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🏈 Jauan Jennings, Ricky Pearsall & Week 8 Waivers

Players to target on your waiver wire, along with the latest injury updates and deeeeep dives

Good morning.

How you holding up?

It’s rough out here in these streets. But we gotta keep on keepin’ on, and the best way to do that is to make a splash on the waiver wire…

Today's newsletter highlights:

  • 🚑 Injuries continue to pile up

  • 📈 Romeo Romeo

  • 🔥 Let Russ Cook?!

  • 🤿 Deeeeep dives

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AROUND THE LEAGUE 🚨

Jameson Williams Suspended (Again)

Jameson Williams // USA Today

Lions WR Jameson Williams has been suspended two games for violating the NFL’s Performance-Enhancing Substances policy. This is the second time in his career that he’s been suspended, after missing four games last year for gambling.

Injury Report 🚑

Brandon Aiyuk down on the turf // Eakin Howard, AP Photo

It was another brutal week for injuries, as multiple big names in fantasy football went down. Here’s a quick round-up of what you need to know:

49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk suffered a torn ACL and MCL and will miss the remainder of the season.

Meanwhile, his teammate, WR Deebo Samuel, has been hospitalized due to pneumonia and has fluid in his lungs. There is reportedly no timetable for his return.

Bucs WR Chris Godwin was carted off the field with just 43 seconds left in last night’s game. Indications are it’s a dislocated ankle, meaning his season is likely over.

Seahawks WR DK Metcalf suffered a Grade 1 MCL sprain and is considered “week to week”.

Commanders QB Jayden Daniels left Sunday’s game early with a rib injury. While he seems to have avoided serious damage, his status for this week remains up in the air.

Browns QB Deshaun Watson tore his Achilles and will miss the remainder of the season. You never want to wish injury on anybody, but Browns fans everywhere have to be relieved that this saga is over.

Meanwhile, Browns backup QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson left the game early with an injured finger. It isn’t deemed to be serious, but Jameis Winston could start in his place for a couple weeks.

Raiders QB Aidan O’Connell suffered a fractured thumb and is heading to IR. He’ll miss at least four weeks and possibly more.

Chiefs WR JuJu Smith-Schuster left the game early after aggravating a hamstring injury he had been dealing with heading into Sunday. He has already been ruled out for this week.

Bills WR Curtis Samuel was ruled out after suffering a shoulder injury in the 1st quarter. His status for this week is up in the air.

Lions RB David Montgomery tweaked his leg, but returned to the game. He should be fine.

Patriots QB Drake Maye left Sunday’s game with a rib injury, but it isn’t thought to be serious.

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WAIVER WIRE 🧐

Running Back

Jaylen Warren // SI

It’s a bit of a dry landscape at RB this week, but here are some names to take a look at…

Steelers RB Jaylen Warren is finally healthy again and ready to take on a larger role in Pittsburgh’s offense. Between 2022 and 2023, no QB checked the ball down more often than Russell Wilson, per USA Today’s Joe Hoefling, and Warren has made a name for himself as a pass-catching back. Najee Harris and Cordarrelle Patterson will remain involved, but Warren can have value in PPR formats.

Raiders RB Alexander Mattison “seems to have taken over the backfield in Las Vegas, running the ball 23 times for 92 yards vs. the Rams on Sunday despite Zamir White being active in this game. It was the most carries for Mattison and any Raiders running back this season. It's unlikely that the Raiders will be in many favorable game scripts for runners, but the volume could make Mattison a weekly flex play.” — SI’s Jennifer Piacenti

  • If Giants RB Tyrone Tracy Jr. and Jags RB Tank Bigsby are somehow still available, grab them. They very well could be their team’s starter going forward.

  • Bills RB Ray Davis is one of the top handcuffs to own, after posting a 5/41/1 line as James Cook’s primary backup.

  • Colts RB Tyler Goodson out-snapped Trey Sermon and appears to be the primary backup for Jonathan Taylor now. JT could return this week, but if not, Goodson could be worth a spot start.

