Top Fantasy Football Week 8 WR Waiver Wire pickups: Why Josh Downs is worth a shot

The fantasy football waiver wire is one of the best ways for managers to improve their rosters during the NFL season. Unlike the trade block, which requires managers to give up a valuable asset, adding waivers is relatively free. Even if a roster spot isn't available, the lowest bench player can be dropped for an available option with more upside.

For players to qualify as a desirable waiver wire target each week depends on several factors. They must first be available in most leagues, as they can only be added if they are not currently on a different fantasy roster. Strong waivers have also recently seen their stock rise. This could be the result of a relevant injury, an increase in their playing time, or a recent boost to their usual production.

Another important factor to remember when looking for waivers in fantasy football is to target players whose perceived value moving forward is going to increase, rather than regress. It's always wise to add assets based on where they are potentially going, rather than where they have already been. This is often a winning strategy across all fantasy formats.

Wide receivers are often some of the most popular waiver wire targets during each week. With the emergence of the modern passing game, NFL teams usually have deep rosters at the position. This means that more of them have a chance to rise in fantasy relevance than in other positions. As new contributors pop up, many fantasy managers try to add them to their rosters.

Week 8 of the 2023 fantasy football season offers some interesting wide receivers that should be available on most waiver wires. The following suggestions are currently owned in less than half of all fantasy leagues and have recently shown strong upside, making them ideal targets this week.

Top Fantasy Football WR Waiver Wire pickups for Week 8

Week 8 WR waivers

Mecole Hardman

Mecole Hardman joined the New York Jets ahead of the 2023 NFL season after previously spending his entire career with the Kansas City Chiefs. He failed to make any fantasy football impact at all with his new team, totaling just one reception on three targets for six yards across the first six weeks of the season.

His irrelevance in their offensive game plan resulted in the Jets trading Hardman back to the Chiefs ahead of Week 7. He is already extremely familiar with head coach Andy Reid's system and also has formerly established chemistry with Patrick Mahomes, so he suited up and played in his first game back with the team.

While Hardman didn't light up the stat sheet in his return, he doubled his 2023 production in just one game with the Chiefs. He recorded the same one reception on three targets for six yards that it took him six weeks to accumulate with the Jets.

Considering the Chiefs' lack of truly established wide receivers, Hardman makes for an interesting speculative addition from the Week 8 fantasy football waiver wire. If he can get back to being a key piece of their passing scheme like he was before departing, he holds upside in one of the most high-powered offenses in the NFL.

Josh Downs

Josh Downs has been steadily increasing his fantasy football output during his rookie season with the Indianapolis Colts so far. He entered Week 7 as a borderline fantasy football player worth rostering after posting two consecutive weekly finishes among the top 30 wide receivers.

Downs' breakout performance in his most recent game has officially elevated him past the level of a debatable waiver wire add to a must-roster player. He turned in his best game of his career so far in Week 7 against the Cleveland Browns, ranking as the WR3 in PPR leagues and WR2 in standard scoring. He did so with an impressive five receptions on six targets for 125 yards and a touchdown.

This marks the second consecutive game in which Downs has scored a touchdown. This means that all of his career touchdowns have come in the only two games started by quarterback Gardner Minshew this season.

This is an excellent sign for Downs' outlook in fantasy football, as Minshew is expected to be the starter for the remainder of the year with rookie Anthony Richardson suffering a season-ending injury.

Given his consistent improvements in usage and production, paired with his obvious chemistry with Minshew in the passing game, Josh Downs makes for one of the best overall fantasy football players to target on the Week 8 waiver wire.

The fact that he's a rookie is a bonus to his upside, as it's entirely possible that his peak version hasn't even arrived yet as he continues to develop his skill set and get acclimated to the NFL.

Jalin Hyatt

The New York Giants have severely struggled offensively during the entire 2023 NFL season so far. They desperately need some playmakers to step up, other than Saquon Barkley, to open up the rest of their offense. Jalin Hyatt could potentially be that player if the Giants finally decide to get him more involved in their gameplan.

While Hyatt has just nine receptions during his rookie season so far, three of them have gone for more than 30 yards, including catches of 33, 42, and 58 yards. He also posted his best fantasy football performance in his most recent game against the Washington Commanders, setting season-highs with five targets and 75 yards.

The Giants would be wise to take note of the fact that they earned just their second victory of the season last week in a game that they finally involved him more in their offense. Their other victory also came in Week 2 against the Arizona Cardinals, when Jalin Hyatt recorded a season-long 58-yard reception. This has now become a trend that they should think about committing to.

If the Giants do realize that their most success has come when they utilize Hyatt's elite explosiveness, he could emerge as a fantasy football star. Their offense also lacks a true WR1, which the rookie could develop into as well. He makes for a solid speculative add off the waiver wire, as well as one of the best wide receivers to keep as a bench stash for now.