It’s Byemageddon in Week 8 of the 2025 NFL season. With six teams on bye (Cardinals, Jaguars, Lions, Raiders, Rams, and Seahawks), fantasy managers are scrambling for replacementsnfl.com. This waiver cycle is crucial – quality options are thin, and injuries have piled up. In this guide, we’ll break down the top waiver wire pickups by position, offer FAAB suggestions, and even highlight some cut candidates to free up roster space. Whether you’re a seasoned fantasy veteran or just looking for a Week 8 stop-gap, we’ve got takes to help you navigate a tricky week. Let’s dive in.
Quarterbacks (QB) – Week 8 Pickups
With key QBs on bye and others injured, you might need a one-week streamer or a rest-of-season solution. Here are two widely available quarterbacks worth a look:
- Jaxson Dart (QB, New York Giants) – The rookie sensation is still somehow under 50% rostered despite averaging 21.9 fantasy points per start over the past monthnfl.com. He’s coming off a career-best performance even in a loss, torching a top-tier Denver defense in Week 7. Dart has thrown multiple TDs in back-to-back games and already schooled the Eagles once (in a prime-time upset) – and guess who he faces next? Philadelphia again. His dual-threat ability and chemistry with the Giants’ young receivers make him a high-upside add. FAAB: ~10% (in PPR/six-point passing TD leagues) – a moderate bid to secure an emerging QB1. This is likely the last week you’ll find Dart on waiversnfl.com, so don’t hesitate if you need a quarterback.
- Joe Flacco (QB, Cincinnati Bengals) – No, you haven’t stepped into a time machine – 40-year-old Joe Flacco is relevant again. Since being traded to QB-needy Cincinnati, Flacco has averaged 22.4 fantasy points per gamenfl.com. He was the QB6 overall in Week 7, dropping 342 yards and 3 TDs on the Steelers in a Thursday night winnfl.com. Surrounded by elite weapons (Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins), Flacco can still sling it. In Week 8 he draws the Jets at home – a defense that’s improved but can be beaten for fantasy pointsnfl.com. If you’re desperate due to bye weeks or an injury, Flacco offers a steady veteran floor with some upside in this offense. FAAB: ~5–8% – a conservative bid for a short-term starter. Keep expectations in check (Father Time is undefeated), but for one or two weeks Flacco can be a serviceable plug-and-play.
Quarterback Cut Candidates: If you need room for a new QB, it’s time to part ways with underperformers. For instance, Justin Fields can be dropped in most formats – he was benched at halftime of the Jets’ Week 7 game after managing only 46 passing yardsrotoballer.com. Fields no longer has a starting job, so there’s little reason to roster himprofootballnetwork.com. Similarly, those holding out hope for a Kyler Murray resurgence or a struggling Trevor Lawrence (on bye and offering limited upside) might consider moving on in one-QB leagues. Use those spots on high-upside options like Dart or reliable vets like Flacco and don’t look back.
Running Backs (RB) – Week 8 Pickups
Quality running backs are hard to find mid-season, but a couple of rookies have emerged as intriguing pickups heading into Week 8:
- Kyle Monangai (RB, Chicago Bears) – We’ve been waiting for the “Monangai Show,” and it finally arrived in Week 7. The rookie running back posted a career-high 81 rushing yards on 13 carries (a robust 6.2 YPC) and scored his first NFL touchdown in the Bears’ winnfl.com. He’s also mixed in some receiving work (38 yards over the last two games) to boost his PPR valuenfl.com. D’Andre Swift is still the starter in Chicago, but Monangai has clearly earned a larger share of the backfield – the gap might be closing between themnfl.com. In Week 8, Chicago faces a Ravens defense that has struggled mightily, so there could be room for Monangai to produce again. He’s a savvy add as a flex play with upside, and a must-have handcuff for Swift owners. FAAB: ~15% – a cautious bid for a player who could carve out a significant role (just note that gameflow matters; the Bears won’t blow out opponents every week). Monangai’s value would skyrocket if Swift were to miss any time, making him a great stash for the stretch run
- Brashard Smith (RB, Kansas City Chiefs) – Kansas City’s backfield has been a fantasy headache, but Smith is a name to know. The rookie has been part of a three-man committee with Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt, yet Week 7 gave us a glimpse of his potential. In a game where the Chiefs pulled ahead early, Smith led the team’s RBs with 19 touches (career high) for 81 total yardsnfl.com. He caught 5 passes and handled 14 carries against Las Vegas, showing versatility. While we have to temper expectations (his spike came partly because Kareem Hunt was banged up in that gamesi.com), Smith’s unique skill set as a pass-catcher out of the backfield fits perfectly in Andy Reid’s offensesi.com. Kansas City gets a favorable matchup in Week 8 vs. Washington’s leaky defense, which could mean continued opportunities. FAAB: ~5–10% – a moderate bid, reflecting both his upside and the reality of a committee. Smith is more of a deep-league or speculative add; you might use him as a bye-week fill-in, hoping for 8-12 touches. Just be prepared for volatility – the Chiefs rotate backs frequentlynfl.com. If you have been clinging to an unproductive back, Smith offers fresher upside for the second half.
