Eagles' Kenny Gainwell, Top Waiver-Wire RBs to Consider After Miles Sanders Injury

Philadelphia Eagles running back Miles Sanders will miss at least three weeks after being placed on injured reserve Friday with an ankle injury, leaving fantasy managers looking for backup options entering the weekend.

If you're in a pinch, players like Philly's Kenneth Gainwell, New England's Brandon Bolden and Houston's David Johnson are some of the top waiver-wire targets for Week 8.

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Kenny Gainwell

Gainwell is an obvious choice as he will be Philadelphia's top running back with Sanders sidelined. The 22-year-old has been effective through seven weeks, too, with 26 carries for 120 yards, two touchdowns, and 19 catches for 164 yards and a score. 

Gainwell has plenty of upside this weekend against a Detroit Lions defense that has allowed the 11th-most rushing yards (840) and eighth-most passing yards (1,841) this season, per Pro Football Reference. 

However, Gainwell is rostered in 63 percent of Yahoo Sports fantasy leagues, so he might not be available as many fantasy managers already added the backup RB as soon as they heard the news about Sanders. 

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Brandon Bolden

Bolden is another good option for Week 8 as the Patriots continue to utilize the veteran in various ways after James White suffered a season-ending hip injury earlier this season.

The 31-year-old played just 28 percent of New England's offensive snaps in a Week 7 win over the New York Jets. However, he was incredibly effective when on the field, catching six passes for 79 yards and a touchdown on seven targets.

The Patriots primarily rely on Damien Harris as their top running back, but the team will need to get creative this weekend against the Los Angeles Chargers, which could mean another big week for Bolden.

Bolden is rostered in just 13 percent of Yahoo leagues, so pick him up before it's too late.

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David Johnson

With Mark Ingram gone, Johnson could become Houston's top running back. He's also been effective this season despite being behind Ingram on the depth chart initially.

The former Pro Bowler has 27 carries for 104 yards and 19 catches for 154 yards and a touchdown this season. He's also seeing more than 50 percent of the Texans' offensive snaps in recent weeks, which makes him a solid option for Week 8.

However, Johnson could also be a difficult add because he's rostered in 44 percent of Yahoo leagues. If he's unavailable, fantasy managers can also try to add Phillip Lindsay, who is rostered in just 16 percent of Yahoo leagues.

The 27-year-old will see more playing time following Ingram's departure despite playing just seven percent of Houston's offensive snaps in Week 7. He has 38 carries for 97 yards and a touchdown this season, in addition to three catches for 37 yards and a score.