Brandon Aiyuk was a top waiver wire pickup heading into Week 8 thanks to a consistent workload and an increased opportunity due to Deebo Samuel's absence.
His ownership, as of the writing of our Week 8 waiver wire column, was 48% on Yahoo! and 21% on ESPN. Those numbers bumped up to 81% and 61%, respectively, by the time Sunday's games rolled around, and he didn't disappoint his new teams, hauling in eight of 11 targets for 91 yards and a touchdown. Now, with George Kittle sidelined for the rest of the season and with Samuel's status still in question, Aiyuk's percentages should rise even more as we head into Week 9.
However, because he was featured last week and because his ownership percentage is over 50% in both formats, he's no longer eligible for this column. It doesn't mean you shouldn't pick him up if he's available — in fact, if he's still around for some reason, GO GET HIM - but my own rules of writing this piece dictate that I can't feature him below.
I also can't feature JaMycal Hasty, Jalen Reagor, Denzel Mims and others who I included last week, but if they're available, please go out and get them! The full list is below.
So who is the Brandon Aiyuk of this week? Let's find out which waiver add should be your priority, with a special focus on tight ends due to George Kittle's devastating injury.
Gus Edwards, Baltimore Ravens
Gus Edwards receives the handoff from Lamar Jackson.
(Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Yahoo: 30% owned | ESPN: 4% owned
While defenses may have figured out how to contain Lamar Jackson a little bit more effectively in 2020, stopping Baltimore's running game seems to be another mystery that has yet to be solved. Even the juggernaut defense of the Pittsburgh Steelers — actually, "especially" works better than "even" — couldn't stop the Ravens on the ground, as they ran for 265 yards in Week 8 despite a loss.
Considering Edwards, J.K. Dobbins and Mark Ingram all held some fantasy value when all three of them are playing, Edwards and Dobbins are viable options for as long as Ingram is sidelined with an ankle injury.
Zack Moss, Buffalo Bills
Zack Moss looks for running room against the Patriots.
(Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images)
Yahoo: 54% owned | ESPN: 36% owned
Moss and Devin Singletary received the same amount of carries (14) against the Patriots in Week 8, but Moss converted two red zone touchdowns and was on the field for 53% of the snaps compared to Singletary's 48%. It's a pretty even split right now, but the pattern shows that it's slowly becoming Moss's backfield. Even if the split remains around 50-50, Moss got six red zone touches while Singletary only got one, giving him more value going forward at this point in the season.
Nyheim Hines and Jordan Wilkins, Indianapolis Colts
Nyheim Hines and Jordan Wilkins celebrate in the end zone after a touchdown.
(Nic Antaya/Getty Images)
Hines | Yahoo: 29% owned | ESPN: 35% owned
Wilkins | Yahoo: 1% owned | ESPN: 1% owned
Jordan Wilkins had 20 carries for 89 yards and a touchdown in Week 8, far outperforming rookie Jonathan Taylor (11 carries, 22 yards). However, as significant a disparity as there is between these two performances, I'm not willing to believe the Colts will lose confidence in their highly-touted 2020 draft selection so quickly.
Someone's role that isn't really affected by the Taylor/Wilkins dilemma is Nyheim Hines, our old friend who was the top waiver wire addition for Week 1 after his explosive two-score outing against the Jaguars. He had two touchdowns again in Week 8, and no touchdowns in between those two games, so it's tough to predict when he'll pop off. Still, his role is fairly consistent and he's an unexciting but usable running back for those dealing with injuries or a lack of depth during bye weeks.
Marvin Jones, Detroit Lions
Marvin Jones runs with the football in Week 8.
(Leon Halip/Getty Images)
Yahoo: 49% owned | 54% owned
Kenny Golladay's injury brings the disappointing Jones back into fantasy relevance, though he's about as unreliable as It gets. His floor, even without Golladay, is the bare minimum, while his ceiling remains practically limitless given his history of explosive outings — he hooked up with Matt Stafford for four touchdowns, for example, against the Vikings in 2019.
He's definitely worth a start should Golladay miss time due to the inevitability that he'll get looks from Stafford. What he does with them is the risk factor here.
Allen Lazard, Green Bay Packers
Allen Lazard signals for a touchdown.
(Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
Yahoo: 34% owned | ESPN: 25% owned
When we last saw Lazard, he was fresh off of an eight-catch, 146-yard performance in Week 3. In fact, through three weeks, Allen Lazard was the No. 7 wide receiver in all of fantasy. Then, as is the case with so many budding fantasy stars, injury struck.
Week 9 could be when we see Lazard return to the field, but even if its not, it's still worth adding Lazard seeing as he was a legitimate threat early in the season and would fill a hole that Aaron Rodgers would like to see filled sooner than later.
Sterling Shepard, New York Giants
Sterling Shepard slashes through the defense.
(Corey Perrine/Getty Images)
Yahoo: 43% owned | ESPN: 56% owned
Sterling Shepard is an underrated target hog, earning eight looks as soon as he came back from an injury in Week 7 and picking up right where he left off with eight catches on 10 targets in Week 9 against the Buccaneers. With juicy matchups against the Washington Football Team, the Eagles, the Seahawks and more ahead, a healthy Shepard — which, no, is not a given — is good for solid, consistent fantasy production.
Eric Ebron, Pittsburgh Steelers
Eric Ebron sprints ahead against the Ravens.
(Todd Olszewski/Getty Images)
Yahoo: 45% owned | ESPN: 51% owned
Ebron is just hovering on the border of eligibility, but he's certainly someone that Kittle owners should hope is available heading into a great Week 9 contest with the Cowboys. The remainder of the schedule holds a lot of good matchups for Ebron, and Big Ben has looked his way over five times in four of their last five games, including two games with a touchdown connection. With a relatively high floor compared to others at the position, Ebron is someone you can hold on to for the rest of the year.
Jordan Akins, Houston Texans
Jordan Akins turns up field.
(Bob Levey/Getty Images)
Yahoo: 2% owned | ESPN: 1% owned
Before Jordan Akins went down to injury in Week 4 against the Vikings, he averaged more fantasy points per game than Zach Ertz, Dallas Goedert, Evan Engram, Jonnu Smith and many other tight ends who were considered popular starting options. He never had a huge breakout in this span, either, instead relying on solid but unspectacular outings.
For a shallow position with injuries taking their toll, that's all you can ask for at this point. And with Deshaun Watson's penchant for throwing to his tight ends in the red zone, Akins is someone who is flying under the radar but could certainly find the end zone against the Jaguars in Week 9. If he can't return from injury before this one, Darren Fells is a fine alternate option.
Trey Burton, Indianapolis Colts
Trey Burton hauls in a pass before stepping out of the end zone.
(Bobby Ellis/Getty Images)
Yahoo: 22% owned | ESPN: 9% owned
It's hard for Trey Burton to get his looks in an offense that not only features other receivers and running backs as good options for Rivers, but two other solid tight ends in Jack Doyle and Mo Alie-Cox. And yet, he finds a way. Burton now has 20 targets in four games as a Colt, as well as two rushing touchdowns (for real???), and his versatility and early signs of chemistry with Philip Rivers make him an acceptable replacement for Kittle in a dire situation.
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