It’s the waiver wire interval we have now all been dreading, with a whopping 14 groups on bye in Week 8. Faculty fantasy soccer managers who’ve been counting on gamers from Notre Dame, Louisville, Ohio State, Florida, Georgia and Missouri must discover replacements to fill out their beginning lineups. There are nonetheless just a few gamers who I’ve included as a result of they’re price stashing, like Gio Lopez, however most gamers might be Week 8 streaming choices.
Quarterback
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Gio Lopez, Wake Forest – 20% Rostered
Save for a 14.5-point dud in opposition to Louisville, Lopez has been an every-week, matchup-proof starter in all codecs. He has accounted for 30+ factors 5 instances, together with a 31.8-point outburst in opposition to Cal on Saturday. Lopez’s 23 whole touchdowns is third-most amongst P4 gamers and he’s thrown only one interception, which has helped propel Wake Forest to a 6-1 document whereas producing 3.5 factors per drive (eleventh in FBS). His pocket consciousness and mobility have been instrumental in Lopez’s success, as he’s being pressured on 32% of dropbacks (a hundred and twenty fifth) however sacked on simply 14% of these pressures. He’s extending performs and making backbreaking throws outdoors of construction when flushed, a night-and-day distinction from how he carried out for North Carolina final season, which is a testomony to second-year OC Rob Ezell and his workers. Lopez is the QB2 with 208.3 whole fantasy factors by way of seven video games and needs to be universally rostered regardless of being on bye Week 8.
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Ethan Grunkemeyer, Virginia Tech – 7% Rostered
James Franklin has Virginia Tech competing within the ACC in a single day with a 5-2 document and scoring 30+ factors in 5 of them because of the regular hand of Grunkemeyer. He has scored 21+ fantasy factors in opposition to each FBS program aside from the monsoon he performed in in opposition to Boston Faculty that was a climate anomaly state of affairs. Virginia Tech has been a mannequin of effectivity, rating third nationally with a 73.4% completion charge, as 30% of Grunkemeyer’s throws are being delivered to broad open targets. Additionally they are ripping off 74 performs per recreation, which is the eighth-most nationally and face a really beatable Clemson this weekend in a recreation the place I’ve Virginia Tech favored.
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JC French IV, Cincinnati – 2% Rostered
Cincinnati’s offensive line is unimaginable, permitting pressures on 0.7% of dropbacks (third in FBS) and clearing the way in which for 3.6 yards earlier than contact (sixth). French leads a exact UC assault that focuses on finishing 72% of their passes, with 80% of their makes an attempt going lower than 10-yards downfield, minimizing errors (+17 TO margin) and cashing of their crimson zone alternatives at an 85% charge (third). French simply lit up West Virginia’s hapless protection for 38.8 factors and faces a strong Texas Tech protection that allowed ASU to throw for 380 yards and three touchdowns in a blowout. French is a reputable fallback possibility if you happen to’re determined for a bye-week streamer.
Working Again
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Cole Tabb, Cincinnati – 12% Rostered
It appears like nearly everybody who performs West Virginia’s extremely fantasy-friendly protection finally ends up recording an eye-popping level whole, and Tabb was no exception. It appeared as if Tabb have been able to justify matchup-proof starter consideration after crushing Miami (OH) and Kansas State for back-to-back 30+ level outings. Nevertheless he slipped up the next recreation in opposition to Arizona receiving simply six carries in a 34-7 blowout by the hands of a really succesful Wildcats defensive entrance. That misstep and the tendency for UC to unfold carries round made Tabb a little bit dangerous heading into WVU, however he silenced any doubters with a 15-carry, 118-yard, three-touchdown efficiency that accrued a ridiculous 36.9 factors. Because of this, Tabb is now the RB11 in factors scored regardless of being rostered in simply 12% of leagues. Please appropriate this obvious mistake and choose up Tabb in each league doable, particularly if you happen to want a RB this week in opposition to Texas Tech.
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Quintrevion Wisner, Florida State – 2% Rostered
Phrase has damaged that star RB Ousmane Kromah will miss the rest of the 2026 season, dealing a significant blow to the Seminoles’ offense. Wisner stepped into the first function and excelled with 63 dashing yards on simply 9 carries to go along with 4 receptions for 56 yards and a landing for 17.9 factors. Most significantly, no different operating again touched the ball moreover Wisner, indicating he needs to be the clear RB1 going ahead for an FSU offense that ranks twentieth in yards earlier than contact (2.8) and averages 5.7 yards per carry. Be mindful, this is similar man who was Texas’ RB1 and cleared 1,000 dashing yards in 2024. FSU is on bye this week, however Wisner might be startable each week going ahead.
