Fantasy Injury Updates: Adam Thielen, Will Fuller V, Delanie Walker impact Week 8 waiver wire pickups/drops

10/21/2019

Receivers’ legs are their money makers. Sunday, and both Adam Thielen and Will Fuller V left their respective games due to hamstring injuries early on Sunday. Hamstring injuries aren’t run-of-the-mill leg injuries, as they also have a tendency to linger. Those injuries make Olabisi Johnson and Kenny Stills possible Week 8 waiver wire pickups. Jonnu Smith might also get claimed on waivers in some leagues with Delanie Walker’s status in doubt in Tennessee.

For updates on banged-up RBs David Johnson and Kerryon Johnson, click here, and for the latest on Matt Ryan‘s ankle, go here. For more news and updates, follow us on Twitter @SN_Fantasy.

Is Adam Thielen playing Thursday night?

Thielen injured his hamstring on a remarkable touchdown catch Sunday. He was initially listed as questionable to return after limping off, but he eventually was ruled out. NFL Network reported Thielen is “optimistic” he’ll play in Week 8, but it’s a quick turnaround to Thursday Night Football against the Redskins.

Against a bad Washington team, it wouldn’t be shocking to see Minnesota take the cautious approach and hold Thielen out. That would make Stefon Diggs a must-start against a bad secondary coming off two big games, while Olabisi Johnson should be a popular waiver-wire claim after his eight targets Sunday, as he would start with Thielen out. Tight ends Kyle Rudolph and Irv Smith Jr. also saw upticks in production with Thielen out, putting both into consideration if you’re desperate at that position.

WEEK 8 WAIVER WIRE: Top pickups

Will Fuller V injury update

Fuller left Sunday’s game in the first quarter and didn’t return due to a hamstring injury. One person tweeted at the SN Fantasy account and said, “He was due.” A hamstring injury for a speedy, injury-prone WR isn’t great. We’ll learn more as the week goes on.

Kenny Stills and Keke Coutee both received five targets Sunday. Stills, who topped the 100-yard mark in Week 7, has the more direct correlation to Fuller’s role and would probably be a boom-or-bust FLEX option in Week 8 against Oakland if Fuller was out.

Is Delanie Walker injured?

Walker’s ankle injury eventually held him out of Sunday’s second half, although there was a lot of uncertainty during the game as to why he wasn’t playing. In the first half, he was shown with a helmet on his head on the sideline, as if he could come back in. In the second half, he was just wearing a baseball cap, looking like his day was over.

Ryan Tannehill appears to have slightly revitalized the Titans’ passing attack, so there could be fantasy value for backup TE Jonnu Smith if Walker misses time. Smith caught all three of his targets for 64 yards on Sunday.

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