Let’s take a look at players our analysts consider on the fringe as you weigh your waiver wire additions for the week. And here’s all of our fantasy football waiver wire advice for Week 8.
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Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Advice: Drop or Hold?
DROP RECOMMENDATIONS
Droppable:
Zach Ertz was outsnapped by second-year Cardinals TE Trey McBride in Week 6 and played the same amount of snaps (35) as McBride in Week 7. Even if Kyler Murray takes the QB reins from Joshua Dobbs, Ertz isn’t going to be fantasy viable in a TE timeshare. Over his last two games, Ertz has 4-32-1 receiving on nine targets.
One of the hottest waiver pickups of Week 7, Zach Evans proved to be an FAAB-waster, playing behind Darrell Henderson and Royce Freeman. A sixth-round rookie from Ole Miss, Evans didn’t play a single offensive snap against the Steelers on Sunday. He can go right back to the waiver wire.
On the verge of returning from a hamstring injury, Pat Freiermuth aggravated the injury in practice last week and is headed back to injured reserve. A decent tight end but not a prolific scorer, Freiermuth can be dropped.
With Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua taking up so my oxygen in the Rams’ passing game, there aren’t enough targets left to keep Tyler Higbee rosterable. He’s drawn only three targets in each of his last three games, putting up stat lines of 2-20-0, 2-18-0, and 1-7-0.
Sam Howell has now been sacked 40 times this season. Yes, 40 sacks in seven games. Howell has had flashes of brilliance as a passer, but you can’t take that many sacks if you want to remain an NFL starter. Not only was Howell sacked six times by the Giants on Sunday, but he had a ragged day as a passer, completing 22-of-42 throws for 248 yards, with no touchdowns and one interception. He has a tough matchup coming up against the Eagles this week, so you can dump him in 1QB leagues.
After leading Arizona’s RBs in touches a week ago, Keaontay Ingram didn’t play a single offensive snap in Week 7. Woof.
Au revoir, Anthony Richardson. Take good care of that wounded shoulder. We’ll see you in 2024.
Droppable with a chance of regret:
Jahan Dotson flashed big-time talent last year, but he and Commanders QB Sam Howell don-t seem to have much chemistry – at least not yet. Dotson has a modest 16.1% target share, and his 43-yard game in Week 7 was actually a season high. A first-round pick in 2022, Dotson can’t be written off yet, but it’s no longer worth holding him and waiting for something good to happen.
Antonio Gibson has been frozen out of the Commanders’ running game. He’s averaging 2.6 carries a game, and only once this season has Gibson had more than three rushing attempts. Rookie Chris Rodriguez has outcarried Gibson 11-5 over the last two weeks. That would be OK if Gibson were getting heavy usage in the passing game, but he’s averaging 2.7 targets a game. With Rodriguez around, we can’t even be sure that Gibson is the handcuff for starter Brian Robinson.
Rookie Quentin Johnston has not been able to establish himself as a reliable contributor to the Chargers’ passing game despite the season-ending injury to WR Mike Williams. In the three game since Williams went down, Johnston has 2-38-0 on seven targets. Johnston’s impressive college career at TCU made him a first-round pick in this year’s NFL Draft, but it doesn’t seem as if Johnston is going to become a useful fantasy contributor in Year 1.
Don’t drop yet:
We know Gabe Davis has a feast-or-famine profile. You feasted in Weeks 2-5, when Davis scored a touchdown in four consecutive games. Your stomach is rumbling now that he’s had only 4-27-0 over his last four games. Fear not. There are more tasty dishes on the way.
The Bears kept Cole Kmet in to block for rookie QB Tyson Bagent quite a bit in Week 7, as Kmet ran routes on just 26 of his 63 snaps. Maybe it will continue to happen with Bagent at quarterback, but not necessarily. And Justin Fields will be back at QB for the Bears eventually.
Calvin Ridley‘s roller-coaster season has had more downs than ups so far. But c’mon, you know he’s too good to drop. Never drop a player out of spite. If you want to keep Ridley on your bench until he turns in a couple of prove-it games, fine. Don’t drop him.
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