Week 8 was horrendous for running backs. We already knew Marshawn Lynch was going to miss at least a month with a groin issue, but then we saw LeSean McCoy suffer what appeared to be a concussion. If that wasn’t enough misery for you, Ezekiel Elliott had the worst game of his career and David Johnson was stymied on Thursday Night. It wasn’t all gloom and doom, though. Ronald Jones made the most of his opportunities, Raheem Mostert again looked like a valuable piece of the 49ers’ backfield, and Chris Ivory filled in admirably for McCoy.

Overall, several unheralded players have been proving their mettle lately, and another wave of injuries thrusts new faces into the fantasy spotlight. It’s also worth noting that Lamar Miller put together a strong performance, Kerryon Johnson finally appeared to be getting unleashed, and Marlon Mack has brought a competent running game back to Indianapolis, but these players are obviosuly too commonly owned for them to make our waiver rankings. Our featured experts are here to instead shed some light on these lesser-known and mostly unowned players who have either been stepping up their production or are set to jump into a larger role and can bear some fantasy fruit.

Get free start/sit and waiver wire advice for your fantasy team

Featured Experts:
Christian Brito – Eat.Sleep.Fantasy
Greg Smith – TwoQBs
Andrew Gould – FantasyPros
Mike Tagliere – FantasyPros
Bobby Sylvester – FantasyPros
Jody Smith – FantasyPros

*Ownership % derived from a consensus of Yahoo & ESPN leagues

Q1. How much are you willing to spend (FAAB %) on your favorite waiver wire target (or two) and why do you like him?

Jalen Richard (RB – OAK) | C.J. Uzomah (TE – CIN) | Chester Rogers (WR – IND)
“My top TE add would be Bengals TE Uzomah. After logging seven targets the week before, Uzomah mustered only two this past week in a disappointing offensive output for the bengals. He still managed to salvage many fantasy owners’ days with a TD score. With Eifert out for the year and Kroft banged up, the numbers for Uzomah should look good this week against a swiss-cheese pass defense for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I’d spend 10% of my FAAB for him.

My favorite RB add is Richard. With a banged up Lynch, the Raiders have to turn somewhere with their run game, and Richard has looked better than his backfield teammate Doug Martin so far this season. He’s worth up to 5% of your FAAB.

Lastly, my top WR pickup is Rogers, since it seems like Rogers will continue to be the Colts’ WR2 for the time being, and his rapport with Luck has been building. Look for him to be a sneaky good option in Week 7 against the Raiders. I’m willing to part with up to 8% of my FAAB to acquire him.”
– Christian Brito (Eat.Sleep.Fantasy)

“Only PPR owners need apply, but Jalen Richard is worth a good chunk of FAAB this week. Over Oakland’s past two games, Richard played the same number of snaps as Lynch, and now Lynch is potentially on his way to injured reserve. Richard was already averaging over six targets per game, and with his workload even more secure, he should build on his average of 9.9 PPR points per game. Depending on my roster’s running back situation, I’d be willing to spend up to 60 or 70 percent of my FAAB on Richard.”
– Greg Smith (TwoQBs)

Raheem Mostert (RB – SF)
“A week after supplanting Alfred Morris, Mostert stepped in for an injured Matt Breida (ankle) to record 78 yards on 11 touches. He played just two more snaps (22) than Morris but looked far better when given the rock. San Francisco faces an Arizona defense ranked last in rushing yards (148.3 per game) and touchdowns (12), so Mostert holds significant Week 8 appeal if Breida can’t play. Don’t be afraid to aggressively bid 15-20 percent of your FAAB if in need of an instant jolt.”
– Andrew Gould (FantasyPros)

“I’d be willing to spend about 15% of my FAAB on Raheem Mostert, who has looked excellent in a two-game stint with the 49ers. Mostert has averaged an impressive 7.7 yards per carry and could be in for an even larger role if Breida is held out with his recurring ankle injury. If Breida were announced as out, Mostert would rise to a 20% bid.”
– Jody Smith (FantasyPros)

