This season is going by much too fast. Two of my three teams are in the running for the playoffs. I just can't catch a break with my 3rd team. It is now 0-7. I don't think it is a bad team... Not great, but not bad with key players Kirk Cousins (QB), Joe Burrows (QB), Josh Jacobs (RB), Rachaad White (RB), Cooper Kupp (WR), D.K. Metcalf (WR), Tutu Atwell (WR), Josh Reynolds (WR), Michael Thomas (WR), Evan Engram (TE). Okay, I get it, Burrows is in a slump, Kupp was out the first four weeks, Metcalf just got injured, etc. etc. It's not a team that should be leading the league, but 0-7??? Anyway, all this means is that my playoffs start Week 8. If I can win the next 10 games in a row, I will win the league championship!

So why would you take waiver advise from a guy with an 0-7 team? Actually, the team is very good at one thing... Bench points. My team is 2nd in the league in bench points. That means the points have been there. I have players on my roster that score points. I just don't have a crystal ball to start the right ones every week. Bench points are a good indication of team depth and good utilization of the waiver wire. I also have the highest fantasy points against in the league by far, averaging 121.9 versus a range of 93.0 to 109.3 for all the other teams. And of course we always focus on the negative, but I do have two teams in the running for the playoffs and 2 out of 3 ain't bad (or so I've been told).

I changed the format up a little this week. Rather than write out in each description how the defense against ranks, I just added it inside the parenthesis after the player. For example, Derek Carr is up against the Colts D this weekend. The Colts rank 21st for points allowed against QBs for fantasy. The second number in the parenthesis is a fantasy point projection from a broad consensus of sources for PPR scoring. However, don't put too much stock in the fantasy point projections. It is early in the week and as more details are factored in by the providers some of these could be high or low.

As mentioned in previous weeks, this article is for fantasy football managers in leagues with deeper rosters (18 to 24 players) where standard waiver advice just doesn't cut it. I try to give a little extra info. For example, maybe you are in a keeper or dynasty team and don't really need a starter this week, but you might want a rookie or sophomore player that has longer term upside, so I try to note that below.

Most of these players are available in my 18-player roster leagues. The players with an asterisks in front of them are available in my 24-player roster league.

QB

• Derek Carr, NO @ Ind (21st, 15.6) - has thrown over 300 yards each of the last two weeks. Only 6 TDs on the season.
• Joshua Dobbs, Ari v Bal (1st, 15.5) - A low end QB2 especially against a tough Ravens D in Week 8
• Gardner Minshew, Ind v NO (7th, 14.7) - 305 passing yards, 4 TDs (2 by air, 2 by land) in Week 8. Stash the 'stache.
• Zach Wilson, NYJ @ NYG (12th, 12.7) - He breaths and he throws the rock.
• ^*Tyson Bagent, Chi @ LAC (32nd, 12.5) - Justin Fields is out for at least one more week.

RB

• ^*Royce Freeman, LAR @ Dal (9th, 6.7) - Playing behind Darrell Henderson in a depleted back field. 12 carries last week.
• Emari Demercado, Ari v Bal (18th, 5.7) - This rookie led the Cardinal's back field in touches in Week 7. Week 8 is a dart throw.
• Joshua Kelly, LAC v Chi (26th, 5.2) - Don't let Kelly's 49-yd TD from Week 7 trick you into thinking he is going to get you double digit fantasy points every week, but it might get him double digit touches in Week 8.
• ^*Darrynton Evans, Chi @ LAC (23rd, 4.0) - 25 touches in the last two weeks, splitting with D'Onta Foreman.
• ^*Emanuel Wilson, GB v Min (6th, 0.9) - Undrafted rookie who is making the most of very limited opportunities. Will he get more volume in Week 8?

Note: Darrell Henderson has been moved down to the Rams practice squad.

WR

• Taylor Boyd, Cin @ SF (22nd, 11.0) - Consistent volume week to week, but only 1 TD so far this year.
• Robert Woods, Hou @ Car (11th, 10.0) - Another stocking stuffer for your WR corps.
• Wan'Dale Robinson, NYG v NYJ (2nd, 9.3) - This sophomore has inconsistent volume and a tough matchup in Week 8.
• D.J. Chark, Car v Hou (5th, 8.7) - Only 13 receiptions on 27 targets, but has TD-dependent potential week-to-week.
• Allen Lazard, NYJ @ NYG (20th, 8.3) - Expect 2 or 3 receptions and 20 to 40 yards. 1 TD on the season so far.
• Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Sea v Cle (1st, 8.0) - This rookie got his first TD last week with D.K. Metcalf out. Has consistent volume, but if you can't spell his name be careful starting him against the top D against WRs in Week 8.
• ^*Odell Beckham, Bal @ Ari (27th, 7.0) - Had his best game as a Raven last week. Played 56% of snaps. Seems to be trending up.
• Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, Ten v Atl (6th, 6.3) - Low but consistent volume. 2 TDs on the season.
• ^*Deven Thompkins, TB @ Buf (11th, 4.1) - This diminutive sophomore has been getting a steady flow of targets. 13-73-1 on the season.
• ^*Jake Bobo, Sea v Cle (27th, 3.0) - Undrafted rookie - filled in for D.K. Metcalf last week. Made a nice grab at the back of the endzone. Watch Metcalf's injury status for Week 8.

TE

• Jake Ferguson Dal v LAR (25th, 10.0) - A consistent low volume TE. 1 TD so far this season. Getting a high snap count (86%)
• Tyler Conklin, NYJ @ NYG (9th, 8.7) - Just another consistent low volume TE to take a dart throw on. No TDs so far this season.
• Cade Otton, TB @ Buf (8th, 7.4) - Sophmore TE with consistent low volume and 1 TD on the season so far.
• Taysom Hill, NO @ Ind (19th, 6.8) - The Swiss army knife isn't very predictable, but he has seen increased volume the last two games.
• *Foster Moreau, NO @ Ind (19th, 2.0) - Watch injury status of Juwan Johnson before streaming Moreau.

K

• Matt Gay, Ind v NO (15th, 8.8)
• Greg Zuerlein, NYJ @ NYG (6th, 8.7)
• Jason Myers, Sea v Cle (4th, 8.6)
• Nick Folk, Ten v Atl (18th, 8.6)
• Blake Grupe, NO @ Ind (32nd, 8.5)

DST

• Los Angeles Chargers v Chi (29th, 7.4)
• Kansas City Chiefs @ Den (21st, 7.1)
• New York Jets @ NYG (32nd, 6.6)
• Minnesota Vikings @ GB (11th, 6.0)
• Houston Texans @ Car (25th, 6.5)