Top 5 Injured Players to Stash for Fantasy Football - Week 8 (2026)

October 28, 2026

Hayden's top 5 injured players to stash for fantasy football as of Week 8 (2026). His top fantasy football injury stashes for IR spots and redraft leagues.

Among this week's top waiver wire targets was a trio of rookies. Broncos RB Jonah Coleman, Jets WR Omar Cooper Jr., and Dolphins WR Caleb Douglas all had promising performances in Week 7, prompting fantasy managers to pursue them. These three should continue to emerge over the back half of the season.

Another thing these first-year players have in common is that they have all missed multiple weeks with injuries this season, with Coleman and Cooper spending brief stints on injured reserve. Fantasy managers who stashed these players are reaping the rewards, as they were ahead of the curve by rostering them.

Let's break down five widely available players who are injured, yet still worth taking a look at on waivers ahead of Week 8.

Terrance Ferguson, TE, Los Angeles Rams

Ferguson (ankle) has missed out on a lot of fantasy points during his time on injured reserve. He has not played since exiting in Week 3 prematurely, but Rams tight ends have been thriving in the meantime. Over the past five weeks, the Rams have averaged 11.8 targets to their tight ends, the third-highest mark over that span.

The Rams intended to use Ferguson as their top receiving TE this year, too. He saw nine targets in Week 2, of which he caught six for 54 yards and a TD. Tyler Higbee stepped up after Ferguson went down, but the team spread the love to three tight ends on Sunday. Higbee, Colby Parkinson, and Davis Allen combined for 11 catches on 14 targets for 82 yards and two touchdowns.

Ferguson is eligible to return from injured reserve this week, but he is reportedly unlikely to do so. If these reports prove correct, Ferguson would get at least one more week of rest before potentially suiting up against the Commanders in Week 9. The Rams have their bye in Week 11; ideally Ferguson will return before then.

When Ferguson does come back, he will return to a great situation for fantasy production. He led the team's tight ends in routes over the first two weeks of the season, and he would likely return to that role despite the success of his teammates. Star receiver Davante Adams will also miss an extended period of time with a ruptured hamstring, freeing up a good chunk of targets.

Bad to worse: #Rams star WR Davante Adams, who sustained a hamstring injury in last night’s loss to the #AZCardinals, is out 6-10 weeks. https://t.co/FO80VAb5NM

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 19, 2026

Despite an unclear return date, Ferguson's upside makes him a great stash candidate. The Rams have a prolific passing offense, averaging 274.1 passing yards per game, third-most in the NFL. As the Rams' TE1, Ferguson will give fantasy managers plenty of value down the line, but some patience may be necessary.

Roman Wilson, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers

Wilson (finger) was injured in Week 5 against the Colts after seeing just one target. His dislocated finger landed him on injured reserve, and he will not be eligible to return to the field until Week 11 as a result. Wilson's time out is overlapping with teammate Michael Pittman Jr.'s time on IR with a foot injury.

Wilson's absence has been felt over the past few weeks. His aDOT of 15.0 yards ranks 11th among the league's receivers and tops among Steelers. Wilson also had eight deep targets out of his 25. In both Week 3 and Week 4, quarterback Aaron Rodgers had exactly eight throws of 20 or more yards. Rodgers has just eight such passes over the past three weeks combined.

Although rookie receiver Germie Bernard has been productive for the Steelers, Wilson provides a dimension that Bernard (5.6-yard aDOT) does not. The team's other top targets over the past few weeks have been WR1 DK Metcalf, RBs Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle, and TE Pat Freiermuth. When Wilson comes back, he will rejoin Metcalf as one of Pittsburgh's few downfield threats.

Wilson had made some plays in that role before his untimely injury, too. He scored two touchdowns in the four full games he played, and in three of those games he posted a catch of at least 20 yards. Wilson also saw exactly six targets in each of the first four weeks, underscoring the consistency in his target volume.

Aaron Rodgers throws a DIME to Wilson for the TD 🎯

@CINvsPIT on CBS/Paramount+
Stream on @NFLPlus https://t.co/jrSpdXpMsI

— NFL (@NFL) September 27, 2026

Finally, the Steelers rank sixth in team pass plays per game. With Wilson filling a crucial role in an offense that is emphasizing the pass, he presents value for fantasy managers. He should be a quality asset down the home stretch of the fantasy season. If you have a spare roster spot on your bench, consider holding Wilson for a few weeks.

De'Zhaun Stribling, WR, San Francisco 49ers

Stribling (ankle) landed on injured reserve after a Week 1 injury in Australia that required surgery. It was an unfortunate development for a young player who had a promising preseason. Stribling, a second-round rookie, caught seven passes for 63 yards and a touchdown in his preseason debut, but he had no grabs in his regular-season debut before going down.

