Week 8 Waiver Wire: Bernard Scott and Others You Must Add

We are careening toward Sunday and yet there are still a number of players with question marks over their playing status for Week 8. This fact certainly has fantasy GMs in panic mode, searching for adequate replacements for injured starters as well as players on their bye week. Here, I will detail three players on the waiver wire who can make an immediate impact on your team.

RB Bernard Scott, Cincinnati Bengals (at Seattle Seahawks)

Bernard Scott will be taking over starting rushing duties for the Bengals this week while Cedric Benson serves his one-game suspension. While the Seahawks defense is far better against the run than they are the pass, that doesn't mean that Scott should be avoided.

Bengals offensive coordinator Jay Gruden has confirmed that the team won't stop focusing on the run just because Benson is out and the Seahawks' rush defense is strong, boding well for Scott to get a similar number of carries to Benson's 19 rush-per-game average.

Scott is averaging 2.8 yards per carry this season, with 30 rushes for 85 yards and a touchdown on the season as backup to Benson. Expect his rushing average to be better in Sunday's contest when he gets the start. With so many injured running backs and a number of high-caliber starters on their bye weeks, Scott is a great start for Week 8.

QB Christian Ponder, Minnesota Vikings (at Carolina Panthers)

Unless you play in a deeper league and are stuck with Donovan McNabb as your starting quarterback, there's no reason why you should start the Vikings' Christian Ponder this week. But he's still a great addition to your team if you need a more reliable backup quarterback.

Ponder went 13-of-32 for a poor 40.6 completion percentage in his starting debut last week against the Green Bay Packers. But he threw for 219 yards and two touchdowns and rushed four times for 31 yards—a great sign of things to come.

Running back Adrian Peterson had nothing but praise for Ponder after the team's close loss, saying that the rookie emerged as a confident leader whose presence has brought only positive change to the team's previously struggling offense.

He should only continue to improve as he gains experience and should continue to impress this week against the Carolina Panthers. Considering the quality of quarterback play in the NFL this year significantly drops off after the top five or six, it's hard to find a reliable backup. Ponder is quickly emerging as a valuable fantasy talent, and it's worth your while to give the rookie an add to your roster if you're in need.

WR Demaryius Thomas, Denver Broncos (vs. Detroit Lions)

Despite not getting the starting nod in the Broncos' Week 7 contest against the Miami Dolphins, he was the team's most-targeted receiver, with 10 passes tossed his way by quarterback Tim Tebow. He caught three of them for 27 yards and a touchdown, his numbers held down by seeing limited snaps and an altogether flat Broncos offensive performance that didn't get in sync until the very end of the fourth quarter.

Expect Tebow to get more comfortable leading his offense as the weeks wear on, and, in turn, look for Thomas to quickly vault up Denver's depth chart as the likely starter above Eddie Royal and Eric Decker. There's nothing that says "fantasy football value" like someone becoming a quarterback's favorite target, and that's the very reason why Thomas deserves a spot on your team's roster.

If you're missing a starting receiver because of the bye week, activating Thomas wouldn't be a bad move. The Lions defense is quite effective against the pass, but that's primarily due to their ability to put pressure on the opposing quarterback. However, they are susceptible to the big play, and if Tebow looks to make a big pass, he will likely be targeting Thomas.