Fantasy Football Week 8 Waiver: 5 players must be waived

We’ve reached the unofficial halfway point of the fantasy football regular season, and managers are now preparing their teams for possible playoff pushes. This requires fantasy owners to lighten the load on their roster.

These add/drop decisions won’t necessarily be easy. Many fantasy owners like to hold on to quality handcuffs and high-potential receivers behind their top producers. As injuries and rest weeks reduce opportunities for owners at key positions such as quarterback and tight end, it is necessary to part with players who are either underperforming or not playing major roles in order to maintain a competitive roster.

That doesn’t mean managers should randomly release players after a bad week. It’s about assessing a player’s situation and the possibilities he has for the future.

Here’s a look at five players to cut after Week 7 of the fantasy football season, including a handful of early-season flex plays that no longer have much fantasy value.

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Wire player waiver: Week 8

Devin Singletary, RB, New York Giants

Singletary returned from a two-game absence in the Giants’ Week 7 game against the Philadelphia Eagles, but his role looked much different than it did earlier in the season. Instead of handling the lion’s share of New York’s backfield snaps, Singletary separated himself from Tyrone Tracy Jr. and often played second fiddle to the fifth-round pick.

Tracy managed nine touches compared to Singletary’s six in the blowout, and it wasn’t just the result. The Giants appear content to let Tracy compete with Singletary for touches, and that dynamic is unlikely to change as the rookie gains more traction.

Add to that the fact that the Giants’ offensive line lost its best blocker, Andrew Thomas, to a season-ending foot injury before Week 7, and Singletary currently looks like a weak flex. Maybe he’ll emerge as an intriguing candidate for a trade before the deadline, but unless there’s a change of scenery, he’s no longer a player to be used in fantasy leagues.

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Antonio Gibson, RB, New England Patriots

Gibson was a popular addition after Rhamondre Stevenson had some fumbling issues and missed Week 6 with a foot injury. The thought was that Gibson could be a strong flex player against the Jacksonville Jaguars if Stevenson was unable to play.

However, Stevenson was able to play and resumed his role as the team’s top running back. Meanwhile, Gibson was embarrassed during the contest and was outplayed by third-string running back JaMycal Hasty, who caught five passes for 49 yards and a touchdown. The Patriots could consider giving Hasty more passing work, which would further reduce Gibson’s already light workload.

D’Onta Foreman, RB, Cleveland Browns

You can probably apply this advice to any Browns running back not named Nick Chubb. Cleveland’s backfield leader returned Sunday after a year-long absence and immediately resumed his role as backfield leader. He managed 11 runs and scored a touchdown, while Foreman and Pierre Strong combined for just five runs.

Chubb’s workload may still be limited, but even if that’s the case, the Browns appear content to sign him with a committee approach. This will prevent Foreman, Strong and Jerome Ford (when he returns from a hamstring injury) from getting the volume and goal-line passes needed to be valuable fantasy assets.

Christian Watson, WR, Green Bay Packers

Watson has had some solid performances in the 2024 NFL season, including his three-catch, 68-yard, one-touchdown performance against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 6. He also had numerous performances, such as his Week 7 contest against the Houston Texans, where he only caught one pass for nine yards.

To make matters worse, five players saw more targets during the game than Watson, who had two. This group of five includes three wide receivers: Romeo Doubs (10), Dontayvion Wicks (6) and Jayden Reed (4).

Watson has size, speed and talent, but he won’t be anything more than an inconsistent flex player in fantasy football. Stick with playing him as a low-ownership wild card in DFS lineups rather than trusting him in weekly fantasy formats.

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DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Tennessee Titans

Mason Rudolph attempted 40 passes against the Buffalo Bills in Week 7. Only one of them went in Hopkins’ direction and he caught it for a loss of two yards. In comparison, Calvin Ridley was targeted nine times, Tyler Boyd saw five targets and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine saw four balls come his way.

Feeding Hopkins doesn’t appear to be a priority for the Titans, and they could consider trading the veteran before the NFL trade deadline. That could make Hopkins a more valuable fantasy asset, but don’t wait to find out if that will happen. Feel free to cut him in favor of some bye-week fillers or streamers with higher upside potential at QB, D/ST, and Kicker.