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Week 8 fantasy football waiver wire pickups for Josh Downs, Luther Burden, Kayshon Boutte in 2025. Read their waiver wire outlooks for fantasy football.
We’re nearing the midpoint of the 2025 NFL season as we head into Week 8. Offenses are starting to find their rhythm, young players are carving out larger roles, and injuries are beginning to pile up across the league.
So, should you pick up Downs, Burden, or Hill in your fantasy football leagues for Week 8? Let's dive in.
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Josh Downs Week 8 Waiver Wire Pickups
Rostered: 50% of Leagues
Baller Move: Add in 12-team PPR leagues
Downs is an excellent real-life player, but he’s been the Colts pass catcher most negatively impacted by the emergence of tight end Tyler Warren. Primarily operating out of the slot, Downs hasn’t logged a snap share above 62.5% in any game this season. His highest route participation came in Week 5 at 71.9%, which also marked his best yardage output of the year with 54 yards.
On a per route basis, the 24-year-old is among the highest target earners in the league. His 27% TPRR this season is the highest on the team and is tied for the 10th highest among all wide receivers with at least 100 routes run. However, that usage hasn’t translated into strong fantasy production, as Downs ranks as the WR50 in PPR points per game (9.0) and has recorded just one top-24 WR finish this season.
It's a @Colts TD! Josh Downs ties it up.
AZvsIND on FOX/FOX Onehttps://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/Zopk6l6p8k
— NFL (@NFL) October 12, 2025
Downs was starting to heat up, however, before suffering a concussion in Week 6 against the Cardinals. He scored his first touchdown of the season and recorded six catches in back-to-back games. Daniel Jones looks for Downs as his safety blanket on third down, peppering him underneath and allowing him to pick up yards after the catch.
He will be a usable player with bye weeks in full swing, but the upside is capped a bit in a crowded offense that still leans more run heavy. More updates should come regarding his status for Week 8, but he's a viable pickup in 12-team leagues.
Luther Burden III Week 8 Waiver Wire Pickups
Rostered: 30% of Leagues
Baller Move: Add and Stash in 12+ Team PPR Leagues
Burden has seen his routes tick up in the two weeks post Chicago's Week 5 bye, but not significantly. He posted a season-high 39.4% route share in Week 6 against Washington, catching all four of his targets for 51 yards. That performance also coincided with Olamide Zaccheaus’s worst game of the season. That offered some hope that Burden might see his role expand further in Week 7, but instead, his route share dipped slightly to 33.3%.
Both games post the bye week are his highest marks of the season, but we still need him to play more often to become a usable piece in fantasy. In addition, the Bears have opted to go more run-heavy in the past two weeks, with a 46.8% pass rate after being at 56.5% for the first four games. That number will be an important one to monitor for the Bears offense going forward.
3. Olamide Zaccheaus has 31 targets for 18 catches and 152 yards.
Luther Burden has 14 target for 12 catches, 172 yards, and a touchdown.
I don't want to say the #Bears are hamstringing themselves but... pic.twitter.com/pQCQQ6yER4
— Erik Lambert (@ErikLambert1) October 20, 2025
Burden is an extremely talented player with significant untapped upside if he can earn a full-time role. However, the Bears’ offense is crowded with multiple mouths to feed, including fellow rookie Colston Loveland, who ran a season-high 63% of routes in Week 7. It’s tough for head coach Ben Johnson to feature every weapon in this offense, but Burden remains a strong add and stash option in 12-team leagues to see if his role grows in the coming weeks.
Kayshon Boutte Week 8 Waiver Wire Pickups
Rostered: 44% of Leagues
Baller Move: Add In 12-team PPR leagues
Boutte has been a pleasant surprise for the Patriots this season, emerging as a reliable target for the rising QB Drake Maye. I was a fan of him as a prospect and targeted him in dynasty rookie drafts a few years ago, and he’s beginning to deliver on that promise in his third season. He ranks as WR37 in PPR points per game (11.4) through seven weeks.
The LSU product leads the team with four touchdowns and has been New England’s most explosive playmaker. His 33.3% explosive catch rate ranks tied for seventh among qualified wide receivers this season. While veteran Stefon Diggs remains the target hog in the offense, Boutte has matched him in certain areas for fantasy purposes.
Kayshon Boutte fingertip grab for a 39-yard touchdown!
NEvsTEN on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/3Ia00yOPjX
— NFL (@NFL) October 19, 2025
Boutte sits just behind Diggs in PPR points per game, with Diggs at 12.1. Both have recorded one top-12 WR finish and three top-24 WR finishes this season. Diggs remains the preferred option due to his target volume, but Boutte is a worthwhile add, showing he can be trusted as a legitimate weapon in one of the most efficient passing attacks in the league.
Who Should I Pickup Tool
Trying to decide who to pick up off the waiver wire? Check the Who Should I Pickup tool here:
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Popular Player Comparison Searches - Who To Pickup
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