Week 8 of the NFL season will see all 32 teams in action for the first time in four weeks as the bye week schedule takes a quick midseason break. But even with no bye weeks in the mix, you may need a streamer to avoid an unsavory matchup, like Tampa Bay (56% rostered) traveling to Buffalo on Thursday night or Cleveland’s top five unit (81% rostered) making the trip west to face Seattle on the road.
Regardless of why you need a streamer, you’re here, which means you’ve taken the right first step. Now, let’s see who are the best streaming options available on the Fantasy Week 8 Waiver Wire.
HOUSTON TEXANS (4% ROSTERED ON YAHOO!)
AT CAROLINA PANTHERS | 1 PM
Houston’s defense was hot heading into its Week 7 bye, averaging almost 10 fantasy points per game in Weeks 3 through 6. Now, they take their rested legs to Charlotte to face the winless Panthers, who are coming off a bye week themselves. Bryce Young and Carolina’s offense haven’t been a total lost cause despite their 0-6 record, and they protect the ball a little better (eight giveaways, T-18th most) than your average winless team with a rookie QB. But they’re very much still working through the kinks, and now must continue to do so against Houston’s 8th-ranked scoring defense.
With both teams having two weeks to prepare for the other, this matchup hinges heavily on coaching and preparation. Despite the discrepancy in experience between DeMeco Ryans and Frank Reich, I trust Ryans more to have his defense ready to go in a matchup that already leans in their favor. Finally, Houston’s last in the league with just nine sacks, but a matchup with PFF’s 30th-ranked offensive line could be all they need to right the ship in that department. I imagine the Texans will be rostered in well over 4% of leagues come Sunday.
TENNESSEE TITANS (2%)
VS ATLANTA FALCONS | 1 PM
Falcons QB Desmond Ridder made history last week, but not in a good way — he became the first player in 45 years to fumble in the red zone three times in one contest. Atlanta still snuck away with the win, but Ridder’s lack of ball security launched a firestorm of speculation postgame regarding his role moving forward.
Head coach Arthur Smith did his best to calm that narrative postgame and back his young QB:
Regardless, Atlanta’s offense hasn’t been striking fear into any opposing defensive coordinators lately. They have the league’s 29th-ranked scoring offense and they’ve yielded the sixth-most fantasy points to opposing defenses. Tennessee struggles to create turnovers and get pressure on the quarterback, but they’re the league’s 11th-ranked scoring defense and are solid against the run, which is the main thing needed to slow down Atlanta and their run-heavy attack. I like them a lot in this spot.
MIAMI DOLPHINS (48%)
VS NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS | 1 PM
Many called last week’s matchup in Philly the Dolphins’ first true test of the year, and if that was the case, they may not have failed, but they weren’t at the top of the class, either. Luckily for Mike McDaniel and his team, they welcome in the Patriots, who have yielded the 2nd-most points to fantasy defenses. Mac Jones and company looked decent in a win over Buffalo last week, but I have serious doubts that this was a sign of things to come and not just a good day against a team that was overlooking them.
Despite losing 31-17 to Philly last Sunday night, Miami’s defense put up 12 fantasy points via three sacks, a fumble recovery, and a pick-six. They’ve averaged over 9 fantasy points per game over the last three weeks, racking up 14 sacks in that span.
New England has historically struggled in Miami, and in 2023 have struggled generating any sort of consistency offensively. And if McDaniels’ most recent comments on Jalen Ramsey are any indication, Miami’s defense may be even more loaded up this week.
Oh, man. Snag Miami if you can because this one could get ugly for the Patriots.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Jacksonville Jaguars (26%): The Jags have 21 fantasy points over their past two games, and will head to Pittsburgh to face the Steelers in Week 8.
Los Angeles Chargers (7%): LA stayed afloat the past two weeks, averaging six fantasy points per game in two tough matchups, and are now rewarded with a home primetime game against Chicago.
Atlanta Falcons (13%): Atlanta’s top 10 scoring defense heads to Nashville to face the Titans’ bottom 10 scoring offense.
