Each Monday, before the current NFL week ends, we will identify players worthy of your attention who are available in at least 50% of ESPN standard leagues. Things change quickly for player valuation and roles each week in the NFL, and free agency is a critical way to acquire players. We are here to help!
Top pickup options at every position
Looking for the top recommendation at each skill position? Look no further! Here are the players to target heading into Week 8, along with their current roster percentages and a recommendation of how much of your free agent budget (FAB) you should consider using for your bid.
Malik Willis, QB, Dolphins (6.3% rostered, bid 3% of your FAB)
A better, more dynamic version of Willis seemed to emerge from the team's bye week. Willis scored 26.02 points against the New York Jets, tossing a pair of TD passes for the second time this season (both to rookie WR Caleb Douglas) and we cannot ignore his running ability. Willis boasts 111 rushing yards over his past two contests, with a rushing touchdown in each. That's a big differentiator in fantasy. Willis faces the New England Patriots at home in Week 8, then the Detroit Lions and Indianapolis Colts.
Note: San Francisco 49ers star Brock Purdy is on a bye for Week 8, along with New Orleans Saints starter Tyler Shough, Houston Texans starter C.J. Stroud and New York Giants starter J.J. McCarthy. If you wish to plan for Week 9's byes, Pittsburgh Steelers starter Aaron Rodgers and Tennessee Titans starter Cam Ward will not be playing.
Jonah Coleman, RB, Broncos (24.2%, 4% FAB)
Coleman (ankle) returned from IR and earned 11 touches, turning them into 69 yards and 8.9 fantasy points. Eleven touches may not seem like much, but it matched what higher-profile teammates J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey totaled combined. A three-way timeshare isn't much fun to deal with in fantasy -- especially when the team's quarterback himself rambled for a 62-yard rushing score -- but the powerfully built Coleman has a chance to distinguish himself. Running back is not a deep position. This may be the last chance to add Coleman.
Omar Cooper Jr., WR, Jets (34.8%, 4% FAB)
Cooper scored 22.5 points in his team's loss to the Miami Dolphins, one week after scoring 22.3 points against the Patriots. It sure looks like an exciting trend, especially since Adonai Mitchell (finger) was active after missing four games and Cooper still thrived, with over 100 receiving yards and a touchdown for the second consecutive outing. We haven't seen Cooper and Jets star WR Garrett Wilson both provide big numbers in the same game yet, but perhaps it will happen this week versus the Las Vegas Raiders.
Hunter Henry, TE, Patriots (47.2%, 2% FAB)
Henry continues to produce numbers that make his rather tepid roster percentage appear to be a mistake. Henry has scored double-digit fantasy points in four consecutive games, including last Thursday when he turned seven catches into 71 yards and 14.1 points. Only eight tight ends have more fantasy points this season. The Patriots face a tough schedule later in the season, but during the next three weeks they play the Dolphins, the Green Bay Packers and the Lions.
Other quarterbacks
Baker Mayfield, Buccaneers (25.5%, 2% FAB): Mayfield (thumb) returned after missing three games and, while he statistically provided little in Sunday's win over the Carolina Panthers (only 6.66 points), we should overlook it. Mayfield, a top-12 fantasy QB in each of the past three seasons, didn't need to do much in a blowout victory. He will surely throw more than 11 passes this week against the Atlanta Falcons. Besides, we cannot overlook an enticing schedule, with games remaining versus the Lions, the Panthers again and a pair of meetings with the Saints during the season's final month.
Geno Smith, Jets (13.1%, 1% FAB): Smith scored 23.48 points in Sunday's loss to the Dolphins, throwing three TD passes for the second time this season. While Smith boasts a pair of top-10 QB performances this season, he has also been held to fewer than 12 fantasy points in four out of seven games. Still, Smith boasts an exciting crew of receivers to target. He's a decent streamer at home against the Raiders.
J.J. McCarthy, Giants (21.7%, 1% FAB): McCarthy scored only 10.18 points (no touchdowns) in Sunday's stunning road win over the Texans, so it wasn't exactly a performance for the fantasy ages. Also, the Giants do not play in Week 8. Still, McCarthy certainly looked competent (and confident). With a host of NFC East battles remaining against sputtering teams, there is absolutely a way he could help fantasy managers.
Deep-league options/streamers
Michael Penix Jr., Falcons (12.9%, 1% FAB): Penix scored 20.42 points against the 49ers, giving him consecutive outings with three TD passes and more than 20 points. That's enough to attract attention for Week 8 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Jacoby Brissett, Cardinals (19.7%, 1% FAB): Brissett scored 16.48 points in the loss to the Denver Broncos on Sunday, as he attempted more than 45 passes for the third time this season. The Cardinals are not a good team and Brissett gets ample opportunity to throw the football when trailing. He gets a chance to face the awful defense of the Dallas Cowboys in Week 8.
