Waiver Wire Pickups & FAAB Advice for Week 8: Kenneth Gainwell, Allen Lazard, C.J. Uzomah

Add the best free agents available with these Week 8 waiver and blind bid recommendations

Are you hitting the waiver wire ahead of Week 8 looking for a replacement for Lamar Jackson? Need to add depth to a beat-up running back room? Are you finally fed up with Allen Robinson's usage? Here's a few interesting players that could still be on your fantasy football waiver wire.

Quarterbacks - Waiver Wire Adds

Daniel Jones (NYG)

Despite having a completely beat-up O-line, no Saquon Barkley, and a limited receiving corps, Daniel Jones and the Giants got the best of what was supposed to be a superior Carolina defense in Sunday’s 25-3 victory. Jones finished the day with 203 yards, a touchdown, and a 69.7% completion percentage—his best of the year. Not only that, despite taking three sacks, Jones proved he is a competitor- also catching a 16-yard pass and rushing for 30 yards. Next up, Jones will face a Kansas City defense that allowed Ryan Tannehill 270 passing yards and a touchdown- with a 77.8% completion rate and another rushing touchdown as well. Jones has been dropped in many leagues and is worth adding in superflex formats or as a bye-week replacement. Saquon Barkley, Sterling Shepherd, and Kadarius Toney all have a chance to return this week, and Jones is available in 29% of leagues.

FAAB: 6%

Carson Wentz (IND)

Even without T.Y. Hilton and Parris Campbell, Wentz put together another good performance on Sunday night, upsetting the 49ers in a bomb cyclone, 30-19. In addition to two passing touchdowns, Wentz added 23 yards on the ground and a rushing score. Wentz has thrown only one interception all year to eleven passing touchdowns, and the Colts have won three of their last four games. This week the matchup is favorable at home vs. a Tennessee secondary that only Patrick Mahomes can't seem to beat. Before Week 7, Tennessee had allowed the most receiving yards to opposing wide receivers and the fourth-most passing yards to opposing quarterbacks. Wentz is available in 37% of leagues.

FAAB: 6%

Taylor Heinicke (WFT)

After two bombs in a row, Heinicke is back on the list because he managed to finish as a top 13 quarterback for the fourth time this year. In Sunday’s tilt vs. Washington, Heinicke threw for 268 yards and one touchdown while adding another 95 yards on the ground. Heinicke's rushing ability gives him a decent floor, and he’s worth stashing as a backup QB or bye-week replacement. He’s available in 14% of fantasy football leagues.

FAAB: 4%

More QB: Tua Tagovailoa (MIA), Matt Ryan (ATL)

Running Backs - Waiver Wire Adds

Kenneth Gainwell (PHI)

If Kenneth Gainwell is available in your league—and he is available in 79% of leagues—he is the priority add for this week. Miles Sanders left Sunday's game with an ankle injury, and Gainwell is the clear next-in-line. Gainwell has played an average of 22 snaps per game while sharing with Sanders, and he's been productive- already finding the end zone three times this season while averaging 4.6 yards per carry. He's also been targeted 31 times across the first seven games of the year. Next up is a soft matchup with a Detroit Lions run defense surrendering 29 PPR points per game to opposing running backs.

FAAB: 16%

Brandon Bolden (NE)

Rhamondre Stevenson was a late scratch on Sunday, and it doesn't seem to be due to injury or illness, which means Belichick was not impressed with something that happened in practice last week. Enter: Brandon Bolden. Bolden stepped into the "James White" role we thought Stevenson earned last week. Bolden caught six of his seven targets for 79 yards and a touchdown and finished Week 7 as a top-five running back in PPR leagues. He went nowhere with his two carries, and Belichick doesn't care about our fantasy teams. That means you should be cautious, but this week's matchup vs. the Chargers looks good on paper. Bolden is available in 94% of leagues.

FAAB: 6%

Samaje Perine (CIN)

Mixon is still the top dog in Cincinnati, but in each of his last two games played, Perine had 11 carries and averaged more than five yards per carry. He's also caught five of his last six targets for 47 yards. Should Mixon need a break or miss any time, it's clear that Perine is the man for the job. He's available in 93% of leagues.

