Fantasy football free agent picks: Key adds before trade deadline

The eighth Sunday of the NFL season saw the New York Jets earn their first win, while the Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers suffered devastating morale losses as part of the AFC’s domination of the NFC. Four star running backs and one tight end were passed over 30 PPR pointsPerhaps the most notable option is struggling Philadelphia Eagles star Saquon Barkley, who enjoyed his best performance of the season. Ultimately, though, this week may be remembered because another star, New York Giants rookie RB Cam Scatepo, suffered a season-ending ankle injury.

Every Monday, before the end of the current NFL weekend, we will identify available players at least 50% From standard formats to deeper options, there are ESPN leagues worth your attention. The NFL is a weekly league, and player evaluations and roles rarely remain stagnant. It doesn’t matter how you get players for your fantasy rosters, all that matters is that you get them!

Quarterback

Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks (21% included in ESPN leagues): Darnold and five other quarterbacks had their bye in Week 8, and now they’re back. Darnold hasn’t been popular enough in fantasy leagues despite averaging better than 20 PPR points from Weeks 2 through 6, and he may add another 20-point game this Week 9 against the Washington Commanders.

Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins (14.2%): Tagovailoa scored a season-best 24.2 points in Sunday’s blowout win over the Falcons, dishing out touchdown passes to four different players. Tagovailoa isn’t having a particularly strong fantasy season — he cost his managers points in Week 7 and has scored more than 16 points in just three games. However, the Dolphins face the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday, and the injury-laden Ravens are still struggling on defense.

Deep league options/banners/random thoughts

• Arizona Cardinals starter Kyler Murray (61.2%) He hasn’t played since Week 5 due to a foot injury, and his fantasy managers want him back for Monday night’s game against the Dallas Cowboys. If Murray doesn’t return, she will be his backup Jacoby Brissett (1.1%) May make sense in deeper formats due to the continued struggles of Dallas’ overmatched defense.

• We showed the Minnesota Vikings QB J. J. McCarthy (25.7%) and the Cincinnati Bengals QB Joe Flacco (36.7%) in this area last week, and there is no good reason to stop doing so. McCarthy (ankle) did not play this week, but the Vikings say he will start in Week 9 against the Detroit Lions. Flacco played in Week 8 and scored 24.32 PPR points in the loss to the Jets. Don’t blame Flacco; He’s had over 50 points in PPR over the past two weeks, and things should continue to be good for him in Week 9 against the Chicago Bears.

Running backwards

Tyrone Tracy Jr., New York Giants (41.9%): Tracy is having a tough season, but that all changed on Sunday when Scatepo suffered a season-ending ankle injury against the Eagles. Tracy scored 7.3 PPR points in the loss, but we should expect better in Week 9 against the San Francisco 49ers. Tracy totaled over 1,100 yards from scrimmage last season, with six touchdowns and 10.7 PPR points per game. Maybe he can produce at a borderline RB2/flex level during the final months of this season. For those with deeper formats, veteran Devin Singletary (1.3%) could also be important.

Ollie Gordon II, Miami Dolphins (10.6%): Gordon, a popular preseason sleeper, finally reached double-digit PPR points on Sunday against the Falcons, turning 11 touches into 66 yards, scoring on a 20-yard reception. Star De’Von Acane scored 20.1 PPR, so there’s no timeshare concern here, but maybe Gordon can continue to garner more attention. The Oklahoma State product is much bigger than Achane, and is capable of hitting opposing defenders.

Deep league options/banners/random thoughts

• Many of the backups had fun on Sunday, but it’s hard to recommend Bengals veteran Samaji Perine (5.9%), Jets sophomore Isaiah Davis (7.9%) or Eagles’ season-long acquisition Tank Bigsby (19.4%). Chase Brown remains Cincinnati’s clear starter, and he scored 25.5 PPR points on Sunday. Davis surpassed 100 total yards thanks to a strong fourth-quarter comeback, but the Jets have a clear starter in Breece Hall, and the team is out for Week 9. Likewise, the Eagles head into the offseason, but it’s worth noting that Bigsby appears to be next in line if superstar Barkley (groin) misses time sooner or later.

• Tennessee Titans backup Tyjay Spears (36.4%) may not be a true backup anymore. Spears scored 17.2 PPR points, albeit much later, in the upset loss to the Indianapolis Colts, including his first touchdown (in his fourth game). Meanwhile, starter Tony Pollard is scoring 6.3 points in PPR and continues to struggle. Each player got 12 touches. It won’t be easy for any team to thrive, including Week 9 against the Los Angeles Chargers, but the Spurs at least deserve more attention in fantasy than they currently receive.

• The Cardinals return from their bye week with little clarity in the backfield, other than James Conner is done as the starting starter for the season and Trey Benson (47.6%) is out with a knee injury for a few more weeks. Michael Carter (34.1%) and Pam Knight (18.6%) will have to deal with volume during the team’s Week 9 game Monday night against the Cowboys. Knight got more touches in Week 7, so go with him Carter.

