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Should I pickup Elijah Mitchell or Jaydon Blue as fantasy football waiver wire pickups for Week 8 of 2026? Read our fantasy football waiver wire outlooks.
To put it bluntly, the Philadelphia Eagles' backfield is a complete and utter mess. Starting running back Saquon Barkley (hamstring/back) missed two full games with a hamstring injury before returning for a Week 7 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. He also suffered a back injury from that game that has since limited him. Barkley's status for Sunday Night Football against the Washington Commanders in Week 8 is uncertain.
Meanwhile, running backs Dameon Pierce (undisclosed), Tank Bigsby (abdomen) and Will Shipley (foot) all currently find themselves on the injured reserve list. In addition, tailback Carson Steele (shoulder) was waived from injured reserve with an injury settlement earlier this week.
Where does this leave the Eagles? On Oct. 28, the team signed running back Jaydon Blue from the practice squad and promoted him to the active roster. Fellow halfback Elijah Mitchell is currently on the practice squad and will almost certainly be elevated to the active roster for the second consecutive week. So, which tailback should fantasy managers look to pick up? Let's examine.
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Elijah Mitchell Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Outlook
Mitchell originally signed with the Eagles in June and was released in August. With multiple injuries in the backfield, Philadelphia brought Mitchell back into the fold and signed him to the practice squad on Oct. 20. He was elevated to the main roster on Oct. 26 for the game against the Cowboys.
With Barkley dealing with his aforementioned injuries, and Pierce exiting in the fourth quarter of the contest against the Cowboys, Mitchell played 14 offensive snaps and 15 special teams snaps in the 38-21 loss to the Dallas.
Mitchell tallied three rushing attempts for 11 yards (3.7 yards per attempt) and three receptions (on four targets) for 23 yards (7.7 yards per catch), including a 15-yard catch.
Philadelphia Eagles running back Elijah Mitchell records a 15-yard catch against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 7. https://t.co/sDLGP0sWx1
— Ryan O'Bleness (@ryanobleness) October 30, 2026
This past Monday marked the first time since 2023 that Mitchell had a touch in an NFL game. He missed the entire 2024 campaign with the San Francisco 49ers after being placed on season-ending injured reserve with a hamstring injury, and only appeared in one game with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2025 (he also spent time on the New England Patriots' practice squad in 2025).
The 28-year-old Mitchell has amassed 330 rushes for 1,534 yards (4.6 yards per attempt) and nine touchdowns in 29 career games played (12 starts). He has also totaled 31 receptions for 181 receiving yards (5.8 yards per catch) and an additional touchdown.
Keep in mind, the Eagles will have to elevate Mitchell from the practice squad ahead of the game against the Commanders, but that is the expectation.
Currently rostered in just 3% of Yahoo leagues, expect Mitchell to see an increase in adds ahead of Sunday night.
Jaydon Blue Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Outlook
Blue was drafted in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys (No. 149 overall) out of Texas and spent the 2026 training camp and the preseason with the Cowboys. In a somewhat surprising move, Dallas waived Blue on Aug. 30, and the next day, the Eagles signed him to their practice squad.
He was promoted to Philadelphia's active roster on Oct. 17 ahead of a Week 6 game against the Carolina Panthers on Oct. 18, which the Eagles lost 25-14. Blue did not appear in the game, and he was subsequently released from the active roster and later re-signed to the team's practice squad during the same week.
Earlier this week, Blue discussed what he has learned from Barkley and other veterans, and described his game and what he brings to Philadelphia. He feels he can help the team.
Jaydon Blue says he has learned a lot from Saquon Barkley so far during his time with the Eagles
Says he feels he can be a versatile player for the offense as a pass catcher and that he takes pride running through the tackles https://t.co/ChOapkTB5H
— Eliot Shorr-Parks (@EliotShorrParks) October 29, 2026
As a rookie with the Cowboys in 2025, Blue rushed 38 times for 129 yards (3.4 yards per attempt) and one touchdown, and caught one pass for five yards in five appearances.
Unlike Mitchell, Blue is already part of Philadelphia's active roster.
Blue is currently rostered in 6% of Yahoo leagues, and similarly to Mitchell, will likely see his waiver wire activity rise as Sunday night approaches
Should I Pickup Elijah Mitchell or Jaydon Blue For Fantasy Football?
When deciding between picking up Mitchell and Blue, the obvious caveat to keep in mind is that Barkley's status is likely going to dictate how big of a workload either running back receives.
After Monday's game, Barkley expressed confidence that he would be good to go on Sunday against the Commanders, but he was listed as a non-participant for Wednesday and Thursday's practice sessions. If Barkley is unable to go, Mitchell and Blue both have big opportunities in front of them.
Offensive coordinator Sean Mannion praised both tailbacks earlier in the week, saying that Mitchell has been a "really, really productive back in this league," and that he is ready to step in and play a role. Conversely, Mannion called Blue "an exciting young talent" and mentioned he's shown improvement each week.
Sean Mannion on the Eagles being down to their 6th/7th string running back this Sunday vs Washington: https://t.co/ED3ZTA9oK4
— Eliot Shorr-Parks (@EliotShorrParks) October 29, 2026
But which player is more likely to make a fantasy impact? While it is interesting that Blue was signed to the active roster during the week and the Eagles allowed Mitchell to revert to the practice squad after the Monday Night Football loss to the Cowboys, don't read too much into that.
All signs point to Mitchell leading the backfield for Philadelphia if Barkley is inactive. Andrew DiCecco of Inside the Birds noted that Mitchell is the most likely option to fill in for Barkley in the Eagles' depleted backfield.
The fact that Mitchell got the call-up for the Week 7 game adds credence to the argument. RotoBaller's "Who Should I Start" tool clearly favors Mitchell, as it projects him to score 6.1 fantasy points in Week 8 compared to a projected total of 1.3 points for Blue.
If Barkley is out, it is safe to assume that both Mitchell and Blue will get touches, but Mitchell is the safer bet.
Even if Barkley does play, Mitchell and Blue could rotate in. However, while both players could be worth stashing on your bench, neither running back warrants a start if Barkley is in the lineup.
Who Should I Pickup Tool
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