Running Back Cut Candidates: It’s often tough to drop running backs, but some roster cloggers can be let go. Joe Mixon, for example, hasn’t had any positive news regarding a return making him droppable in redraft leagues. If you were stashing New England rookie TreVeyon Henderson, it’s time to move on in shallow leagues – he has failed to carve out a role behind Rhamondre Stevenson (just 2 carries in Week 7 despite earlier hype)rotoballer.com. Even Kareem Hunt might be expendable; he’s been out-touched and out-produced by the younger Smith when healthy, and his upside is capped in a timeshare. The same goes for any backup RB on a bye week who isn’t a clear handcuff – don’t be afraid to cut bait on low-ceiling players (like a fourth-stringer or injury replacement now returning to the bench) to make room for these waiver talents.
Wide Receivers (WR) – Week 8 Pickups
Wide receiver pickups abound this week, with several young players stepping into bigger roles. Here are four WRs to target, all under the radar and under 25% rostered:
- Kayshon Boutte (WR, New England Patriots) – The second-year wideout has come alive in New England’s offense and looks like a priority add. Boutte balled out in Week 6 as the WR4 overall (93 yards and 2 TD on 5 catches) and followed up with another strong outing in Week 7, posting 55 yards and a touchdown on just two targetsfantasypros.comfantasypros.com. That’s three TDs in two games for the former LSU Tiger. Importantly, Boutte is catching passes from phenom Drake Maye – an MVP candidate – in a rejuvenated Pats passing attackfantasypros.com. His target share spiked to ~19% in Week 6, showing the team’s growing trust in himfantasypros.com. Boutte offers big-play ability (17.8 yards per catch on the seasonnfl.com) and seems to have earned a regular spot in the rotation. With a matchup against Cleveland in Week 8, he’ll face a tougher secondary, but note that the Browns have actually allowed the 3rd-most PPR points per target to perimeter WRsfantasypros.com – a spot where Boutte often lines up. FAAB: ~5–8% – a reasonable bid to get a boom/bust flex who could continue scoring. If you need a spark at WR, Boutte’s upside in PPR leagues is worth the add (just remember New England spreads the ball, so his weekly volume might fluctuate).
- Tez Johnson (WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers) – A week ago, Tez Johnson was a deep sleeper; now he’s a near must-add with Tampa’s receiving corps in shambles. The speedy rookie (a 7th-round pick) has scored two touchdowns in the past two weeks and is coming off a highlight reel screen-pass TD in Week 7rotoballer.comrotoballer.com. More importantly, opportunity knocks loud: Mike Evans is likely out for the rest of the regular season with a clavicle injury, and Chris Godwin has been sidelined two weeks with a fibula fracturerotoballer.com. Johnson has effectively become a starting receiver in one of the league’s best passing offenses, catching passes from an aggressive Baker Mayfield. In Week 7, with Detroit focusing on others, Johnson’s shiftiness and separation skills were on full displayrotoballer.com. The Lions’ banged-up defense made it easier, but Johnson’s role is set to grow, and he should be added in all leagues where availablerotoballer.com. Expect him to see a steady diet of targets as Tampa Bay’s new field-stretcher and playmaker. FAAB: ~8% – he’s worth a solid bid, especially for teams hurting at WR due to bye weeks or injuries. Johnson offers immediate starting potential as a WR3/flex in PPR (he’s already averaging a 20% target share whenever Evans/Godwin are off the fieldcbssports.com). Scoop him up for the upside – the Bucs trust him, and so should you.
