Predicting Fantasy Football's Hottest Waiver-Wire Names of NFL Week 8

With so many disappointing draft decisions unfolding for so many fantasy investors at this stage of the season, the Minnesota Vikings' Stefon Diggs and the Kansas City Chiefs' Charcandrick West are the type of season-shifting acquisitions we all covet. Now that we know Diggs and West are worthy fantasy starters going forward, where can we find the next wave of waiver wonders? 

We're here to uncover more meaningful commodities the market isn't really recognizing. The idea is to value speculation and use the bottom rungs of fantasy rosters with some fluidity as we seek enduring assets. 

Proactive management can save a fantasy season. It's best to be a week early on an intriguing prospect than sit on some low-ceiling veterans at the end of your imaginary bench.

Please join us as we delve into some interesting skill players who might be earning FAAB, or free-agent auction budget, cash or high waiver bids come next week. As always, please share any names and numbers in the comments section that interest you as under-the-radar assets heading into this weekend's NFL action.

On the Mend from an Injury, Tampa's Austin Seferian-Jenkins Offers Upside

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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers offense has struggled to find consistent production, given a litany of injuries to its tall and talented crew of pass-catching weapons. With Vincent Jackson due to miss Week 8 with a knee ailment, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport (h/t NFL.com), and with Louis Murphy gone for the season, per Scott Smith of the team's website, there are tons of targets to claim in this passing offense.

This is where the timely return of 6'5" tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins plays a part, as the massive man over the middle returned to practice after missing five weeks with a shoulder injury, per Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times. Beyond talented target Mike Evans, rookie signal-caller Jameis Winston will find ASJ to be a comforting target over the middle in the coming weeks.

For the upcoming outing, the Bucs face an Atlanta Falcons defense that allows the seventh-most fantasy points per game to tight ends on the season, having allowed four touchdowns to the position in seven games.

Seferian-Jenkins tallied 110 yard and two scores in a rousing season debut back in Week 1, offering a precedent for prolific fantasy production in this offense. At a shallow and fickle position, this tall target offers awesome production potential and can still be still found for free in more than 80 percent of ESPN leagues.

The New York Giants Might Have a Gem in Orleans Darkwa

Kathy Willens/Associated Press

It's just about that time of year when fantasy managers pretend to know a player they've never heard of before. This season, the New York Giants' Orleans Darkwa fits the bill. While we nod in agreement over how he was an impressive power back at Tulane, we can privately admit we have no idea who he was before the Giants decided to let him lead the team in carries in Week 7.

According to NJ.com's Jordan Raanan, the Giants came away impressed with the undrafted second-year back's decisive running decisions in Week 7:

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"He certainly did look good out there," coach Tom Coughlin said after the game. "His touchdown run when he cut back behind the slanting defensive line was really quite an outstanding play." 

It's not exactly what anybody was expecting heading into the contest. Darkwa didn't have a carry prior to Sunday afternoon.

The performance changes everything with the running back rotation moving forward. Darkwa earned himself some more playing time, likely at the expense of Rashad Jennings and Andre Williams. The Giants can't ignore what happened during that second quarter drive where Darkwa had four carries for 41 yards. It was that impressive.

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With 48 yards on eight carries and successful goal-line usage under his belt this past Sunday, Darkwa could seize control of a suspect backfield going forward. Even if he's just a strong early-down option with short-yardage upside, we'd suggest investors in leagues of at least 12 teams take a look at this widely available asset at an ever-shallow tailback position. 

The Houston Texans' Nate Washington Offers Value in PPR Leagues

Patric Schneider/Associated Press

In an extreme example of a pass-happy agenda, the Detroit Lions' Matthew Stafford threw the ball an NFL record 727 times in 2012, breaking the New England Patriots' record set by Drew Bledsoe in 1994 by 36 attempts. Through seven games, this year's Houston Texans are on pace for 747 passing attempts this season.

With the Texans' top tailback Arian Foster out for the rest of the season with an Achilles injury, per Tania Ganguli of ESPN.com, any hopes for trending toward a more balanced attack would appear fruitless. Houston, after all, is last in the league in yards per rushing attempt (3.39) despite ranking sixth in rushing attempts.

One might think netting 16 targets and a massive fantasy outing, as the Texans' Nate Washington did in Week 7, would merit a major spike in interest from the market. One would be wrong in that assumption, though, as he is owned in less than one-fifth of ESPN leagues.

With the team on a record passing pace and Washington poised to reap the rewards of playing across double-team magnet DeAndre Hopkins, we believe the veteran can sustain fantasy-worthy production for the coming weeks.

With the Jacksonville Jaguars' ascending duo of stud fantasy wideouts Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns—the Allens if you will—on bye among other receiving corps, Washington makes for a reasonable play versus a Tennessee Titans secondary that had proven fallible in recent outings. Washington is currently ranked 31st in fantasy points per game in point-per-reception leagues using ESPN scoring, ahead of names such as the Philadelphia Eagles' Jordan Matthews and the New Orleans' Saints Brandin Cooks.

It's not just young up-and-comers we should seek out as fantasy additions this far into the season; sometimes, it takes a seasoned vet to help us through these leaner bye weeks.

Chris Polk of the Houston Texans Could End Up Being the Team's Lead Back

Joel Auerbach/Associated Press

The Houston Texans' backfield and overall offense suffered a massive blow when star tailback Arian Foster was lost for the season with an Achilles injury this past Sunday, per Tania Ganguli of ESPN. In the wake of Foster's absence, the first reasonable assumption is for plodding early-down option Alfred Blue to assume the majority of rushing attempts for the team.

Yet if we look closely, the Texans' third-string tailback Chris Polk has been nearly as productive as Blue this season in producing yards from scrimmage. He has averaged 30.3 total yards per game to Blue's 36.6 on the season, despite seeing fewer touches. Polk has shown flashes in the passing game, and as we mentioned in endorsing his veteran teammate Nate Washington, Houston is trending toward the pass-happiest season in league history.

Foster was averaging seven targets and nearly 57 receiving yards per game, buoying his fantasy value past posting the lowest yards-per-carry rate in the rushing department in the league. It might not happen immediately, but we're speculating Polk will eventually get a crack at feature duties in Houston. He is not only much more impressive on tape than Blue this season, but Polk offers real yardage upside as the team's top passing back. You can find Polk for free in well over 90 percent of ESPN leagues. 

Sure-Handed Vet Stevie Johnson Is Part of a Prolific Chargers' Passing Game

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The San Diego Chargers' Stevie Johnson was second in snaps and routes run to Keenan Allen among the team's wideouts in Week 7 and quietly ranks 38th in fantasy points per game in point-per-reception leagues. With Antonio Gates ailing due to a MCL injury, per ESPN.com's Eric D. Williams, Johnson could thrive in controlling the middle of the field, where signal-caller Philip Rivers shines.

Even if respectable usage isn't enduring for Johnson in the weeks ahead, it appears this coming trip to Baltimore to play a suspect Ravens secondary opens up the door for Johnson to enjoy at least another sound showing. The Ravens have allowed the second-most fantasy points per game to receivers this season in ESPN leagues while also allowing the second-most yards per game (214) to the position.

Rivers is trending toward tallying the most passing yards in league history, as well as the most passing attempts of all time. For just a few clicks in most leagues (Johnson is available in more than 70 percent of ESPN leagues), you can acquire a share of this historic passing offense.

Fantasy stats per ESPN.com.