Fantasy football Week 8: Add and drop

Each week I’ll list the best widely available free agents for fantasy football — I define “widely available” as being owned in around half of all ESPN or Yahoo leagues — and some guys who are probably better off in the free-agent pool than collecting dust on your roster.

Follow me on X (formerly known as Twitter) @UTEddieBrown if you have questions throughout the week.

Here’s my NFL Week 8 waiver wire cheat sheet for all league sizes and formats, with players you need to add, drop and stream in your fantasy football league:

ADD

— QB Jaxson Dart, Giants (ESPN: 43%; Yahoo: 42%): It’s a rarity I lead with the same player in back-to-back weeks, but here we are. This is almost certainly your last opportunity to pick Dart up if he’s available in your league. His roster percentage actually dropped before his impressive prime-time debut against the Eagles and a difficult matchup against the Broncos on the road froze it last week. He’s the overall QB4 since he became the starter in Week 4, and his 90.4 fantasy points is just shy of the 94.7 fantasy points Jayden Daniels had in his first four starts last season. Daniels finished as the overall QB5 as a rookie. Dart is matchup proof after throwing for 283 yards and scoring four touchdowns in a heartbreaking loss at Denver.

— TE Oronde Gadsden II, Chargers (ESPN: 2%; Yahoo: 5%): Gadsden has played at least 75% of the Bolts’ offensive snaps in each of the last two weeks, with only Trey McBride outscoring him in standard or PPR formats in fantasy. One of my favorite tight ends in the 2025 NFL draft class has 14 receptions on 17 targets for 232 yards and a TD in the last two games.

— WR Tez Johnson, Buccaneers (ESPN: 16%; Yahoo: 16%): Mike Evans will likely miss the remainder of the regular season with a broken clavicle, and Chris Godwin is currently week-to-week with a leg injury. Johnson is the overall WR15 in standard formats (WR25 in PPR) since Week 5 with at least 59 receiving yards or a TD in three straight games.

— RB Kyle Monangai, Bears (ESPN: 4%; Yahoo: 7%): It looks like Chicago head coach Ben Johnson is turning D’Andre Swift and Monangai into a Dollar Tree version of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery. The talented rookie produced 81 yards and a TD on 13 carries and played 44.9% of the Bears’ offensive snaps in a win over the Saints on Sunday. If this holds, and Monangai truly is a discount version of Montgomery, he’ll have flex appeal most weeks, primarily in standard formats.

— WR Christian Watson, Packers (ESPN: 8%; Yahoo: 11%): Green Bay’s wide receiver situation is about as convoluted as it gets. Romeo Doubs is the only consistent target-earner in the pass game outside of tight end Tucker Kraft. Matthew Golden is clearly building towards a big breakout performance, but isn’t quite there yet. Dontayvion Wicks is dealing with an ankle injury, and Watson is expected back this week. I anticipate he’ll return as Jordan Love’s primary deep threat, which will make him a boom-or-bust candidate most weeks.

— QB Joe Flacco, Bengals (ESPN: 5%; Yahoo: 12%): Flacco finished as Week 7’s QB6 with 342 yards and three TD passes in a victory over the Steelers. The veteran gunslinger is a solid streaming option the next two games against the Jets and Bears, who are allowing the 14th- and seventh-most fantasy points to QBs this season.

— RB Tyler Allgeier, Falcons (ESPN: 36%; Yahoo: 38%): Allgeier has scored a TD in three of the four games he’s had at least 10 carries, and Atlanta faces a Dolphins’ defense allowing the third-most fantasy points to running backs this week. Miami also leads the NFL in bad vibes.

— WR Alec Pierce, Colts (ESPN: 3%; Yahoo: 9%): Pierce is the exact type of upside play that can pay big dividends during the Byepocalypse. He has at least four receptions for 67 yards in three of his last four games, and it seems like Daniel Jones takes at least one deep shot to Pierce every game.

— TE Mason Taylor, Jets (ESPN: 28%; Yahoo: 39%): Taylor wasn’t able to take advantage of a premium matchup against the Panthers, primarily because of subpar quarterback play. He gets another one this week against the Bengals, who are allowing the most fantasy points to tight ends this season, including at least one TD to all three Steelers tight ends last Thursday night. I’ll be more confident he makes good on this one if Tyrod Taylor gets the start.

— QB Aaron Rodgers, Steelers (ESPN: 28%; Yahoo: 28%): Rodgers has been the overall QB10 in two games since Pittsburgh’s bye, and faces the Green Bay Packers, on Sunday Night Football, for the first time in his career.

— WR Kayshon Boutte, Patriots (ESPN: 27%; Yahoo: 33%): Boutte is the overall WR19 in standard formats (WR29 in PPR) through seven weeks, has a red-hot Drake Maye throwing to him, and faces a Browns’ defense allowing the third-most PPR points per target to perimeter wide receivers, according to FantasyPros.

— RB Tyjae Spears, Titans (ESPN: 30%; Yahoo: 29%): Considering his playmaking ability, Spears should have plenty of opportunity in an offense with a rookie QB still searching for its identity. Also, there’s an outside shot Tony Pollard gets dealt to a running back-needy team before the deadline.

