Fantasy Football Week 8 Waiver-Wire Pickups, Rankings and Box Score Stat Projections

It's never too early for fantasy football managers to start thinking ahead.

Particularly when the busiest bye week of the 2025 NFL season is unfortunately fast approaching.

Six different teams won't play this coming week: the Arizona Cardinals, Detroit Lions, Jacksonville Jaguars, Las Vegas Raiders, Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks. In other words, this is as shallow as the fantasy-relevant player pool will be, and that's before accounting for the perpetually expanding injury list.

Succeeding during Week 8 will require deft handling of your lineup decisions, a good amount of luck and quite possibly a pickup or two from the waiver wire. We're here to help on all fronts with early top-10 rankings and a waiver-wire target (with projected production!) at each of the three marquee positions.

Quarterback

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Top 10

1. Patrick Mahomes, KC (vs. WAS)
2. Josh Allen, BUF (at CAR)
3. Baker Mayfield, TB (at NO)
4. Lamar Jackson, BAL (vs. CHI)
5. Jalen Hurts, PHI (vs. NYG)
6. Drake Maye, NE (vs. CLE)
7. Jayden Daniels, WAS (at KC)
8. Bo Nix, DEN (vs. DAL)
9. Michael Penix Jr., ATL (vs. MIA)
10. Dak Prescott, DAL (at DEN)

Waiver-wire target: Joe Flacco, CIN (vs. NYJ)

Flacco has been as busy as any passer since landing in Cincinnati. And considering the caliber of playmakers now at his disposal, this kind of volume can be hugely helpful.

The veteran quarterback tallied 92 pass attempts over his first two tilts with the team, connecting on five scoring strikeouts without an interception. As long as he keeps relying on his top targets—Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, who saw 33 combined targets on Thursday—Flacco can be a viable streaming option.

Projected stats: 30-of-45 passing for 267 yards, two touchdowns

Running Back

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Top 10

1. Bijan Robinson, ATL (vs. MIA)
2. Christian McCaffrey, SF (at HOU)
3. Jonathan Taylor, IND (vs. TEN)
4. De'Von Achane, MIA (at ATL)
5. Derrick Henry, BAL (vs. CHI)
6. Saquon Barkley, PHI (vs. NYG)
7. Josh Jacobs, GB (at PIT)
8. James Cook, BUF (at CAR)
9. Javonte Williams, DAL (at DEN)
10. Rachaad White, TB (at NO)

Waiver-wire target: Kyle Monangai, CHI (at BAL)

Monangai, a seventh-round rookie, may have just forced his way into a timeshare split with starter D'Andre Swift. Bears coach Ben Johnson made great use out of multi-back lineups during his time as the Detroit Lions' playcaller, and Chicago just rode a similar setup to a double-digit win on Sunday.

Swift was great in the game (138 scrimmage yards and a score), but the Bears still made it a priority to involve Monangai, who turned 15 touches (13 carries and two catches) into 94 scrimmage yards and a touchdown. If this is a sign of things to come, the rookie rusher could be a viable Flex option, especially in such a busy bye week.

Projected stats: 11 carries for 64 yards, two catches for 17 yards, one touchdown

Wide Receiver

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Top 10

1. Justin Jefferson, MIN (at LAC)
2. Ja'Marr Chase, CIN (vs. NYJ)
3. CeeDee Lamb, DAL (at DEN)
4. Drake London, ATL (vs. MIA)
5. Rashee Rice, KC (vs. WAS)
6. Rome Odunze, CHI (at BAL)
7. Nico Collins, HOU (vs. SF)
8. Courtland Sutton, DEN (vs. DAL)
9. Mike Evans, TB (at NO)
10. DK Metcalf, PIT (vs. GB)

Waiver-wire target: Chimere Dike, TEN (at IND)

It's never fun to start with a disclaimer, but this feels worth noting: Sunday was the first time Dike offered any kind of fantasy utility this season. So, why bother recommending the rookie fourth-rounder? Because very little is settled in Tennessee, so there's a non-zero chance Dike's breakout game could help him rapidly climb atop the pass-catching pecking order.

Cam Ward looked Dike's direction four times on Sunday, and all four resulted in completions. Those four connections spanned 70 yards and included the Titans' only touchdown. If nothing else, it feels fair to assume Dike's showing earned him another audition, and if he seizes that chance like he did this one, he might secure a notable (and bankable) workload moving forward.

Projected stats: Three receptions for 58 yards, one touchdown