The boys are back in town for Week 8. Andy, Mike, and Jason delivered five days of expert analysis to help you punch your fantasy opponent right in the face. Remember to listen to The Fantasy Footballers podcast, available wherever you listen to your podcasts.
News
Puka Nacua is expected to return after the Week 8 bye. Jayden Daniels is getting an MRI and could miss some time. Bryce Young left with a high ankle sprain and will miss some time. Andy Dalton will take over. Michael Penix Jr had his ankle rolled on. Dontayvion Wicks has a calf injury. Darren Waller left early due to a pec issue and is getting an MRI. Keandre Miller left early. Cole Kmet is dealing with a back injury.
Studs
Duds
News
Mike Evans is out for the fantasy season due to a fractured collarbone and a concussion. Lamar Jackson did not practice coming out of the bye week. Jayden Daniels‘ hamstring will likely make Marcus Mariota the starting QB for the Manders. Michael Penix Jr. is day-to-day with a bone bruise in his foot. Brock Purdy is still dealing with a toe issue, so it looks like another week of Mac Jones for the 49ers. Brock Bowers and Jacobi Meyers should be ready to go after their Week 8 bye. Tua Tungovolia will remain the starter. Darren Waller is week-to-week, so the injury was not season-ending, but he will be out for the next two. The Panthers will continue splitting the backfield between Rico Dowdle and Chuba Hubbard, according to their head coach. Keandre Miller tore his ACL. The Titans released Tyler Lockett after he requested it.
Waiver Wire
Bye Weeks: Cardinals, Jaguars, Lions, Raiders, Rams, and Seahawks
RBs
David Banks-Imagn Images
RBs are light this week. Chicago’s Kyle Monangai is at the top of the list after extensive play time. The Bears ran the ball 40 times last week. Think of him as a David Montgomery to D’Andre Swift‘s Jahmyr Gibbs. Brashard Smith is getting more involved in KC after Kareem Hunt‘s rushing attempts have gone down over the last three weeks. Smith is getting some targets and may act as more of a pass catcher there. Hunt’s injury may allow more opportunities as well.
Keep your eye on Bam Knight (17 opportunities), so it’s a sneaky add since the Cardinals are on bye. Put Isaiah Davis from the Jets on your bench in case Breece Hall is traded. Tyler Allgeier is a start if needed. Devin Neal will take over as the RB2 in NO and looked solid in college. TreVeyon Henderson is droppable if there is a better option, but is a stash if you have the bench space for it.
WRs
Alec Pierce went 5/98 and is on one of the best offenses in the NFL. Kayshon Boutte is volatile but can deliver via TD equity. Josh Downs may be available and is a hope-and-pray start. Darius Slayton is good enough to deserve targets, but he needs to get healthy. He is the Giants’ best downfield threat. Tez Johnson has a long-term opportunity with Mike Evans‘ injury. Christian Watson could help the Packers and might be back this week. Marvin Mims and Troy Franklin are both options with such a tasty matchup against the Cowboys.
Luther Burden only got two targets. Elic Ayomanor has a clear path to relevance with Calvin Ridley‘s injury. Malik Washington may be the last man standing in MIA and could help teams desperate for WR. You can drop Jacobi Meyers. Jameson Williams is a landmine; drop him, and let another owner fall into that trap, especially since this is his bye week. Matthew Golden is still a stash.
TEs
The number one pickup of the week is Oronde Gadsden. He went ham last week with nine targets after having eight the week before, plus excellent production from college. Colston Loveland may step into the starting role with Cole Kmet getting banged up. As a top 10 pick, he has a decent chance to become a weekly starter. Cade Otton could be a more valuable player considering the targets. Juwan Johnson showed back up last week and can be solid since he’s healthy.
DST
Pick up the Colts! Easy smash spot against Cam Ward. The Falcons take on the Dolphins at home. The Buccaneers are playable vs the Saints. Any defense now taking on the Bengals and Joe Flacco isn’t a sure thing.
