Waiver Wire Week 8: Gus Edwards, Kalif Raymond, Evan Engram Highlight Pickups to Know
The waiver wire is an important tool in any fantasy football manager's arsenal. With injuries and bye weeks as fixtures of an NFL season, it can also be a necessary one.
We saw a couple of key injuries in Week 7. New York Jets star rookie Breece Hall is believed to have suffered a torn ACL, according to ESPN's Rich Cimini. Seattle Seahawks wideout DK Metcalf exited Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Chargers with a knee injury.
"He did something to his knee," Seahawks coach Pete Carroll told reporters. "His knee wasn't feeling right, and he landed funny. That's kind of all I know about it right now."
Standout Detroit Lions receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown exited the game against the Dallas Cowboys with a concussion.
On top of the injuries, we've seen veteran quarterbacks like Tom Brady, Russell Wilson and Aaron Rodgers continue to underwhelm in fantasy. With the Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs on bye in Week 8, the waiver wire should see plenty of traffic in the coming days.
With all of this in mind, let's take a look at some wire targets that managers absolutely must know.
Ravens RB Gus Edwards
Baltimore Ravens running back Gus Edwards may be the top priority for fantasy managers on the wire this week. Running backs Austin Ekeler and Clyde Edwards-Helaire will be on bye, and the Ravens have lost starter J.K. Dobbins for the foreseeable future.
"Dobbins is expected to undergo arthroscopic knee surgery next week that would sideline him 4-6 weeks, per sources," ESPN's Adam Schefter tweeted last week.
Edwards got the start Sunday against the Cleveland Browns, and he did not disappoint. While the 27-year-old only rushed for 66 yards and finished without a reception, he found the end zone twice on short running scores.
Expect Edwards to be a focal point of the Ravens' ground game, along with quarterback Lamar Jackson, while Dobbins remains sidelined. He should be a solid flex option this week Thursday against the suddenly sinking Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Edwards is rostered in only 43 percent of Yahoo leagues and 13 percent of ESPN leagues.
Lions WR Kalif Raymond
If St. Brown misses this week's game against the Miami Dolphins, the Lions may be forced to rely heavily on wideout Kalif Raymond. Detroit recently placed DJ Chark Jr. on injured reserve with an ankle injury, and rookie first-round pick Jameson Williams has yet to make his NFL debut.
Williams suffered a torn ACL in last year's College Football Playoff championship game.
With Chark sidelined, Raymond has emerged as a regular contributor over the past three weeks. With St. Brown out for much of Sunday, he became a focal point. The 28-year-old finished with five catches, 75 receiving yards and 20 rushing yards against Dallas.
Over the past three weeks, Raymond has averaged just over four receptions and 60 scrimmage yards. While those aren't eye-catching numbers, Raymond has enough point-per-reception (PPR) upside to make him a viable flex fill-in.
Managers will want to monitor St. Brown's status before committing to Raymond, but he's worth an early waiver claim. Raymond is available in virtually all Yahoo and ESPN leagues.
Seahawks WR Marquise Goodwin
While the Seahawks no longer have Wilson under center, Seattle pass-catchers have remained fantasy-viable. This is because quarterback Geno Smith (11 touchdowns, three INTs, 107.7 rating) has played at a Pro Bowl level—which is surprising to everyone but perhaps the quarterback himself.
"Nothing has surprised me. In fact, I know I can play a lot better," Smith said after Sunday's win, per Pro Football Talk's Peter King.
If Metcalf is forced to miss an extended period, Smith may turn to Marquise Goodwin, as he did Sunday. The 31-year-old receiver caught four passes for 67 yards and two touchdowns against the Chargers.
Can managers expect a repeat performance this week against the New York Giants? Perhaps not, but with wideouts like Mike Williams and JuJu Smith-Schuster on bye, Godwin is absolutely worth a waiver claim.
Goodwin is available in at least 99 percent of Yahoo and ESPN leagues.
Jaguars TE Evan Engram
With Travis Kelce and Gerald Everett on bye this week, managers may need a spot starter at tight end. Jacksonville Jaguars pass-catcher Evan Engram may fit the bill.
Engram doesn't have the easiest matchup against the Broncos, who have allowed the 14th-fewest fantasy points to opposing tight ends this season. However, it's far from a nightmare scenario.
Perhaps more importantly, Engram has become a frequently targeted fixture in the Jags passing attack. Over the last three weeks, he's been targeted 23 times and has caught 15 passes.
Against the Giants on Sunday, Engram finished with four receptions for 67 yards. He has a clear chemistry with quarterback Trevor Lawrence and a solid PPR floor. While the 28-year-old doesn't have the ceiling of a player like Kelce, Engram should be a serviceable fill-in for Week 8.
Engram is rostered in 41 percent of Yahoo leagues and 33 percent of ESPN leagues.
Giants QB Daniel Jones
Having both the Chiefs and the Chargers on bye means that two of fantasy's most consistent quarterbacks—Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert—will be unavailable. Because of his scrambling ability, Giants signal-caller Daniel Jones is the spot starter to target.
While Jones remains a tad underwhelming as a passer, he's done a good job of protecting the football this season. Thus far, he's thrown for 1,223 yards with six touchdowns and two interceptions.
Jones has shined as a runner, racking up 343 yards and three scores while averaging 5.9 yards per carry. On Sunday, he ran for 107 yards and a touchdown while passing for 202 and another score.
Expect Jones to have another solid outing against the Seahawks and their 29th-ranked run defense. He is rostered in just 40 percent of Yahoo leagues and 29 percent of ESPN leagues.
Other players to consider on the waiver wire this week include:
- Taylor Heinicke, QB, Washington Commanders
- Marcus Mariota, QB, Atlanta Falcons
- D'Onta Foreman, RB, Carolina Panthers
- Latavius Murray, RB, Denver Broncos
- Ty Johnson, RB, New York Jets
- Parris Campbell, WR, Indianapolis Colts
- Robbie Anderson, WR, Arizona Cardinals
- Greg Dulcich, TE, Denver Broncos
Fantasy scoring and roster information via FantasyPros.