Week 8 Waiver Wire: Examining Top Fantasy Football Targets

Week 8 can be a make-it-or-break-it point in the fantasy football calendar, with most leagues' playoffs set to begin several weeks before the end of the NFL's regular season.

If you're thinking of making that head-turning playoff run down the home stretch, then one has to do plenty of homework before heading to the waiver wire for reinforcements at the skill positions.

Let's take a look at some of the top options dangling out on the waiver wire and how they can expect to fare in their upcoming matchups.

Quarterback

Ryan Tannehill, Miami Dolphins (12.7 percent owned)

After a slow start to the season, Ryan Tannehill has put up at least 17 fantasy points in each of his last three games. In the Dolphins' Week 7 victory over the Chicago Bears, Tannehill put up his best total of the season by completing 25 of 32 passes for 277 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions. NFL.com's Jeff Darlington noted his incredibly hot start to the game:

FoxSports.com's Paul Schrager doesn't see the party in Miami stopping anytime soon:

The third-year pro out of Texas A&M also showed he can still run the read-option on occasion and managed to pick up 30 yards on one such play. Fantasy owners can't expect him to pick up points on the ground every week, but it's nice to know the potential is there.

Tannehill has picked a great time to play some of the best football of his career. The Dolphins play the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 8, who are giving up 19.95 points per game to quarterbacks this season, fourth-worst mark in the league, per Yahoo Sports. Considering Blake Bortles is turning the ball over with stunning regularity, Tannehill and the Fins could benefit from some extra possessions in this game.

Tannehill is a safe QB2 option in most leagues but could be worth a start against the Jags. After Week 8, he runs into two tough defensive teams in the San Diego Chargers and Detroit Lions. He's definitely worth picking up as a bye-week fill-in or spot starter, but don't make him a top waiver-wire priority due to his poor track record.

Also Worth a Look: Carson Palmer, Arizona Cardinals

Running Back

Jerick McKinnon, Minnesota Vikings (11.7 percent owned)

Ann Heisenfelt/Associated Press

The word is already out on the Broncos' Ronnie Hillman after his Week 6 performance, which leaves McKinnon as the more readily available player heading into Week 8.

Matt Asiata's presence prevented some folks from picking up on McKinnon's progress, but there's no stashing him now after he racked up 103 yards on 19 carries against the Buffalo Bills in Week 7.

McKinnon first made his presence felt in Week 4 against the Atlanta Falcons, when he tallied 135 yards. He slowed down over the next couple of games, but it's clear now he's the more dynamic rusher and does a fine job of adding yards after contact, per ESPN.com's Ben Goessling:

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According to ESPN Stats & Information, McKinnon gained 57 yards after contact on 19 carries Sunday, or exactly three yards per carry, and wound up with 103 total yards on a day that required him to bounce off tackles for much of the game. 

The 5-foot-9 McKinnon joined Ivory as the only backs in the league to gain more yards after contact than before it Sunday.

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The Vikings have a very winnable game coming up against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who have given up seven rushing touchdowns and are allowing 4.1 yards per carry, via ESPN.com. Should the Vikings manage to get out to an early lead, McKinnon could see plenty of the ball as the team vies to kill the clock.

Beyond that, the Vikings' poor team performances could limit his overall effectiveness as they stand to play catch up more often than not this season. Consider McKinnon an RB3 with great upside moving forward.

Also Worth a Look: Tre Mason, St. Louis Rams; Ronnie Hillman, Denver Broncos; Bryce Brown, Buffalo Bills (assuming he gets the starting nod over Anthony Dixon); Denard Robinson, Jacksonville Jaguars

Wide Receiver

Doug Baldwin, Seattle Seahawks (20.2 percent owned)

The Seattle Seahawks could be a little desperate after dropping two straight games and falling to 3-3 on the season. Head coach Pete Carroll is likely to put more on the shoulders of quarterback Russell Wilson, who threw for over 300 yards against the Rams in Week 7.

With Percy Harvin now a member of the New York Jets, expect Wilson to make eye contact with Doug Baldwin more often than not in the coming weeks. NFL.com's Michael Fabiano expects there to be a war for his services:

Baldwin did plenty of work from the slot in Week 7 and did it well, picking up seven catches for 123 yards and one touchdown. It was a performance well beyond anything he displayed prior to this point in 2014.

He is in his fourth year with the Seahawks and has a deep understanding of what the coaching staff and Wilson want from him. That level of familiarity should garner him plenty of targets in the coming weeks. 

Baldwin is a plug-and-play wide receiver in Week 8, with strong WR2/WR3 potential for the rest of the season. He should have plenty of added value for those playing in PPR leagues due to the lack of options surrounding him in the offense.

Also Worth a Look: Odell Beckham Jr., New York Giants; Andrew Hawkins, Cleveland Browns; Stevie Johnson, San Francisco 49ers; Allen Robinson, Jacksonville Jaguars

Tight End

Owen Daniels, Baltimore Ravens (22.4 percent owned)

Nick Wass/Associated Press

It's tough to find consistency on the waiver wire when one is in the market for a tight end, but you could do worse than veteran pass-catcher Owen Daniels of the Baltimore Ravens. The ninth-year pro came into the season as the backup to Dennis Pitta, but the latter's season-ending hip injury forced Daniels to take on the starting role.

He's turned in some uneven performances as of late but did play well against the Falcons in Week 7. Daniels caught six passes for 58 yards and a touchdown. Quarterback Joe Flacco appears to have complete trust in Daniels, who is in his first season with the team after spending eight years with Houston Texans.

"He obviously has held onto the ball a lot of times while getting hit by two guys, even one in the end zone. So, yes, I have a lot of confidence throwing to him," he said, via Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun.

The two-time Pro Bowler does have a mighty fine matchup on the slate in Week 8. The Cincinnati Bengals are allowing 13.06 points per game to tight ends this season, most in the league, per Yahoo Sports. And the fun doesn't have to stop there; the Steelers are on the slate for Week 9 and have allowed the seventh-most points per game.

It's tough to recommend a waiver-wire tight end for any long period of time, but Daniels is a consistent player on a good team and should be a solid TE2/flex option from here on out.

Also Worth a Look: Jermaine Gresham, Cincinnati Bengals

Player ownership rates courtesy of ESPN.com and current as of October 20.