X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Projections
Articles & Tools
Weekly Planner
24x7 News and Alerts

Running Backs Waiver Wire: Week 8 Pickups & Adds

Pierre's running back waiver wire pickups for Week 8 of fantasy football. His top ranked NFL RBs to add from waivers, sleepers for week eight of the 2016 season.

Several hot players who were languishing on waivers just a week or two ago have now exceeded the 50% threshold for this column. Hopefully you took a chance on Jay Ajayi or Jacquizz Rodgers when they were available.

Mike Gillislee is currently at 51%, so he won't get a write-up here, but remains a viable pickup with LeSean McCoy still experiencing hamstring issues. As far as the running backs still owned in less than half of leagues, this week features more speculative adds than surefire studs.

This article will aim to highlight Week 8 waiver wire adds for running backs, players that you should consider targeting on your league's waiver wire. Running backs will be split up into three tiers - from most desirable, to most desperate. I will also include RBs at the bottom of this list that you might consider cutting in order to make room for your new additions.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:

Editor's Note: Once you're done here, be sure to read about even more Week 8 waiver wire recommendations, for all fantasy-relevant positions. Just click on any link: ALL - RB - WR - TE - QB - DEF - FAAB - CUTS

 

Frontrunners for Week 8 - Waiver Wire Running Backs

This group consists of running backs that I would recommend adding if they are available on your waiver wire. Some are more viable for PPR formats, so take note of that. These players have either earned a greater workload due to injury/performance issues or have shown that they can be weekly contributors to their NFL teams. All players listed have 50% or less ownership levels across fantasy leagues.

Devontae Booker (RB, DEN) - 27% owned - While didn't earn the "Gruden Grinder" award like C.J. Anderson, Booker saw nearly as many snaps on Monday Night Football and was almost as productive. Booker carried the 17 times for 83 yards and a touchdown, compared to 16 carries for 107 yards and a touchdown for Anderson. At this point, both backs are worth starting. Booker should be universally owned - if he is available in your league, don't wait any longer and don't hesitate to use waiver priority.

Chris Thompson (RB, WAS) - 11% owned - Matt Jones' lost fumble turned into Chris Thompson's repeated gains. Jones fumbled straight into the end zone on a goal-line opportunity and only saw 10 carries on the day as a result. Thompson then saw a jump in carries, turning 12 runs into 73 yards. His main asset is his pass-catching ability, which makes him valuable in PPR leagues. He caught seven passes for 40 yards this game and will continue to maintain the third-down role regardless. He isn't a high-end prospect, having played as a backup for the last three seasons. Still, Thompson has a strong 5.4 Y/A for his career and could parlay this opportunity into some value for deep league PPR owners.

C.J. Prosise (RB, SEA) - 2% owned - The Seahawks were eager enough to get Prosise on the field that they deactivated recent acquisition C.J. Spiller for Week 7 and only gave one carry to backup Alex Collins. The third-round pick out of Notre Dame didn't see much action, carrying the ball once for no gain and catching two passes for 17 yards. This was his first regular season game, so he could become more active the next couple of weeks. Christine Michael has slowed down lately, averaging under four yards per carry in three straight games while being held under 70 yards rushing in each. Thomas Rawls won't be back any time soon, so Prosise could join Michael in a committee approach for an easy matchup against the Saints next week.

 

In The Running - Week 8 Waiver Wire Running Backs

This group consists of running backs widely available on the waiver wire who aren't must-adds, but could be worth stashing or streaming if the above options are already taken.

Chris Ivory (RB, JAX) 49% owned - Ivory only carried the ball five times on Sunday, but that was more a result of game flow. T.J. Yeldon only carried the ball six times as the Jags just couldn't muster any offense. Ivory did rip off a 47 yard run, but did nothing on his remaining carries. He is still worth a stash in standard leagues, assuming Jacksonville doesn't look this bad the rest of the year.

Knile Davis (RB, GB) 36% owned - The presumed new starting RB for Green Bay only carried the ball three times and managed to end up with -1 yard on Thursday. To be fair, he only had a couple of days to prepare for his debut in a Packers uniform. Then again, he boasts a 3.3 Y/A for his career in the same Kansas City offense where Jamaal Charles averages 5.5 Y/A for his career and Spencer Ware 5.4. Don't expect too much from Davis other than the occasional short TD plunge. Ty Montgomery seemed well-suited to the backfield and could very well take over the job full-time.

Dwayne Washington (RB, DET) 9% owned - Yes, I'm still stumping for D-Wash (the Detroit one). He was expected to play this week, but needed a bit more time to recover from a bum ankle. Justin Forsett hasn't done anything to hold onto the job and Theo Riddick remains out, so next week could be Washington's chance to shine. If you miss out on some of the other names listed above, he isn't the worst speculative add.

