Waiver Favors™: 2025 Week 8 Fantasy Football Pickups
By Ha Kung Wong Week 7 Fantasy Football Pickups
Twitter: @FBGarbageTime
As I do every year over the last 13 years, I’m here to help with waiver wire adds via my weekly Waiver Favors™ article! And I’m assuming if you’re reader right now, you’re in your fantasy football playoffs, so congratulations!I’ll make a couple suggestions for after Week 8 of the 2025 fantasy football season that hopefully will keep your team running. You’re welcome. Again.
As usual, all pickups are available in at least 50% of Yahoo standard fantasy football leagues (with some minor exceptions) as of Sunday evening.
J.J. McCarthy
QB – Minnesota Vikings – 23% Owned
With Carson Wentz going to surgery for the injured shoulder, and J.J. McCarthy seemingly on track to overcome his 7-week-long high-ankle sprain, it should be McCarthy’s offense in Minnesota starting in Week 9 against the Lions. There’s no guarantee that McCarthy will be any good, seeing as how he’s only had one good start so far, but with weapons like Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson, he’s worth the stash in 12-team leagues or deeper.
Tyrone Tracy, Jr.
RB – New York Giants – 48% Owned
Cam Skattebo went out in the first half with a season-ending dislocated ankle, a real shame for the Giants who were just starting to show some life. With Skattebo out, Tyrone Tracy stepped in and had 10 carries for 39 yards also catching 2 of 3 targets for 14 receiving yards. There wasn’t much to do on the ground as the Giants were playing catch-up the entire game, but Tracy was the clear lead back. Devin Singletary will probably mix in, but I’d count on Tracy getting 60-70% of the backfield snaps, so go grab him in all 12-team leagues or deeper.
| Rush | Rush | Rush | Rush | Rush | Rush | Rece | Rece | Rece | Rece | Rece | Rece | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | G | Att | Yds | TD | Y/A | Y/G | A/G | Tgt | Rec | Yds | TD | R/G | Y/G |
| 2024 | NYG | 17 | 192 | 839 | 5 | 4.4 | 49.4 | 11.3 | 53 | 38 | 284 | 1 | 2.2 | 16.7 |
| 2025 | NYG | 5 | 35 | 120 | 1 | 3.4 | 24.0 | 7.0 | 13 | 8 | 54 | 0 | 1.6 | 10.8 |
| 2 Yr | 2 Yr | 22 | 227 | 959 | 6 | 4.2 | 43.6 | 10.3 | 66 | 46 | 338 | 1 | 2.1 | 15.4 |
| 17 G | 17 G | 17 | 175 | 741 | 5 | 4.2 | 43.6 | 10.3 | 51 | 36 | 261 | 1 | 2.1 | 15.4 |
Ollie Gordon
RB – Miami Dolphins – 11% Owned
The Dolphins finally got going in Week 8 totally embarrassing the Falcons, who were missing both their starting QB and WR1. That allowed the Dolphins to give their rookie RB Ollie Gordon 10 carries for 46 yards and a catch for 20 yards and a TD. That doesn’t mean Gordon is going to continue to have meaningful touches, but he did manage to build on 7 touches in Week 7, and Devon Achane may need a breather here and again, so feel free to speculate in 14-team leagues or deeper.
Jayden Higgins, Jaylin Noel & Xavier Hutchinson
WR – Houston Texans – 27%, 9% & 1% Owned
The Texans receiving room is a bit of a mess right now, particularly with Nico Collins and Christian Kirk out. If that remains an issue, then there’s 3 WRs you can consider, Jaylin Noel, Xavier Hutchinson and Jayden Higgins, essentially in that order, though Higgins may have the highest upside.
Noel managed to catch his first career TD reception in Week 6, followed that up in Week 7 with a season-high 77 receiving yards catching 4 of 7 targets and then followed that up in Week 8 catching 4 of 6 targets for 63 yards. So far, Noel appears to be the most consistent contributor for the Texans, so he should remain relevant even when Collins and Kirk return.
In Week 7, after Collins left the game, Hutchinson topped Houston WRs with 59 snaps and got 4 targets. In Week 8, Hutchinson caught 5 of 6 targets for 69 yards and a TD, so he’s certainly staying involved.
Higgins caught none of his 3 targets in Week 7 but did manage to catch 4 of 8 targets in Week 8 for 34 yards and TD. The 8 targets are encouraging, but the lack of consistent production leads me to believe that he’ll be more of a WR4/5 once Collins and Kirk return.
Christian Watson
WR – Green Bay Packers – 16% Owned
Christian Watson finally returned from injury in Week 8, and he didn’t disappoint catching all 4 targets for 85 yards, the most yards of any WR and the 2nd most targets among WRs. He’s had a connection with Jordan Love before and it looks like it may be picking up where it left off, so feel free to stash him in all 12-team leagues or deeper.
Chimere Dike
WR – Tennessee Titans – 8% Owned
Chimere Dike came out of nowhere in Week 7 to catch all 4 targets for 70 yards and TD. It was unclear if this was a fluke or an actual connection with rookie Cam Ward. But after catching 7 of 8 targets for 93 yards in Week 8, and pacing all Titans recievers with Calvin Ridley out, it sure looks like Ward likes looking his way, so you should too in all 12-team leagues or deeper.
Oronde Gadsden
TE – Los Angeles Chargers – 61% Owned
Oronde Gadsden jumped off the page in Week 6, and he hasn’t looked back, catching all 5 targets for 77 yards and a TD in Week 8. Gadsden trailed only Ladd McConkey in receptions and receiving yards in Week 8, a great sign that he’s becoming a staple in the Chargers offense. Over the last three games, Gadsden has 19 catches, 309 yards and the 2 TDs on 22 targets. He’s well worth your consideration in 10-team leagues or deeper.
UPDATE for Monday Night Football
Kareem Hunt
RB – Kansas City Chiefs – 35% Owned
Kareem Hunt had 9 carries for 40 yards and a TD and caught his sole target for another TD in Week 8. Isiah Pacheco led the team in rushing yards with 12 carries for 58 yards, but is now week-to-week with an MCL sprain. With a five total TDs to Pacheco’s one, Hunt should continue being the favored back near the opponent’s goal line and may have even more opportunity in Week 9 with Pacheco’s injury, so go grab him in all 12-team leagues or deeper.
Here’s we liked as pickups in previous weeks:
10-Team Leagues
QB – Daniel Jones
12-Team Leagues
QB – Jacoby Brissett, Sam Darnold, Joe Flacco, Michael Penix Jr., Aaron Rodgers
RB – Trey Benson (IR stash), Rico Dowdle, Kimani Vidal
WR – Kayshon Boutte, Troy Franklin, Wan’Dale Robinson
TE – AJ Barner, Harold Fannin, Hunter Henry
14-Team Leagues
QB – Jaxson Dart, Dillon Gabriel, Mac Jones
RB – Woody Marks, Kyle Monangai, Bayshul Tuten
WR – Elic Ayomanor, Kendrick Bourne, Hollywood Brown, Luther Burden III, Tory Horton, Van Jefferson, Xavier Legette, Sterling Shepard, Darius Slayton, Tyquan Thornton, Malik Washington
TE– Pat Freiermuth, Juwan Johnson, Cade Otton, Dalton Schultz, Mason Taylor
16-Team Leagues
QB – None
RB – Hassan Haskins, Dylan Sampson
WR – Ryan Flournoy, Kameron Johnson, Cedric Tillman, Tre Tucker
TE– Jake Tonges, Tommy Tremble
Check back every week for more Waiver Favors!