- Xavier Legette (WR, Carolina Panthers) – Another 2nd year WR making waves, Legette is a name to monitor and potentially add. In Week 7, Panthers QB Andy Dalton took over for an injured Bryce Young and immediately leaned on Legette – targeting him 5 times in just one quarter of play, connecting on 4 for 60 yardsnfl.com. That included a nice rapport and timing on intermediate routes. Earlier in the game (with Bryce under center), Legette also caught a 3-yard touchdown. This suggests the coaching staff has packages for him in the red zone. Looking ahead to Week 8, Bryce Young is expected to miss the game with his ankle injury, meaning Dalton will startnfl.com. That bodes well for Legette’s involvement – Dalton is a veteran who will go through progressions and clearly has no hesitation throwing Legette’s way. Carolina’s receiving depth chart is pretty open behind their WR1, so the door is open for Legette (a speedy 6’3″ target out of South Carolina) to step up. He’s a speculative add who could pop immediately. FAAB: ~5% – keep it conservative; Legette is more of a deep-league or watch-list candidate if you have the bench space. But if you need a one-week fill-in, you could do worse given he faces a Buffalo defense that has been surprisingly generous to secondary WRs at times. Watch the QB news – if Dalton indeed starts, Legette could surprise with another 5+ targets.
- Darnell Mooney (WR, Atlanta Falcons) – Quietly returning to fantasy radar is Darnell Mooney. Mooney missed a couple games earlier this year but returned in Week 7 and led the team with 68 receiving yards on 3 catches (5 targets) in a loss to San Franciscofantasypros.comfantasypros.com. While those numbers won’t blow you away, it’s notable that he immediately became the leading receiver in his first game back, despite a modest 13% target sharefantasypros.com. In Weeks 2-3 (before his injury), Mooney actually commanded a 21% target share in this offensefantasypros.com, showing he can be a significant part of the game plan. The Falcons’ passing game isn’t high-octane, but with Drake London drawing top coverage, Mooney is seeing single coverage and exploiting it with his speed. In Week 8 he faces Miami – the Dolphins’ secondary has allowed the 10th-most fantasy points per target to perimeter WRsfantasypros.com. Mooney runs a lot of his routes outside, which means he could find soft spots in Miami’s defense. Consider him a sneaky flex play, especially if you need a one-week bump. FAAB: ~5% – a small bid should do it, as Mooney is still flying under the radar at only ~5% rosterednfl.com. He’s a veteran you can plug in for some safe PPR points (think 4-5 catches, 50+ yards), with an outside shot at a touchdown if Atlanta schemes him open. He’s also a cut candidate turned pickup – many managers dropped Mooney when he was injured, but now you can profit by grabbing him before others notice.
Wide Receiver Cut Candidates: At receiver, don’t be afraid to cut underperforming “name” players or injured stars clogging your bench. For example, Jerry Jeudy (Cleveland Browns) was drafted by many, but he’s been a dud and is now widely viewed as droppableprofootballnetwork.com – if you’re still holding him hoping for a turnaround, it’s time to move on and use that spot on an ascending player like Boutte or Mooney. Likewise, Calvin Ridley is dealing with a hamstring injury and on a Week 8 bye; if your IR slots are full and you need help now, Ridley could be a cut in shallower leagues (he’s been inconsistent even when healthy). Monitor injury news: Mike Evans can be cut in redraft, the clavicle injury knocks him out for the fantasy regular season and Chris Godwin – if his fibula issue keeps him out long-term – is similarly droppable outside of IR stash spots. The key is to not hold sentimental attachments: if a receiver hasn’t produced by midseason and shows no signs of improvement (or has lost his QB, or his role), free up the spot and take a chance on someone with more upside.
Tight Ends (TE) – Week 8 Pickups
The tight end landscape in 2025 has been brutal, but that means new faces are emerging. Two TEs in particular deserve your attention this week:
- Oronde Gadsden II (TE, Los Angeles Chargers) – The Chargers’ rookie tight end is the talk of the town and arguably the waiver gem of Week 8si.com. Gadsden II (the son of a former NFL receiver) is off to a historic start – he now holds the record for most receiving yards by a tight end in his first five career games in the Super Bowl era, after erupting for 164 yards in Week 7 versus Indianapolisnfl.com. He’s up to 308 yards on 22 catches (14.0 YPC) on the seasonnfl.com, and importantly, he’s getting fed: only Trey McBride has seen more TE targets than Gadsden over the last two weeksnfl.com. That level of usage is gold at a position where consistency is rare. Justin Herbert clearly trusts him, especially with the Chargers’ run game sputtering due to injuries in the backfield. Gadsden found the end zone for the first time in Week 7 (finally rewarding managers with a TD) and has back-to-back 7-catch gamessi.comsi.com. While he may not top 160 yards again anytime soon, the key is his role: he’s running a ton of routes and looks like a must-start TE1 going forwardsi.com. If you’re streaming mediocre veterans at tight end, it’s time to grab Gadsden’s high ceiling. FAAB: ~12–15% – spend up if you need a tight end. At only 1% rosterednfl.com, he’s likely out there and could be a league-winning upgrade at a thin position. Don’t worry about a slightly tougher matchup this week (Minnesota); Gadsden should stay heavily involved, and even if he regresses a bit from the 29.4-point explosion he just had, he’s firmly in the TE1 conversation every weeksi.com.