Honorable Mentions: Kenneth Dixon (RB, BAL) 14% owned, Wendell Smallwood 5% ownedBilal Powell (RB, NYJ) 30% owned,  Matt Asiata (RB, MIN) 20% owned

 

Dark Horses - Week 8 Running Backs Waiver Wire

This group consists of running backs who are strictly desperation plays. They could serve as a bye week fill-in, short-term injury replacement or weekly lottery ticket.

Ka'Deem Carey (RB, CHI) 2% owned - Carey surprisingly outsnapped Jordan Howard in Thursday night's loss at Green Bay. He had slightly more success too, running for 48 yards on 10 carries. He shouldn't be a threat to Howard's starting job, but could be worked into the rotation more frequently to spell the rookie. Carey has been lightly used in his first two and a half seasons, with just 102 carries for his career, but he is posting a nice 4.7 Y/A so far this season. He is a modest handcuff for Howard.

Rob Kelley (RB, WAS) 1% owned - Kelley also saw some time after Matt Jones entered the dog house with his fumbling ways and produced a receiving touchdown. Kelley only carried the ball four times for 15 yards, but has shown some potential when given the chance. He isn't worth owning at the moment, but could emerge as a popular addition if Jones or Thompson suffer an injury.

Zach Zenner (RB, DET) 1% owned - Zenner found the end zone on a goal-line play, ending his day with nine carries for 29 yards. He won't rip off many long runs and should be viewed strictly as a short yardage back. The Lions could get Theo Riddick and/or Dwayne Washington back next week, rendering Zenner a goal-line vulture at best.

Honorable Mentions: Damien Williams (RB, MIA) 0% owned, Alfred Morris (RB, DAL) 11% owned, Shaun Draughn (RB, SF) 3% owned, DeAndre Washington (RB, OAK) 29% owned, Peyton Barber (RB, TB) 0% owned

Also-Rans - Time To Say Goodbye

Arian Foster (RB, MIA) 64% owned - Foster surprisingly announced his retirement on Monday evening, just before kickoff of the game featuring his former team, the Texans. He had effectively lost the starting RB job to Jay Ajayi and simply could not stay healthy. Never one to value the game over his own well-being, Foster decided the time was right to walk away, which nobody can blame him for. Drop him immediately in any league where he might be rostered and take a chance on any of the running backs mentioned in this article above.

Eddie Lacy (RB, GB) 66% owned - Lacy is officially on IR, meaning he will miss eight weeks at a minimum. There aren't many scenarios in which you need to hold onto him unless you have a ton of bench spots in your league. Lacy was averaging 5.1 Y/A, but hadn't reached the end zone in five games this season.

Derrick Henry (RB, TEN) 46% owned - Let's face it, Henry isn't going to see the field unless Murray gets seriously hurt. Against a soft Indianapolis defense, Henry only saw two carries and one target. He showed stone hands on an easy drop late in the game, which won't go far to earn him any additional work. If you're a lucky Murray owner, you should definitely be holding on as an insurance policy. If you are a standard league owner who drafted him as a lottery ticket, you can probably move on at this point.


Check out RotoBaller's famous fantasy football draft sleepers and waiver wire pickups list, updated regularly!




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Projections
Articles & Tools
Weekly Planner
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Aaron Jones Sr.

