Biggest Week 8 Waiver Wire Movers On Fleaflicker: Who’s Here To Stay

We are at Week 8, the halfway point of the NFL season, and another week of byes. The Giants and 49ers have the time to rest, forcing a few key players to your bench, but nothing too drastic.

Four of the five players on this list are running backs, which is very likely not the result of Frank Gore, Andre Williams and Carlos Hyde getting the week off. It has more to do with owners looking to add a backup where a starter has lacked production or is hurt.

In fact, the injuries to C.J. Spiller and Fred Jackson have led the Fleaflicker community to add both the third- and fourth-stringers in the Buffalo backfield. When it comes to the lone wide receiver on this list, having a great game the same week your biggest competition for targets gets traded will make fantasy owners notice you. There is a pretty decent crop of waiver wire guys on this list, and they might have some longer-term utility, rather than being single-week plug-and-plays.

 

Top Fleaflicker Players Added For Week 8

Denard Robinson (RB/WR, JAX) - 5,614 Waiver Wire Adds

Denard Robinson has the odd distinction of being eligible at both running back and wide receiver. That adds to his growing appeal, as Toby Gerhart has all but totally lost his fantasy relevance. Gerhart has missed the last two games, while Robinson exploded last week against Cleveland for 127 yards and a TD on 22 carries. Robinson played 46 total snaps, with Storm Johnson and Jordan Todman combining for 29 total plays. Regardless of whether Gerhart is back this week against Miami, Gus Bradley has indicated that Robinson is going to be the feature back going forward. What does that mean for owners in the 72% of Fleaflicker leagues where Robinson is still on waivers? Add him now.

The WR eligibility is interesting, and it will allow you to play an extra RB in a WR slot. I have flashbacks to when I started quarterback Joe Webb at WR solely due to his dual eligibility. I like Robinson a lot more than not only Webb (whatever happened to him?), but also more than anybody else on this list.

 

Tre Mason (RB, STL) - 4,983 Waiver Wire Adds

Remember Zac Stacy? The guy who was a top 10 RB last season and a top 30 draft pick this year? I don’t. Owing to nothing other than his own lack of production, he didn’t see the ball once last week against Seattle. Benny Cunningham got the start for the Rams, yet Tre Mason had the better game, getting more touches (18 to Cunningham's seven) and going for 85 yards and a score. Cunningham had five of his seven touches on receptions, also leading to a score, yet he only had three rushing yards. Mason is going to be the feature back going forward, and he's another guy worth adding for the long haul.

Mason is available in over half of Fleaflicker leagues, and he should be owned by anybody that has Zac Stacy. Stacy is droppable at this point, and Mason is going to hover around the RB2 radar on a weekly basis.

 

Doug Baldwin (WR, SEA) - 4,901 Waiver Wire Adds

In the aftermath of Percy Harvin's trade to the Jets, Doug Baldwin has become Russell Wilson's clear favorite. He received 11 of 36 of Wilson’s passes, a team high, catching seven for 123 yards and a TD. It was Baldwin’s best game this season by far, and it landed him on many fantasy owners’ teams. It’s a big turnaround, especially considering that he was all but irrelevant in the previous week against Dallas, with only two catches for 32 yards. Baldwin's TD against St. Louis was his first of the year, and I expect him to be finding the end zone with a bit more frequency in Harvin's conspicuous absence. This week, he faces Carolina, a team that has allowed the eighth-most fantasy points to opposing WRs, which likely spells another solid game for Baldwin.

Dougie will be a WR3 option for the remainder of the season. He runs through a rough stretch of games on the back end, facing the 49ers, the Cardinals twice, the Chiefs and the Eagles. If you can pick him up now while he has an easier schedule against the Panthers, Raiders and Giants, that would be preferable, so you can see whether he can keep the production up before trusting him every week.

 

Bryce Brown (RB, BUF) - 3,833 Waiver Wire Adds

Everybody calm down about Bryce Brown. Yes, he is a solid running back who should be owned in way more than 24% of leagues. There is still no way I am going to play him right out of the gate. First off, this is going to be Brown’s first game all season, as he's been inactive for the first seven games. Second, he is going up against the Jets and their top-five run defense, which will give Brown a hard matchup right out of the gate. And don't forget about Anthony Dixon, the other running back taking over for C.J. Spiller and Fred Jackson. (More on Dixon in a moment.)

Bryce Brown is a nice add for rushing depth. He is only owned in 30% of Fleaflicker leagues, the least owned of all the guys on this list. He does have the potential to be as great as he was in Philadelphia back in 2012; I’m just saying I wouldn't necessarily expect it.

 

Anthony Dixon (RB, BUF) - 3,796 Waiver Wire Adds

Dixon had his best game last week against Minnesota, with 13 carries for 51 yards, to which he added three catches and 15 more yards. While the 6.60 fantasy points aren’t much to be happy about, he is going to see a big step up this week. In practice, Dixon was taking first-team reps, which could indicate he will be the featured back this week against the Jets. Nothing is set in stone, and a lot will be determined in the game, since whoever has the better game will likely be the one starting in the coming weeks. I believe that will be Dixon.

Neither Brown nor Dixon is really an ideal start, especially considering the question marks attached. If you can add them without necessarily starting either this week, that would certainly be ideal. That said, if you need to play Dixon or Brown, each would be a RB3/FLEX option with some decent (although risky) upside.

 

Well, there you have it. A case can be made to add any and all of the players on this list. However, there is generally a reason these five were not drafted in most leagues. There is obviously a risk in starting every player, and these waiver wire adds might be risky for your teams until you know for sure what you are going to get out of them. Make sure to share your thoughts and comments below; leave any questions you have for me about these guys or anything related to fantasy football. Good luck in Week 8, RotoBallers.