Fantasy Football Waiver Wire power rankings, Week 8: Jauan Jennings, Russell Wilson and Romeo Doubs stock rising

Each week during the 2024 NFL season, FanSided fantasy football expert Lior Lampert creates a hierarchy of ideal waiver wire pickups. He'll base his ranks on performance, usage, coachspeak, injury news/analysis, stats, upcoming matchups, FAAB value and more. Every player mentioned is available in at least 50 percent of Yahoo fantasy leagues.

Fantasy Football Waiver Wire power rankings, Week 8

From real-life and fantasy football perspectives, the Week 7 slate gave us plenty to discuss. But for this writing, we'll be focusing on the latter.

Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku thrived in his first game without wide receiver Amari Cooper (who was traded to the Buffalo Bills). He caught 10 passes (on 14 targets) for 76 yards and a touchdown en route to finishing as the week's highest-scoring player at the position. If this performance was any indication, the one-time Pro Bowler is a set-and-forget TE1 the rest of the way.

Hopefully, those who tuned into Week 6's rendition of this column acquired and hung onto Jacksonville Jaguars running back Tank Bigsby. His 23.8 PPR points rank fifth among tailbacks heading into the Monday Night Football doubleheader. He had a whopping 26 carries, which he converted into 118 yards and two scores through the ground. Even when Travis Etienne returns from injury, the 2023 third-round pick figures to have a role in this backfield moving forward.

But if you missed out on Bigsby, have no fear! Continue following along for more waiver wire gems, including the players mentioned below.

Dumpster diving, digging for scraps

David Njoku wasn't the only Browns pass-catcher to benefit from Amari Cooper's departure. Wide receiver Cedric Tillman assumed a near-every-down role, logging an 82 percent offensive snap share rate. Not only was he on the field often, but the second-year pro commanded 12 targets, hauling in eight of them for 81 scoreless yards. Moreover, his 127 air yards could be worth chasing if Jameis Winston steps in under center.

Zach Ertz isn't a sexy, league-winning addition by any means. However, given the state of the tight end position, there are far worse options than him. He's drawn at least four targets in five of the Washington Commanders' seven contests thus far in 2024. The 12-year veteran continues to operate as a safety valve in the middle of the field on a potent offense, making him fantasy-viable.

No one seems happier about the quarterback change from seasoned journeyman Jacoby Brissett to rookie Drake Maye than Hunter Henry. The New England Patriots tight end has scored double-digit PPR fantasy points in consecutive outings, something he only did once with the former under center. The best part is he was productive without scoring a touchdown, catching eight passes for 92 yards versus the Jaguars in Week 7.

The stash-and-save

Kimani Vidal is a J.K. Dobbins injury away from seizing the Los Angeles Chargers backfield. Given the latter's extensive injury history, scooping and stashing the sixth-round rookie feels like a worthwhile flier.

As much as fantasy managers want Bijan Robinson to be the unquestioned workhorse of the Atlanta Falcons' rushing attack, Tyler Allgeier is a thing. In reality, the team needs them both, giving the backup runner some standalone value while being a premier handcuff.

We saw how the Bills intend to deploy Ray Davis if James Cook ever misses time like he did in Week 6. The talented rookie assumed a three-down role and proved more than capable of handling such a workload. He took a backseat to the incumbent starter in Buffalo's win over the Tennessee Titans, yet he was efficient and found the end zone. There aren't many contingency plans with his upside.

The educated guesses

Entering MNF, Russell Wilson is Week 7's top-scoring fantasy quarterback (24.9 points). He was surgical in his Steelers regular-season debut, carving up a highly regarded New York Jets defensive unit. With upcoming matchups against porous secondaries like the New York Giants and Washington Commanders, he could continue cooking.

With San Francisco 49ers star wideout Brandon likely out for the remainder of the year, Ricky Pearsall is a name to monitor. The talented first-year receiver is still recovering from his injury after getting shot less than two months ago. But his draft pedigree and suddenly increased potential usage are intriguing.

The 'if you ain't first, you're last'

Can you believe the Patriots waited five weeks to start Drake Maye? After seeing how he's fared in his first two starts, we can't either. Since taking the reins, the rookie passer has been the QB10 from a points-per-game standpoint (21.2). There will be ebbs and flows to his game, considering the 22-year-old is developing and New England's deficient supporting cast surrounding him. Nonetheless, the constant negative game scripts and rushing prowess make him a matchup-based QB1 the rest of the way.

As Jaylen Warren gets further removed from his hamstring and knee injuries, his workload is ramping up. He recorded a season-high 15 opportunities in Week 7 (12 carries, three targets). While the dual-threat running back only had a meager 59 scrimmage yards to show for it, his role is expanding weekly.

Gotta have 'em

Romeo Doubs, WR, Green Bay Packers

Romeo Doubs has returned from his one-game suspension with a vengeance. He's been a top-10 fantasy wide receiver since, including an impressive Week 7 showing.

Doubs saw 10 targets in the Green Bay Packers' win over the Houston Texans, corralling eight for 94 yards. He posted season-high marks across the board, suggesting the drama is behind them. His focus has been recalibrated following the troubling albeit uncertain situation, which is doing wonders for all parties involved.

Green Bay's embarrassment of riches at the receiver position is well-documented, but Doubs continues to see the most playing time weekly. His connection with quarterback Jordan Love is apparent, especially in the red zone. Their rapport on an ascending offense is enough to put the third-year wideout in WR3/FLEX talks.

Moreover, Green Bay has an extremely fantasy-friendly schedule over the next two weeks. Next, they face the Jaguars, who can't stop anybody. Then, the Packers host the Detriot Lions for a crucial divisional showdown that offers shootout potential.

Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Miami Dolphins

Signs are pointing toward Tua Tagovailoa returning from his IR stint in Week 8. After a four-game absence, the Miami Dolphins quarterback is ready to step in and rejuvenate what's been a lifeless offense sans him.

Many of this year's consensus top fantasy football quarterbacks have underachieved thus far in 2024. Whether it be Patrick Mahomes, Kyler Murray, or even Jalen Hurts and Josh Allen to lesser degrees, they've all had ups and downs. Enter Tagovailoa, who may not be the end-all-be-all solution to the problem, but he can be serviceable for managers in a bind.

With one of the NFL's best receiver tandems and an offensive mastermind in head coach Mike McDaniel pulling the strings, Tagovailoa is worth betting on.

Jauan Jennings, WR, San Francisco 49ers

A hip issue prevented Jauan Jennings from suiting up in San Fran's Super Bowl rematch loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Regardless, Aiyuk's ACL injury means the veteran wideout will step into a sizable role whenever he returns to the lineup.

While most of it was in one game, Jennings demonstrated what he could do when given the chance. He was the PPR WR8 over the first four weeks of the season, highlighting his upside on a high-powered 49ers offense.

Between Deebo Samuel, George Kittle and all-world dual-threat rusher Christian McCaffrey's pending comeback, there are plenty of mouths to feed in the Bay Area. Still, few can distribute the football like 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy, which puts Jennings in a position to have more explosive performances. He may be more of a boom-or-bust option, but the reward outweighs the risk.