Injures Hamstring During Sunday Night Football
Darren Waller

Not Expected to Play in Week 3
Garrett Crochet

Punches Out 12 in Win
Cole Ragans

to Return on Wednesday
Jameson Williams

Records Long Touchdown in Week 2, Still Limited to Downfield Role?
George Kirby

Strikes Out 14 in Win
Jayden Daniels

Considered "Day-to-Day" with Knee Injury
Carlos Estévez

Carlos Estevez Exits with Back Tightness
Jonathan Taylor

Tops 200 Yards From Scrimmage in Week 2 Win
Joe Burrow

Could Miss Three Months if he Requires Toe Surgery
Davante Adams

Headlines Rams Receiving Corps Sunday
Wan'Dale Robinson

Explodes for 142 Yards, Touchdown in Overtime Thriller
Joe Flacco

Browns Not Considering Benching Joe Flacco After Week 2
Quentin Grimes

Still Not Close to a New Contract Agreement
Lamar Jackson

Throws for Four Touchdowns in Week 2 Win
James Cook

Scores Two Touchdowns in Rout of Jets
Joel Embiid

"Looking Slender, Spry and in Positive Spirits"
Rome Odunze

Scores Twice in Loss
Ja'Marr Chase

Snags 14 Receptions, Finds End Zone in Week 2
Russell Wilson

Throws for 450 Yards, Three Touchdowns in Loss
Jared Goff

Throws Five Touchdowns
Amon-Ra St. Brown

Scores Three Touchdowns
Joe Burrow

Suffers Turf Toe and Torn Ligaments in Win
Malik Nabers

Explodes for Two Touchdowns in Overtime Thriller
Joe Burrow

Seen with Boot and Crutches Postgame
Ty Gibbs

Has Arguably his Best Career Drive, but Only Finishes 10th
Chase Elliott

Despite Crashing Out at Bristol, Chase Elliott Advances to Round of 12
Austin Dillon

Misses Round of 12 After Extremely Mediocre Bristol Run
Shane Van Gisbergen

Shane van Gisbergen Fails to Advance to Round of 12
Josh Berry

Finishes Last in All Three Round of 16 Races to Fail to Advance
Justin Fields

Diagnosed With Concussion Sunday
Tyrod Taylor

Justin Fields Evaluated for Concussion, Tyrod Taylor Enters Game
Luis Arraez

Takes a Seat on Sunday With Head Injury
Adolis García

Adolis Garcia Activated, Starting on Sunday
CFB

Ryan Williams Explodes In Return To Field
CFB

Drew Allar Plays Mediocre Game In Blowout Win
CFB

LaNorris Sellers Exits Game In Blowout Loss
CFB

DJ Lagway Tosses Five Interceptions In Loss
CFB

Garrett Nussmeier Plays Game Manager in Saturday's Win
CFB

CJ Carr Remains Poised In Narrow Loss
CFB

John Mateer Leads Oklahoma In Rout
CFB

Arch Manning Struggles Against UTEP
CFB

Jeremiah Smith Impresses In Win
Bryan Woo

Records Career-High 13 Strikeouts
Max Muncy

Exits Early on Saturday
CFB

Sam Leavitt Shines As Arizona State Rebounds From Week 2 Loss
Salvador Perez

Reaches 300 Home Runs, 1,000 RBI
Jose Altuve

Exits Early With Foot Discomfort
Trey Yesavage

Heading to Big Leagues
Will Smith

Placed on 10-Day Injured List
Ivan Demidov

Turning Heads in Rookie Camp
NHL

Calvin de Haan Signs With Swedish Team
Samuel Girard

Skates With Non-Contact Jersey
Mackenzie Blackwood

Dealing With Injury Ahead of Training Camp
Spencer Knight

Signs Three-Year Extension With Blackhawks
Chris Buescher

May have Another Solid Run at Bristol
Corey Perry

Out 6-8 Weeks Following Surgery
Kyle Busch

Should DFS Managers Roster Kyle Busch at Bristol?
Ricky Stenhouse Jr

Is Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Too Risky to Consider Rostering at Bristol?
Michael McDowell

Could be A Solid Value Option For Bristol DFS Lineups
Chase Elliott

Probably Won't Factor in for Bristol Win
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Not as Strong at Bristol as Other Short Tracks
Alex Bowman

Needs to Win to Make Round of 12
Ross Chastain

has Never Led at Bristol but Has Been Pretty Consistent
Austin Dillon

Richmond Speed Unlikely to Carry Over to Bristol
Josh Berry

Might Run Well at Bristol, but Almost Certainly Won't Win to Advance
Justin Haley

Bristol One of Justin Haley's Few Recent Bright Spots
Ryan Preece

Seems Slower on Concrete Than on Asphalt
NASCAR

Legacy Motor Club's Short-Track Speed Will Likely Hold John H. Nemechek Back
Erik Jones

Definitely Faster This Year, but Short Tracks Still a Liability
Daniel Suarez

Despite Poor Qualifying Run, Daniel Suarez Might Not Be a Great Choice
Noah Gragson

Unlikely to Be Fast at Bristol but Still Might Be Worth Considering for DFS
Tarik Skubal

Avoids Serious Injury, Expected to Make Next Start
CFB

Austin Simmons Listed As Game-Time Decision Against Arkansas
CFB

Nico Iamaleava Struggles In Fourth Straight Loss
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

