Fantasy Football Week 8 Waiver Wire: Deeper League Pickups (QB, RB, WR, TE)

October 27, 2026

Dan's top fantasy football Week 8 waiver wire pickups, sleepers, stashes for deeper leagues for 2026. His waiver targets include Malik Willis, Seth McGowan, Antonio Williams, and more.

For most, Week 8 signals the halfway point of the fantasy football season. Whether your team started hot or has disappointed, you still have plenty of time to fortify your roster and make a playoff push.

Navigating injuries and bye weeks is crucial to fantasy success. Identifying waiver-wire players with increased roles who are flying under the radar can pay massive dividends and strengthen weaknesses on your roster.

This article will focus on fantasy football players who are at or below a 30% roster rate on Yahoo -- and can be considered deeper-leagues waiver wire options. We'll cover a few players from QB, RB, WR, and TE. Let's get to it!

Quarterback Fantasy Football Waiver Wire

All QBs are rostered in 30% of leagues or less

Malik Willis, Miami Dolphins- 18% rostered

Fantasy managers drafted Malik Willis as a late-round quarterback with the ability to break fantasy thanks to his rushing upside, especially given the lack of established pass-catching talent on the team. If the managers who drafted him were patient, that move is starting to pay dividends.

Malik Willis lowers his shoulder for the touchdown

MIAvsNYJ on CBS/Paramount+
Stream on @NFLPlus https://t.co/TVRwL1sULm

— NFL (@NFL) October 25, 2026

Willis finished as the QB4 in fantasy points in Week 7 (26.0), completing 14 of 21 passes for 208 yards and two touchdowns (with zero interceptions) and adding eight carries for 37 yards and a rushing score. It was the second straight week that Willis scored 20+ fantasy points but the first time this season he logged a top-12 positional finish.

There are still plenty of questions about Miami’s offense, but Willis is starting to make plays down the field and, more importantly for fantasy, is unlocking his willingness to scramble. The veteran quarterback has at least eight rushing attempts and 30 rushing yards in three of his last four games.

Miami has a difficult matchup against the Patriots in Week 8, but from Weeks 9 to 14 they will enjoy advantageous fantasy matchups against the Lions (Week 9), Colts (Week 10), Bills (Week 11), and Bears (Week 14).

All four of those teams are top 10 in fantasy points allowed to quarterbacks this season.

Michael Penix Jr., Atlanta Falcons- 18% rostered

Michael Penix Jr. is getting increasingly comfortable under center for the Atlanta Falcons. Penix has posted back-to-back top-10 fantasy quarterback finishes by scoring at least 20.0 fantasy points in the last two weeks. He’s completed 65% of his passes for 438 yards, six touchdowns, and zero interceptions during that time.

Penix gets his third touchdown pass of the day.

The @AtlantaFalcons have scored 23 unanswered points.

SFvsATL on FOX/FOX One
Stream on @NFLPlus https://t.co/tEqQPY8YcC

— NFL (@NFL) October 25, 2026

The veteran quarterback has seen his passing volume rise over the last three weeks, averaging 33.0 attempts per game. His lack of rushing production makes it difficult for him to be a top five fantasy quarterback, but as long as he’s got that level of passing volume, he should routinely find himself in the mix as a low-end QB1 or high-end QB2.

Fernando Mendoza, Las Vegas Raiders- 5% rostered

The Las Vegas Raiders were one of the surprise teams to begin this season, starting 3-0 behind the steady veteran play of Kirk Cousins. Cousins has continued to play at a high level (1,877 yards, 16 touchdowns, and five interceptions in seven games), but the team is on a four-game losing streak.

The recent losing streak has naturally led to questions about when the Raiders will turn the offense over to 2026 first overall pick Fernando Mendoza.

For now, it seems like Cousins’ job is safe. But if the Raiders keep losing, they will eventually need to see what their rookie quarterback can do. If you are in a league that can start multiple quarterbacks (or if you need some upside at quarterback), it is time to start stashing the rookie.

Running Back Fantasy Football Waiver Wire

All RBs are rostered in 30% of leagues or less

Seth McGowan, Indianapolis Colts- 7% rostered

One of the biggest names floating around the trading block this week was Indianapolis Colts’ running back Jonathan Taylor. The Colts signaled that they will be open for business after firing general manager Chris Ballard after Week 6, putting teams on notice that veteran players like Taylor could be acquired for draft capital for a team looking to rebuild.

It probably wasn’t a coincidence that 2026 seventh-round running back Seth McGowan got his largest workload in Week 7’s loss to the Minnesota Vikings. McGowan carried the ball 11 times for 46 yards and added a reception for two yards in the game.

McGowan isn’t usable in fantasy as long as Taylor is on the roster. However, Taylor’s long-term future with the team becomes less and less likely with each loss, which means McGowan may find himself in the weekly RB2 conversation sooner rather than later.

Chris Rodriguez Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars- 24% rostered

The Jaguars were on bye in Week 7, which means most fantasy managers probably forgot that veteran running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. had his best game of the season in Week 6. Rodriguez handled 11 carries for 55 yards in that game, but was (rightfully) overshadowed by the production of his running mate, Bhayshul Tuten (12 carries for 39 yards plus four receptions for 48 yards and two touchdowns).

Rodriguez has been efficient this season when given opportunities and has handled 57% of Jacksonville’s carries inside the five-yard line this season. However, his lack of pass-catching work (and Tuten’s explosive playmaking ability) makes him a touchdown-dependent running back who can boom or bust on any given week.