Full Stream Ahead
Jason – Tyrod Taylor, NYJ
Andy – Joe Flacco, CIN
Mike – Michael Penix Jr., ATL
Honorable Mention – Jaxson Dart, NYG & Aaron Rodgers, PIT
Back Up Options
Check your waiver wires to see if these players got dropped:
News
Terry McLaurin and Deebo Samuel expect to get a full week of practice and, hopefully, play Monday night. Bucky Irving and Chris Godwin are both improving, but their status remains uncertain. David Njoku is hopeful to play but is still day-to-day. Tyrod Taylor looks to be starting for the Jets. Aaron Jones is designated to return from IR.
Thursday Night Breakdown
3 – 3 MIN @ 4 – 3 LAC (LAC -3, O/U 44.5)
Andy’s almost upset of the week!
The Chargers are a real Jekyll and Hyde due to offensive line injuries, yet still look unstoppable at times. They try to play conservatively, but when it’s not working, they turn it on, and Justin Herbert can shine through the air. Vidal Sassoon will have more opportunities without Hassan Haskins, who was ruled out. The Vikings are the most challenging team for fantasy WRs. Picking between Ladd, QJ, or Keenan will be tough. QJ has the best chance at an Anytime TD (according to sportsbooks), and that’s where Jason leans. Gadsden is a solid start, playing 70%+ of snaps over the last two weeks.
The Vikings’ defense can wreak havoc, but it has given up big plays. Playing in LA will be a challenge. Jordan Addison has been WR 14, 20, and 10. He is playing well and is a fine start. With the Vikings having an easy second half of the season schedule, he should continue that production. He’s a better start than any of the Chargers’ receivers. Aaron Jones is startable if he goes, but it is a risky situation considering he plays early this week.
Second Half Sleepers
Using data from the Ultimate Dashboard, these are players not considered layups. Remember, these are sleepers, not obvious selections.
Mike – Colston Loveland. The Bears have the second-easiest schedule for TEs for the rest of the season.
Jason – Chase Brown. Joe Flacco has hopefully revitalized the Bengals’ dump-off opportunities, boosting Brown’s fantasy production. He has the 8th most targets at the RB position.
Andy – Jordan Love. While he’s only had one good fantasy game, he’s still playing good real-life football. The injury bug bit the WR room hard, but brighter days are ahead. He has a top-10 QB schedule for the rest of the year and gets Jayden Reed and Christian Watson back at some point.
Honorable Mention: Joe Flacco (3rd easiest QB schedule) and Tee Higgins (4th WR schedule).
Breaking News
No Jayden Daniels this week. Darren Waller is on IR with the peck injury. Bucky Irving and Chris Godwin are out for the Buccaneers. Graham Gano is returning from injury and will kick for the Giants.
Mailbag
Need a third WR, am I crazy for thinking I can start Tez Johnson alongside Emeka Egbuka? Yes, as long as Baker continues putting up 300 yards per game and Chris Godwin is out.
Which underperforming rookie has the best chance to break out? RJ Harvey due to contingent upside in a great offense (Broncos). Bhayshul Tuten also has a chance if Etienne struggles. Injuries can always vault these players into league-winning status.
News
Hassan Haskins is out for TNF. Lamar returned to limited practice on Wednesday. DJ Moore, Cole Kmet, and D’Andre Swift did not practice on Wednesday, nor did Calvin Ridley. Chris Olave did not practice for the Saints but is expected to play. Brock Purdy was limited on Wednesday, but Ricky Pearsall did not practice. Josh Downs was limited due to a concussion. Christian Watson said he expects to play. Nico Collins and Christian Kirk did not practice. A knee issue limited Michael Penix Jr.. AJ Brown did not practice due to a hamstring problem.
