The farther we get into the fantasy football season, the more that folks need Waiver Wire Wonders.
Believe me, nothing would make this writer happier than if this column was completely unnecessary. It would be awesome if players stopped getting hurt. If New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo hadn't injured his hamstring just after getting out of John Harbaugh's doghouse. If Denver Broncos wide receiver Jaylen Waddle hadn't suffered a chest injury on an "awful" reverse. But they did.
It would be equally cool if players didn't continue to disappoint. New England Patriots running back TreVeyon Henderson ranks outside the top-50 in PPR points per game. So does Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze—and that's after one of his better efforts of the season in Week 7.
But guess what? That's not how it works. The fantasy gods are as capricious as they are cruel. The only thing they love more than striking players down is draining them of their fantasy value like Kurt Barlow in Salem's Lot.
You can expect all kinds of terrifyingly terrible metaphors this week. 'Tis the season and all.
As in injuries mount and the patience of fantasy managers with underperformers reaches a breaking point, they need alternate options. A Plan B. A fill-in that can help keep the season from joining Barlow's army of the dead.
That's where Waiver Wire Wonders comes in.
Each week during the 2026 season, we will be building a "lineup" (1 QB, 2 RB, 2 WR, 1 TE, 1 FLEX) consisting of players who are available in over 50 percent of ESPN fantasy leagues. Will those players single-handedly win you a matchup? Probably not.
But they can help keep the season alive.
Week 8 Waiver Wire Wonders
QB Jacoby Brissett, Arizona (19.7 Percent Rostered)
It has been another disappointing season for the Redbirds, and after Sunday's home loss to the Denver Broncos, some fans have begun clamoring for rookie Carson Beck to replace Jacoby Brissett under center. However, while speaking to reporters after the loss, head coach Mike LaFleur said that he's not prepared to make that switch just yet.
"I'm not even going to talk about any of the individuals. It's us collectively. We just gotta finish better," he said. "We had opportunities to make some plays that we didn't, and when we get to the point where we're going to flip this thing, we got to make those plays. This is a collective deal in terms of coaching and playing, but we can make that easier on ourselves."
Brissett hasn't been great statistically this season, topping 275 passing yards with multiple touchdown passes just twice this season. But this week sets up well for a third such occurrence—in Week 8 the Cardinals travel to face a Dallas defense that ranks 23rd in the league in pass defense and has allowed the fifth-most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks this season.
RB Jonah Coleman, Denver (24.2 Percent Rostered)
After missing time with an ankle injury, Coleman was activated ahead of Sunday's trip to Arizona. The rookie from Washington acquitted himself well, notching the most touches (11) and total yards (68) of any Denver back. After the effort, Chad Jensen of SI wrote that he expects Coleman's role to grow moving forward—at the expense of J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey.
"Given the burst and playmaking ability Coleman has shown this season," he said, "it wouldn't be a surprise to see him once again out-earn Dobbins in touches and snaps. The rookie is a complete back, which means he doesn't have to come off the field on third down, though that's often when Payton will look to get Harvey involved in the offense."
A three-headed backfield is going to carry some risk—Coleman got the touches last week, but it was Dobbins and Harvey who found the end zone. But Coleman looks the part of the best back in Denver's backfield, and eight weeks into the season, finding a back with his upside isn't all that easy to do.
