If you are still in the playoff hunt in your fantasy football leagues, it will be another busy week for waivers. Week 8 injuries to fantasy stars such as Chase Edmonds, Matt Breida, Sterling Shepard, Brandin Cooks and Delanie Walker will leave many teams scrambling to set lineups. On top of the injuries, the Atlanta Falcons, Cincinnati Bengals, Los Angeles Rams and New Orleans Saints are on byes this week.
Below are a handful of waiver wire candidates owned in fewer than 50% of fantasy football leagues who you should consider adding:
Quarterbacks:
— Derek Carr, Oakland Raiders (26% owned): Carr had his best week for fantasy this year in Sunday’s 27-24 loss to Houston. He completed 18 passes on 30 attempts for 285 yards and three touchdowns. The return of receiver Tyrell Williams gave Carr a boost and in Week 9 he will take on a lean Lions defense which recently traded away safety Quandre Diggs to the Seahawks. Carr is a good bye week option for Jared Goff or Drew Brees as a borderline QB1.
— Daniel Jones, New York Giants (23%): Jones had a nice bounce-back game in Sunday’s 31-26 loss to the Lions. He completed 28 of 41 passes for 322 yards and four touchdowns. Game script is a big factor here as the Giants have been consistently playing from behind, and Monday night’s game against the Cowboys should be no different. Jones is also a serviceable bye week fill-in.
Running backs:
— Darrell Henderson Jr., Los Angeles Rams (27% owned): Henderson led the team in rushing in Sunday’s 24-10 win over the Bengals with 11 carries for 49 yards, and added two catches for 20 yards. With Todd Gurley banged up and Malcolm Brown out, Henderson needs to be rostered in every league. He has proven to be valuable beyond solely a handcuff for Gurley.
— Alexander Mattison, Minnesota Vikings (24%): Dalvin Cook dominated the Redskins on Thursday night with 23 carries for 98 yards and a touchdown, as well as five catches on six targets for 73 yards. Mattison, in a backup role, also had a good game with 13 carries for 61 yards. He should be owned by every Cook owner and has some standalone value in this offense as well.
— Raheem Mostert, San Francisco 49ers (6%): Both Matt Breida and Jeff Wilson were injured in Sunday’s game against the Panthers, which leaves the 49ers thin at running back. Tevin Coleman was the star of the show, scoring three rushing touchdowns, but Mostert also had nine carries for 60 yards and a touchdown. Coach Kyle Shanahan reported that Wilson had suffered a stinger and that he was not in the concussion protocol, but if Breida’s injury is serious, Mostert would see an increased workload as the No, 2 back in this offense.
— Alfred Morris, Arizona Cardinals (1%): Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reported that Chase Edmonds would miss multiple weeks with a hamstring injury. With David Johnson already banged up, the Cardinals signed Alfred Morris last week and traded for Kenyan Drake on Monday with the Dolphins. Drake, rostered in 61% of leagues, is in line to see a big role immediately, but will likely share some carries with Alfred Morris.
Wide receivers:
— Cole Beasley, Buffalo Bills (24% owned): Beasley was targeted seven times during the Bills’ 31-13 loss to the Eagles on Sunday. He finished the day with three catches for 41 yards and a touchdown, making it two straight games with trips to the end zone. He is the definitive No. 2 receiver behind John Brown, but he could become a week-to-week flex option with upside.
— Darius Slayton, New York Giants (4%): The first-year receiver from Auburn shined on Sunday in the Giants’ 31-26 loss to the Lions. He caught two passes on five targets for 50 yards and two touchdowns, and also returned five punts for 102 yards. He has proven he can handle the workload with Sterling Shepard sidelined with a concussion. The Giants hope to see Shepard return to the field next week, but Slayton will still have a role in the offense regardless.
— Chris Conley, Jacksonville Jaguars (3%): Dede Westbrook had to exit Week 8 against the Jets after re-aggravating a head and neck injury. Conley led the team in receiving with 103 yards with four catches on seven targets and a touchdown. D.J. Chark and Keelan Cole also scored touchdowns. They will not face the cupcake matchup that is the Jets every week, but quarterback Gardner Minshew will likely be throwing the ball frequently.
— Josh Reynolds, Los Angeles Rams (< 1%): Brandin Cooks suffered his second concussion in four weeks on Sunday after a nasty helmet-to-helmet hit. Reynolds finished ahead of Robert Woods on the day with three catches on eight targets for 73 yards and a touchdown, second only to Cooper Kupp, who exploded for 220 yards and a touchdown. The third-year receiver from Texas A&M should be valuable as long as Cooks is out, especially given that head coach Sean McVay favors three-receiver sets.
Tight ends:
— Jonnu Smith, Tennessee Titans (19% owned): Delanie Walker exited Week 7’s game against the Chargers after playing only a few snaps and did not play at all in Week 8. Walker has been dealing with an ankle injury for weeks, which has given way for the third-year tight end from Florida International to start in his place. He caught six of seven passes on Sunday for 78 yards and a touchdown, and had a respectable 64 yards the week prior. He is an interesting name to look at if you are lean at the position, or need a bye week fill-in for Austin Hooper or Gerald Everett.
— Ryan Griffin, New York Jets (< 1%): Chris Herndon missed yet another game on Sunday due to a hamstring injury and has yet to play since returning from his four-game suspension to start the season. Griffin had a nice day in his place, catching all four of his targets for 66 yards, two touchdowns and a two-point conversion. He has streaming appeal, especially as the Jets face the Dolphins in Week 9 at home.
Defenses:
— Philadelphia Eagles D/ST (39% owned): The Eagles are projected to be a top-five defense in Week 9 due in large part to matchup. Bears head coach Matt Nagy announced on Monday that Mitch Trubisky will get the start. The Eagles have a good pass rush, and given how Trubisky has looked under pressure this year, this is shaping up to be a turnover-laden game.
— New York Jets D/ST (12%): The Jets defense has not been a fantasy juggernaut this year, but they will line up opposite a Dolphins team that took five weeks to score more than ten points on offense in a game. At only 12% owned, the Jets will be a popular streaming option this week.