  • Dolphins RB Jaylen Wright was dynamic when he had the ball Sunday, averaging 6.6 yards per carry with a 20% explosive run rate, per Jennifer Piacenti. He’s still firmly behind De’Von Achane and Raheem Mostert, but he’s worth a stash.

  • Continue stashing other high-upside handcuffs like Braelon Allen (NYJ), Blake Corum (LAR), Tyler Allgeier (ATL), Justice Hill (BAL), Roschon Johnson (CHI), Trey Benson (ARI), Kimani Vidal (LAC) and even Audric Estime (DEN).

Wide Receiver

Slick Rick // WCJB

49ers WRs Jauan Jennings and Ricky Pearsall are due for major roles given Aiyuk and Samuel’s recent injuries. Jennings is nursing a hip injury as well, but we saw what he can do already with his 46.5 point performance in Week 3. He’s the primary waiver wire target if healthy.

Meanwhile, Pearsall made his NFL debut on Sunday, running a route on 86% of the 49ers’ dropbacks and earning an 18% target share, per NBC Sports’ Kyle Dvorchak. Both players are worth dumping quite a bit of FAAB into.

Packers WR Romeo Doubs led the team in targets (10), receptions (8) and receiving yards (94) on Sunday against the Texans, while accounting for 41% of Green Bay’s air yards, per Kyle Dvorchak. He has now scored 17 or more fantasy points in back-to-back games and will face the Jaguars in Week 8 and the Lions in Week 9 — both of which have defenses that rank in the top-5 for fantasy points allowed to WRs, per ESPN’s Eric Moody.

Bills WR Keon Coleman tied for the team lead in target share in Week 7 (21.2%) while leading the way with four receptions and 125 receiving yards. He has great matchups in two of his next three games against Seattle and Indy, who have allowed the 8th and 7th-most PPR points per target to perimeter WRs, respectively (per Fantasy Points Data).

  • Cowboys WR Jalen Tolbert has been inconsistent, but don’t forget he’s the clear WR2 in Dallas with Brandin Cooks still on IR.

QB & TE

Mr. Unlimited // NBC News

Steelers QB Russell Wilson cooked on Sunday night, throwing for 264 yards and scoring three total TDs. He averaged 10.5 adjusted yards per attempt — his highest mark since Week 18 of the 2022 season, per Kyle Dvorchak — and gets a Giants defense in Week 8 that ranks 20th in EPA per dropback allowed while giving up the 8th-most fantasy points to QBs.

Patriots QB Drake Maye has put up more than 20 fantasy points and finished as a top-10 fantasy QB in each of his two starts. His next few matchups aren’t ideal (NYJ, TEN, CHI), but he’s shown some serious promise so far in the pros.

#StatOfTheDay:

Broncos QB Bo Nix is worth a stream this week. He takes on the Panthers, who’ve allowed nearly 20 fantasy points per game to opposing QBs in their last four outings, per NFL.com’s Dan Parr. With two top-10 finishes in his last three games, you could do worse than Nix.

  • Although Browns QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson was promoted to the backup spot before Sunday’s game, his finger injury could allow Jameis Winston to start. Winston’s a fine desperation stream, but I’d imagine DTR gets the nod after the team’s Week 10 bye.

  • Don’t forget to check if Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa was dropped in your league. He’s likely to return this week against Arizona.

Patriots TE Hunter Henry continues to show a strong connection with Drake Maye. He leads the Patriots in targets since the rookie took over as the QB1 in Week 6 and is averaging 15.2 fantasy points per game in that span, per Dan Parr.

Bucs TE Cade Otton is ballin’ out. Last night, he topped 100 receiving yards for the first time this season and has averaged 7.4 receptions per game over the last five weeks. Otton faces a mediocre Falcons D in Week 8 before taking on Kansas City in Week 9, who have allowed the 2nd-most receiving yards and fantasy points per game to TEs, per Pat Fitzmaurice. Start him.

