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Welcome Back IDP Nerds! Another week of NFL action is in the books, and we’re back looking for ways to improve our dynasty rosters. The Week 8 IDP Waiver Wire is here, but before we get into this week’s recommendations, let’s give some credit to a couple of last week’s pickups. Kingsley Enagbare continued his solid play with a low-end DL3 finish in Week 7, while Jalen Ramsey kept his hot streak going. It’s good to see those recommendations paying off, especially when finding reliable production on waivers around the midpoint of the season can be such a challenge.
This week, we’ve got a few younger players starting to earn more playing time and some interesting opportunities opening up at linebacker. As always, we’re looking for players who can help us win now while keeping an eye on those who could have value beyond this season. Let’s get into my top IDP waiver wire pickups for Week 8.
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Best Defensive Line Waiver Pickups | Week 8 IDP
Ashton Gillotte | Kansas City Chiefs | 3–5% FAAB
Ashton Gillotte is starting to make some noise in Kansas City, and his recent production is worth paying attention to. The Chiefs pass rusher has seen his playing time steadily increase, going from just 27% of the defensive snaps in Week 1 to a season-high 58% in Week 7. He’s ranked as the DL15 over the past two weeks, including a low-end DL2 finish in Week 7. That’s the type of progress I like seeing from a young defensive lineman, especially one who’s starting to earn more opportunities as the season goes on.
What interests me most about Gillotte isn’t necessarily where he’s finished in the fantasy rankings, but the fact that Kansas City is trusting him with more playing time. He’s still part of a defensive line rotation, so I’m not expecting him to suddenly become an every-week DL2. However, we’ve already seen what he’s capable of doing with additional snaps, and there’s reason to believe he could become a useful option over the second half of the season. At 3–5% FAAB, I’m willing to take a chance on Gillotte now rather than wait until his role potentially grows even more.
Sam Williams | Cleveland Browns | 0–3% FAAB
Sam Williams is a player who’s been putting together some solid fantasy performances despite not seeing a significant amount of playing time. The Browns pass rusher has played just 36% of the defensive snaps this season, but we’ve seen that number slowly increase over the past few weeks. Williams went from playing 28% of the snaps in Week 3 to a season-high 41% in Week 7. It’s not quite the 60% range we’d like to see from our defensive linemen, but at least we’re seeing progress. He’s scored 15 or more fantasy points in three of his last four games, and that’s hard to ignore when looking at potential waiver wire additions.
The biggest question for me is whether Williams can keep producing at this level without playing more snaps. We’ve seen players put together strong performances in limited roles before, but that doesn’t always lead to consistent fantasy production. I’m willing to take a chance on Williams because the playing time is increasing, even if it’s happening slower than we’d like. At 0–3% FAAB, he’s not going to cost much, and there’s enough here to justify adding him for defensive line depth. I wouldn’t feel comfortable starting him every week just yet, but he’s a player I’d rather have on my roster now than wait until his role potentially grows.
Best Linebacker Waiver Pickups | Week 8 IDP
Glosser’s No. 1 Add
Ty’Ron Hopper | Green Bay Packers | 5–10% FAAB
Sometimes all it takes is an injury or two for a player to get his opportunity, and that’s exactly what’s happening with Ty’Ron Hopper in Green Bay. The Packers linebacker started the season primarily contributing on special teams, playing zero defensive snaps in Week 1. With Edgerrin Cooper now out for the season with a torn Achilles, Hopper has found himself playing a much bigger role. He’s played just 33% of the defensive snaps on the season, but that number doesn’t tell the full story. Hopper went from not seeing the field defensively in Week 1 to playing 63 defensive snaps in Week 7. Over his last three games, he’s recorded 14 tackles, an interception, and two passes defended. Not bad for a player who wasn’t even part of the defensive rotation to start the season.
The lingering injury to veteran Zaire Franklin is where things could really open up for Hopper. With Franklin dealing with a hairline fracture in his leg, there’s a chance Hopper continues seeing significant playing time beyond just one or two games. We know how difficult it can be to find reliable linebackers on waivers, and I’m not waiting for another strong performance before making a move. If you’re rostering Franklin, Hopper should be a priority as an insurance policy, but I also like him as a standalone dynasty addition. There’s no guarantee he keeps this workload once Franklin returns, but the opportunity is there for Hopper to make a name for himself. I’m willing to spend 5–10% FAAB to get him on my roster.
Tommy Eichenberg | Las Vegas Raiders | 0–3% FAAB
Much like Ty’Ron Hopper, Tommy Eichenberg is another linebacker who’s spent most of the season contributing on special teams but has started to see more opportunities on defense. The Raiders linebacker has played just 23% of the defensive snaps this season, but we’ve seen some encouraging production when he’s been given a chance. Eichenberg was a player I had my eye on heading into Week 7 with Quay Walker dealing with an injury throughout the week. Had Walker missed the game, there was a chance Eichenberg would have been called upon for a much bigger role. Instead, a matchup with the Rams forced Las Vegas into playing more base defense, giving us a chance to see what Eichenberg could do with additional snaps.
