Breece Hall Injury: Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Replacement Pickups (Week 8)

With the injury to Breece Hall, fantasy football managers are left with a potential void on their roster. Let’s check out the extent of the injury and players you can target on your waiver wire this week.

• Week 8 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Advice
• Erickson’s Week 7 Rapid Reactions & Top Performers
• Fantasy Football Heat Index
• Fantasy Football Week 7 Takeaways: Surprises & Disappointments

If you want to dive deeper into fantasy football, be sure to check out our award-winning slate of Fantasy Football Tools as you navigate your season. From our Start/Sit Assistant – which provides your optimal lineup, based on accurate consensus projections – to our Waiver Wire Assistant – which allows you to quickly see which available players will improve your team, and by how much – we’ve got you covered this fantasy football season.

Breece Hall Injury Outlook

Breece Hall suspected to have suffered ACL tear

According to Rich Cimini of ESPN NFL Nation, RB Breece Hall is suspected of tearing his ACL during the Week 7 game against Denver.

Fantasy Impact

Hall left prematurely on Sunday, getting carted to the locker room after he couldn’t under his own power. He was nearly immediately ruled out of the game, which is hardly ever a good sign. Head coach Robert Saleh called the initial diagnosis “not good,” a brutal blow to both the Jets and Hall, who was off to a strong start in his rookie season.

Dr. Deepak Chona’s early injury takeaways on the Week 7 Sunday night recap show:

• Left game with knee injury. Robert Saleh said post game likely an ACL injury. Not good. Likely out rest of season.

Waiver Wire Replacements to Target

Gus Edwards (RB – BAL): 43% rostered

• Next opponents: @TB, @NO, BYE
• True value: $11
• Desperate need: $36
• Budget-minded: $4

Analysis: The Gus Bus is back on his regular route. After what could have been a career-threatening knee injury, Edwards returned in Week 7 with 66 yards on 16 carries and found the end zone twice. Kenyan Drake‘s Week 6 explosion proved to be an aberration, as he had 11 carries for only 5 yards in the Ravens’ narrow Week 7 win over Cleveland. I’m a huge fan of Edwards going forward as the lead back in Baltimore, health permitting.

D’Onta Foreman (RB – CAR): 49% rostered

• Next opponents: @ATL, @CIN, ATL
• True value: $8
• Desperate need: $22
• Budget-minded: $4

Analysis: Every analyst I know (including myself) was dead wrong about the Panthers’ backfield in the wake of the Christian McCaffrey trade. Most assumed the more valuable back would be Foreman, but the expectations were incredibly low versus the Buccaneers. The former Texas Longhorn rushed for 118 yards on 15 carries and added two receptions for 27 more yards through the air. Carolina’s win was shocking, but the manner in which they battered the Bucs with a physical running game has put the Falcons and Bengals on notice for the next few weeks. Foreman is a bruiser and will likely continue to shoulder early-down work alongside Chuba Hubbard.

Latavius Murray (RB – DEN): 40% rostered

• Next opponents: @JAX, BYE, @TEN
• True value: $7
• Desperate need: $16
• Budget-minded: $3

Analysis: Attrition is hitting the Denver offense hard this season. Murray was acquired off the Saints’ practice squad after Javonte Williams was lost for the season and was immediately inserted into the rotation with meaningful touches. Melvin Gordon hasn’t looked anywhere close to as sharp as he was in 2021, and his fumbling issue is alarming. Mike Boone picked up an ankle injury in Week 7, so Murray has stumbled upon a growing role. You still better pray the 32-year-old plodder falls into the end zone if you choose to start him.

Isiah Pacheco (RB – KC): 51% rostered

• Next opponents: BYE, TEN, JAX
• True value: $7
• Desperate need: $16
• Budget-minded: $3

Analysis: We’re cheating a bit with the inclusion of Pacheco, who’s rostered in just over half of Yahoo leagues, but hey, it was a rough week for injuries. There was hope that we’d see a Pacheco liftoff in Week 8 with the announcement that Pacheco would start for the Chiefs in San Francisco, but the starting role turned out to be mostly ceremonial. Pacheco played 19 snaps (a 30% snap share) and had 8-43-0 rushing and no targets. Most of his touches came in garbage time with Kansas City trying to run out a decisive 44-23 victory. Clearly, Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Jerick McKinnon are still going to play big roles in the Chiefs’ RB-by-committee. Pacheco has big-time speed, but there’s not a lot of subtlety to his game. Vision and patience are not two of his greater assets at this stage of his career. Kansas City has a Week 8 bye, so even if you win Pacheco’s services, you’re going to have to let him cool his heels on your bench for a week.