Starts of the Week
Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
QB
Andy: Jordan Love
Jason: Justin Herbert
Mike: Bo Nix
RB
Andy: Jordan Mason
Jason: JK Dobbins
Mike: Chase Brown
WR
Andy: Chris Olave
Jason: Rome Odunze
Mike: Courtland Sutton
TE
Andy: Tucker Kraft
Jason: Harold Fannin Jr.
Mike: Cade Otton
Fantasy Forecast
1 – 6 MIA @ 3 – 3 ATL (ATL -7.5, 44.5 O/U)
The end of Mike McDaniel is coming. For the second week in a row, we get two lefty QBs playing each other. Penix averages 286 passing yards at home. Darnell Mooney looked good last week and could eat into Drake London‘s dominance. The Falcon defense is playing well and will make for an uphill battle for Tua. Play Bijan! Kyle Pitts is on pace for 85 receptions this year, so he is playable with so many teams on bye. Don’t overreact to Waddle after a rough weather game last week. He is startable. DeVon Achane is one of three players with 400+ rushing yards and 200+ receiving yards. Darren Waller is on IR. Tua had three fumbles and three interceptions last week.
0-7 NYJ @ 3 – 4 CIN (-6.5 CIN, 44.5 O/U)
Here comes our hero Joe Flacco with 45+ pass attempts in the last two games. Higgins and Chase should be fine for the rest of the season. Sauce Gardner is likely out, giving fantasy players more confidence. Aaron Glenn is struggling as a head coach and is being cute about who the starting QB is, though we expect Tyrod Taylor to start. Confirm before game time. Breece Hall popped up on the injury report. Mason Taylor had a down game, but he is playable given the Jets’ limited receiving options and the Bengals’ allowing the most fantasy points to the TE position.
2 – 5 CLE @ 5 – 2 NE (-7 NE, 40.5 O/U)
Dillon Gabriel faces a tough test against the Patriots. The Browns’ defense is playing well and could be a decent-sized hurdle for Drake Maye. Rhamondre Stevenson has been in the top 20 RBs the last two weeks and remains the top RB for NE. Judkins is a set-it-and-forget-it. Harold Fannin is a fine TE play.
4 – 2 BUF @ 4 – 3 CAR (-7 BUF, 46.5 O/U)
The Bills are coming off a bye week after two back-to-back losses. Josh Allen has never lost three straight regular-season games. Panther’s defense is vastly better after being one of the worst last year. The pass catchers are hard to predict, and Dalton Kincaid is the most trustworthy pass catcher because of how much they spread the ball around to WRs. It is National TE week, and last year the position went bananas. Andy Dalton will start for the Panthers. The Bills are a run funnel, and Chuba Hubbard and Rico Dowdle are hard starts, given that they are splitting the workload. Jason and Mike would play Rico while Andy would play Chuba. Chuba does not have a carry inside the five-yard line. Tet McMillan is 27th at the WR position. Dalton hyper-targeted Xavier Legette, with seven of his 10 targets coming with Dalton at QB.
2 – 5 NYG @ 5 – 2 PHI (-7.5 PHI, 43.5 O/U)
Jaxson Dart is paying off his first-round draft pedigree on a team with limited weapons. He’s averaging 8.3 points per game with his legs, which is higher than the career rates of Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen. Skattebo is in thanks to 20+ opportunities per game. If Darius Slayton is back, Wandale becomes a hard play. Dallas Goedert is a TD-dependent play, even though he was the TE1 after the first six weeks of the season. AJ Brown has a hamstring issue and needs to be monitored. Saquon Barkley hasn’t broken off a 20+ yard run after 11 last season. Barkley is a good back and will have monstrous games at some point.
Injury Updates
Terry McLaurin and Deebo Samuel both practiced on Thursday. Garrett Wilson did not. Also, no Nico, no Christian Kirk. Kareem Hunt did not practice, meaning Brashard Smith may get more opportunities.
