Will its use lead to more growth in the coming weeks?

The fastest way to fall behind in a fantasy football league is about becoming complacent and relying on the team you’ve drafted, neglecting the all-important waiver requirement. As managers make multiple Week 8 waiver claims in hopes of bolstering their roster, it should Los Angeles Chargers Will WR DeAndre Carter be a priority addition off waivers?

DeAndre Carter stepped up Sunday when the Chargers needed him most

There’s a reason the phrase “next man up” has stuck with us for so long NFL. The Chargers’ Carter is just the latest example of someone needing to step up in a critical situation for their team.

Carter was given a significant role on Sunday as all three of their top receivers were injured. Typically only active in the three wide set, Joshua Palmer saw most of his action in the two wide set playing alongside Keenan Allen who was “fake active”.

I’m still shocked by Allen, but not surprised by the result. He played in 23 Chargers snaps and only drew two targets as he was just a decoy. That’s why I said not to start him even if he was active, because we’ve seen this same song and dance before.

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MORE: Fantasy Football Week 8 Roster

Carter, on the other hand, was busier than anyone else, playing on 94% of the snaps with 93% of the routes. He finished fourth on the team in goals with seven, catch three passes for 37 yardsand 22 of them come in one game.

With Palmer out with a concussion, the last thing the Chargers need is another injury, but unfortunately Mike Williams will likely miss several weeks after spraining his high ankle against the Seahawks.

Williams was on pace to have a monster game, catching seven of nine targets for 86 yards and a touchdown before his exit. luckily Chargers stop at week 8, giving them a chance to get healthier as they attack the second half of the season. They’re still in the division hunt, and fantasy managers need the players they invested so heavily in earlier in the year to lead them on a deep run to the playoffs.

Is Carter a potential fantasy worth hiding from Week 8?

The waiver wire in 2022 has been met or missed. Some weeks each manager needs to try to buy big names, others not so much. I’d put week 8 somewhere in the middle.

I would prefer to have similar players Gus Edwards, D’Onta Foreman, Van’Dale Robinsonor even Paris Campbell ahead of Carter this week.

On the one hand, at the moment they have a bigger advantage. Edwards and Foreman looked fantastic, taking on the main roles in their rear. I expect Robinson to be the Giants’ No. 1 option, and Campbell put together probably one of the best two-game stretches of his career.

Carter would be right there if Los Angeles didn’t have a Week 8 bye. Unfortunately, by the time the Chargers return to the field, I expect Allen and Palmer to be ready to go.

That would put Carter back in a slot role in three-wide sets at best. Even if Williams misses a few weeks, the added targets of Austin Ekeler and Gerald Everett will likely make Carter the fifth option in the red zone, severely limiting his fantasy ceiling.

If you don’t have a very deep bench roster and can’t hide Carter without guaranteeing he’ll see your starting lineup, act. You have nothing to lose. But if you do claims for the 8th week and need someone you could potentially include in your lineup, I would look in other directions.