Tyler Allgeier (RB – ATL): 40% rostered

• Next opponents: CAR, LAC, @CAR
• True value: $6
• Desperate need: $14
• Budget-minded: $3

Analysis: One beneficiary of Arthur Smith’s Rambling Wreck lunacy toward running the ball has been the rookie from BYU, Tyler Allgeier. Are the Falcons particularly good at running the ball? No. Allgeier only rang up 50 yards on his 16 carries on Sunday. He did tote the rock nearly three times more than Caleb Huntley in Week 7. Allgeier also found the end zone from approximately two millimeters out after Kyle Pitts caught the ball at the goal line but the side judge was tragically stricken with macular degeneration by the fantasy gods. If you’re looking for a guy who will get a lot of low-quality, bumbling touches from a coach hell-bent on auditioning to be the next head coach of Navy, look no further than Allgeier.

Chuba Hubbard (RB – CAR): 36% rostered

• Next opponents: @ATL, @CIN, ATL
• True value: $4
• Desperate need: $11
• Budget-minded: $2

Analysis: How could we have been so blind to this potent “thunder and lightning” duo in Carolina? D’Onta Foreman and Chuba Hubbard teamed up to shred the Buccaneers on the ground in Week 7, further underscoring just how unimportant the RB position has become in the NFL. Hubbard was the “starter” but ceded the bulk of the work to Foreman. Hubbard’s game still complemented Foreman’s well, as he busted a couple big runs with his track speed and found the end zone. He did hurt his ankle at the end of the game, but all reports are that it is minor and he could have returned if needed. Hubbard’s skill set is limited, but his speed provides a home run element if he’s given the space.

Ty Johnson (RB – NYJ): 0% rostered

• Next opponents: NE, BUF, BYE
• True value: $3
• Desperate need: $7
• Budget-minded: $1

Analysis: It pains me to write this, but Breece Hall‘s knee injury provides an opening for Ty Johnson to enter the Jets’ backfield rotation alongside Michael Carter. Johnson has looked pretty good in spots over the past couple seasons. Carter is obviously the preferred option, but don’t be surprised if Johnson plays his way into a larger role. If the Jets continue to play winning football without Hall, it will undoubtedly come from an effective running game in this Mike LaFleur offense.

Stash Candidates: James Cook, Kyren Williams, Rachaad White, Jaylen Warren

“The Rookie Bump” is a nice little increase in reps for rookie RBs directly after their team’s bye week. James Cook is squarely in line for this bump, with Buffalo getting a week off to re-evaluate player performance and scheme for the rest of the season. Cook has been electric this season, albeit with very limited opportunities. The Bills could be even scarier if they start to weave Cook’s talents into the offense more going forward.

Kyren Williams is due to return from the IR, and not a moment too soon for the reeling Rams. Los Angeles is returning from their bye week, licking their wounds after losing out to their division rivals in acquiring Christian McCaffrey. Williams is like ordering CMC on Wish.com, as he is a skilled receiver and intelligent ball carrier. Cam Akers is done in L.A., while Darrell Henderson has never been able to shoulder a full workload and stay healthy. The Rams might throw Williams right into the fray once he is ready.

Rachaad White is bordering on becoming an outright waiver add at this point. The Tampa Bay offense has been anemic the last two games, with Leonard Fournette suddenly showing his age. White tied his season high with six carries in Week 7 and only compiled 24 yards. His gifts as a pass catcher are not lost on the coaching staff or on Tom Brady, giving hope that his snap share will continue to blossom.

Jaylen Warren is still a stash as Najee Harris‘ direct handcuff. Harris has remained healthy, but his snaps on third down and long yardage have all been siphoned by Warren. Anyone with Harris rostered would be a fool to not have Warren at the end of their bench ready to go at a moment’s notice.