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Brian Bonner Jr., Washington – 0% Rostered
Bonner is the final man standing from the top-four rushers on Washington’s opening week depth chart, as Trevion Cooley sustained an damage after dashing for 113 yards and a landing in opposition to Purdue. Bonner is a extremely touted four-star freshman who appears to be like able to deal with the RB1 function after scoring 21.9 factors vs. the Boilermakers.
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Micah Ford, Stanford – 23% Rostered
The unquestioned bellcow for Stanford, Ford has obtained double-digit carries in each recreation whereas additionally chipping in with 17 receptions. He erupted for a career-high 49.6 factors in opposition to Elon, which gained’t occur once more, however he ought to attain double digits this week in opposition to a smooth NC State run protection that ranks 124th in performs of 20+ yards allowed and 97th in dashing success charge allowed.
Large Receiver
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Junior Sherrill, Vanderbilt – 36% Rostered
Sherrill has produced at the least 55 yards in each recreation this yr, and is out-targeting Vandy’s subsequent receiver, Ja’Cory Thomas, 59-to-18 with a 71% catch charge and 11.0 yards per goal. The Commodores rank tenth nationally in passes of 20+ air yards (20%) and have been way more potent since five-star, freshman phenom Jared Curtis took over the QB1 function. This week, he faces a Kentucky protection that ranks 104th nationally with a 44% passing success charge allowed and may have one other massive week.
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Chase Sowell, Penn State – 2% Rostered
Penn State has quietly produced large numbers from their WR1 this season, with Koby Howard posting 60.8 fantasy factors by way of the primary three video games earlier than getting injured. Over the past 4 video games, Sowell has been peppered with 44 targets for 384 yards, two touchdowns and 63.4 fantasy factors. Penn State misplaced all 4 of these video games and have been compelled to make use of a come-from-behind, pass-heavy recreation script, rating seventh nationally with 21% of their throws going 20+ yards downfield. Penn State is on bye this week, however face a tasty Purdue protection in Week 9.
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DJ Epps, West Virginia – 3% Rostered
Your entire Large 12 is enjoying in Week 8, making them the official Week 8 waiver-wire convention of selection. Epps carries a increase–or-bust profile; he has scored 17+ factors 4 instances, and fewer than six factors within the different three video games. He popped for 26.6 factors in opposition to Cincinnati this weekend, and hopefully can do it once more in opposition to TCU in Week 8.
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Cataurus Hicks, Pitt – 11% Rostered
Pitt has been coping with the lack of QB Mason Heintschel, with Holden Gehriner benched and new starter Corey Dailey piloting a loss to BC on Saturday. Regardless of being comparatively inconsistent, Bailey locked onto Hicks as his safety blanket, reeling in five-of-nine passes for 135 yards and a 75-yard landing reception. Hicks has scored at the least 8.0 fantasy factors in all however one contest this yr, making him a high-floor streamer in opposition to Miami this week if you happen to’re in want of a wideout.
Tight Finish
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Walker Lyons, BYU – 17% Rostered
BYU took a heavy loss with beginning RB LJ Martin happening for just a few weeks. In his absence, we’ve seen QB Bear Bachmeier shoulder extra of the duty for holding the offense shifting, which has resulted in a heavier cross script than we’ve been accustomed to in Provo. Lyons has been a major beneficiary of the shift, securing 11-of-13 targets for 110 yards and a landing over the past two video games. The Cougars have already accomplished their bye week, and may take it to a UCF secondary that ranks eighty fifth nationally with a 42% passing success charge allowed.
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Alex Honig, Northwestern – 0% Rostered
Northwestern has closely carried out their tight ends of their ultra-efficient cross scheme that’s gaining first-down yardage on 65% of receptions and produces 20+ yard performs on 24% of their completions (14th in FBS). TE Luke Dehnicke had 140 receiving yards in Week 3 earlier than getting injured, and Honig has picked up the slack since his departure with 4 receptions for 90 yards and a landing over his final two video games. With the ‘Cats throwing to their inline receiver 25% of the time (fifteenth in FBS), Honig is a high quality streaming possibility in opposition to the pitiful Rutgers protection this week.