An impressive preseason debut for @49ers' second-round pick De'Zhaun Stribling:

7 catches
63 yards

All in the first half 🙌

TENvsSF on @nflnetwork
Stream on @NFLPlus https://t.co/VxhMoyrhFb

— NFL (@NFL) August 14, 2026

He is far from the only 49ers receiver to get hurt this season, though. Demarcus Robinson also injured his ankle; Mike Evans has Achilles tendinitis; Deebo Samuel Sr. has a hamstring injury; and Ricky Pearsall is out for the season with a PCL issue. The team is currently relying on Christian Kirk, Brandin Cooks, and Jordan Watkins.

Needless to say, the team is eagerly awaiting Stribling's return. Sadly, that probably will not happen for at least another month. Stribling was expected to miss about 10 weeks after surgery, and he is reportedly on track to return in December. A Week 13 return would pose a rich opportunity for him, though, as well as for his fantasy managers.

San Francisco lost for the first time this past Sunday, but their passing attack remained productive. Quarterback Brock Purdy completed 27 of his 40 attempts for 288 yards against the Falcons, with just seven of his completions to wide receivers. The 49ers average just 32.3 pass plays per game, but they rank first with 7.8 net yards gained per pass attempt.

When Stribling is healthy, he can put his elite athleticism (4.36-second 40-yard dash) to work to regain his preseason momentum. He will rejoin a successful team with an efficient offense and chaos at his position. He is definitely worth stashing for any manager who can afford to spend a roster spot on him for another month.

Pat Bryant, WR, Denver Broncos

Bryant (ankle) had a solid Week 1 in an overall dismal showing for the Broncos. The second-year receiver caught four of his six targets for 42 yards, leading the team's wide receivers in all three stats in the 31-10 loss to Kansas City. The performance led to higher snap shares and route participation rates over the next two weeks.

In an unlucky turn of events, Bryant hurt his ankle in Week 4 against San Francisco. He had been having an effective day, catching all of his three targets for 47 yards. Bryant was subsequently placed on injured reserve, and he will be eligible to return in Week 9. As Denver has a Week 10 bye, they may hold him out until after that.

That said, the Broncos want Bryant back as soon as possible. Denver's passing offense has largely been languishing this season, especially lately. The team has averaged 143.3 passing yards over the past three weeks with Bryant inactive. Quarterback Bo Nix had a bounceback of sorts on Sunday against Arizona with 222 passing yards, but WR1 Jaylen Waddle left with a chest injury.

Bryant's return will breathe much-needed life into this offense. He ranks third among all receivers in target premium, showing his value over the team's other weapons. Moreover, Bryant averaged 2.47 fantasy points per target before getting hurt, albeit on limited work.

HUGE pickup from PB13

📺: @SNFonNBC https://t.co/HjyS6zKjIW

— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) September 28, 2026

Denver needs a receiver to step up and be a true weapon for Nix, and Bryant has shown flashes of being that receiver. The pieces are in place for the young wideout to break out in the second half of the season. Targeting Bryant this week before he becomes a hotter acquisition would be a wise move.

Tank Bigsby, RB, Philadelphia Eagles

Bigsby (core) has spent the past few weeks on injured reserve. He has been forced to watch Philadelphia's season fall apart. Star quarterback Jalen Hurts is out for the year with a scary blood clot issue, and the Eagles just lost their fifth straight game.

Philadelphia has also suffered at RB. In addition to Bigsby, RB1 Saquon Barkley missed two weeks with a hamstring strain and is now dealing with a back issue. Moreover, Will Shipley (foot) is on injured reserve. Finally, Dameon Pierce suffered an undisclosed injury on Monday, rounding out the decimation the Eagles have experienced at the position.

Barkley has been in trade rumors due to Philadelphia's unexpected collapse. The trade deadline is on November 10, in about two weeks. If Barkley is dealt, Bigsby would ascend to a substantial role as the team's lead running back. He stepped up when Barkley missed some action earlier this year, rushing 13 times in Week 2 and 14 times in Week 4.

Cartavious "Tank" Bigsby https://t.co/evxOBcqJBm

— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) September 20, 2026

The Eagles added Elijah Mitchell last week, and the jury is still out on how effective he can be. The effectiveness of the team's other non-Barkley options so far can be best described as "not very." Bigsby has been underwhelming with an average of 3.2 true yards per carry and a 46.4-percent success rate. Neither Pierce nor Shipley have even reached those numbers, though.

Thus, unless Mitchell beats the trend and thrives, Bigsby should return to his RB2 role at the least. That would put him in position to take over the team's backfield should Barkley get traded or continue to be hampered by injuries. Stashing Bigsby due to the chance of one of these scenarios would be justifiable.

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