There are a handful of players on the Week 8 fantasy football waiver wire not receiving a ton of attention who have uber-high upside. Here are four of those sleepers that fantasy managers should take a chance on adding.
Oct 4, 2026; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jordan Watkins (17) warms up prior to game against the Denver Broncos at Levi's Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
With all the injuries that the San Francisco 49ers WR room has had this season, second-year WR Jordan Watkins could be in line for a continued significant role if those injury woes carry on further in the 2026 season. In Week 7 against the Atlanta Falcons, he had the highest WR snap share on the team at 76%. In that time on the field, he logged three receptions on six targets for 56 yards. He could have had a much more notable game, but he had a 23-yard TD catch that got reviewed and overturned.
With the volume in the 49ers' passing game, along with the mentioned consistent injuries that have occurred, he is a solid WR to grab off the waiver wire and hold on to. In ESPN fantasy leagues, he is currently rostered by 0.8% of teams.
Oct 11, 2026; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Jalen Brooks (86) against the Detroit Lions at State Farm Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
After Marvin Harrison Jr. got traded to the Houston Texans, no one in Arizona has yet to really establish themselves as the clear WR2 on the team. While WR Kendrick Bourne would be thought to be the prime candidate to take that role and volume, WR Jalen Brooks, with his usage ticking up lately, could step into that role.
Brooks in Week 7 had the second-highest snap share on the team at 64%, behind the Cardinals WR1 Michael Wilson. There could be a time down the road when Brooks finds fantasy relevance if his workload continues to ramp up, given that Arizona is averaging the second-most passing attempts per game in the NFL, 40.4.
Oct 8, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Cade Otton (88) catches the ball during the game between the Cowboys and the Buccaneers at AT&T Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Now it is difficult to put any real hope into a guy who just put a donut in fantasy football in Week 7, but it would not be shocking if Tampa Bay Buccaneers TE Cade Otton soon turned things around, especially with QB Baker Mayfield back.
In PPR formats right now, Otton is TE33. In 2024, he had a stretch where he showed flashes of being an elite fantasy TE, ranking as TE8 from Week 7-15. He certainly has the volume now to play at the kind of level. In 2026, Otton's snap share has ranged from 89% to 100%.
He is worth the pickup and could be worth the stream play at a fantasy manager's TE spot if he has a favorable fantasy matchup, despite his fantasy point output thus far. Otton is currently rostered by 3.7% of teams in ESPN fantasy leagues.
September 21, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner (6) carries the ball against the San Francisco 49ers during the first half at Levi's Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
With the underwhelming play of RBTyler Allgeier, if Jeremiyah Love misses any additional time, it would not be surprising to see RB James Conner play a notable role once he returns from injury. Conner, who is currently on the Cardinals' injured reserve, is close to returning, according to Arizona's general manager, Monti Ossenfort.
Conner is rostered in ESPN fantasy leagues by just 3.2% of teams.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/onsi/fantasy as 4 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Sleeper Adds In Week 8 No One Is Talking About .
