8 Fantasy Football Stash Candidates Ahead of Week 8

Oct 21, 2025

Mike Dinovo-Imagn Images

As we enter the heart of the fantasy season, the waiver wire may look barren, but that’s when stashing the right players can swing leagues. Rookie roles are expanding, veterans are reemerging, and a few offenses are quietly reshuffling their depth charts in ways that create sneaky value before it shows up in the box score.

This week’s stashes spotlight a mix of players gaining momentum in evolving situations, from Kyle Monangai’s growing share in Chicago’s backfield to Oronde Gadsden’s legitimate breakout in Los Angeles, along with several wideouts who could turn increased opportunity into consistent fantasy relevance.

Editor's Note: Check out the Week 8 Waiver Wire Watch!

Kyle Monangai, RB – Bears (7%)

Kyle Monangai is starting to look like more than just a depth piece in the Bears’ backfield rotation. The rookie doubled his season-long fantasy total in Week 7, posting 16.4 half-PPR points on 16 total opportunities while handling a healthy 45% snap share. It’s not quite FLEX-worthy usage yet, but this kind of involvement — especially in non-garbage-time situations — makes him an ideal handcuff with upside. Chicago’s coaching staff clearly trusts Monangai in meaningful snaps. He handled the entire second drive of the game and mixed in throughout competitive stretches, not just late in the blowout.

That’s encouraging for a rookie who profiles as a potential downhill complement in the mold of David Montgomery to D’Andre Swift’s diet Jahmyr Gibbs style holding down the lead role. Roschon Johnson is the team’s RB3 in name only at this point, handling all of two touches seven weeks into the season. Even if Monangai remains a change-of-pace option for now, his expanding role and strong situational usage make him one of the more intriguing rookie RB stashes heading into the second half of the season.