IDP Waiver Wire: Week 8

Jeff Pomazal gives you the week’s best waiver targets.

What a crazy Week 7 we all just endured. Byes, injuries, and disappointing snap counts plagued us all this past weekend, but help is on the way. After having 6 teams on a bye this last week, the NFL schedulers have graced us with a full 16-slate of games for Week 8. (Please do not ask me how that works, but it does).

If your team is 7-0 or 6-1, congrats to you. Let’s find some players to keep you compiling wins, and if you are 0-7 or 1-6, it is time to put together the most epic run in fantasy football history. A run that will be so legendary your children’s children will talk about it! Let’s dive into this week’s waiver wire targets.  

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Defensive Line

Previous Weeks: Carl Granderson, Drake Jackson, Harrison Phillips, Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, Jonathan Cooper, Jarran Reed, David Onyemata, Nik Bonitto, Josh Uche, Tuli Tuipulotu, Yetur Gross-Matos, Zach Allen, Justin Madubuike

Darrell Taylor, Seattle Seahawks 

Darrell Taylor is someone you need to roster immediately. Not only did Taylor have a blow-up game against the Cardinals with 3 tackles and 1.5 sacks, but he very well could find himself commanding a much larger snap count going forward. With the news that Uchenna Nwosu is going to have season-ending surgery to repair a torn pec, Taylor suddenly finds himself in a starting role opposite Boye Mafe. IDP is all about volume and suddenly the volume is going to get very loud very quickly for Taylor. This may also increase the snap share to rookie Derick Hall as the Seahawks look to fill the void with the loss of Nwosu. The Seahawks may be very busy this coming week as the trade deadline approaches next Tuesday. 

Mike Hoecht, Los Angeles Rams

Mike Hoecht of the LA Rams quietly put together a very solid season in his third NFL campaign. Hoecht has seen a very healthy snap share over the course of the season and has not played less than 70% of snaps in any game. This high volume of snaps has allowed him to be a top 5 defensive lineman in total tackles on the season with 34. If you play in a league that is tackle-heavy, Hoecht makes a ton of sense. Hoecht gets the Cowboys next week, who are a top-10 team for opposing DL to score against. Hoecht recorded 2 sacks on Sunday, his first since Week 1. Finally, not to get too far ahead of ourselves, Hoecht and the Rams get the Commanders and the Giants during the fantasy football playoffs, Week 15 and 17 respectively, two teams that allow a plethora of sacks. Hoecht is a great DL3/4 for those who play in deeper formats. 

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Defensive Back

Previous Weeks: Reed Blankenship, Christian Gonzalez, Camryn Bynum, Jason Pinnock, K’Von Wallace, Jordan Whitehead, Daxton Hill, Rudy Ford, Juju Brents, Devon Witherspoon, Marcus Maye, Darious Williams, Sam Franklin Jr.

Jaylon Johnson, Chicago Bears

I know cornerbacks are usually covered by someone way more qualified and Johny the Greek does an amazing job covering those corners. I want to put a plug-in for Jaylon Johnson. Johnson had a career day against Brian Hoyer where he picked him off twice, returning one for a touchdown. Johnson has played 100% of snaps in 4 games this season and would have played 100% in all of them if he hadn’t gone down with a hamstring injury in Week 4. After returning to the lineup last week, Johnson looked in great form against the Raiders. Johnson gets two premium matchups in 2 of the next 3 games. In Week 8, the Bears play the Chargers, who are the number 1 team in points scored against by opposing corners, and then in Week 10, they play the Panthers, who surprisingly are number 3. Not ready to say the Bears are the Monsters of the Midway once again, but Johnson is a solid option in cornerback-required leagues. 

Cam Taylor-Britt, Cincinnati Bengals 

Over the last 3 weeks of the NFL Season, Cam Taylor-Britt has been playing some great corner for the Bengals. The rookie from Nebraska is currently tied for 8th in the league with tackles from the cornerback position, which is pretty awesome considering this includes his bye week. The positive game script for the suddenly recharged Bengals offense is always a good thing for corners who will see an increase in targets. Taylor-Britt has 4 pass breakups, 2 interceptions, and a touchdown this season so he offers a great mix of high tackle floor and big splash play to his game. Coming off the bye week will also make Taylor-Britt a very low-profile name, as fantasy managers may overlook him as he didn’t score any points in Week 7. He has a huge matchup in Week 9 in the “Jungle” against the Bills who are currently top 5 in scoring to opposing corners.