The seventh week of the 2016 regular season is just about coming to a close with only the Monday Night Football game remaining. Most fantasy football leagues will run their waiver wires late Tuesday or early Wednesday, but we are here to help you get a jump on the best options to consider.
We will be ranking the top five players likely to be available in your league at each of the four major positions. Some weeks there might not be five good options available, but we’ll scour for the best we can find. Additionally, throughout the week, we will update each of these articles as ownership percentages change (via Yahoo!) and news arrives.
Waiver wire quarterback rankings, Week 8
1. Alex Smith, Kansas City Chiefs (38 percent owned)
Smith faced a bad New Orleans Saints defense, and we saw what will consistently be his ceiling. Smith completed 17 of 24 passes for 214 yards and two touchdowns. Once in a while he will exceed that, but on a week-to-week basis, that is peak Alex Smith. He faces a bad Colts defense in Week 8.
2. Ryan Tannehill, Miami Dolphins (24 percent owned)
It is going to be boom or bust with Tannehill each week. The Dolphins have a bye in Week 8, but they follow that with matchups at home against the New York Jets and on the road against the San Diego Chargers. Those are plus matchups if you want to prepare for Week 9 and Week 10.
3. Ryan Fitzpatrick, New York Jets (19 percent owned)
The Fitzmagic benching lasted less than a half. Geno Smith injured his knee, and Fitzpatrick replaced him for the rest of the game. He completed 9 of 14 passes for 120 yards and a touchdown. Smith’s injury status is still to be determined, but if Fitzpatrick starts in Week 8, he gets a solid matchup at the Cleveland Browns.
4. Sam Bradford, Minnesota Vikings (17 percent owned)
It was a tough day for Bradford against the Philadelphia Eagles, but there is still value. He scored double digit fantasy points in each of his first four games before his Week 7 clunker. His next three games are at Chicago, home against Detroit, and at Washington. All three are defenses worth facing.
5. Kevin Hogan, Cleveland Browns (Zero percent owned)
Hogan was the seventh-highest scoring quarterback in Week 8 on Sunday, thanks almost entirely to his legs. His passing total was ugly, completing 12 of 24 passes for 100 yards and two interceptions. However, he also had 104 rushing yards and a touchdown. Basically, he was a solid running back option. He took over after Cody Kessler suffered a concussion. If Kessler cannot go in Week 8, and you are desperate, Hogan has a solid matchup against an inconsistent Jets defense.