twitter) as many of you already have.

This column is geared toward "standard" 12-team leagues and based upon a $100 free-agent budget. Please adjust for your league based on both the number of teams (I'm in a 24-team league, for example) and remaining budget.

QUARTERBACK

Primary Targets

Gardner Minshew, IND - First, I probably wouldn't start Minshew this week given a tough matchup against the Saints' elite defense. However, he's had back-to-back 300-yard games and has the skill set to rush for touchdowns, which he did Sunday (two!). He has an excellent receiving corps to throw to (I'll get to Josh Downs in a minute). FAAB: $8-$10

Secondary Targets

Kyler Murray, ARI - Murray is expected to take reps with the first team in practice this week, though he reportedly won't return until Week 10 against the Falcons. That makes sense, considering the Cardinals face tough defenses next two weeks in the Ravens and the Browns. Outside of the 49ers, the rest of the schedule is fantasy friendly for a quarterback facing seven teams ranking 13th-25th against the position. This development could bring fantasy value back to Marquise Brown and Rondale Moore. FAAB: $3-$6

RUNNING BACK

Primary Targets

Kareem Hunt, CLE - I'm breaking my rule of writing about players who are more than 50 percent owned for Hunt this week. He's on 64 percent of Yahoo rosters, so he's probably not available. If he is, he's worth a decent bid considering he could easily be the top back for the Browns the rest of the season. Jerome Ford filled in admirably for Nick Chubb but wearing a walking boot after Sunday's game doesn't bode well for his immediate future. Hunt scored twice and Ford had 13 touches to Hunt's 10, showing there's plenty of work for Hunt. Pierre Strong (1 percent rostered) got a season-high eight carries and would be likely be the next option after Hunt. FAAB: Hunt $25-$50, Strong $3-$6

Darrell Henderson, Royce Freeman, LAR - The waiver wire can be a fickle thing and while I (and most) thought Zach Evans would be the Rams' running back to roster, it proved to be Henderson. Evans didn't get a touch while Henderson and Royce Freeman handled the workload in the Los Angeles backfield. Henderson is on 25 percent of Yahoo rosters and went into Sunday's game with the best anytime touchdown odds and, sure enough, was given the ball at the goal line and converted. The Rams' offense is much more potent than most expected with the emergence of Puca Nacua and Henderson should get the goal line work while Freeman will get work spelling Henderson. Kyren Williams and Ronnie Rivers were both placed on IR, so the backfield belongs to Henderson and Freeman for at least the next few weeks. FAAB: Henderson $20-$30, Freeman $5-$10

Emari Demercado, ARI - Another week, another change in the backfield for the Cardinals. A week after receiving only two carries, Demercado was the lead back for Arizona on Sunday, finishing with 17 touches while the only other running back to get touches was Damien Williams with one carry. Keaontay Ingram was a healthy scratch, making him droppable, and it's notable the Cardinals have two tough matchups the next two weeks with Browns and Ravens. James Conner is will be on IR for a few more weeks, so Demercado is the back to roster. FAAB: $10-$20

Tyjae Spears, TEN - He's rostered 42 percent in Yahoo leagues and that should go up 30-40 percent in most league this week. There are rumors swirling Derrick Henry could be on the move before next Tuesday's (Oct. 31) trade deadline, which would leave Spears with the bulk of the backfield workload for the Titans. Spears is already in something of a timeshare with Henry, with the latter getting a 2:1 touch ratio to Spears, which is higher than almost any other complementary back has had playing with Henry. FAAB: $7-$14

Secondary Targets

Roschon Johnson, CHI - It sounds as if Johnson should be out of the concussion protocol at some point this week. D'Onta Foreman should continue to be the main back this week but Johnson will get his touches provided he's healthy. Foreman was a healthy scratch when Roschon was healthy, suggesting he's still thought higher of than Foreman. It's coin flip in most leagues as to whether Johnson is actually available on waivers. FAAB: $4-$8

Cam Akers, MIN - Akers has had enough time to pick up the Minnesota offense and was given more touches (12) than Alexander Mattison (10) during Monday night's win over the 49ers. What was telling that the tide may be shifting with the running backs to Akers' favor is that it was Akers trying to run out the clock at the end of the game and not Mattison. Alexander only averages 4.0 yards per carry and averaged only 3.8 and 3.7 in each of the last two seasons. It bodes well for Akers that offensive coordinator Wes Phillips (son of Wade Phillips) likely had a big hand in trading for Akers after their time spent together on the Rams. FAAB: $4-$8

