Scott Engel is in his eighth season of providing Fantasy Football coverage for Seahawks.com. An inaugural member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association's Hall of Fame, he is in his 23rd year as a Fantasy analyst and professional. You can now find more of his work and weekly rankings on RotoBaller.comand hear him every Saturday night on SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio.
Although only two teams are on byes this week, we will be without the services of players from two significant teams, the Dallas Cowboys and Baltimore Ravens. Add to that the fact that Fantasy owners will not have Patrick Mahomes, one of the best players in the game, and the challenges really seem to be mounting for some of you. Not having Mahomes, Dak Prescott and Lamar Jackson available will make many Fantasy players turn to reserve options at QB.
We help you make it through as always, including helping you identify some QB targets to replace Mahomes and possibly Matt Ryan, who is uncertain for his matchup with the Seahawks in Week 8 due to an ankle injury. Honestly, though, the pickings on free agency seem slim this week, so make a trade if you need to plug an important hole. Some of our recommended adds are more daring than usual.
Week 8 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Targets
Quarterbacks
Kirk Cousins (38.8 percent owned in NFL.com leagues): The Vikings QB is sizzling lately and will be a prime waiver pickup in leagues where he is available. If he s already rostered, he should be a viable trade target. Cousins has revived the Minnesota passing game recently, with three consecutive 300-yard games and back-to-back four TD outings. He has upcoming matchups against Washington and Kansas City, and both teams have shaky secondaries. Even if injured WR Adam Thielen does not play this week, Cousins should at least provide you with very respectable totals. Cousins is now a Top 10 QB in terms of Fantasy scoring for 2019.
Matthew Stafford (45.4): Stafford has been aggressive when needed this season and is coming off his best game of the season, with 364 passing yards and four TDs against a usually sturdy Minnesota defense. His next two matchups are against the Giants (23rd ranked pass defense) and the Raiders (lowest-ranked pass defense in the AFC).
Jacoby Brissett (29.4): We have mentioned him before, but it appears we will have to do so again, as his ownership percentage remains low. Brissett is a top Fantasy reserve who can be a quality starter if you need him to slide into the lineup. He has a trio of three TD performances in his last five games, and two 300-yard outings in his last four.
More QBs to consider: As we mentioned last week, Sam Darnold (9.0) is widely available and has a great upcoming schedule through Week 14. … Gardner Minshew (44.5) is steady and won't hurt your Fantasy outlook. … You may be able to swing a trade for Philip Rivers, who is usually reliable and often underrated. It may not take much to get him in a deal. … Drew Brees (74.2) was actually cut in some leagues while he was injured and may be able to return as soon as this week against Arizona.
Running Backs
Chase Edmonds (17.3): He was the unexpected Fantasy star of Week 7 at his position, rushing for 126 yards and three TDs in a win over the Giants. Edmonds showed he is one of the best backup RBs in the NFL and he has big-play ability when given a larger workload. You should always roster the top real-life backups to your best Fantasy RBs, and Edmonds is a must-own if you have David Johnson. Edmonds will continue to see quality work if Johnson's ankle issues linger.
Mike Davis (0.5): This is a speculative add, but one that could turn out to be worth a flier. The Chicago offense is sputtering, and only totaled 17 rushing yards in Week 7 against New Orleans. Davis has not carried in the past three games, but Seahawks fans well know what he is capable of, and he could get an opportunity to see more work if Matt Nagy decides to implement some changes on offense.
Darrell Henderson (32.4): He was a popular pick in the preseason as a possible Todd Gurley handcuff, but the ownership numbers have fallen. Gurley was back in Week 7, but cannot be relied on for availability. Veteran Malcolm Brown has also been injured. The rookie does display good vision and burst and could put up some quality Fantasy statistics if he is needed to play extensively at any time.
Wide Receivers
Zach Pascal (0.1): He had what was either a breakout game or one that will tease us, with 106 yards and two TDs against Houston in Week 7. Pascal has shown glimpses of promise before, though, so you should take the chance on him if you need WR help. The opportunity to become the clear WR2 in the Colts offense is there for the taking.
Alex Erickson (0.0): I actually do own Erickson in one of my deep dynasty leagues, as he has always been an internal favorite in Cincinnati and there was preseason talk about getting him more involved in the offense. Erickson came through with a career performance in Week 7, with eight catches for 127 yards. He is slithery and elusive after the catch and may start to demand more playing time.
A.J. Brown (4.5): The rookie has demonstrated some big-play ability this season, and in Week 7 he showed some signs of dependability, catching six passes on a team-high eight targets for 64 yards. Brown has the most potential of any wideout on the Titans roster, as he has outstanding separation gears and is quickly showing he can make catches in important situations. He may be on the verge of truly breaking out.
Tight End
Jonnu Smith (0.1): Veteran Delanie Walker has been getting banged up, while Smith has received some more playing time and started to show off his abilities in Week 7. He had catches of 35 and 24 yards on Sunday and Ryan Tannehill showed a propensity to look for the TE on key downs.
Seahawks Fantasy Outlook
If you're leaning on top 'Hawks this week, it should brighten your outlook to know that Atlanta allows a NFC-high 31.9 points per game. The Falcons allow the most Fantasy Points Per Game to opposing quarterbacks, so Russell Wilson could have one of his best games of an already impressive season. He has the most Fantasy Points of any NFC QB. Atlanta also allows the second-most FFPG to opposing RBs in the NFC, so expect a strong performance from Chris Carson. He remains in RB1 territory as the ninth-highest scoring Fantasy RB, while Tyler Lockett is also ninth in WR scoring.
Seahawks Fantasy Mailbag
For answers to your Fantasy questions early every week, fill out the bottom of this form on Sunday nights or early Mondays for priority consideration. You can also tag me or @Seahawks on Twitter.
Owen Pringle from Sammarish asks: Is Russell Wilson a good buy low target and what would be a good offer to get him?
Engel: Wilson remains a highly regarded Fantasy QB and is not a buy-low target. If you want to trade for him to improve your quarterback situation, you will have to be prepared to give up something of significance in return. That means not offering a three for one deal or a package or some combination of underperforming players. If you are specifically targeting Wilson, take a look at the roster of his current Fantasy owner and determine what he needs that you may be willing to part with. If you can fill gaps on his roster with some of your depth you may have a match in terms of a trade partner. If you cannot land Wilson, the QB position is deep and you can move on to other possibilities. Just remember that in order to have a good chance of executing a trade, you should find a team that has weaknesses where you may have adequate depth. Try to construct an offer that helps both sides and you'll increase your chances of completing a deal.
For more from Scott Engel, get the RotoBaller.com 2019 Fantasy Football Package, which includes his lineup rankings and regular weekly columns. Enter code "Seahawks" at checkout for a discount.
