It’s crazy to think we’re already approaching Week 8 of the 2026-27 NFL Season.  Week 7 saw the Miami Dolphins securing their first win of the season against the New York Jets.  The Seattle Seahawks shut down Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs offense, which failed to get things going.  It was also National Tight Ends Day, which featured a showing of tight ends who contributed for their teams on Sunday.  

At this point, we understand where most NFL teams stand in the playoff race and which players they could add at the trade deadline.  The season isn’t over yet, but we can already see who will be fighting for a playoff spot.  In fantasy football, managers are doing their best to stay on top of their leagues and make their way into the playoffs.  Players on the waiver wire could help fantasy teams stay competitive throughout the entire season.

That said, let’s look at which players are worth picking up on the waiver wire.

Jacoby Brissett, QB (ARI)

The Arizona Cardinals haven’t had an easy start, but some of their players are still producing fantasy numbers.  Quarterback Jacoby Brissett isn’t a flashy name in fantasy, but he occasionally puts together decent performances, as he has high passing volume and is surrounded by offensive weapons like stud tight end Trey McBride and wide receiver Michael Wilson.  According to Yahoo Sports, Brissett is averaging 45 passing attempts per game and has climbed to QB14 in fantasy football through seven weeks.  

What makes him an intriguing fantasy matchup in Week 8 is his matchup against the Dallas Cowboys, who have struggled lately.  USA Today notes that the Cowboys defense has allowed more than 20 fantasy points to quarterbacks in five of their six games; this was before their Week 7 Monday Night game against the Philadelphia Eagles.  If you’re looking for a bye-week filler or potential backup for your fantasy team, Brissett is worth a waiver-wire pickup.  He’s rostered in only 21% of leagues, per FantasyPros.

Kaelon Black, RB (SF)

In fantasy, it’s always best to have backups of some of the best fantasy players because you never know what will happen to them as the season goes on.  Look at De’Von Achane: after he was ruled out for the rest of the season with a torn ACL, his backup, Ollie Gordon III, became the next-best waiver-wire pickup.  Most fantasy managers are smart enough to secure a top fantasy running back’s backup and stash them on the bench, but some leagues also have them on the waiver wire.  Now with Christian McCaffrey, we all know he has an injury history, which is always why it’s always a risk drafting him, which is why always drafting or picking up his backup is always smart, which leads us to running back Kaelon Black who was drafted in the 3rd round out of Indiana in this past NFL draft.  

Even with McCaffery in the lineup, Black still is a contributing factor in the 49ers offense as he played in 47% of the snaps in Week 7, per Sports Illustrated.  Last week, he rushed for 63 yards and a touchdown.  McCaffery is dealing with a minor hamstring strain, and though they say he’s not expected to miss time, it’s worth watching, which makes picking up Kaelon Black on the waiver wire a must if he’s available.  He’s only available in 23% of leagues, according to Fantasy Pros. 

Seth McGowan, RB (IND)

Who would’ve thought the Indianapolis Colts would be in the position they are today, after starting last season 8-2 and then trading for Sauce Gardner?  After the trade, they went 8-9 to finish the 2025-26 season.  Fast forward to this season, GM Chris Ballard was recently fired, and now they sit at 2-5 and could be sellers at the upcoming NFL trade deadline.  Rumors have been swirling about whether the Colts are willing to trade some of their key players, which include star running back Jonathan Taylor.  If Taylor gets traded, running back Seth McGowan would step right in as the starting running back.

McGowan is worth considering picking up on the waiver wire and stashing on your bench until Taylor gets traded.  McGowan would take over the lead bell-cow duties for the Colts and could contribute as a starter; he is their No. 2 running back for a reason.  According to Tim Heaney of Lindyssports.com, Playerprofiler compares McGowan’s game to Rico Dowdle, who has 99th-percentile explosiveness coming out of college and a decisive running style.  DJ Giddens is the only other running back on the roster, but he hasn’t logged a single snap this season as the Colts’ third-stringer. 