Other running backs
Dylan Sampson, Browns (8.7%, 1% FAB): Sampson returned to the Cleveland lineup after missing five games due to a knee injury. While he was the clear backup to starter Quinshon Judkins, Sampson nevertheless turned nine touches into 77 yards and 10.7 points. Judkins scored two touchdowns. Sampson, in his second season, should continue to catch passes, at least. The Browns face the Steelers in Week 8.
Kaelon Black, 49ers (21.9%, 2% FAB): The 49ers are not playing in Week 8, but we cannot ignore Black scoring 10.9 points on Sunday, as he rushed for a team-high 63 yards and a touchdown with star Christian McCaffrey (thigh) at least somewhat compromised. McCaffrey still scored 22 points and the bye week should help him heal, but this is a reminder that Black is next in line for touches and McCaffrey has had durability issues. Black is an investment who could pay off at any time.
Deep-league options/streamers
Bam Knight, Cardinals (17.0%): Knight again split touches with Tyler Allgeier on Sunday as rookie Jeremiyah Love (ankle) missed his second consecutive contest. Knight rushed for 48 yards on seven carries, though a 29-yard scamper did most of the damage. He and Allgeier both caught three passes. Love may return in Week 8 at Dallas, but if he doesn't, Knight looks to be a better choice than Allgeier.
Seth McGowan, Colts (4.0%): McGowan has yet to reach six fantasy points in any game, but the seventh-round pick from Kentucky is next in line for touches should star Jonathan Taylor get traded or get hurt. The trade deadline is in two weeks. The Colts are going nowhere. McGowan is someone to consider if you have the bench room.
Other wide receivers
KC Concepcion, Browns (43.0%, 2% FAB): Concepcion scored 23.2 points in Cleveland's win over the Titans, earning season-highs with eight receptions on 10 targets and 129 receiving yards. He also turned three rushing attempts into 23 yards. Good for the Browns for looking for ways to keep the rookie involved! While Concepcion initially saw fellow rookie Denzel Boston produce more and surpass him for fantasy attention, things have changed over the past two weeks. Concepcion looks like the Browns WR to count on.
Caleb Douglas, Dolphins (9.7%, 1% FAB): Douglas caught only two passes on Sunday, but both went for touchdowns -- including one short pass that he turned into a 63-yard scoring play. Fantasy managers were excited about Douglas after he caught 94 yards worth of passes in Week 1, but then an ankle injury cost him three games. Douglas needs more targets, obviously, and probably a quarterback more suited to throwing downfield to become a fantasy fixture. That said, the Dolphins may trail a lot this season and Douglas looks like a game-breaking player.
Deep-league options/streamers
Keon Coleman, Bills (29.0%, 1% FAB): Coleman's Bills were on a bye in Week 7, but let's not forget his 15.9 points in Week 6, or his 23.6 points in Week 4. Coleman is inconsistent and became a popular drop last week, but his quarterback is obviously great and the Bills face the suddenly struggling Baltimore Ravens in Week 8.
Jordyn Tyson, Saints (34.3%, 1% FAB): Tyson (hamstring) did not come off IR for the team's loss to the Steelers in Paris, but it may happen in Week 9. This class of rookie wide receivers is good and we still have yet to see Tyson, the No. 8 pick in the NFL draft. He should matter as well.
Other tight ends
Brenton Strange, Jaguars (36.2%, 1% FAB): Strange's Jaguars did not play in Week 7, but the team's starting TE has averaged 13.2 fantasy points during his past three games, which should be enough to interest fantasy managers. The Jaguars face the sputtering Colts in Week 8.
Michael Mayer, Raiders (28.2%, 1% FAB): Mayer saw only three targets in Sunday's loss to the Los Angeles Rams, but he should bounce back with more attention this week against the Jets. Mayer has averaged at least 10 yards per reception in four out of five games.
Mike Gesicki, Bengals (14.1%, 1% FAB): The positive for Gesicki is that he has scored a touchdown in four consecutive games and has five scores in six games. That's awesome! The negative is that Gesicki has no other receptions during his past two games. It's low volume, with little reason to expect more consistently. If Gesicki doesn't score a touchdown in Week 8 against the Titans, then he may not help fantasy managers much.
Defense
Buccaneers D/ST (17.7%): This unit embarrassed the Panthers on Sunday, scoring 28 fantasy points thanks to a touchdown, two interceptions, five sacks and more. Few considered the Buccaneers D/ST on draft day, but this unit has played well, scoring at least six points in all but one contest. For the season, only the Vikings D/ST has outscored this unit. The Buccaneers face the Falcons this week.
Bengals (16.0%): This unit scored eight points in Sunday's comeback win over the Ravens marking the fourth time in six games that they've scored at least seven fantasy points. This production is quite unexpected. The franchise focused on improving their defense -- and it appears to have worked as the Bengals D/ST ranks seventh in fantasy points for the season. This week, Cincinnati hosts the Titans, one of the lesser offenses in the league.