Bjorn Yang-Vaernet examines which players on the waiver wire are worth prioritizing for Week 8 and highlights others to preemptively stash.

As cliché as it sounds, every NFL weekend is exciting in its own way. This week was unique because of how the RB rooms with injured starters shook out. In the article, I touch on what I learned about the backfield situations for the:

• Arizona Cardinals
• Chicago Bears
• Cleveland Browns
• Los Angeles Rams

The situations are fluid, but playing these backfields correctly is a recipe for success for the upcoming bye weeks. Let’s get to it!

The waiver wire is one of the most important pieces of season-long draft leagues. It is the easiest way to acquire new players and every year there are gems to be found. The goal of this article will not only be to highlight which weekly breakout players to prioritize but to find others to preemptively pick up before the breakout happens.

This article will only reference players that are less than 50% owned in ESPN leagues. The players are categorized by position group and within each group is the order of how I would prioritize them. 

Quarterback

Sam Howell (Available in 64% of ESPN leagues)

I am returning to the well with Sam Howell as my waiver wire QB streamer in Week 8. While Howell did not work out as well as I would have hoped in Week 7 — he got about 10 fantasy points in most leagues — the thesis behind the play was sound. He had elevated play volume (42 pass attempts) against a mediocre defense. It’s hard to ask for much more when streaming a QB.

Week 8 should be more of the same script. The Commanders play the Eagles, who should push the Commanders into elevated pass volume if they can take a lead. It helps that Washington offensive coordinator Eric Bienemy is not afraid to let Howell pass the ball a lot when necessary. In trailing game scripts against the Bills, Eagles, Bears, and Giants, Howell has attempted an average of 41 pass attempts per game.

While the Eagles have been a lot tougher on QBs recently, Howell has the aggressiveness to push the ball downfield and the running ability to put up a good score. 

Kyler Murray (Available in 77% of ESPN leagues)

The Cardinals opened up the 21-day practice window for Kyler Murray, which means he is on track to be activated in the coming weeks. I don’t know when Murray will end up playing, but it was reported that he took a few first-team reps in practice in the lead-up to Week 7. I would guess he plays in Week 9, after two full weeks of practice.

At this point in the season, the waiver wire is about finding players who can fill in for a bye week or an injury or stashing players with league-winning upside. Murray fits the latter category. Murray has been an extremely fantasy-friendly QB throughout his career so far — primarily using his legs to extend plays and scramble. The obvious caveat is that this production was before his ACL injury and it’s uncertain how much he will run when he takes the field next.

For teams that have a bench spot to use, Murray is an excellent hold to see if he is even 80% of the player he was. An 80% Murray could definitely be an important part of a roster that makes a late-season push for the playoffs and beyond.

Running Back

Kareem Hunt and Pierre Strong (Available in 53% and 100% of ESPN leagues, respectively)

Jerome Ford left early in the fourth quarter with an ankle injury. It is reported to be a low-grade, high-ankle sprain that should keep him out for one to two weeks. I’m not a medical doctor, but I think there is a solid possibility that Ford could miss even more time — high ankle sprains are tough to come back from.

Kareem Hunt, if healthy, will likely be the RB to step into the RB1 role for the Browns. Hunt played in Week 7 but was a legitimate game-time decision with a thigh injury. It is also worth noting that Pierre Strong handled five rush attempts to Hunt’s two after Ford went down. However, Hunt got the valuable goal line rush attempt and converted it. That usage could be injury-related.

Hunt should get plenty of work while Ford is out. The Browns are already the No. 11 team in rush rate in neutral situations in 2023 and they could be even more run heavy in the coming weeks. Deshaun Watson reaggravated his shoulder injury in Week 7 and it is uncertain if he will play in Week 8. Any game that P.J. Walker starts will likely focus on establishing a strong running game.

Hunt is my top pickup of the week — if he is available. Strong is also worth picking up because of Hunt’s injury status.