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Week 7 gave us plenty of waiver wire options at wide receiver, but this week, it may be more about picking through your free agent list and finding which of the players below are actually available.
Unlike many other weeks, when we can find players who are owned in less than 30 percent of leagues, this week features a few more well-known players, who are also capable of stepping in and producing for your fantasy teams right out of the gate.
There's plenty to talk about, and quite a few performances from the past weekend that left us excited about a few potential waiver pickups. Let's check out the top waiver wire options at wide receiver for Week 8, and kick it off with one of the talented targets of Tom Brady.
Week 8 Waiver Wire - Wide Receivers (WR)
Brandon LaFell - WR, NE - 52% owned on Fleaflicker
There were probably quite a few fantasy players who were excited to see LaFell get back to the field in Week 7 for the New England Patriots. Just a season after catching 74 balls for 953 yards and seven touchdowns, LaFell's upside is pretty tremendous. He has the upside to be a sleeping giant and a great player to add to your starting rosters moving forward.
Unfortunately, Week 7 didn't quite go as planned. LaFell caught just two balls for 25 yards during the 30-23 victory over the rival New York Jets. While we can go ahead and just chalk this one up to a bit of rust, the fact that LaFell received eight targets is pretty promising. Don't expect him to be held in check like this for many more games this season, especially with Tom Brady under center and the Patriots looking like they have no issue throwing the ball a ton.
LaFell may not be out there in every league, but if he is, he's more than worth a roster spot, so don't hold off on getting your waiver put in.
Michael Crabtree, WR, OAK - 61% owned on Fleaflicker
Michael Crabtree deserves to be one of the hottest names on the waiver wire, but unfortunately, 61 percent of people may have beaten you to the punch. The Oakland Raiders have no problem airing it out quite a bit, and rookie Amari Cooper and Crabtree will be the two players to benefit the most. As FOX Sports reported, the Raiders actually want to continue to get Crabtree the ball more moving forward.
Well, to this point in 2015, Crabtree has hauled in 33 balls for 381 yards and two touchdowns. His most recent game against the San Diego Chargers featured six catches for 63 yards and a score. Don't be surprised to see Crabtree remain as a go-to option for Derek Carr as the 2015 season rolls on. The Raiders have two solid matchups in the Pittsburgh Steelers and Detroit Lions scheduled over the next four weeks. Both teams rank in the bottom 14 of the NFL against opposing wide receivers, which should set up beautifully for Crabtree.
Michael Floyd - WR, ARI - 34% owned on Fleaflicker
After the first three weeks of the 2015 season, if you had told me that I'd be featuring Michael Floyd in a wide receiver waive wire article, I would have called you crazy. Floyd had exactly two catches for 30 yards through three games, but his last two games have been a completely different story. He's combined to grab eight catches for 109 yards and two touchdowns, showing a strong connection with Carson Palmer.
While Floyd only received four targets on Monday Night Football in Week 7, he received eight the week before, and the Cardinals were playing from ahead for the bulk of their victory against the Baltimore Ravens. In turn, the fewer targets are understandable, but Floyd still produced a solid fantasy night.
He's looking like a fantasy filler right now, but Floyd is absolutely a player who has WR3 upside as the season rolls on, especially with how excellent Palmer has looked this season. Be aware though, the Cardinals face some tough pass defenses in the coming weeks, including the Cleveland Browns and Seattle Seahawks. After that, life gets a good bit easier for two games against the Bengals and San Francisco 49ers.
Other Wide Receivers To Consider Adding
Nate Washington - WR, HOU - 9% owned on Fleaflicker
How about a little love for Nate Washington? The 32-year-old wide receiver was simply a favorite target for Brian Hoyer in their brutal loss to the Miami Dolphins on Sunday. Yes, the Houston Texans were literally playing from behind the entire game, but Washington's 16 targets, resulting in nine catches for 127 yards and two touchdowns, were still ridiculously impressive.
Will Washington post a repeat performance like this one? No, probably not, but he does have the potential to be a nice bye week filler if you need one. Now, the Texans have some tough passing matchups ahead, including against the Tennessee Titans and New York Jets (with the Cincinnati Bengals in-between). Regardless, if the Texans are playing from behind often, as they should be against the Bengals and Jets, that has the makings of plenty of garbage time work for Washington.
Terrance Williams, WR, DAL - 61% owned on Fleaflicker
Wait, did Terrance Williams just become fantasy relevant again? You bet he did. After starting out the season strong with Tony Romo under center, catching nine balls for 144 yards and one touchdown, things changed drastically when Romo went down. With Brandon Weeden under center, Williams managed just five catches for 79 yards and a score through three games. Then, the Dallas Cowboys chose to switch it up to Matt Cassel, which seems like a great move for Williams.
In the Week 7 loss to the New York Giants, Williams was targeted seven times, catching four balls for 70 yards. Expect him to be targeted often by Cassel, and for the two to connect quite a bit until Romo returns, when his stock then increases even more.
Tyler Lockett, WR, SEA - 13% owned on Fleaflicker
In Week 7 Tyler Lockett did more than just make big plays on special teams. The rookie from Kansas State caught five balls for 79 yards and a touchdown, proving that he can be a serious threat in the passing game as well. He has the attention of Russell Wilson obviously, which is great news for him moving forward. Lockett's a bit more risky than the other names on this list, but his upside is pretty tremendous, so giving him a shot makes plenty of sense.
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