Week 8 Waiver Wire: DeMarco Murray and 5 Guys You Can't Miss

The NFL is all about opportunities, and this week, fantasy football owners should pounce on the few opportunities they have to enhance their roster.

The talent pool left in the waiver wire is thin right now, but there are some players who are worth picking up. Several running backs will be seeing increased carries this week, and some young playmakers' stocks are rising.

Check out this list of fantasy free agents you can't miss.

Heath Miller, Pittsburgh Steelers

Heath Miller is a dependable tight end for Ben Roethlisberger, and he has cashed in a couple touchdowns recently.

He's ranked in the middle-tier at his position, so he would be a great steal this week against the New England Patriots. 

New England doesn't pass-rush particularly well, so Miller will have more freedom this week to run loose and catch some passes. I think Big Ben will want to utilize Miller several times throughout the game. I project Miller to have five catches for 45 to 55 yards and a score.

Delone Carter, Indianapolis Colts

With Joseph Addai sidelined by his hamstring injury, Colts rookie Delone Carter has seen some significant playing time the last couple weeks.

He performed particularly well last week against the Saints, toting the rock 10 times and averaging 8.9 yards per carry. Carter will thrive this week against the lackluster run defense of the Titans.

He's the type of back that has a strong motor and tries to finish every run by squeezing every yard he can out of the defense. If Addai continues to be injury-prone, the Colts will increasingly rely on Carter this season.

Jabar Gaffney, Washington Redskins

Santana Moss broke his left hand last week and will be out for more than a month. That means Jabar Gaffney becomes the Washington Redskin's No. 1 receiver for the next few weeks.

Gaffney's no superstar, but plenty more passes will be coming his way now that he's the teams first option at wideout.

My bold prediction: Gaffney will rise to the occasion Sunday with seven catches for 80 yards and a touchdown against the Bills.

Pierre Thomas, New Orleans Saints

If Pierre Thomas is still a free agent in your league, pick him up. The "PT Bruiser" is primed to have a breakout game Sunday.

Mark Ingram won't be at 100 percent and might not even play because of his bruised heel, so Thomas will get a large chunk of carries at St. Louis.

He's already averaging 4.4 yards per carry this season, but look for his yardage numbers to skyrocket this weekend. The Rams have the worst run defense in the NFL, giving up an average of 183 yards per game on the ground.

Thomas and the entire Saints offense is poised for a big day.

Christian Ponder, Minnesota Vikings

After a decent performance against the defending world champs, Christian Ponder showed he can compete at a pretty high level in this league. If you're in need of a signal-caller this week, he could be your savior.

His numbers against the Packers weren't phenomenal, but he did throw for 219 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Look for him to post quality stats this week against a Carolina defense that has given up 28 points or more five times this season.

Starting a rookie like Ponder is a risk, but it could pay dividends this week.

DeMarco Murray, Dallas Cowboys

Fresh off his 253-yard explosion against St. Louis, many people are wondering if DeMarco Murray's game was a fluke or a sign that he is a premiere running back.

He's definitely not the next Barry Sanders, but you can't ignore Murray's fantasy potential. Dallas will depend on him to carry the ball 20 to 25 times per week.

Sunday he faces the mediocre run defense of Philadelphia. He won't scamper for 200 yards, but he's a can't-miss waiver wire acquisition.