Hail Mary

Devin Singletary, HOU - I talked about him last week and this could be the final chance to get him will little FAAB money. He split work with Dameon Pierce Week 6 and could be in line for similar work this week against a Carolina team that ranks 31st against running backs. FAAB: $2-$4

WIDE RECEIVER

Primary Targets

Josh Downs, IND - Downs put up his first 100-yard game Sunday, finishing with 6-5-125-1. It's his second week in a row he's scored a touchdown and he's up to four games with double-digit fantasy points in PPR formats. There's a good possibility that Downs starting the season lower on the depth chart meant working out more with Minshew, who was the backup before Anthony Richardson went down. Position coach Reggie Wayne fought to make Downs a third-round pick out of North Carolina telling the IndyStar May:

"I thought he was the best receiver at the Combine," Wayne said. "I just think the way he ran his routes was effortless, smooth, and actually, what I saw at the Combine was not what I saw on tape. On tape … things looked a little bit more controlled, but at the Combine, you saw his speed."

He's still the second option to Michael Pittman but is in the conversation for a No. 3 wide receiver or flex option based on matchups. FAAB: $6-$12

Secondary Targets

Kendrick Bourne, Demario Douglas, NE - The Patriots pulled off the home upset Sunday and both Bourne and Douglas played a big role in their victory. The two were the leading receivers for New England with Bourne finishing with 63 receiving yards and a touchdown while Douglas led all receivers with 74 yards from scrimmage. This was the third time Bourne posted at least 18.3 fantasy points (PPR) in seven games while it was Douglas' first double-digit fantasy performance of the season (11.4). Bourne is easily the more attractive of the two receivers, I'm just not sure how consistent he'll be in a Mac Jones-led offense. FAAB: Bourne $4-$8, Douglas $1-$2

Hail Mary

Jake Bobo, SEA - Easily one of the best names in the league, Bobo made a great edge-of-the-end-zone catch from Geno Smith, barely keeping his feet inbounds. Bobo got some extra run with DK Metcalf missing his first professional game with a hip injury. It is unclear if Metcalf will miss more time, but it's a tough matchup this week against the Browns, who rank first against wide receivers. Even if Metcalf is out, it'll be tough to trust Bobo to produce on a consistent basis. FAAB: $1-$2

TIGHT END

Primary Targets

Dalton Kincaid, BUF - Kincaid was finally used as more of a downfield option against the Patriots and finished with a season-high eight catches for 75 yards. He's a much better receiving option than Dawson Knox, and that was before Knox injured his wrist. Knox will have surgery and is out for an extended time. Bump up the bidding on Kincaid as a result. Buffalo has already lost its two best starters on defense (Matt Milano, Tre'Davious White), so it should be involved in more shootouts the rest of the season. While he hasn't scored a touchdown, it's reasonable to expect 4-6 the rest of the way given Knox has had 15 the last two seasons and should miss multiple games. FAAB: $8-$16

Secondary Targets

Taysom Hill, NO - About this time of the week it seems like the Thursday night game was weeks ago and it's easy to forget free agents playing in that game. Hill fits that mold this week and had his best fantasy game of the season, finishing with 16.8 fantasy points in PPR formats. It was his second straight game scoring double-digits, and he has three consecutive matchups against teams ranked 19th or higher against tight ends. The bad news is Juwan Johnson should return to practice this week and should play Sunday, so I'm not going to be as high on Hill as most. It should be more apparent if Johnson will return this weekend later this week and I'd shy away from using Hill if he returns. FAAB: $3-$6

DEFENSE

Hail Mary

Atlanta Falcons - If the Jets (61 percent rostered) are available, they'd be the more preferred option playing Daniel Jones and the Giants. The Falcons are favored in a game with an over/under of 37 points and either of two backups, Malik Willis or Will Levis, will be under center for the Titans. Atlanta haven't allowed more than 24 points in a game this season and have scored double-digit fantasy points twice. FAAB: $1-$2