— WR Darnell Mooney, Falcons (ESPN: 42%; Yahoo: 29%): Mooney led Atlanta with 68 receiving yards against the 49ers in his return from injury. He’ll have flex appeal at home against a crumbling Dolphins team.

— TE Cade Otton, Buccaneers (ESPN: 30%; Yahoo: 42%): With Evans perhaps done for the season, and Godwin currently sidelined, Otton will have to continue to play a bigger role in Tampa Bay’s passing game. He’s been the overall TE15 in standard formats (TE10 in PPR) since Week 5 with at least four receptions, five targets and 51 yards in three straight games.

— WR Troy Franklin, Broncos (ESPN: 29%; Yahoo: 21%): Franklin finished with three receptions for 19 yards and a TD in the comeback win over the Giants, and saw 10 targets for the first time in his career. He and Marvin Mims Jr. (ESPN: 20%; Yahoo: 23%) both have WR3/flex upside against a Cowboys’ defense allowing the most fantasy points to wide receivers this season.

— TE Colston Loveland, Bears (ESPN: 26%; Yahoo: 22%): Cole Kmet was knocked out of Chicago’s win over the Saints on Sunday with a back injury. Loveland played a season-best 66.7% of the Bears’ offensive snaps, which led to the most receptions (three) and targets (four) he’s had in his rookie season. If Kmet misses any time, Loveland will have a good matchup this week all to himself against a Ravens’ defense allowing the ninth-most fantasy points to tight ends this season.

— WR Luther Burden III, Bears (ESPN: 9%; Yahoo: 14%): Hold steady on stashing Burden. It’s only a matter of time until the dynamic rookie supplants Olamide Zaccheaus as the third receiver behind Rome Odunze and D.J. Moore.

— RB Brashard Smith, Chiefs (ESPN: 3%; Yahoo: 6%): Kansas City’s offense has found a groove, averaging 31.5 points in its last four games. Smith maintains the highest upside of the current Chiefs’ running backs. He had 81 total yards on 19 touches in the blowout of the Raiders. Smith has at least three receptions in four straight games, and could see more usage if Kareem Hunt’s ankle injury causes him to miss any time.

— QB Sam Darnold, Seahawks (ESPN: 27%; Yahoo: 48%): Darnold is the overall QB10 since Week 2 with 12 TD passes against only four interceptions and at least 295 passing yards in three of the last six games. If you’re struggling at QB, stash Darnold during his bye week. It’s possible he’s your starting QB for the rest of the season.

— RB Bam Knight, Cardinals (ESPN: 24%; Yahoo: 22%): Knight received double-digit carries for the second straight week. He had 14 carries for 57 yards and caught three passes for seven yards, while Michael Carter had seven carries for 11 yards and caught two passes for 25 yards. Arizona is a on a bye this week, but then Knight faces a Cowboy’s defense allowing the sixth-most fantasy points to running backs this season.

— WR Devaughn Vele, Saints (ESPN:

— RB Isaiah Davis, Jets (ESPN: 4%; Yahoo: 4%): Davis would be New York’s obvious lead running back if Breece Hall were either injured or traded, and trade rumors have been swirling with Hall in the final year of his contract.

— TE Jonnu Smith, Steelers (ESPN: 17%; Yahoo: 19%): Smith, Pat Freiermuth (ESPN: 5%; Yahoo: 7%) and Darnell Washington (ESPN:

— RB Devin Neal, Saints (ESPN:

— D/ST Colts (ESPN: 67%; Yahoo: 49%): First step, check who the Tennessee Titans are playing. Second step, add that team’s defense if it’s available in your league. Third step, start that defense and watch the points pile up. No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward has thrown five interceptions, lost five fumbles, and been sacked a league-high 30 times in seven games.

— D/ST Falcons (ESPN: 19%; Yahoo: 10%): Atlanta’s defense has been playing at an elite level this season, and will host the Dolphins, a team in disarray, this week. Miami’s offense is allowing the sixth-most fantasy points to opposing defenses.

— D/ST Bills (ESPN: 38%; Yahoo: 39%): Buffalo is rested, and relatively healthy coming off its bye week, and will face Andy Dalton and the Panthers with Bryce Young expected to miss this week due to a high ankle sprain.

DROP

— WR Mike Evans, Buccaneers: Evans’ extraordinary career-long streak of 1,000-yard seasons is presumably over after the future Hall of Famer suffered a broken clavicle against the Lions on Monday night.

— QB Justin Fields, Jets: There’s some risk involved with letting Fields go, but with so many teams on a bye this week, if you’re comfortable with your other options at QB, go ahead and set him free.

— TE Darren Waller, Dolphins: And so it begins. The oft-injured Waller is week-to-week with a pectoral strain.

— WR Jordan Whittington, Rams: Whittington was a solid addition if you were able to grab him last week, considering his upside with Puka Nacua out, but Davante Adams decided to hoard all the touchdowns. With L.A. on a bye, and Nacua expected back in Week 9, there’s no reason to hold onto Whittington.

— RB Kendre Miller, Saints: Miller missed 20 of 34 possible games during his first two seasons, and now he’ll miss the rest of this season after suffering an ACL tear early in a loss at Chicago.