FAAB: 5%

Ronald Jones (TB)

Ronald Jones has been widely dropped, and he’s now available in 72% of leagues. Yes, it’s clear Leonard Fournette has taken the lead in the backfield for Tampa, but Jones still sees work and can be the clock-killer when the Bucs have the lead- which should be often. The running back position is thin, and Jones is worth a bench stash.

FAAB: 5%

Boston Scott (PHI)

If you're in a deeper league or Gainwell is not available, Boston Scott is worth adding in case Philadelphia is without Sanders for a tasty matchup with Detroit. Scott saw seven carries, two targets and found the end zone after Miles Sanders left the game on Sunday. Scott is available in 98% of fantasy football leagues.

FAAB: 4%

More RB: Salvon Ahmed (MIA), Marlon Mack (IND), Jalen Richard (LV), Devonta Freeman (BAL), Rhamondre Stevenson (NE), JaMycal Hasty (SF)

Wide Receivers - Waiver Wire Adds

Allen Lazard (GB)

With news that Davante Adams will likely miss Thursday night's game after being added to the Covid list, Lazard gets bumped up to the top of the Waiver list. Aaron Rodgers will have to spread the ball around more, and Sunday, he seemed to like sending it Lazard's way. Lazard saw a season-high six targets for 60 yards and a touchdown, and he out-snapped Davante Adams 51-48. According to SI Sportsbook, this game has the highest expected game total of the week, and across his last six games played without Davante Adams, Aaron Rodgers has still thrown for 19 touchdowns. Someone will get the targets, and I'm betting on Lazard. Lazard is available in 96% of leagues.

FAAB: 11%

Russell Gage (ATL)

Russell Gage was targeted six times in his first game back from the ankle injury that sidelined him for three weeks. He turned those six targets into four grabs, 67 yards, and a score in Atlanta's narrow 30-28 victory over the Miami Dolphins Sunday. It was great to see Gage right back in the mix with Pitts and Ridley - with all three of them having good fantasy days. The Falcons already have 247 passing attempts on the season, and Gage is available in 90% of leagues.

FAAB: 6%

Kalif Raymond (DET)

On Sunday, Raymond was the clear WR1, catching six of his eight targets for 115 yards vs. the Rams. On the season, Raymond has played 75% of the team snaps and leads the team in air yards and average depth of target. With no Quintez Cephus and the likelihood that Detroit will often be playing in negative game scripts, Raymond is a great addition available in 97% of leagues.

FAAB: 6%

Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Darius Slayton (NYG)

On Sunday, Darius Slayton led all New York receivers with a 44% target share and nine targets in his first game back from the IR. Should Golladay, Toney, and Shepherd continue to sit, Slayton could have nice opportunities vs. a struggling Kansas City defense. He's available in 85% of leagues.

FAAB: 2%

Randall Cobb (GB)

If you miss out on Lazard, I also love Randall Cobb if Davante Adams can't go on Thursday. Cobb is the guy Aaron Rodgers wanted in Green Bay as part of his new contract, and he could be the guy he looks to on Thursday for a familiar connection. It's tough to roster receivers that primarily play the slot because they leave the field in two WR sets, but in this case, I like the gamble. Cobb may not be a long-term flex, but he could be a sneaky play for this Thursday.

FAAB: 2%

More WR: Kendrick Bourne (NE), KJ Osborne (MIN), Van Jefferson (LAR), Dante Pettis (NYG), Michael Gallup (DAL), Rashod Bateman (BAL)*, Bryan Edwards (LV)*

Tight Ends - Waiver Wire Adds

C.J. Uzomah (CIN)

How many two touchdown 90+ yards games does a tight-end need before he gets added to the waiver wire column? Survey says?! Two. Uzomah already has five touchdowns on the season in this surging Cincinnati offense, and it seems Burrow looks to him in big moments. Sure, he may average only three targets per game and have less than a 10% target share, but you could do worse at the thin tight end position. He's available in 81% of leagues.

FAAB: 6%

Mo Alie-Cox (IND)

Alie-Cox found the end zone for the fourth time on Sunday night. He's established himself as one of Carson Wentz's favorite red-zone targets, and he sees 13% of the team's air yards. The Colts' receivers are still pretty beat up, and Alie-Cox could continue to see those valuable targets- at least in the short term. He's available in 83% of leagues.

FAAB: 5%

More TE: Cole Kmet (CHI), Evan Engram (NYG), Jonnu Smith (NE), Foster Moreau (LV) *

* Week 8 bye

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