Wide receiver

Troy Franklin, Denver Broncos (43.5%): Franklin robbed the Cowboys’ atrocious defense for 26.9 PPR points on Sunday, though things won’t be easy in Week 9 against the Houston Texans defense (or perhaps any other defense, for that matter!). However, Franklin has 18 goals over the past two weeks, more than the more established Courtland Sutton. We’ll still grade Sutton better, but Franklin is closer to the WR4 range, which is saying something.

Washington, Miami Dolphins owner (12.4%): Yes, more dolphins. It doesn’t take much to excite fantasy managers, especially with a game up in the air against the struggling Ravens’ pass defense. However, many expected Washington, in his second season from Virginia, to be the main beneficiary of Tyreek Hill’s knee injury. Washington had a quiet October until Sunday, when he converted a 9-yard touchdown, and we’re still waiting for him to reach 40 yards on any game, but maybe that will come Thursday.

Select a healthy Houston Texans WR: Someone – or several people – needed to step up with Nico Collins (concussion) and Christian Kirk (hamstring) sidelined on Sunday, and so did Xavier Hutchinson (1.8%), Jayden Higgins (21.7%) and Jaylen Noel (12.7%). They combined for 42.6 PPR points, with Hutchinson leading the way. We don’t know if Collins will return in Week 9 against a tough Broncos defense, but it would be hard to recommend any of the extras. However, Kirk hasn’t done much this season, so even if Collins has a great second half of the season, one or more of these receivers could become relevant. Hutchinson is the least listed on the list, but is probably up for the honor.

Deep league options/banners/random thoughts

• As with Franklin, this isn’t the first time we’ve mentioned the New England Patriots WR game Kayshun Puti (30.1%) in this weekly space. He scored his fifth goal in eight games, and despite far fewer targets and receptions than Stefon Diggs, Butte has more PPR points. This is due to the decline, and although they will not continue at this rate, the bot is important.

• We expect several wide receivers to be cut last week, given several Week 8 departures that remain listed in more than 50% of ESPN leagues. The beginning of the Las Vegas Raiders Trey Tucker (46%) is an exception, though his excellent seasonal numbers are greatly influenced by his PPR points of 40.9 points from Week 3. However, Tucker in Week 9 against the Jacksonville Jaguars is a reasonable pick, and we’ll see if he’s a rookie or not. Jack Beck (3.4%) became a factor as trade talk about Jacoby Myers spread. Keep an eye on updates regarding Los Angeles Rams star Pukka Nacua (ankle), because if he sits out again then Tutu Atwell (2.1%) Could get interesting in Week 9 against the New Orleans Saints.

Tight end

Colston Loveland, Chicago Bears (24.1%): Loveland posted a season-best 6.8 PPR on Sunday, which still isn’t a lot, but things are trending in the right direction. The Bears face the Bengals this week, and the Bengals just allowed 39 points to the Jets. Even before Week 8, the Bengals were allowing the most PPR points to tight ends, then gave up even more on Sunday. Loveland and Bears’ Noah Fant (4.6%) may be the best tight end available in your league this week.

Deep league options/banners/random thoughts

• We’ve been waiting for the Jets to be starters Mason Taylor (20.2%) participate on a more consistent basis. He scored his first touchdown on Sunday, albeit on a pass from RB Breece Hall, not the quarterback. The Jets are off in Week 9, but Taylor could be guaranteed a spot on the bench anyway for the final two months. Tampa Bay Buccaneers starter Cade Otton (49.9%) also had a productive Week 8, but unfortunately, his team is out of Week 9 as well. Cleveland Browns rookie Harold Fannin Jr. (54.9%) crossed the 50% threshold, but he is – once again – on a bye next week.

Bye weeks: do or don’t you fall?

The eighth week of Magedon’s bye has ended, and four teams will not play this week. Two of these teams boast powerful offenses in the Eagles and Buccaneers. Then there are Brown and the Jets. Keep Browns rookie RB Quinshon Judkins (shoulder) on the roster, but everyone else could go. With the Jets, keep RB Breece Hall and WR Garrett Wilson (knee) around.

Things are different with the Eagles and Pirates, of course. Retain every key player (Jalen Hurts, Baker Mayfield), top cornerbacks (Saquon Barkley, Bucky Irving, Rashad White) and the best players in the world (AJ Brown, DeVonta Smith, Emeka Egbuka). Eagles TE Dallas Goedert has become a touchdown machine, albeit at an unsustainable rate based on targets/receptions, but it makes sense to keep him on the roster.

Defense

• the Los Angeles Chargers (41.4%) They shut out the Minnesota Vikings in their Week 8 matchup on Thursday night, as D/ST scored 13 PPR points, and took on the lowly Tennessee Titans this weekend. The Chargers have sacked Carson Wentz five times, and Titans rookie Cam Ward leads the league in sacks, so you can see how this could continue.

• The other Los Angeles team, Los Angeles Rams (35.1%), hosts New Orleans Saints. The Saints had some issues at quarterback on Sunday, and we don’t know who will start Sunday between Spencer Rattler and Tyler Shough. The Rams are coming off their bye week and should enjoy this one.

• the Buffalo Bills (44.1%) demolished the Carolina Panthers Sunday, as their D/ST unit scored 18 PPR points, but things get tougher this week against Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs. However, the Bills D/ST should be more popular, as the team faces the Browns and Jets during the fantasy playoffs.