Week 8 Fantasy Football FAAB: Jonah Coleman, Omar Cooper Jr., and More

Let's jump right in this week and look at reasonable FAAB bids for two of the top waiver options at each of the offensive fantasy positions heading into Week 8. 

Most stats are from NFL.com, and fantasy points and rankings are from FantasyPros.

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Quarterback

J.J. McCarthy, New York Giants

It seemed like a matter of when, not if, McCarthy would take over under center for the Giants, and that came right away after his big fourth quarter in Week 6. So far, so good: McCarthy threw for 252 yards on nine yards per attempt, as the Giants took down the Houston Texans in overtime.

One trend emerged that hurts McCarthy's fantasy value, though, as Jameis Winston came in for QB sneak opportunities, including scoring a touchdown. While McCarthy does have a little value as a runner, missing out on those opportunities near the end zone will hurt if it continues.

McCarthy is worth considering when the matchup is right. The Giants have their bye this week followed by a tougher game against the Eagles, but McCarthy will then get three straight good matchups against the Commanders, Jaguars, and Colts. You might choose to wait on adding McCarthy until that time, but if you have a bench spot available, it's not the worst idea to grab the New York starter.

Recommended Bid: $2-3

Malik Willis, Miami Dolphins

Willis brings value as a runner, something that will always give him fantasy upside. The issue is that he is a low-volume passer, as Miami has attempted the fewest passes of any team despite their 1-5 record (they have had their bye, which plays into that). Willis had a good day on Sunday in a tough matchup against the Jets, throwing for 208 yards on 9.9 per attempt with two touchdowns, 37 rushing yards, and another score on the ground.

After a bit of a tougher matchup this week against the Patriots, Willis will get a stretch of easier defenses to take advantage of, facing the Lions, Colts, and Bills beginning in Week 9. Willis will be a popular player in fantasy during that stretch.

Like McCarthy, you might be grabbing Willis to stash him for a week before playing him. You could wait until next week to grab him, but you risk missing out on him if another owner has the same idea of attacking the great matchups. It's not a bad idea to throw a dollar or two at Willis now and use a bench spot if you are streaming quarterbacks or playing a rotation.

Recommended Bid: $1-2

Running Back

Kaelon Black, San Francisco 49ers

It looked like Black could be in line for a big workload when Christian McCaffrey left their game in Week 7, but McCaffrey returned, though he is now dealing with a hamstring issue. San Francisco has their bye in Week 8, and it's expected that McCaffrey will be ready to go after that, but we have seen his status surprisingly turn in the past.

Black had the most rush attempts on the team last week, carrying the ball 12 times for 63 yards and a touchdown versus just seven carries for McCaffrey (who also caught six passes). If the lead back is healthy, it's likely that he would out-touch Black most games, but Black could get an extended look now while McCaffrey deals with injuries.

Black is a strong handcuff worthy of a bench spot on someone's roster. He would enter a great situation if McCaffrey missed any games, and Black might even get more work when the starter is in the lineup. It's tough to find running backs this time of year on the waiver wire, making Black a guy to go after if he's a free agent in your league.

Recommended Bid: $3-5

Jonah Coleman, Denver Broncos

Before the season, there was buzz that Coleman could eventually take over the starting role in Denver. He received 10 carries in Week 2 and scored a touchdown, but Coleman then went on IR and didn't return until Sunday. It was a successful game, as Coleman led the Denver backfield with nine carries and 54 yards.

It's likely that this will be a split backfield; J.K. Dobbins had six carries and RJ Harvey three, and both Coleman and Harvey caught two passes. That brings down the fantasy value of all three players, but it leaves Coleman as an intriguing player who fantasy owners should take note of.

As I said above, it's tough to find fantasy free agents at RB who can be real difference makers at this time of the year. That makes Coleman a guy worth grabbing, and he should be on a roster in most leagues after the waiver period. Take advantage of this opportunity to grab a possible starting running back, even if he doesn't have the highest ceiling.

Recommended Bid: $6-8

Wide Receiver

Omar Cooper Jr., New York Jets

Cooper suffered an injury in Week 1 and was out until last week. He came back and showed right away why he was a first-round pick, catching six passes for 103 yards and a touchdown. While it was encouraging, it was easy to think that Cooper wouldn't always make such an impact playing behind Garrett Wilson.

Well, Cooper led Jets WRs in Week 7 with five receptions, 115 yards, and another score. Wilson had just two catches for 26 yards, as the rookie far outplayed his more notable teammate. Should we expect more of the same moving forward?

I'm skeptical. We've seen Wilson earn his reputation as one of the better receivers in the game, and he will still likely see the most targets in many weeks. Cooper proved that he can be an impact player, though, and he should be on fantasy rosters. Geno Smith has brought competence under center for the Jets, and there is a chance for both talented receivers to put up numbers.

Don't expect over 100 yards and a touchdown every game, but Cooper can be deployed when the matchup is right (as it was against Miami). There are strong matchups coming up against the Raiders, Bills, and Dolphins again through the end of November, and Cooper will have more chances to put up stats as he gets acclimated to the NFL.

Recommended Bid: $4-6

Caleb Douglas, Miami Dolphins

Another rookie, Douglas was seen as maybe the most likely player to take the WR1 role for the Dolphins among a group of inexperienced and previously ineffective players. He missed a month with an injury, but Douglas came back in Week 7 and made two receptions: a seven-yard touchdown and a 63-yard touchdown.

As I mentioned in the section about Douglas' quarterback, Willis, Miami is likely to throw the ball at a low volume, limiting the chances for the pass catchers. There isn't much high-level competition for targets on the roster, but Douglas might find it hard to consistently put up big numbers.

He is still worth a spot on someone's roster, but Douglas should only be deployed in the right matchups until we see him regularly accumulate stats. The stretch of games in mid-November against Detroit, Indianapolis, and Buffalo will give owners a chance to take advantage of good matchups, but this week against the Patriots is probably a time to leave him on the bench. That doesn't mean you shouldn't pick him up if you need help at wide receiver, though.

Recommended Bid: $2-3

Tight End

Davis Allen, Los Angeles Rams

While I talked about Allen's teammates, Tyler Higbee and Colby Parkinson, as decent streamers last week against the Raiders, it was Allen who emerged, catching four passes for 20 yards and his first two touchdowns of the season.

Prior to Week 7, Allen only had six receptions and 63 yards combined, so there weren't many fantasy owners who had him in their lineup. Even with Davante Adams out, there is simply too much competition for targets in LA, so Allen is unlikely to have many games that put him on the fantasy radar.

Leave Allen on the waiver wire unless you are in a super-deep league and simply don't have another option. He won't be a worthy streamer unless we see him take a huge leap.

Recommended Bid: $0-1

Mason Taylor, New York Jets

When the Jets took Kenyon Sadiq in the first round, it seemed like Taylor (a second-round pick in 2025) would be relegated to backup duty. Sadiq might have a bigger ceiling, but Taylor has played more snaps in every game that the two have played together, including close to twice as many over the past three weeks.

Taylor has just two fewer catches and 47 fewer yards than Sadiq despite missing two games, and he now has two receiving touchdowns compared to just one for Sadiq, though the rookie also scored a rushing TD in Week 1. Taylor seems like the safer fantasy option right now between the two.

Both players are nothing more than streaming options, though, and shouldn't be counted on as weekly starters right now. Week 7 was the first time that Taylor had more than 33 yards or scored this season, and he will likely continue to have as many anonymous games as he does big fantasy performances.

This week against the Raiders presents a great matchup and makes Taylor a decent option, but don't expect big games to continue when the outlook isn't as bright.

Recommended Bid: $1-2