We are officially past the midway point of the 2018 fantasy season, meaning now is the time to begin your second-half push towards the fantasy postseason.
Whether you are looking for an injury replacement, a bye week fill-in, or an upside add to stash on your bench until he has a breakout performance, you have come to the right place.
There are several intriguing options available on the waiver wire this week, including a few running backs looking at possible starting roles due to injuries.
Without further ado, here are the top waiver wire adds for Week 8.
QUARTERBACKS
Mitchell Trubisky, Chicago Bears
Believe it or not, Trubisky has finished as QB2, QB5, and QB1 over his last three games, topping 300 passing yards in each contest while totaling 11 touchdowns over that span. Trubisky's fantasy value is even higher due to his rushing abilities, finishing with at least 47 yards on the ground in each of his last three games as well. Trubisky is playing as well as any quarterback in the NFL right now, and should continue to provide great fantasy value for those willing to take a bit of a gamble by starting him. With a Week 8 matchup against a Jets defense riddled with injuries, Trubisky should have no trouble putting together another strong performance.
RUNNING BACKS
Jalen Richard, Oakland Raiders
The Raiders officially placed Marshawn Lynch on IR Monday, opening the door for Richard and Doug Martin to receive more touches. While both players will be popular options on the waiver wire this week, it is Richard that should have more fantasy value moving forward, especially in PPR leagues. Richard has at least six receptions in three of Oakland's last four games, totaling 31 catches for 253 yards on the season. The Raiders will be playing from behind in most weeks, meaning Richard should see plenty of snaps as the team's pass-catching back. If you need some RB depth, Richard is the most interesting option on this week's waiver wire.
Kenjon Barner, New England Patriots
The big news out of Foxborough Monday was that the injury to Sony Michel's knee does not appear to be too serious. Michel is still supposed to miss some time though, meaning Barner should see a big uptick in touches during the rookie's absence. Barner took 10 carries for 36 yards in Week 7, both representing season-highs for the fifth-year RB. Barner isn't going to win you your league, but he should be a decent streaming option or bye week fill-in while Michel is out.
Raheem Mostert, San Francisco 49ers
After barely seeing the field in the first month of the season, Mostert has looked rather impressive over the 49ers' last two games. Mostert has carried the ball 19 times for 146 yards, good for an average of 7.7 yards per carry, while catching four passes for 19 yards. Matt Breida cannot seem to stay on the field, and with Alfred Morris looking washed up, Mostert could be looking at a significant increase in snaps and touches moving forward. If Breida's injury lingers, Mostert's value will take a huge jump.
Chris Ivory, Buffalo Bills
Ivory filled in yet again for the injured LeSean McCoy, and once again, the veteran had himself a good game. Ivory averaged 5.1 yards per carry on 16 carries, finishing with 81 yards to go with three receptions and an additional 25 receiving yards, in Buffalo's loss to the Colts. McCoy suffered a concussion in Week 7, which puts his status up in the air for Week 8, but he will have an extra day to be cleared since Buffalo doesn't play until Monday night. If McCoy is forced to sit, Ivory will be a decent flex option in Week 8.
WIDE RECEIVERS
Tyrell Williams, Los Angeles Chargers
USA TODAY Sports Danny Amendola, Miami Dolphins
Amendola's Dolphins career got off to a slow start, but the sure-handed receiver now looks primed for a breakout. Miami saw Albert Wilson go down with a potential season-ending injury in Week 7, while Kenny Stills also got banged up during the team's loss to the Lions. DeVante Parker was inactive in Week 7, despite reports saying he was healthy enough to play. All of this adds up to Amendola locking himself into the top-wide receiver role in Miami for at least this week, and possibly even longer. Miami's QB situation is far from ideal, but Amendola is still a solid add for anyone in need of some WR help.
Tre'Quan Smith, New Orleans Saints
Smith played 52 of New Orleans' 71 offensive snaps against the Ravens in Week 7, showing the fantasy world that the rookie will be replacing the injured Ted Ginn Jr. in the starting lineup. While he caught just three passes for 44 yards, his six targets were tied for the second-most on the team. Keep in mind New Orleans was up against the top pass defense in the NFL. Smith is quite the vertical threat, and with Michael Thomas garnering a lot of the attention on the opposite side of the field, the rookie should be able to beat defenders for some deep passes. Smith is a high-upside add.
TIGHT ENDS
C.J. Uzomah, Cincinnati Bengals
Uzomah was far from great in Week 7 with just two catches for 13 yards, but he was able to save his fantasy performance by snagging a short touchdown pass from Andy Dalton. Dalton has enjoyed targeting his tight ends throughout his career, and that is not likely to change now with Uzomah as the team's number one tight end. It may be tough to trust him on a weekly basis, but Uzomah is one of the better TE streaming options, and is a matchup-dependent TE1.
Benjamin Watson, New Orleans Saints
Tight end has been a wasteland for fantasy purposes this season (besides for the top few guys), so anytime a veteran puts together a good performance, he suddenly jumps into fantasy relevance. Such is the case with Watson, who caught all six of his targets for 43 yards and a touchdown against the Ravens. Following Ginn's injury, Watson could be looking at an increase in targets as Drew Brees looks for some reliable pass-catching options to throw the ball to. We already talked about Tre'Quan Smith playing a larger role in the Saints' offense now, and Watson could be looking at a similar increase in his role moving forward. Roll the dice on Watson if you're still looking for help at tight end.