The Chargers handled the Vikings. Owners need to realize that Charger WRs are going to be hard to trust from week to week. Oronde Gadsden is proving he was worth any fantasy manager who grabbed him. Vidal Sassoon was silky smooth. Herbert is getting it done with his legs.
News
Omarion Hampton is still in a walking boot, meaning he probably had a fracture, though it was non-surgical. It may be week 13 until he’s back. No practice for AJ Brown on Friday. Breece Hall and Tyrod Taylor were limited, while Garrett Wilson and Sauce Gardner are ruled out. Jaylen Waddle popped up with a hamstring injury. Limited:
Deebo, McLaurin, and Josh Downs all practiced, and they will play this weekend.
4 – 2 CHI @ 1 – 5 BAL (-6.5 BAL, O/U 49.5)
Lamar should be back, and the Ravens are in must-win territory. Derrick Henry has struggled, but he and Zay Flowers are good plays this week. Isiah Likely is a stash, while Mark Andrews is a TD-dependent play. Play Swift and Rome Odunze. Luther Burden is unplayable until we see more, and Colston Loveland is a stash. Caleb Williams is playable if owners are desperate.
5 -2 SF @ 2 – 4 HOU (-1.5 HOU, O/U 41.5)
The line is interesting considering Brock Purdy may be back, and George Kittle is in. Nico Collins and Christian Kirk did not practice on Friday, meaning both are likely out. Texans RBs are hard starts at the moment, and the WR room brings plenty of questions. Dalton Schultz is a great TE play, while Kittle is an always-start, even though HOU can limit TE scoring.
5 – 2 TB @ 1 – 6 NO (-4.5 TB, 46.5 O/U)
With no Mike Evans, Bucky Irving, and Chris Godwin, Egbuka should shine along with Tez Johnson. Baker Mayfield is good against the Saints and will pepper Cade Otton, who will play Mr. Necessary. Rachaad White is a start. Alvin Kamara is banged up, so keep an eye on how the Saints utilize RB Devin Neal now that Kendre Miller is out for the year. Juwan Johnson is in a non-contact jersey all week, making him dangerous.
3 – 3 – 1 DAL @ 5 – 2 DEN (-3.5 DEN, 50.5 O/U)
Dallas’ offense is firing on all cylinders, and now gets a Broncos team coming off four straight wins. Most Broncos are playable, except RJ Harvey, who is a wildcard. Same for the Cowboys, and they are the easiest players to play every week.
1 – 6 TEN @ 6 – 1 IND (-14.5 IND, 47.5 O/U)
All Colts starters are in play, and you can take shots on WR Downs or Pierce if you’re in dire straits. Cam Ward is unplayable and ranks among the lowest-scoring QBs drafted in the first round over the last 20 years. Pollard is a start due to byes.
4 – 1 – 1 GB @ 4 – 2 PIT (-3 GB, 45.5 O/U)
Sunday Night brings a fun revenge narrative for Aaron Rodgers. He is trying to beat the Packers to become the fourth QB in history to beat all 32 teams. Christian Watson is likely back, albeit in a likely part-time role. Tucker Kraft is a smash. The Steelers are giving up a ton of passing yardage, making Jordan Love an option. Matthew Golden needs a TD (he has none this year), even with decent target volume. Josh Jacobs is a must-start. Jaylen Warren is a lock at your RB spot and a DAWG.
3 – 4 WAS @ 4 – 3 KC (-12.5 KC, 47.5 O/U)
The Chiefs have a team implied total of 30(!) points and are at full health with Rashee Rice. Brashard Smith has a chance to break out if Kareem Hunt doesn’t go (remember Jerick McKinnon? Think that). Rice is a must-start. Beware: Xavier Worthy‘s health still isn’t at 100%, and Travis Kelce‘s impact is affected by Rice’s return. Mariota is an SOS start at QB. We need to wait on Bill until he turns it around and he lives up to the hype, but he is the starter.
Fantasy Face Off on PrizePicks
Andy
Jason
Mike
Good luck this week, FootClan!