Seahawks TE Noah Fant has posted 60+ receiving yards and 10.5+ fantasy points in three of his last five games after catching all four of his targets (13.8%) for 65 yards on a 53% snap share in a victory over the Falcons in Week 7 (per Fantasy Points). If DK Metcalf’s injury lingers, that could mean more volume for Fant.

  • Again, check if Vikings TE T.J. Hockenson is on your waiver wire. He could be back this Thursday night — if not, then definitely next week.

D/ST

Detroit Lions

The Detroit Lions take on Tennessee this week, who are averaging only 17.7 points per game (6th-fewest), 4.3 yards per play (2nd-fewest), and 2.0 turnovers per game (2nd-most). The Titans hold the 5th-highest QB sacked rate while carrying the 7th-worst pass block grade, via Pro Football Focus.

The Los Angeles Chargers are the 7th best D/ST in fantasy points per game and will take on a Saints offense that’s decimated by injuries. Spencer Rattler is expected to start again and Chris Olave remains in concussion protocol for now, which could mean big things for the Chargers D.

The Houston Texans will take on Anthony Richardson, who has six INTs and one lost fumble in a little more than four games. Houston's ability to apply pressure on the QB with the 4th-highest sack rate and 15th-best PFF pass rush grade, per FanDuel’s Riley Thomas, should only add fuel to the fire.

POLL 📊

Who will step up most following a major injury to their teammate?

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DEEP DIVES 🤿

Franklin Finding His Footing

Troy Franklin // SB Nation

Stash these players on your bench before they blow up. Last week, the perfect pickups were Ricky Pearsall and Jalen McMillan.

Broncos WR Troy Franklin (0.7%) has seen his role in the Broncos' offense grow as of late. Over the past two weeks, he leads the team in targets (9) and receptions (7). And on Sunday, he had a 63.6% route share, a 23.1% target share and 2.38 yards per route run, per Pat Fitzmaurice of FantasyPros. Franklin has now scored at least 10 fantasy points in back-to-back games and could be even more valuable if Courtland Sutton gets traded.

Bucs WR Sterling Shepard (0.4%) should also see an increase in opportunity given Chris Godwin’s injury. While Jalen McMillan out-targeted him 8-to-1 last night, Shepard is more of a true slot receiver and could take over that part of Godwin’s role.

Browns WR Cedric Tillman (0.3%) was the most targeted WR in the league last week (12), and led his team with 81 receiving yards. Someone has to step up with Amari Cooper gone, and Tillman could be that guy — especially if DTR starts at QB, as the two were teammates in high school.👀

49ers WR Jacob Cowing (0.1%) saw his first real action of his career on Sunday, hauling in two passes for 50 yards. If Jauan Jennings can’t go due to his hip injury, then Cowing becomes an intriguing add.

QUICK SLANTS 👀

📖 Read Dwain McFarland of FantasyLife’s Week 8 Utilization Report, where he highlights usage takeaways like Tyrone Tracy Jr. playing 67% of snaps even with Devin Singletary back in the lineup.👀

📖 Read Week 7 Fantasy Football Winners & Losers from ESPN’s fantasy analysts. Their top winner is Jahmyr Gibbs, while Anthony Richardson continues his downward slide as the top loser.

📖 Read Chad Workman of FantasyPros’ 17 Dynasty Risers & Fallers for those of you dynasty die-hards out there. His biggest riser is Drake Maye, whose QB3 performance on Sunday turned heads.

🎙️Listen to The Fantasy Footballers’ Week 7 Studs & Duds podcast, where the guys recap Week 7 and discuss disappointing players who should be benched in your lineups.

📺 Watch Keon Coleman’s commercial for Booking.com😂

TWEET OF THE DAY

This account is unbelievable, and this has to be the best one yet.

Good luck on the waiver wire this week.

See you Thursday.

- Marcus

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