Dealing With a "Tweak"
BUF

Alexandar Georgiev Joins Sabres on One-Year Deal
Corey Perry

Injured During Pre-Camp Skate
Tanner Bibee

Fans 10 in Two-Hit Shutout
Zach Neto

Dealing With Wrist Soreness
Masyn Winn

Shut Down for Rest of Season
Tarik Skubal

to Undergo Imaging on Saturday
Tyler Soderstrom

Scratched on Friday With Groin Tightness
Tarik Skubal

Exits with Side Tightness
CFB

Antonio Williams Out Against Georgia Tech
Ketel Marte

Scratched From Friday's Lineup
CFB

CJ Bailey Flashes Again in Win Over Wake Forest
CFB

Jaxson Moi a Game-Time Decision for Tennessee on Saturday
Jean Silva

A Favorite At Noche UFC 3
Kyle Tucker

"Unlikely" to Return When Eligible on Tuesday
Diego Lopes

Set For Noche UFC 3 Main Event
Rob Font

Looks For His Third Consecutive Win
David Martinez

Set For Noche UFC 3 Co-Main Event
Rafa Garcia

An Underdog At Noche UFC 3
Jared Gordon

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Dustin Stoltzfus

Looks To Return To The Win Column
Kelvin Gastelum

In Dire Need Of Victory
Diego Ferreira

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Alexander Hernandez

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Quang Le

Set For Noche UFC 3 Main Card Opener
Santiago Luna

Set For His Debut At Noche UFC 3
Malcolm Brogdon

Heading to Knicks on One-Year Deal
CFB

David Sanders Jr. Won't Play Against Georgia
Landry Shamet

Staying with the Knicks
CFB

Dylan Edwards Slated to Return on Friday
Adam Lowry

Aims for Early-Season Return
Charles Oliveira

Not Eyeing Retirement
CFB

Ryan Williams Expected to Play Against Wisconsin
CFB

Billy Edwards Jr. Unlikely to Play on Saturday
P.J. Washington

Officially Signs Contract Extension
CFB

David Sanders Jr. Questionable to Make Debut Against Georgia
Lauri Markkanen

Big at Both Ends as Finland Books Place in EuroBasket Semis
Luka Dončić

Luka Doncic Notches 39 Points in Losing Effort
NBA

Cam Reddish Expected to Move to Europe
NBA

Trey Lyles Joins Real Madrid
Charles Bassey

Signs Exhibit 10 Deal With Hawks
Sacramento Kings

Terence Davis Waived by Kings
Matthew Knies

Ready for Bigger Role With Maple Leafs
Jack Eichel

Unbothered by Lack of Extension
Sidney Crosby

Not Thinking About Leaving Pittsburgh
SJ

Michael Misa Signs Entry-Level Contract With Sharks
Rutger McGroarty

Nursing an Injury
Cameron Champ

the Ultimate Wild Card at Procore
Cameron Young

Looks to Extend Momentum in Napa
Davis Thompson

Searching for a Spark at Procore
Sahith Theegala

Looking to Reignite Form at Procore
Mackenzie Hughes

Aims for Another Strong Showing at Procore
Luke Clanton

Brings Ball-Striking Upside to Napa
Seamus Power

Looking to Overcome Poor Course History at Procore
Joe Highsmith

Hoping to Find Form in Napa
Kristaps Porzingis

Reportedly Still Not Completely Healthy
Kelly Oubre Jr.

Reportedly on the Trade Block
Andre Drummond

Future in Philadelphia in Doubt
Giannis Antetokounmpo

Helps Greece Reach Semis at EuroBasket
Alperen Sengün

Alperen Sengun Posts Historic Triple-Double
Joel Dahmen

Finishes Tied For 15 at Wyndham Championship
Bud Cauley

Finishes Tied for 33rd at BMW Championship
Justin Thomas

Finishes Tied for Seventh at Tour Championship
J.J. Spaun

Finishes Tied for 25th at Tour Championship
Collin Morikawa

Finishes Tied for 19th at Tour Championship
Keith Mitchell

Misses Cut at Wyndham Championship
Ben Griffin

Finishes Tied for 10th at Tour Championship
Patrick Cantlay

Finishes Tied for Second at Tour Championship
Gary Woodland

Could Hang Around at Procore Championship
Karl Vilips

Ready for Napa Valley This Weekend
Taylor Montgomery

Heating Up at the Right Time
Jackson Koivun

May Be a Little Rusty at Procore Championship
Doug Ghim

Looking to Rise Up at Napa Valley
Josh Giddey

Re-Signs With Bulls for Four Years
Shakir Mukhamadullin

Joins Informal Skate
William Eklund

Skates With Sharks
Owen Power

Back at 100 Percent
Tyler Seguin

Cleared for Action
Mathew Barzal

Good to Go for Season Opener
Dustin Wolf

Signs Seven-Year Extension
NBA

Mason Jones Takes His Talents to Australia
NBA

Talen Horton-Tucker Joins Reigning EuroLeague Champions
Malcolm Brogdon

on Knicks' Radar
Andrew Wiggins

Attracting Interest From Lakers

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP