Should I drop Jaylen Waddle for DK Metcalf?

Not on these numbers alone. Jaylen Waddle projects 110 market-implied PPR points from Week 8 through Week 17 (12.2 a game over 9 games) and DK Metcalf 106 (11.8 a game over 9 games), too close to separate, so the roster spot decides it. For Week 8 the call starts Jaylen Waddle over DK Metcalf. Jaylen Waddle is listed questionable.

Start DK Metcalf or Jaylen Waddle? Week 8

Updated Oct 27, 11:56 AM ET. Locks at kickoff, graded after. Week 9 answer posts Tuesday.

Latest

Oct 25, 7:43 PM ET: Jaylen Waddle: Listed Questionable (Undisclosed) (Sleeper injury feed)
Oct 21, 7:43 PM ET: Jaylen Waddle: Listed Questionable (Chest) (Sleeper injury feed)

Start Jaylen Waddle over DK Metcalf

Waddle projects lower, 11.7 to 12.3, and still gets the call because it also weighs where drafters take each player: ADP 43 for Waddle, 66 for Metcalf.

Start

Jaylen Waddle

WR · DEN · vs KC · Questionable

Market projects: 11.7; recent weeks avg
KC D vs WR: 23.7; 2nd fewest to WRs (2026)
Upside: Limited; 28 of 100 at WR
Snap share: 66%; Through Week 7
Target share: 23%; Through Week 7

Sit

DK Metcalf

WR · PIT · vs CLE

Market projects: 12.3; recent weeks avg
CLE D vs WR: 31.8; 14th most to WRs (2026)
Upside: Rising; 76 of 100 at WR
Snap share: 95%; Through Week 7
Target share: 24%; Through Week 7

Should I drop DK Metcalf for Jaylen Waddle?

Not on these numbers alone. DK Metcalf projects 106 market-implied PPR points from Week 8 through Week 17 (11.8 a game over 9 games) and Jaylen Waddle 110 (12.2 a game over 9 games), too close to separate, so the roster spot decides it. For Week 8 the call starts Jaylen Waddle over DK Metcalf. Jaylen Waddle is listed questionable.

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Our Week 8 call

Start Jaylen Waddle over DK Metcalf in Week 8.

Market-based projections have Jaylen Waddle at 11.7 points and DK Metcalf at 12.3, a gap of 0.6. That is inside the noise of a single catch, so treat it as close to a coin flip. Jaylen Waddle still gets the call because it also weighs where drafters take each player, ADP 43 against 66, and that outweighs a gap this size. No player market is posted for Jaylen Waddle this week yet, so his 11.7 is the average of his market-based projections in Weeks 5, 6 and 7 (12.4, 10.8 and 12.0); the call is rebuilt when his market posts. No player market is posted for DK Metcalf this week yet, so his 12.3 is the average of his market-based projections in Weeks 5, 6 and 7 (12.1, 11.8 and 13.0); the call is rebuilt when his market posts.

What the market projects

No Week 8 player market is posted for DK Metcalf yet. His market-based projections were 12.1, 11.8 and 13.0 points in Weeks 5, 6 and 7, an average of 12.3, which stands in until his Week 8 market posts.

The market-based projection for DK Metcalf is 0-1 touchdowns (7 market sources).

No Week 8 player market is posted for Jaylen Waddle yet. His market-based projections were 12.4, 10.8 and 12.0 points in Weeks 5, 6 and 7, an average of 11.7, which stands in until his Week 8 market posts.

That puts DK Metcalf 0.6 points ahead of Jaylen Waddle on these projections.

Week 8 matchups

DK Metcalf and PIT host CLE on Sunday at 1:00 PM ET.

CLE allowed 31.8 fantasy points a game to WRs this season over 7 games, the 14th most in the league.

Receivers caught passes for 150 yards and a touchdown a game against CLE.

Jaylen Waddle and DEN host KC on Sunday at 4:25 PM ET.

KC allowed 23.7 fantasy points a game to WRs this season over 6 games, the 2nd fewest in the league.

Receivers caught passes for 122 yards and 0.2 touchdowns a game against KC.

By points allowed to the position, DK Metcalf has the softer matchup.

Injury status

DK Metcalf is not on the injury report.

Jaylen Waddle is listed as questionable with a undisclosed injury.

Usage before Week 8

Through Week 7, DK Metcalf played 95 percent of PIT snaps, drew 24 percent of the targets, earned 38 percent of the air yards and had 9 percent of the red zone chances.

DK Metcalf, Week 4 against CLE: 70 of 72 snaps, 9 targets and 5 catches for 115 yards.

DK Metcalf, Week 5 against IND: 55 of 60 snaps, 1 carry for 11 yards, 4 targets and 3 catches for 12 yards.

DK Metcalf, Week 6 against TB: 75 of 79 snaps, 15 targets and 11 catches for 93 yards.

DK Metcalf, Week 7 against NO: 59 of 64 snaps, 6 targets and 2 catches for 56 yards.

Through Week 7, Jaylen Waddle played 66 percent of DEN snaps, drew 23 percent of the targets, earned 36 percent of the air yards and had 8 percent of the red zone chances.

Jaylen Waddle, Week 4 against SF: 45 of 65 snaps, 6 targets and 5 catches for 35 yards, 1 touchdown.

Jaylen Waddle, Week 5 against LAC: 40 of 62 snaps, 1 carry for 9 yards, 5 targets and 2 catches for 19 yards.

Jaylen Waddle, Week 6 against SEA: 39 of 60 snaps, 7 targets and 4 catches for 24 yards.

Jaylen Waddle, Week 7 against ARI: 34 of 61 snaps, 7 targets and 4 catches for 48 yards.

Their 2025 seasons

In 2025, DK Metcalf played 15 games for PIT and scored 187.2 PPR points, 12.5 a game, finishing WR26.

He caught 59 of 99 targets for 850 yards and 6 touchdowns, with 13 red zone targets and 436 air yards.

He was on the field for 87 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

In 2025, Jaylen Waddle played 16 games for MIA and scored 194.1 PPR points, 12.1 a game, finishing WR24.

He caught 64 of 100 targets for 910 yards and 6 touchdowns, with 11 red zone targets and 682 air yards.

He was on the field for 78 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

Their other Week 8 calls

Locks at kickoff, graded after. When the start/sit engine grades week 8, the call and the result appear on the public record, wrong ones included.

Drop or keep

Should I drop DK Metcalf for Jaylen Waddle?
Not on these numbers alone. DK Metcalf projects 106 market-implied PPR points from Week 8 through Week 17 (11.8 a game over 9 games) and Jaylen Waddle 110 (12.2 a game over 9 games), too close to separate, so the roster spot decides it. For Week 8 the call starts Jaylen Waddle over DK Metcalf. Jaylen Waddle is listed questionable.
Should I drop Jaylen Waddle for DK Metcalf?
Not on these numbers alone. Jaylen Waddle projects 110 market-implied PPR points from Week 8 through Week 17 (12.2 a game over 9 games) and DK Metcalf 106 (11.8 a game over 9 games), too close to separate, so the roster spot decides it. For Week 8 the call starts Jaylen Waddle over DK Metcalf. Jaylen Waddle is listed questionable.