Week 8 Waiver Wire Top Targets For This Week's Injured Fantasy Football Stars

The good news for fantasy managers is that they won't have to worry about setting lineups early on Sunday morning—there is no international game this week. The bad news is that managers will have to contend with nearly 20 percent of the league being on bye.

The Arizona Cardinals, Detroit Lions, Jacksonville Jaguars, Las Vegas Raiders, Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks are off this week.

The waiver wire is going to play a huge role in Week 8, probably even for managers who aren't dealing with major injuries. Injuries, of course, will also play a factor for many.

Here, you'll find a look at the top remaining plays of Week 8, the latest from the Week 8 injury report and the top waiver targets at each position.

All rankings, picks and analysis are based on point-per-reception (PPR) scoring.

Quarterback

AP Photo/Jeff Dean

Bengals QB Joe Flacco

1. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
2. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
3. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles
4. Bo Nix, Denver Broncos
5. Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
6. Daniel Jones, Indianapolis Colts
7. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
8. Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears
9. Jaxson Dart, New York Giants
10. Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers

Injury Report and Waiver Wire Targets

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy will remain out this week with a toe injury, meaning Mac Jones will again get the start. Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (ankle) is doubtful, meaning Andy Dalton will likely get the start.

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson and Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. were initially listed as questionable. However, Jackson was ruled out on Saturday. Kirk Cousins is "highly likely" to start in place of Penix, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco should be a top sleeper play this week and is still available in over 50 percent of Yahoo and ESPN leagues. He threw for 343 yards and three touchdowns in his last outing and will get another home start this week.

Flacco will face the New York Jets, who have a solid secondary but have still surrendered the 15th-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks.

The list of other QBs to consider on the wire this week includes Cousins, Aaron Rodgers and Spencer Rattler.

Running Back

AP Photo/Danny Karnik

Falcons RB Tyler Allgeier

1. Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts
2. Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers
3. Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons
4. Josh Jacobs, Green Bay Packers
5. James Cook, Buffalo Bills
6. De'Von Achane, Miami Dolphins
7. Derrick Henry, Baltimore Ravens
8. Javonte Williams, Dallas Cowboys
9. Rachaad White, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
10. Quinshon Judkins, Cleveland Browns

Injury Report and Waiver Wire Targets

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving (foot/shoulder) will be out again this week, meaning Rachaad White will get another start. D'Andre Swift (groin) and Breece Hall (knee) are both listed as questionable.

Falcons backup Tyler Allgeier has been limited this week with hip and knee injuries, so his status (officially questionable) will bear watching. However, he has a good amount of upside, even with Bijan Robinson serving as Atlanta's offensive catalyst.

Allgeier tends to get a decent workload when the Falcons are committed to the run and/or looking to close out games. He saw at least 11 touches and found the end zone in all three of Atlanta's wins this season. He could have another solid outing against a struggling Miami Dolphins defense that has surrendered the third-most fantasy points to opposing running backs.

Still available in over half of Yahoo and ESPN leagues, Allgeier is, at worst, worth adding as a Robinson handcuff.

Kyle Monangai, Kenneth Gainwell and Brashard Smith are other backs to consider adding this week.

Wide Receiver

AP Photo/George Walker IV

Titans WR Chimere Dike

1. Ja'Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals
2. Rashee Rice, Kansas City Chiefs
3. Drake London, Atlanta Falcons
4. Courtland Sutton, Denver Broncos
5. CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys
6. Emeka Egbuka, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
7. DK Metcalf, Pittsburgh Steelers
8. Rome Odunze, Chicago Bears
9. George Pickens, Dallas Cowboys
10. DeVonta Smith, Philadelphia Eagles

Injury Report and Waiver Wire Targets

The list of wide receivers who have already been ruled out includes A.J. Brown (hamstring), Nico Collins (concussion), Josh Palmer (knee/ankle), Garrett Wilson (knee), Ricky Pearsall (knee), Christian Kirk (hamstring), Calvin Ridley (hamstring), Dontayvion Wicks (calf) and Chris Godwin (fibula).

While it's hard to love much of anything about the Tennessee Titans offense this season, rookie receivers Elic Ayomanor and Chimere Dike both have some sleeper upside in Week 8. Rookie quarterback Cam Ward is learning to trust his classmates, and the Titans have more reps to dole out after releasing Tyler Lockett.

Ayomanor and Dike will also be up against an Indianapolis Colts defense that has surrendered the second-most fantasy points to opposing WRs this season.

Dike is still available in over 90 percent of ESPN and Yahoo leagues, while Ayomanor is available in over 75 percent of Yahoo and ESPN leagues.

This week's waiver pool is much deeper at receiver than it is at running back. Troy Franklin, Marvin Mims Jr., Alec Pierce, Xavier Legette, Tez Johnson and Luther Burden III are other names to consider.

Tight End

AP Photo/Vera Nieuwenhuis

Jets TE Mason Taylor

1. Tyler Warren, Indianapolis Colts
2. Tucker Kraft, Green Bay Packers
3. Jake Ferguson, Dallas Cowboys
4. George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers
5. Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs
6. Dallas Goedert, Philadelphia Eagles
7. Dalton Kincaid, Buffalo Bills
8. Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons
9. Dalton Schultz, Houston Texans
10. Harold Fannin Jr., Cleveland Browns

Injury Report and Waiver Wire

The Miami Dolphins placed tight end Darren Waller on injured reserve, and the Chicago Bears have ruled out Cole Kmet this week. Dalton Kincaid, David Njoku and Mason Taylor are listed as questionable.

Taylor has a good matchup with a Cincinnati Bengals defense that has surrendered the most fantasy points to opposing tight ends this season. He's only rostered in 31 percent of Yahoo leagues and 22 percent of ESPN leagues, and if he's active, he could have a strong performance.

Pittsburgh Steelers tight ends Pat Freiermuth and Jonnu Smith are also worth consideration this week, though Pittsburgh's TE rotation makes for risk-reward potential. However, the Steelers will be hosting a Green Bay Packers team that has surrendered the second-most fantasy points to TEs this season.

Smith is rostered in 20 percent of Yahoo leagues and 17 percent of ESPN leagues, while Freiermuth is rostered in only 12 percent of Yahoo leagues and seven percent of ESPN leagues.

*Fantasy scoring and roster information from FantasyPros.