Fantasy Football Week 8 Waiver Wire, Injuries and Drops

Week 7 is in the books, and Week 8 starts Thursday night with the Panthers at the Packers. Four teams are on bye this week: the Texans, Saints, Giants and 49ers. Below we go through the injury news that has been officially reported so far, a few waiver wire pickups worth a look, players you might drop or bench, and the Week 8 schedule in Central Time.

Checked Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026, between 2:10 and 2:13 PM CT. Week 7 numbers are from the final box scores. We do not list roster percentages because they differ from league to league. This page is fantasy football information. It is not betting advice, and nothing here is a must-add.

Week 8 fantasy football injury report roundup

There is no official practice report on Tuesday for teams that play on Sunday. Their first Week 8 report comes out Wednesday. Until then, the statuses below come from three places, and we say which one for each player:

• the final Week 7 game-status reports, issued before each Week 7 game
• the league's transaction wire, including reserve/injured moves through Monday, Oct. 26
• what head coaches said on Monday, Oct. 26, as posted on their team's official site

What coaches said on Monday

• Lamar Jackson, QB, Ravens. Ruled out for Week 7 (ankle). The Ravens say he has missed three straight starts with a high ankle sprain he suffered in Week 4. Head coach Jesse Minter said, "I think he'll be in a decent spot, but we'll know a lot more on Wednesday." Tyler Huntley started Week 7 and went 23-for-34 for 298 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
• Aaron Jones Sr., RB, Vikings. Left Week 7 early in the fourth quarter with a knee injury. Head coach Kevin O'Connell called him "day to day." Jones had 8 carries for 26 yards before he left.
• Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR, Lions. Dan Campbell said St. Brown has a minor ankle injury, will likely sit out Wednesday's practice to rest, and will hopefully be back on the field Thursday. "I think they'll be fine," Campbell said of St. Brown and cornerback Ennis Rakestraw Jr.

Players placed on injured reserve since Oct. 17

These moves come from the league's transaction wire. A player on reserve/injured has to miss at least four games.

Ruled out in Week 7: watch Wednesday's report

These players were listed as out on their team's final Week 7 report. Nothing official on their Week 8 status was out yet when we checked. Players on the four bye teams are marked, since they have an extra week before their next game.

Listed questionable in Week 7

• Played: Saquon Barkley (Eagles, hamstring) had 7 carries for 62 yards and a touchdown. Puka Nacua (Rams, calf) caught 8 of 10 targets for 68 yards and a touchdown. Rico Dowdle (Steelers, knee) had 9 carries for 41 yards and 6 catches for 45 yards. Jordan Mason (Vikings, thumb) led Minnesota with 15 carries for 68 yards. Jonah Coleman (Broncos, ankle) had 9 carries for 54 yards.
• No stats in Week 7: Breece Hall (Jets, quadriceps) did not record a carry or a catch. Calvin Ridley (Titans, hip) did not record a catch. We did not find an official Week 8 update for either one yet, so Wednesday's report is the next thing to check.

Week 8 waiver wire pickups worth a look

These are ideas to weigh against your own roster and league, not must-adds. Some of these players will already be rostered in your league. Each note is based on the Week 7 box score and official roster or injury news.

• Jonah Coleman, RB, Broncos. Coleman led Denver's backs in Week 7 with 9 carries for 54 yards, plus 2 catches for 15 yards. J.K. Dobbins had 6 carries for 23 yards and a touchdown, and Tyler Badie went on injured reserve on Oct. 24. Denver hosts Kansas City in Week 8. I believe Coleman is the Broncos back to add first if he is available, but this backfield is still a split, so we would not count on a big workload yet.
• Jordan Mason, RB, Vikings. In his first game back from a thumb injury, Mason had a team-high 15 carries for 68 yards. Aaron Jones Sr. is day to day with a knee injury. If Jones misses time, Mason is the back Minnesota just leaned on. The Vikings play at Detroit.
• Braelon Allen, RB, Jets. With Breece Hall not recording a touch, Allen ran 17 times for 104 yards and caught 6 of 7 targets for 30 yards. His value in Week 8 depends heavily on Hall's status, so watch Wednesday's report. The Jets host the Raiders.
• Omar Cooper Jr., WR, Jets. The rookie caught all 5 of his targets for 115 yards and a touchdown in Week 7. The Jets say it was his second straight game with more than 100 yards and a touchdown. Five targets is not a lot of volume, so we would treat him as a bench add with upside rather than a sure starter.
• KC Concepcion, WR, Browns. Concepcion caught 8 of 10 targets for 129 yards and added 3 carries for 23 yards. That is real usage. Cleveland plays at Pittsburgh in a matchup of 5-2 teams.
• Hunter Henry, TE, Patriots. Henry caught all 7 of his targets for 71 yards. Romeo Doubs went on injured reserve on Oct. 19. If you are streaming tight ends, Henry is a name to check. New England plays at Miami.
• Colston Loveland, TE, Bears. He was targeted 12 times in Week 7 and caught 7 for 69 yards and a touchdown. Cole Kmet went on injured reserve on Oct. 23. He is likely rostered in a lot of leagues, but he is worth a look if he is still out there. Chicago plays at Seattle on Monday night.
• Malik Willis, QB, Dolphins. Willis went 14-for-21 for 208 yards and two touchdowns, and ran 8 times for 37 yards and another score. For superflex leagues, or if Lamar Jackson's status leaves you short, he hosts New England.