- Mason Taylor (TE, New York Jets) – Searching for a streamer or upside stash at tight end? Look no further than Mason Taylor. The Jets’ rookie TE (and son of Hall of Famer Jason Taylor) has quietly become an every-down player in New York – he played 93% of offensive snaps in Week 7rotoballer.com. With star WR Garrett Wilson sidelined by a knee injury, Taylor was second on the team in targets (5) in Week 7, catching 3 for 31 yardsrotoballer.com. Those modest numbers don’t jump off the page, but consider the context: he’s a rookie second-round pick who’s being heavily involved in a struggling offense, and the Jets’ QBs (Justin Fields early, then Tyrod Taylor) looked his way often on checkdowns and designed playsrotoballer.com. In fact, over the past few weeks, Taylor has been steadily involved – he had a two-week stretch in Weeks 4-5 with 14 catches on 19 targets, showing his potential when game scripts allowsi.com. Week 8 could be that kind of game: the Jets face the Bengals, who have allowed the most fantasy points to tight ends this seasonrotoballer.com. If Wilson remains out, Taylor could easily see 5–7 targets again in a pass-heavy game script. At 6’5″ with good speed, he’s a big target in the red zone as well (though the Jets have to actually reach the red zone for that to matter). As the Jets search for their first win, leaning on the sure-handed rookie might be in the game plan. FAAB: ~3–5% – a low bid or even $0 claim can get him in many leagues (he’s only ~13% rosterednfl.com). Taylor makes for a nice one-week fill-in if you lost a Darren Waller or have a TE on bye, and he has some longer-term appeal if his role grows. Keep in mind the Jets have a Week 9 bye, so he’s a short-term play – but one with a bit of breakout potential if things click.
Tight End Cut Candidates: If you need to free a tight end spot, there are a few obvious drops. Darren Waller, unfortunately, is one – now with Miami, Waller suffered a pectoral strain that could be severe, and there’s fear it might even end his seasonrotoballer.com. Even if it’s not a full tear, he’s likely out multiple weeks, and a backup like Julian Hill won’t replicate his productionrotoballer.com. In shallow leagues, you can cut Waller and replace him with someone like Gadsden who’s actually on the field. Cole Kmet is another consideration – the Bears’ TE hurt his back in Week 7 and, even before that, saw a rookie (Colston Loveland) siphon snaps when Kmet left the gamenfl.com. If Kmet’s injury lingers, don’t waste a roster spot waiting. Additionally, if you took a flier on Michael Mayer (Raiders) or other under-utilized TEs hoping for a breakout, it’s safe to move on; Mayer has been inconsistent and Raiders’ QB woes cap his upside (he’s a “drop in most leagues” after putting up very little in recent weeksrotoballer.com). Instead, invest in a rising talent like Gadsden or a high-snap option like Mason Taylor. Remember: in fantasy, dead weight at TE can sink you – you’re better off streaming or grabbing a hot hand than holding a struggling player out of loyalty.
Closing Thoughts
As we head into Week 8, managing the waiver wire is more important than ever. With a league-high six teams resting, your bench will be tested. The players highlighted above – from a rookie QB making headlines to an unheralded running back in KC and a couple of breakout pass-catchers – can provide that much-needed boost to keep your fantasy team afloat during the bye week crunch. Be strategic with your FAAB; our conservative suggestions ensure you strengthen your roster without blowing the budget. Equally vital is knowing when to cut bait: don’t let big names or preseason darlings hold you back if they’re not performing. Use those spots to churn in fresh talent who can produce now.
In summary, attack the waiver wire with a clear plan. Grab upside where you can (especially at RB and WR), secure reliable fill-ins for this bye-heavy week (like Flacco or Mooney), and don’t be sentimental about dropping underperformers or injured players. A professional, analytical approach now will pay off in the weeks to come. Good luck with your Week 8 pickups – here’s to navigating Byemageddon successfully and coming out with a stronger, more competitive squad!nfl.comrotoballer.com