Week 8 Fantasy Football Recap

There were a lot of good performances this week!! Thirty-five players scored at least 20 PPR points; 35 players also had at least 15 Standard points. It was easy to find stars performing as such and borderline players taking that next step in Week 8.

Every team played this week, which helps. We have to deal with at least four teams on bye in four of the next five weeks, so the big performances are likely to be more limited. Let's recap Week 8 and highlight players who stood out, for better or worse.

Fantasy points and rankings are from ESPN.

No Explanation Needed

These guys did what they were supposed to do as consistent fantasy performers.

QB

• Allen and Herbert have very close passing lines, but Allen added over 10 fantasy points on the ground (41 yards and a touchdown), setting him apart.

RB

• I was very cautious of Henry and Mixon and considered removing them from must-start status this week; I left them because they lead their respective backfield and get plenty of volume, racking up stats. That was the case again in Week 8 and a reminder why your starters are your starters: they just get it done.
• McCaffrey tied the record for most consecutive weeks with a touchdown. He's a fantasy machine.
• Gibbs is showing why he was a first-round pick with David Montgomery out. Even when Montgomery returns, Gibbs has earned himself a steady role.

WR

• Lamb also ran the ball once for 12 yards, because, why not?
• K.J. Osborn had eight receptions for 99 yards, but things suddenly look dark for Minnesota playmakers. Kirk Cousins tore his Achilles and will miss the rest of the season. T.J. Hockenson stays at the must-start level (for now), but Addison and Osborn have been vaulted to a universe of uncertainty.
• What a day for Hurts and the Philadelphia receivers. In last week's preview, I made a simple statement: everyone eats against the Washington defense. No team has been more giving in the passing game, and Philly took advantage. Even Julio Jones caught a touchdown on his one reception.
• Cincinnati's receivers had a vintage day: On top of Chase's 100 yards, Tee Higgins recorded five receptions for 69 yards, and Tyler Boyd added 40 yards and a touchdown. The Bengals returning to form on offense is a scary proposition for the rest of the AFC.

TE

• Engram lost a fumble, costing him two points. That hurts when he scored less than nine in Standard formats. PPR is a different story for Engram, where he is a borderline star, but he has been a middling player in Standard while continuing to be shut out of the end zone.

Overperformers

These players stood out this week and turned heads.

QB

• Levis put up great stats in his first game (even if the actual performance wasn't quite as impressive). He is a player who used his legs a lot in college, and Levis could be a matchup-dependent starter some weeks thanks to his running (like Daniel Jones).
• You will see below how much Howell's pass catchers benefited from his 52 pass attempts.
• Burrow also had 43 rushing yards. He's starting to look like himself after a rough (and injured) start to the season.
• Dobbs used rushing to supplement a mediocre day, finishing with 26 yards and a touchdown on the ground. This may be his last fantasy performance for a while: the team announced Clayton Tune or Kyler Murray will start next week.

RB

• I've been hesitant to pull the trigger on Hall as a must-start, but it's time. He has three straight top-10 weekly finishes.
• Edwards has four touchdowns over the last three weeks. I don't trust him as a weekly starter, but he has taken hold of the Baltimore backfield. This can only end in heartbreak, knowing the Ravens rushing situation, but I see Edwards as a RB2/flex for now.
• Hunt has been a fantasy starter three straight weeks, scoring four touchdowns over that time. Pierre Strong had an efficient day with 11 touches for 82 yards, while Jerome Ford entered the game hurt and gained just 39 yards on 10 touches.
• Is Ekeler back? That rushing line is ugly, but his receiving production helped him excel. He's virtually must-start, but his return from a high ankle sprain had been very rocky before Sunday.
• Moss ran in a touchdown for the better fantasy day, but Jonathan Taylor was more efficient for the Colts, gaining 97 yards on 13 touches. These two are in an even timeshare and both under consideration each week; Taylor has RB2 upside, and Moss keeps producing like a fantasy starter (I like him as a flex).

WR

• Khalil Shakir had the most receptions (six) and yards (92) of his career. Between Shakir, Davis, and Stefon Diggs, the Buffalo receiver trio went for 249 receiving yards on 24 catches.
• Mike Evans had a quieter day than his teammate but still turned three catches into 39 yards and a touchdown. This duo is talented, but their ceiling is somewhat capped with Baker Mayfield. Godwin also had a rush for 14 yards.
• Pittman was far from efficient but racked up catches and got into the end zone. Pittman has been a consistent fantasy performer with five PPR finishes in the top 22 (four in Standard). Rookie Josh Downs has officially broken out over the last month or so; he had seven catches for 72 yards in Week 8.
• I praised the Philadelphia pass-catches above, so let's give Washington's group their deserved love. All three of these guys had good days as their QB went for almost 400 yards. Tight end Logan Thomas joined the party with six receptions for 44 yards and a touchdown of his own.
• Lockett has had his ups and downs, but Week 8 was maybe his best game of the season. DK Metcalf had five receptions for 67 yards after missing last week, and obscure rookie Jake Bobo scored on a three-yard run. Rookie first-rounder Jaxon Smith-Njigba also scored for the second straight week.
• Jeudy and Courtland Sutton are still in heavy trade rumors, and they both had decent performances among the talk. Sutton also had just two catches but one went for a touchdown. This duo has put up back-to-back good weeks to show off for potential suitors.

TE

• Hill seems to have had a bad day from that stat line, but he completed a pass for 44 yards and ran nine times for 63 yards and two touchdowns. Hill at tight end is the same as a running quarterback, seeing more value from things outside the usual listed job.
• This has to be the best tight end week of the season.

Underperformers

These players didn't live up to expectations, leaving fantasy owners frustrated.

QB

• Stroud scored on a QB sneak to give him a moderate fantasy day: he would have been down near Mahomes without that score. The Panthers are a good defense, and this shows that Stroud is more matchup-dependent than he may have seemed at times earlier this season.
• Mahomes was dealing with the flu and didn't channel his inner Michael Jordan.

RB

• Devin Singletary had the same 12 touches Pierce did and gained 43 total yards. These backs are locked into a timeshare of mediocrity; neither is worth more than a bench spot right now (though they are worth a roster spot). On top of everything else, they lost a one-yard rushing touchdown to fullback Andrew Beck who was also given another carry at the goal line before Stroud snuck the ball in.
• On top of a bad day, Mattison lost a touchdown to his backup, Cam Akers (10 touches for 25 yards).

WR

• Kupp and Nacua ran into a major league defense in Dallas. Backup receiver Ben Skowronek caught just one pass, but it went for a 20-yard touchdown, adding insult to injury (figurative injury, don't worry). There will be better days (and matchups) ahead, but it's been an up-and-down ride for the Kupp/Nacua duo together.

TE

• Waller left the game with an injury, so he was spared from having to perform in the debacle that was the Giants' passing game. Matt Breida had the same receiving line as Waller; they were the only two Giants with positive receiving yards.
• Goedert is still treated as a must-start player, but he only has two Standard finishes (and three PRR) higher than 15th this year.

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