Fantasy Football Week 8 Wide Receiver Rankings

The 2025-26 NFL season is underway which means we are in the thick of fantasy football season! The fantasy landscape has already changed since the preseason due to breakout players and major injuries across the league. Bye weeks are starting to take place. This means that wide receivers like Puka Nacua and Amon-Ra St. Brown will be out this week. It would be irresponsible to start a player with a rough matchup over a player with a more favorable one that is ranked or projected to perform similarly. Here are fantasy football Week 8 wide receiver rankings.

[Ratings are subject to change due to injury reports or possible move to Injured Reserve List]

[Check out the section below for details on players already rumored to possibly miss this week and how their replacement options rank for the week]

Key:

Must Start- a player who is in your lineup regardless of the matchup or most circumstances. They will likely finish near the top of the league in points that week and in most weeks.

Starting WR1- a player who makes fantasy owners comfortable starting week after week. Regardless of the matchup, this player has a high floor.

High WR2- a player who may not be likely to carry a lineup that week, but has the ability to have a breakout game and is teetering between WR1 and WR2 territory.

Starting WR2- a player who should be started in most lineups and should reach their point projection. This player is started because of their consistency and moderately high floor

Low WR2- a player who may not be a lock to start for a team every week, but will start more times than not. Their production may not be pretty or win a person their lineup but the production is consistent enough to make a fantasy owner comfortable starting them.

Flex- a player who could float around the territory of being benched, but is started due to the potential to play better than their point projection. However, this player has the potential to flop and cause a fantasy team to lose if he has a bad game.

Deeper League Flex- a player who has starting value in deeper leagues. There are enough reasons to leave this player on the bench, but their upside makes them an attractive option. Desperate times may call for a player like this to be inserted into starting lineups.

Upside Player- a player who is boom or bust. This player can exceed expectations in a given week or could flop and be the reason why someone lost their fantasy matchup.

Leave on the Bench- a player who should be avoided in all lineups that week. Many times this player could even be left on waivers.

Fantasy Football Week 8 Wide Receiver Rankings

Players that could miss this week’s game

Los Angeles Chargers Wide Receivers: WR5 Nico Collins & WR50 Christian Kirk

Nico Collins suffered a concussion last week against the Seattle Seahawks. Christian Kirk missed last week’s game against the Seattle Seahawks with hamstring injury. If both Collins and Kirk miss Week 8 against the San Francisco 49ers Xavier Hutchinson moves up to WR42 between Kayshon Boutte and Jauan Jennings. Jaylin Noel becomes WR54 between Chimere Dike and Darius Slayton.

If Collins misses Week 8 against the San Francisco 49ers and Kirk is active Kirkmoves up to WR37 between Darnell Mooney and Jerry Jeudy. Hutchinson moves up to WR60 between Kendrick Bourne and Demario “Pop” Douglas.

If Kirk misses Week 8 against the San Francisco 49ers and Collins is active Hutchinson moves up to WR51 between Calvin Austin III and Malik Washington.

Washington Commanders Wide Receivers: WR15 Deebo Samuel & WR26 Terry McLaurin

Deebo Samuel missed last week’s game against the Dallas Cowboys with a heel injury. Terry McLaurin missed the past four games with a quad injury. If both Samuel and McLaurin miss Week 8 against the Kansas City Chiefs Chris Moore becomes WR41 between Alec Pierce and Kayshon Boutte.

If Samuel misses Week 8 against the Kansas City Chiefs and McLaurin is active McLaurin moves up to WR17 between Quentin Johnston and Courtland Sutton. Chris Moore becomes WR59 between Olamide Zaccheaus and Kendrick Bourne.

If McLaurin misses Week 8 against the Kansas City Chiefs and Samuel is active Chris Moore becomes WR59 between Olamide Zaccheaus and Kendrick Bourne.

WR28 Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Chris Godwin has missed the past two games with a fibula injury. There is a chance that he returns this week. If Godwin misses Week 8 against the New Orleans Saints Sterling Shepard moves up to WR43 between Kayshon Boutte and Jauan Jennings. Tez Johnson moves up to WR46 between Marvin Mims Jr. and Eric Ayomanor.

WR35 Calvin Ridley, Tennessee Titans

Calvin Ridley missed last week’s game against the New England Patriots because of a hamstring injury. There is a chance he returns this week. If Ridley misses Week 8 against the Indianapolis Colts Elic Ayomanor moves up to WR42 between Alec Pierce and Kayshon Boutte.

WR36 Josh Downs, Indianapolis Colts

Josh Downs missed last week’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers with a  concussion. There is a chance he returns this week. If Downs misses Week 8 against the Tennessee Titans Alec Pierce moves up to WR35 between Matthew Golden and Calvin Ridley.

WR43 Ricky Pearsall, San Francisco 49ers

Ricky Pearsall missed the past three games with a knee injury. If Pearsall misses Week 8 against the Houston Texans and Jauan Jennings moves up to WR41 between D.J. Moore and Alec Pierce. Kendrick Bourne moves up to WR44 between Kayshon Boutte and Marvin Mims Jr.

WR51 Calvin Austin III, Pittsburgh Steelers

Calvin Austin III missed the past two games with a shoulder injury. Early reports are that he could return this week. If Austin III misses Week 8 against the Pittsburgh Steelers Roman Wilson becomes WR58 between Jalen Coker and Olamide Zaccheaus.

WR55 Darius Slayton, New York Giants

Darius Slayton missed the last two games with a hamstring injury. There is a chance Slayton could return this week. If Slayton misses Week 8 against the Philadelphia Eagles Lil’Jordan Humphrey becomes WR70 between Tre Harris and Isaiah Bond.

WR57 Christian Watson, Green Bay Packers

Christian Watson has missed the first seven games of the year recovering from a torn ACL. He could make his season debut this week. If Watson misses Week 8 against the Pittsburgh Steelers Dontayvion Wicks becomes WR67 between Jalen Nailor and JuJu Smith-Schuster.

WR64 Josh Palmer, Buffalo Bills

Josh Palmer has been dealing with an ankle injury since before Buffalo’s bye. He is considered day-to-day with the injury. If Palmer misses Week 8 against the Carolina Panthers Tyrell Shavers becomes WR71 below Isaiah Bond.

Players that are currently not expected to play

Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Mike Evans suffered a broken collarbone last week against the Detroit Lions. This will likely end Evans’ 2025-26 season. He could possibly return late in the season or in the playoffs. Evans’ injury adds more clarity to the Buccaneers’ receiving room Emeka Egbuka and Chris Godwin become Tampa Bay’s 1A and 1B receivers. Following those two should be one of Sterling Shepard, Tez Johnson, and Jalen McMillan when McMillan returns from injury.

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