NFL fantasy football waiver wire pickups for Week 8
By Lior Lampert
Fantasy Football WR Waiver Wire Pickups, Week 8
Josh Downs, Indianapolis Colts (37 percent rostered)
While many people have been impacted negatively by the season-ending shoulder injury that Colts rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson sustained, Josh Downs is not one of those people. In fact, one can make the case that Gardner Minshew stepping in under center has been a major boon to Downs’ fantasy value.
Since Richardson went down in Week 5, Downs has recorded at least 13.1 PPR points in his past three games. During that stretch, he has seen no less than six targets, recording 97-plus yards in two of the three games. Downs has become a borderline must-start player in PPR leagues as Minshew’s safety valve in the slot.
Downs currently ranks third amongst rookie pass-catchers in receiving yards through the first seven weeks of the season (401) and is primed for a big finish to the season with Minshew at the helm.
Per Fantasy Points’ Scott Barrett, Downs faced two of the top three toughest slot defenses over the last three weeks. The overall WR11 over that span in PPR formats, Downs needs to be added in every league that he is available in.
Brandin Cooks, Dallas Cowboys (38 percent rostered)
After getting off to a slow start in his first season as a member of the Cowboys, Brandin Cooks finally seemed to get going in the Cowboys Week 6 matchup against the Chargers. After having their bye in Week 7, Cooks and the Cowboys had an extra week to figure out how to continue integrating and featuring Cooks in the offensive game plan.
Head coach Mike McCarthy illustrated one of the potential ways to get his speedy receiver in open space by giving Cooks a designed run in Week 6 that he turned into a 14-yard gain. Cooks also hauled in a short touchdown that gave the Cowboys a lead they never looked back on in Week 6.
The Cowboys have been desperately in need of a second receiving option to form alongside stud wide receiver CeeDee Lamb and Cooks could be the man for the job. Cooks has a proven track record as a veteran receiver who is capable of making an impact. The Cowboys are Cooks’ fifth team in his 10-year career and he’s recorded at least one 1,000-yard receiving season for every franchise he’s played for.
Cooks makes for a worthy flier for those in need of receiver help.