Week 7 was a disaster at the wide receiver position. Brandon Aiyuk and Chris Godwin are out for the year. Mike Evans reinjured his hamstring and is getting an MRI. Jameson Williams is suspended for two games.
Of course, the news isn't all bad. We're also expecting Cooper Kupp to return for the Rams and Tua Tagovailoa to return for the Dolphins, salvaging the seasons of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. Kupp, Hill, and Waddle have been popular buy-low candidates that could start paying off as soon as Thursday night. I think it's possible Evans just became the best buy-low candidate.
You need to wait for the MRI results, but assuming Evans' timeline is in the four to six weeks range, I'll be looking to buy very low. If he's able to return, he'll be playing without Chris Godwin and in a position to chase 1,000 yards for the 11th season in a row. He'll also have a great schedule. After Tampa Bay's Week 11 bye, they play the Giants, Panthers (twice), Raiders, Chargers, and Cowboys to finish the Fantasy season. Evans could legitimately be a top-10 wide receiver down the stretch if he can get healthy. But again, let's see what the MRI shows.
Here is the rest of the Week 8 WR Preview:
Week 8 WR Preview
Who's Out
The following players are not being projected to play in Week 8 at this time. Here's what it means:
Deebo Samuel is a must-start receiver. Jauan Jennings and Ricky Pearsall are interesting, too.
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Xavier Worthy is the best Chiefs wide receiver, but he's not a must-start.
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Jalen McMillan is a boom/bust WR3 this week.
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Jalen McMillan is a boom/bust WR3 this week.
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Tyler Lockett and Jaxon Smith-Njigba are both good No. 3 wide receivers.
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Numbers to Know
- 36% -- Cooper Kupp was second in the NFL with a 36% target share in the first two weeks of the season. If he's starting for the Rams, he should be starting for your Fantasy team.
- 19% -- DeVonta Smith has a 19% target share in the three games A.J. Brown has played. That's a problem if the Eagles keep trending run-heavy
- 28.2% -- Amongst receivers who have earned at least 30 targets, George Pickens' 28.2% target per route run rate ranks fifth.
- 2.79 -- Jauan Jennings' 2.79 yards per route run ranks third amongst qualified receivers. If he can get healthy, he'll have a big opportunity with Brandon Aiyuk out.
- 33.3% -- Rashod Bateman's 33% explosive per target rate ranks second behind only Nico Collins.
- 277 -- Jerry Jeudy's 277 routes are the fourth-most in the NFL. I'm still hopeful he could matter with Jameis Winston at quarterback.
Matchups that matter
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Waiver Wire Targets
McMillan has a chance to be the No. 1 wide receiver for Tampa rest of the season, or at least until Mike Evans returns. He led the Bucs with eight targets in Week 8, and the team should have a better plan with a week to prepare for life without Chris Godwin and Mike Evans. McMillan doesn't have the highest floor on the waiver wire, but he has the highest ceiling.
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I don't love Tolbert's Week 8 matchup, but he has 15 targets in his last two games, and he's scored at least 13 PPR Fantasy points in three of his last five games. Tolbert has a chance to be the number two target for Dak Prescott in an offense that has little-to-no ability to run the ball.
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Even with Kupp coming back, I see Atwell as a boom/bust WR3 that could make your day with just one play. His 26.5% explosive/target rate ranks fourth in the NFL behind Nico Collins, Rashod Bateman, and Ja'Marr Chase.
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Bateman is finally turning all that separation into Fantasy production. He has three straight games with at least 11 PPR Fantasy points, and he's topped 15 points in two of those games. At 13.1 yards per target, Bateman has been one of the most efficient wide receivers in the NFL, but the fact that he doesn't have more than four catches in a game this season means he's better in leagues that don't reward a full point per reception.
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If Tyler Lockett is available in your league, he's the top waiver add at any position this week. DK Metcalf is week-to-week with a knee injury, and Lockett has produced 10 more yards per game than Jaxon Smith-Njigba despite seeing one fewer target per game. Lockett's 8.3 yards per target is 2.5 yards better than Smith-Njigba. If they see even targets during Metcalf's absence, you should expect Lockett to produce more Fantasy points.
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Jauan Jennings scored 46.5 PPR Fantasy points in Week 3. He has 14 catches for 229 yards and zero touchdowns in his other five games. But with Brandon Aiyuk out for the year, there's a legitimate chance that once Jennings gets healthy, he becomes a must-start wide receiver again. Just know that if you add him, you may very well need to leave him on the bench for at least one more week.
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DFS Plays
We're expecting Tua Tagovailoa back in Week 8, which makes Tyreek Hill a top-five wide receiver once again. His pricing doesn't reflect that reality, so I would anticipate Hill being the cash game chalk at wide receiver, and I am buying it. Remember, Hill scored 26 Fantasy points in Week 1, the lone game this duo has played together this season.
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I am hopeful that Adams' Week 7 dud is enough to suppress his roster rate. The nine targets he saw were very encouraging, and now he'll have a full week of practice with the team and a much easier matchup against the New England Patriots. He projects as a top 10 wide receiver for me once again.
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Heath's Projections
My full set of Week 8 Fantasy football projections for every position are now available on SportsLine. Find out which of my favorite plays are projected to score higher than consensus rankings and which don't live up to their draft hype, at least in Week 8. Projected stats for all starting wide receivers are available, so be sure to check out the full set of projections at SportsLine.
