Fantasy football managers are constantly searching for that diamond in the rough on the waiver wire. Week 8 presents another opportunity to evaluate potential additions who could provide value down the stretch. Sometimes a player’s usage in garbage time can reveal untapped potential that savvy fantasy football owners should monitor. The key is identifying which performances indicate genuine talent versus situational flukes.
Should Brashard Smith Be a Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Add in Week 8?
Rostered: 6%
Take Brashard Smith’s performance with a grain of salt. The Kansas City Chiefs did whatever they wanted against the Las Vegas Raiders. The game was over at halftime. Andy Reid pulled Patrick Mahomes and the entire starting unit at the end of the third quarter. This resulted in the rookie getting an extended audition in the fourth.
Smith touched the ball 19 times and amassed 81 yards. Obviously, do not expect Smith to suddenly be startable. But this showing is vital in that it establishes he has the talent to produce if he ever found his way into volume.
Fantasy managers in need of a desperation warm body in Week 8 could do worse. Additionally, Smith has injury contingent upside if something were to happen to either Isiah Pacheco or Kareem Hunt.
Aggressiveness Rating: 3.5
Smith Gains Momentum as Potential Fantasy Sleeper for Week 8
Smith’s Week 7 performance offered just enough intrigue to keep him on the fantasy radar. While his role behind Pacheco and Hunt remains limited, the fact that Reid trusted him with that many touches in mop-up duty suggests the coaching staff wants to see more. Opportunity is everything in fantasy football, and Smith’s path to relevance would only require one injury in a backfield that’s absorbed plenty of punishment already.
Managers in deeper leagues or those struggling with bye weeks should consider stashing Smith now rather than waiting for another brief explosion that sparks a bidding frenzy. His upside isn’t league-winning, but it’s the type of depth play that can quietly win weeks in November when benches start thinning. The Chiefs’ offense always creates scoring opportunities, and Smith’s versatility could earn him selective touches even when everyone is healthy.
Ultimately, he’s more of a long-view add than a plug-and-play option. Still, monitoring how Reid deploys him in Week 8 against a tougher defense will tell us whether his expanded workload was simply game-script luck or the beginning of a meaningful role. For now, Smith is a speculative pickup worthy of bench space in 12-team formats and deeper.
