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Waiver Wire
2018 Week 8 fantasy football waiver-wire targets
Week 7 is in the books, and we're already looking ahead at the best waiver claims and bids ahead of Week 8. There are three clear-cut adds at the top this week as Marshawn Lynch (groin) and Ted Ginn's (knee) injuries open up opportunities.

Even with Marshawn Lynch healthy, Richard was quietly third on the Raiders in targets (6.2 per game; 16 percent share) in Weeks 1-6. Derek Carr (6.0 intended air yards per attempt; second-lowest) can only checkdown, providing easily PPR layups for Richard in the flat. Meanwhile, the Raiders have trailed on 48 percent of their offensive snaps (12th-highest) and they pass at a 76 percent clip when behind (sixth-highest rate). Now, Richard has entrenched PPR value as the Raiders' passing down back with Lynch out for the foreseeable future.

Martin is also fantasy-relevant again with Beast Mode on the shelf, but Richard must be the priority in PPR formats. Richard has five or more targets in 5-of-6 games and easily leads the Raiders in routes run, per Next Gen Stats. Martin has been held under 4.0 YPC in 20-of-25 games over the last three seasons and has turned his five passing targets into 5 yards receiving this year. Whereas Martin has yet to play over 25 percent of Raiders snaps in a single-game this season, Richard has done so in 5-of-6 contests. Martin is worth a speculative add, but Richard is the sharper play both short- and long-term.

With Ted Ginn (knee) on injured reserve, rookie Tre'Quan Smith inherits a high-upside role in the Saints aerial attack. Smith did not turn in a big box score in a difficult Week 7 matchup against Baltimore, but his usage remains promising. In Ginn's two missed games this season (Week 5 and 7), Smith leads New Orleans' receivers in air yards (140.8) and is third on the team in targets (16 percent share). Smith ran a pass route on 71 percent of Drew Brees' dropbacks in Week 7, the second-highest clip on the team -- per Next Gen Stats. Smith (73 percent snap rate) played well ahead of Cameron Meredith (25 percent) in Week 7, too.

If nothing else, C.J. Uzomah is seeing a ton of opportunity without Tyler Eifert (ankle) and Tyler Kroft (foot) healthy. Over the last two weeks, Uzomah has been on field for 91 and 98 percent of Bengals' snaps and parlayed his playing time into useful 6/54 and 2/13/1 receiving lines. Uzomah is far from a week-winner, but he's still available in over 90 percent of NFL.com fantasy leagues. Tight end is the thinnest position in fantasy this season, turning usual back-end streamers like Uzomah into weekly starters.

Over the last two weeks, Cole Beasley leads the Cowboys in targets (19; 31 percent share) and he's second in both routes run and air yards. Relying on a Cowboys' receiver in fantasy is not a fruitful endeavor in 2018, but Beasley has turned in 9/101/2 and 7/56 receiving lines over the last two weeks. Beasley flukily thrashed the Jags' in Week 6, but it appears he is back to having moderate PPR value as Dak Prescott's safety valve. The only problem is Beasley's low average depth of target (8.0 yards; per Next Gen Stats) stifles his weekly upside. Dallas is on bye in Week 8, so only prioritize Beasley if you need a deep receiver stash for Weeks 9-10 when the Cowboys face the Titans and Eagles.

Kirk has cleared 55 yards receiving in four of his last five games and is quietly right with Larry Fitzgerald (26 targets) as Josh Rosen's favorite target. In Rosen's four full starts, Kirk ranks second on the team in targets (25), routes per game (27.3), and team share of air yards (24 percent). The Cards' are finally moving on from Mike McCoy, too -- perhaps breathing life into this struggling offense for the remainder of the season. Byron Leftwich, whom former-HC Bruce Arians hired in 2017, will the call plays from here on out.

With Matt Breida (shoulder, knee, ankle) banged up and Alfred Morris ostensibly being phased out of the offense, Raheem Mostert has played on 40 and 38 percent of San Francisco's snaps in Weeks 6-7. Mostert has 13 and 11 touches, respectively, in this span and leads the 'Niners backfield in both yards after contact and missed tackles forced per rush this season (per PFF data). Mostert has turned his limited touches into 85 and 78 yards from scrimmage over the last two weeks and has impeccable small-sample rushing efficiency. San Francisco's season is already down the drain without Jimmy Garoppolo healthy, but Mostert has flashed in his limited usage against the Packers and Rams.

LeSean McCoy (concussion) is in the league's protocol, perhaps opening up a spot-start role for Chris Ivory in Week 8 (against New England). McCoy left the Bills Week 7 game after just two snaps, allowing Ivory to lead the Bills backfield in snaps (64 percent) and touches (19). The Bills offense is an abject disaster for fantasy, but Ivory continues to teeter on the cusp of fantasy relevance as LeSean McCoy's season has been filled with injuries.