Top 7 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Targets: Defense (Week 8)

We will have you covered throughout the 2023 fantasy football season with our bevy of tools, including our Waiver Wire Assistant. Find the top available players and get detailed analysis on how potential waiver wire adds will impact your team. Of course, our team of analysts will also have written advice each week. Check out some of our top waiver wire targets for the week below. And here’s all of our fantasy football waiver wire advice for Week 8.

Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Targets

DEFENSES

Written by Pat Fitzmaurice

Los Angeles Chargers: 7% rostered

Next Opponents: CHI, @NYJ, DET
True value: $2
Desperate need: $3
Budget-minded: $1

Analysis: There’s no need to spend much on any team defense this week, since there are a lot of solid options to choose from. The Chargers get appealing matchups the next two weeks against the Bears and Jets. Rookie QB Tyson Bagent, an undrafted free agent, acquitted himself well for the Bears in his first NFL start, committing no turnovers, taking only one sack and posting a passer rating of 97.2 in a win over the Raiders. Still, targeting an undrafted rookie free agent with a team defense is still a good percentage play. So is targeting Jets QB Zach Wilson – the Jets’ likely starter in Week 9. The Chargers ranked 20th in defensive fantasy scoring entering Week 7, but they do have a respectable pass rush, having accrued 22 sacks in their first six games.

Indianapolis Colts: 11% rostered

Next Opponents: NO, @CAR, @NE
True value: $1
Desperate need: $2
Budget-minded: $0

Analysis: The Colts are nothing special defensively, having ranked 17th in defensive DVOA and 19th in defensive fantasy scoring going into Week 7. But Indy has a nice stretch of schedule coming up, with games against New Orleans and Carolina and New England before a Week 11 bye. Those are all playable matchups.

Houston Texans: 4% rostered

Next Opponents: @CAR, TB, @CIN
True value: $1
Desperate need: $2
Budget-minded: $0

Analysis: Fresh off a Week 7 bye, the Texans return to action with a good matchup against the Panthers, who are giving up 8.5 fantasy points per game to team defenses. The Texans entered Week 7 ranked 16th in defensive fantasy scoring, with double-digit point totals in three of their last four games. You might be able to hold the Texans for two weeks, since they have another playable matchup against the Buccaneers in Week 9.

Miami Dolphins: 48% rostered

Next Opponents: NE, @KC, BYE
True value: $1
Desperate need: $2
Budget-minded: $0

Analysis: We’re targeting Mac Jones here. Going into Week 7, Jones had thrown seven interceptions in his first six games. He managed to avoid being picked off in the Patriots’ win over the Bills’ on Sunday, but it’s still a good idea to pick on a New England offense that had given up an average of 13.8 fantasy points per game to opposing defenses going into Week 6 – second-most in the league. The Miami defense has not distinguished itself to this point, however. Entering their Week 7 game against the Eagles, the Dolphins ranked 24th in defensive fantasy scoring and 27th in defensive DVOA.

Atlanta Falcons: 13% rostered

Next Opponents: @TEN, MIN, @ARI
True value: $1
Desperate need: $2
Budget-minded: $0

Analysis: The Falcons go on the road this week to face the Titans, who are expected to be without starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill (high-ankle sprain). It’s not clear whether Tennessee will start second-year man Malik Willis or rookie Will Levis at quarterback, but either one should present scoring opportunities for the Atlanta defense. Willis has attempted only 66 passes since entering the NFL but has thrown three interceptions and taken 14 sacks. The book on Levis as a QB prospect was that he’s toolsy but unrefined. Either way, the Falcons will get to face an inexperienced young QB, which should equate to defensive fantasy points. Atlanta ranked 30th in defensive fantasy scoring going into Week 6, but the Falcons haven’t given up more than 24 points to an opponent all season.

Jacksonville Jaguars: 26% rostered

Next Opponents: @PIT, BYE, SF
True value: $1
Desperate need: $2
Budget-minded: $0

Analysis: Tied for ninth in defensive fantasy scoring going into Week 6, the Jaguars made Saints QB Derek Carr look bad for most of their Week 7 game against New Orleans. The Jags are only a one-week play since they go on bye in Week 9, but they have a playable Week 8 matchup against mistake-prone QB Kenny Pickett and the Steelers.

New York Giants: 3% rostered

Next Opponents: NYJ, @LV, @DAL
True value: $1
Desperate need: $2
Budget-minded: $0

Analysis: There’s no need to feign enthusiasm about a Giants defense that entered Week 7 ranked 28th in defensive DVOA and dead last in defensive fantasy scoring. This is all about matchups, and the Giants have good ones the next two weeks, getting the Jets at home and then going on the road to face the Raiders.