Tre’Quan Smith (WR – NO) 
“It’s Smith for me, as he’s the clear-cut No. 2 receiver in the offense now that Ted Ginn is on injured reserve. While many thought Cameron Meredith would be the next-best option next to Michael Thomas, he didn’t see a single target versus the Ravens. Smith had a tough matchup with Jimmy Smith and Brandon Carr, but did manage to sneak in three catches for 44 yards, including a nifty catch where he toe-tapped along the sideline on an errant pass, surely earning some trust in him going forward. He’s the type of waiver wire receiver who could change your season, making him worth 10-plus percent of your budget.”
– Mike Tagliere (FantasyPros)

Doug Martin (RB – OAK)
“Richard is my top choice, as I’d imagine will be the case for everyone else, so I want to talk about his teammate Martin. It seems likely that he will absorb the goal-line role in Oakland’s offense and while he isn’t as safe of a pickup as Richard, let’s not forget that Martin has serious potential. He has been a top-five fantasy running back both seasons he stayed healthy the whole year so it isn’t crazy to think spending 10% of your FAAB on him could lead to you having a top-15 RB heading into the playoffs.”
– Bobby Sylvester (FantasyPros)

Q2. For owners renting a D/ST in Week 8, what readily available option (under 40%) should they target and why?

“My top option is Pittsburgh. While they have been up and down this season on defense, they put up double-digit fantasy points in their first meeting with the Browns, and the result this week should be no different.

For those needing to dive a little deeper, my second option is the Redskins, who have put up double-digit points on defense in four out of six games this season, and have done so each of the last two weeks. The Giants meanwhile have been less than stellar on offense. I like the Redskins defense to continue the trend and score at least 10 points this week. Finally, I know this one is not as widely available (51% owned) but if you are lucky enough to snag the Patriots secondary, they should be stellar this week as a top-three defensive option against the Bills.”
– Christian Brito (Eat.Sleep.Fantasy)

“At 38 percent ownership as I type, the Pittsburgh Steelers barely qualify as “readily available,” but they are a top waiver target if unrostered. The Steelers have bounced back on defense since Joe Haden returned to full health, and they face the Browns this week. Baker Mayfield has taken five sacks in each of his last three starts, and Pittsburgh has the NFL’s fourth-best pass rush according to Football Outsiders’ Adjusted Sack Rate metric. As an underdog on the road, Mayfield should remain under siege and perhaps add to the five interceptions he’s thrown through his first four starts. This matchup against Mayfield makes the Steelers an intriguing rental option in Week 7, and they should hold value in subsequent weeks against Baltimore, Carolina, Jacksonville, and Denver.”
– Greg Smith (TwoQBs)

“I’m not sure many have taken notice, but the Cardinals defense has been really solid this year. Well, not against the run they haven’t. But in all seriousness, their defense has generated at least two sacks in every game, with three or more sacks in four-of-seven games. They’ve also forced six fumbles and six interceptions. They have already played the 49ers this year, and in that game they totaled four sacks, two interceptions, and three fumble recoveries, making it their best performance of the year. They also allowed just 18 points, and that game was in San Francisco. They’re one of the better streamers in Week 8.”
– Mike Tagliere (FantasyPros)

“New England (51 percent owned) misses the cut, so see if lightning strikes twice with the Cardinals against the 49ers. They recorded four sacks, three fumble recoveries, two picks, and a defensive touchdown in Week 5’s 28-18 win. Not everyone will get on board following Thursday night’s 45-10 shellacking to Denver, but Arizona’s defense should bounce back at home against a sloppy opponent.”
– Andrew Gould (FantasyPros)

“The Cincinnati Bengals have played some killer offenses from Kansas City and Pittsburgh the past two weeks, to Atlanta and Indianapolis earlier in the year. As you might expect, there were some struggles mixed in, but they’ve got plenty of talent on defense and have already racked up 15 sacks and nine forced turnovers. While Tampa Bay has some firepower, their quarterback is also turnover prone and their line is vulnerable.”
– Bobby Sylvester (FantasyPros)

“The 49ers have only recorded 14 sacks and have forced an NFL-low three turnovers, but should nevertheless be a solid streaming option this week against a hapless Arizona offense. Starting a rookie quarterback, the Cardinals are having trouble moving the ball and have turned the ball over 15 times.”
– Jody Smith (FantasyPros)

Thank you to the experts for naming their top waiver targets. Be sure to give them a follow on Twitter if you’re not already doing so and check out our latest podcast below for more great advice.

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Play | Spotify | Stitcher | SoundCloud | TuneIn | RSS