Nothing is happening right now, but the trade rumors surrounding Jonathan Taylor are worth watching.  That makes Seth McGowan an intriguing fantasy waiver-wire addition to stash on your bench.  He’s only rostered in only 5% of leagues, per Fantasy Pros.

Caleb Douglas, WR (MIA)

The Miami Dolphins finally got their first win this past Sunday against the New York Jets.  Caleb Douglass returned from an ankle injury and was a key part of their victory.  Douglass caught 2 of his 3 targets for 70 yards, both for touchdowns, including an explosive 63-yard catch-and-run to extend the Dolphins’ lead over the Jets.  Douglas’ performance will only increase as the season goes along as he’ll see a rapid increase in both offensive snaps and targets.  

According to NBC Sports, Douglas ran over 80% of the routes and accounted for 37% of Malik Willis’ first-read targets in his first two games.  Footballnationusa.com noted that the Dolphins designed a red-zone opportunity for him on the opening drive, and then trusted him down the line in critical moments in the 4th quarter.  His role within the Dolphins offense will only grow, making him an intriguing waiver wire option.  He’s only rostered in 13% of leagues, per Fantasy Pros.

Omar Cooper Jr, WR (NYJ)

For the second straight week, Omar Cooper Jr. has shown why he is a true receiving threat for the New York Jets and in fantasy.  

Cooper Jr. has put together back-to-back 100-yard, one-touchdown performances and is the first Jet to do so.  To start the season, he flashed in his only reception for 30 yards, then ended up on the IR with a high-ankle sprain that kept him out for four games.  After returning in Week 6, he caught 6 receptions for 103 yards and a score, and this past Sunday against the Dolphins, he caught 5 receptions for 115 yards and added another score.  Against the Dolphins, Cooper Jr. made big plays for the Jets offense, including 52- and 60-yard catches.  According to NBC Sports, in the two healthy games that Cooper Jr. has played, he leads the Jets with a 22 percent target share and 35 percent of their air yards.  NBC Sports also noted that he’s averaging 4.77 yards per route run, which leads all wideouts with at least 50 routes, with Zay Flowers ranked No. 2 on the list at 3.73.  

Even with Adonai Mitchell back in the lineup, Cooper still saw a prominent snap share, continued contributing to the Jets offense, and is looking to become a favorite target for Geno Smith.  The Jets face the Las Vegas Raiders next week in a favorable matchup for the Jets offense.  According to Fox Sports, the Raiders rank 29th with 373.7 defensive yards allowed, which could benefit Cooper Jr. in major ways.  The Jets offense is filled with playmakers, but Cooper Jr. shouldn’t be overlooked, as his big-play ability and recent performances deserve attention.  

Cooper Jr. is available in only 39% of leagues, per fantasy pros.

KC Concepcion Jr., WR (CLE)

The Cleveland Browns are now 5-2 and are competing not just to make the playoffs, but to fight for the AFC North.  In their emergence, KC Concepcion has become one of the vocal points of the Browns’ offense, making him a great waiver wire pickup.  This past Sunday against the Tennessee Titans, Concepcion caught 8 of his 10 targets for 129 yards, showing he keeps improving in the Browns’ offense.

According to FantasyLife.com, the Browns’ first-round wide receiver has been gaining traction within the Browns’ offense.  Before Sunday, in the past three healthy games, he’s garnered a 25%, 24%, and 26% target share in a full-time role.  Against the Titans this past Sunday, he got a 29% target share.  Dwain McFarland also noted that Concepcion plays a similar role to Zay Flowers in Todd Monken’s offense.  Among the 63 WRs with at least 150 routes, Concepcion ranks among the league leaders in cheat-code schematic advantages.  Motion at the Snap: 24% (4th), Percentage of targets on play action: 24% (17th), and slot alignment: 58% (5th).

KC Concepcion is becoming a vocal point in a Browns offense; he’s only available in 60% of leagues per Fantasy Pros.