A Week 7 line that looks good but needs caution: Miami's Caleb Douglas scored two touchdowns, but on only 3 targets (2 catches, 70 yards). One game with that little volume is hard to count on.

Who to drop or bench in Week 8

• Everyone on a bye team. Bench your Texans, Saints, Giants and 49ers. If you have several and no bench room, the bye is a good reason to look at the waiver wire, not a reason to cut a player you would start next week.
• Players on injured reserve. Everyone in the IR table above will miss at least four games. Move them to an IR slot if your league has one. If not, compare each one with the best player on your waiver wire. Jalen Hurts and Davante Adams are the hardest calls because of how much they can score when healthy.
• Backups whose role just got smaller. In Green Bay, Josh Jacobs had 11 carries for 36 yards and caught 5 of 7 targets for 55 yards and a touchdown in Week 7, while MarShawn Lloyd had 6 carries for 20 yards. I believe Lloyd is a reasonable drop in shallow leagues if you need the spot, unless you want to keep him as Jacobs' handcuff.
• Crowded backfields. Denver used three backs in Week 7 (Coleman, Dobbins and RJ Harvey). If you are holding more than one of them, think about whether you would actually start any of them this week.

Week 8 byes and schedule (Central Time)

On bye: Houston Texans, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, San Francisco 49ers.

Daylight saving time ends early Sunday, Nov. 1. All times below are Central Time on the day of the game. Records are entering Week 8.

For every Week 8 game with CT kickoffs, lines and the injury report, see our NFL Week 8 preview.

Key matchups for fantasy

• Vikings at Lions. Unbeaten Minnesota (6-0) visits Detroit with Aaron Jones Sr. day to day and Amon-Ra St. Brown nursing an ankle injury. Both players' practice reports Wednesday and Thursday matter for a lot of lineups.
• Ravens at Bills. Whether Lamar Jackson plays changes the outlook for Baltimore's whole offense. Derrick Henry had 17 carries for 45 yards in Week 7 without him.
• Chiefs at Broncos. Two 5-win teams. Kansas City was without Rashee Rice in Week 7 and has Brashard Smith on injured reserve. Denver's backfield split is the fantasy question on the other side.
• Browns at Steelers. Both teams are 5-2. KC Concepcion and Rico Dowdle both had big roles in Week 7.

Thursday Night Football: Panthers at Packers

Carolina plays at Green Bay on Thursday, Oct. 29 at 7:15 PM CT on Prime Video. Players in this game lock at kickoff in most leagues, so set them before Thursday night.

Both teams released a Monday injury report. The Packers did not practice and the Panthers held a walkthrough, so both teams said the report was an estimate. For fantasy, the names to know are Packers WR Matthew Golden (shoulder, foot), listed as not participating, and Panthers WR Jalen Coker (shoulder), listed as limited. QB Bryce Young (knee) was listed as a full participant. Golden was targeted 12 times in Week 7 and caught 6 passes for 39 yards. Carolina also placed right tackle Taylor Moton on injured reserve on Monday. Updated reports come out Tuesday and Wednesday, and game statuses come out Wednesday.

What this page leaves out

• Roster percentages. They depend on your platform and league, so we don't guess.
• Snap counts and projections. We only use numbers we could check in the official box score.
• Players with no official update yet. If a coach or team had not said anything official when we checked, we only list the last official status.

Logging paid DFS or pick'em entries

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FAQ

Which NFL teams are on bye in Week 8 of 2026?

The Houston Texans, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers. Players from those four teams will not score fantasy points in Week 8.

Is there an official NFL injury report on Tuesday?

Not for teams playing on Sunday. Their first practice report of Week 8 comes out on Wednesday. The Packers and Panthers play Thursday, so they released a Monday report, and both teams said it was an estimate because they did not hold a full practice.

Is Lamar Jackson playing in Week 8?

It was not confirmed when we checked on Tuesday afternoon. He was ruled out for Week 7 with an ankle injury, and Ravens head coach Jesse Minter said on Monday that more would be known on Wednesday, when Baltimore returns to practice.

Should I drop a player who was just placed on injured reserve?

It depends on your league. A player placed on reserve/injured has to miss at least four games under NFL rules. If your league has an open IR slot, you can usually stash him there. If it does not, compare him with the best player on your waiver wire.

What time is Thursday Night Football in Week 8?

The Carolina Panthers play at the Green Bay Packers on Thursday, Oct. 29, 2026 at 7:15 PM CT on Prime Video. Players in that game lock at kickoff in most leagues, so set those spots before Thursday night.

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