There is no path to him becoming a pass catcher, but if he can consistently get 10+ opportunities (or if Tuten gets hurt), he can be an RB2 for fantasy.

Kaelon Black, San Francisco 49ers- 28% rostered

San Francisco 49ers rookie running back Kaelon Black had his most productive game of the season in Week 7, handling 12 carries for 63 yards and a touchdown with three targets, one reception, and -4 receiving yards in a 29-20 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. Black logged a season-high 47% snap share for the 49ers while Christian McCaffrey battled through a minor thigh injury.

Black has had a consistent role for the 49ers this season, averaging 8.1 attempts per game on a 29.6% snap share. However, until Week 7, that role had been more useful for real football than fantasy managers.

Most importantly, Week 7 allowed us to see what the 49ers backfield could look like if McCaffrey is forced to miss time due to injury. Only one other running back (Jordan James) saw the field with McCaffrey sidelined. He ended up having just one carry for six yards and one reception for 11 yards.

Kaelon Black put on the burners to get 6

SFvsATL on FOX/FOX One
Stream on @NFLPlus https://t.co/DFth3gvB6M

— NFL (@NFL) October 25, 2026

Black and James would likely split backfield duties if McCaffrey ever misses time due to injury, but Week 7 made it clear that Black would be the running back to target on waivers.

The 49ers are on bye in Week 8, so if you are in a league with Black on the waiver wire, he is a player worth targeting for less FAAB (or after a waivers run to not use priority) as one of the more valuable handcuffs in fantasy football.

Wide Receiver Fantasy Football Waiver Wire

All WRs are rostered in 30% of leagues or less

Ja'Kobi Lane, Baltimore Ravens- 17% rostered

Ja'Kobi Lane has yet to have a major performance for the Ravens since returning from injury in Week 6. However, he’s wasted no time becoming part of their offense after a strong training camp.

Over the last two games, Lane is second on the Ravens in target share (15.4%) and third on the team in routes run (46, 59%). His production has been modest (10 targets, seven receptions, and 65 receiving yards), but Lane has unquestionably operated as the WR2 across from Zay Flowers the last two games.

Lamar Jackson was close to returning in Week 7, which means he has an even better chance to return in Week 8. That should provide Lane with more, and higher-quality, opportunities to score fantasy points going forward.

Caleb Douglas, Miami Dolphins- 10% rostered

Rookie wide receiver Caleb Douglas quickly emerged as the favorite option for Malik Willis in training camp. He started the season off strong, catching seven of 10 targets for 113 yards before suffering an ankle injury in Week 2 that sidelined him for three games.

Douglas returned to the field after the bye and quickly showed that his explosive after-the-catch ability could provide big fantasy production. Douglas finished second on the team in routes (19), and third in targets (three), but finished as the WR11 in PPR (21.0 points) thanks to two receptions for 70 yards and two touchdowns.

Caleb Douglas took this one all the way.

MIAvsNYJ on CBS/Paramount+
Stream on @NFLPlus https://t.co/hb8mEQrB80

— NFL (@NFL) October 25, 2026

The rookie should be rostered in all formats now that he’s healthy and we have seen him command targets and turn a small workload into big fantasy production. There will be rough weeks, but he could also be the deciding factor in fantasy matchups in any given week.

Antonio Williams, Washington Commanders- 8% rostered

Terry McLaurin suffered a season-ending injury in Week 6, which could have been forgotten thanks to a Week 7 bye for the Washington Commanders. Veteran wide receiver Stefon Diggs will likely become the team’s WR1 for the remainder of the season, but rookie Antonio Williams will see a much bigger role going forward.

Williams has played a consistent role for the Commanders so far this season, averaging 4.3 targets, 3.0 receptions, and 34.2 receiving yards per game on a 54.6% snap share. All of those numbers are set to rise now that McLaurin is out for the year.

Washington’s offense has been a general disappointment so far this season, but Jayden Daniels is healthy enough to play, and there is a chance that the bye week allowed them time to self-scout and figure out how to improve their issues. Williams is worth a flyer on the waiver wire, especially since we have yet to see what his role looks like without McLaurin on the field.

Tight Ends Fantasy Football Waiver Wire

All TEs are rostered in 30% of leagues or less

Chig Okonkwo, Washington Commanders- 17% rostered

Similarly to Williams, somebody needs to fill the void of McLaurin’s absence for the Washington Commanders. In Week 6, the player who saw the increased target volume was tight end Chig Okonkwo.

Okonkwo started the season slowly (largely thanks to an injury that sidelined him in Weeks 2 and 3), but came alive in the team’s two games before the bye week, catching 11 of 13 targets for 129 yards. He posted consecutive double-digit fantasy point games after scoring just 6.1 points in his first two games.

Mike Gesicki, Cincinnati Bengals- 15%

Mike Gesicki has just 18 targets, 13 receptions, and 165 receiving yards over his five games played this season. However, he’s scored at least 7.0 fantasy points in every game this season by catching a touchdown pass in every game.

Gesicki’s fantasy production will dry up if he doesn’t find the end zone, but he clearly has a defined role in that area of the field for an offense that can move the ball at will.

The veteran tight end isn’t a player who you can start on a weekly basis due to his lack of total target volume, but if you need a streaming option because your tight end is on bye, he has the ability to provide fantasy lineups with a higher ceiling.

More Fantasy Football Analysis