In his two games playing at least 35% of the defensive snaps, Eichenberg has recorded 10 tackles across 67 defensive snaps. It’s a small sample size, but it’s enough to keep him on my radar. I’m not expecting him to suddenly become a weekly starter with Walker and Nakobe Dean healthy, and his role could look much different depending on the matchup. However, we’ve now seen what Eichenberg can do when given more opportunities. At 0–3% FAAB, he’s the type of player I’d consider adding if I have the roster space to carry additional linebacker depth. There’s no guarantee the opportunity comes, but I’d rather get ahead of the situation than wait until he’s a popular waiver wire addition.
| Player | Pos | Team | Priority | FAAB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashton Gillotte | DL | KC | Strong Dynasty Add | 3–5% |
| Sam Williams | DL | CLE | Speculative Add | 0–3% |
| Ty’Ron Hopper | LB | GB | Must Add | 5–10% |
| Tommy Eichenberg | LB | LV | Depth Stash | 0–3% |
| Kyler Gordon | DB | CHI | Strong Add | 5–10% |
| Brandon Cisse | DB | GB | Strong Add | 3–5% |
Best Defensive Back Waiver Pickups | Week 8 IDP
Kyler Gordon | Chicago Bears | 5–10% FAAB
How Kyler Gordon is still available in dynasty leagues is beyond me. The Bears defensive back made his season debut in Week 6 and has wasted no time making an impact on Chicago’s defense. In just two games, Gordon has recorded 9 tackles and 4 sacks. Yes, you read that correctly, 4 sacks from a defensive back who’s played just 48 defensive snaps. Gordon hasn’t played 60% of the snaps in either game, but it’s hard to imagine Chicago keeping him off the field much longer with the way he’s producing. We’re obviously not expecting him to continue recording sacks at this rate, but there’s plenty to like about what we’ve seen from him in such a limited role.
If you read my offseason breakdown of defensive coordinator production, you’ll remember why I was so high on the Chicago defensive backs heading into the season. Dennis Allen has a history of getting strong fantasy production from the position, and Gordon looks like another player who could benefit from his defensive scheme. Allen has already shown he’s willing to use Gordon as a blitzer, which gives him a different path to fantasy production than your typical defensive back. The sack numbers are going to come back down to earth, but if his playing time continues to increase, there’s still plenty of upside here. At 5–10% FAAB, Gordon is one of my favorite additions this week. If he’s somehow still available in your league, I’d be making room for him.
Brandon Cisse | Green Bay Packers | 3–5% FAAB
Brandon Cisse is a player I’ve been considering for the waiver wire article for a couple of weeks now, but I think I’ve finally seen enough to pull the trigger. The Packers rookie cornerback has scored double-digit fantasy points in six consecutive games, which is the type of consistency that’s hard to ignore at the position. Cisse is averaging nearly 5 tackles per game and is currently on pace for 78 tackles this season. He’s also added 1.5 sacks and an interception, giving IDP managers a little extra production along the way. For a rookie cornerback, those are impressive numbers, and he’s starting to look like someone we can trust in our starting lineups.
The biggest selling point for me with Cisse is his tackle production. We know cornerbacks can be difficult to predict from week to week, especially when so much of their fantasy value depends on opposing quarterbacks throwing in their direction. Cisse has managed to avoid some of those inconsistent performances by putting together solid tackle numbers each week. That makes him especially valuable in leagues that require starting cornerbacks, where having a reliable option can save managers from chasing matchups every Sunday. At 3–5% FAAB, I’m ready to buy into what Cisse has shown us rather than continue watching him produce on the waiver wire.
Just Missed | Week 8 IDP Waiver Wire
- Keeanu Benton, DL, Pittsburgh Steelers: There are a lot of mouths to feed on the Steelers’ defensive line, but it’s getting harder to ignore what Benton has done recently. He’s scored double-digit fantasy points in three consecutive games and ranks as the DL19 overall over the past two weeks. The crowded defensive front makes it difficult to trust him every week, but he’s playing well enough to deserve consideration in deeper dynasty leagues.
- Jack Cochrane, LB, Kansas City Chiefs: Cochrane remains a depth option with Kansas City relying heavily on Nick Bolton and Drue Tranquill at linebacker. Still, it’s hard to overlook his recent production of 11 tackles and an interception over his last three games. He’s not someone I’m rushing to start, but he’s worth keeping on the radar for managers looking to add linebacker depth.
- Keionte Scott, DB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: We talked about how productive Tampa Bay’s defensive scheme has been for defensive backs in last week’s IDP Start/Sit article, and Scott is another example. The rookie has recorded 21 tackles over his last three games while playing just 62% of the defensive snaps. He’s putting up linebacker-like tackle numbers from the defensive back position, and that’s the type of production I’m looking for in IDP leagues.
Final Thoughts | Week 8 IDP Waiver Wire
With injuries and bye weeks continuing to pile up, it’s more important than ever that we trust our data and put ourselves in the best position to win each week. We’ve worked together all season to identify players before their opportunities become obvious, and that approach becomes even more valuable as the season progresses. Staying ahead of the weekly injury news is crucial. The last thing we want is to be scrambling for replacements on Sunday morning when we could have made those moves earlier in the week.
As always, if you have any IDP waiver wire, lineup, or dynasty trade questions, reach out to me on Twitter/X @Glosser13 or Reddit u/IDPGlosser. I’m always happy to talk IDP with the #NerdHerd and help you work through those difficult roster decisions. Good luck in Week 8, and thanks for reading!
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