Quarterback
Daniel Jones (at Kansas City)
Jones played well against the Panthers last week without the benefit of his top three wide receivers or Saquon Barkley. Sterling Shepard has returned to practice so far this week, and there’s optimism that Barkley, Kadarius Toney, and Kenny Golladay could return to practice, too. The Chiefs defense is one of the most generous in the league, and Jones might be able to put up fantasy relevant numbers without his best skill players. If he gets most or all of them back for Monday night, he could turn this game into a shootout with Patrick Mahomes II.
Tyrod Taylor (vs Los Angeles Rams) **Monitor Status**
Taylor returned to practice this week. While it’s not a guarantee he will play, if he does then he will be a strong QB2/Superflex and viable streamer this week. He already had a strong game, worth 20+ in most every scoring system, to open the season, and he accounted for two scores before he left Week 2 in the first half. The Rams defense doesn’t look like a shutdown unit after the Lions were able to hang with them last week.
Teddy Bridgewater (vs Washington)
Bridgewater is facing the abysmal Washington pass defense, and he’s getting his favorite receiver, Jerry Jeudy, back from an ankle injury. Each of the last six quarterbacks to face Washington have gone over 27 points in Footballguys standard scoring, including Daniel Jones, Matt Ryan, and Jameis Winston.
Jameis Winston (vs Tampa Bay)
Winston will face his old team, which should be meaningful to him, in the first game with Mark Ingram back in the fold, which should be meaningful to the team, not that they need any more purpose or intent to get up for a game against the Bucs. Teams abandon the run and lean on the pass against the Bucs, so the Saints should be no different. Taysom Hill and Michael Thomas are looking unlikely for Week 8, but speedy deep threat Deonte Harris could be back to add another vertical target for Winston.
Running Back
Myles Gaskin (at Buffalo)
The Dolphins can’t pull the rug out from under Gaskin fantasy teams this week, as the injury to Malcolm Brown should insure that Gaskin leads the backfield in touches. His involvement in the passing game gives him a solid PPR floor, but the possibility of a lot of garbage time against the Bills team that has run up the score on the Dolphins before gives him a high ceiling too. Last year in a 56-26 season-ending loss, Gaskin compiled 77 yards, four catches, and a score.
Michael Carter, Ty Johnson (vs Cincinnati)
Carter and Johnson could be cheap PPR hits against the Bengals. The two combined for 14 catches and 132 receiving yards last week, with neither having fewer than six catches or 65 receiving yards. The inexperienced Mike White will get the start, and he was responsible for most of those passes to running backs, so the trend could continue this week in a limited passing game against a Bengals defense that gave Lamar Jackson trouble when he threw downfield last week.
David Johnson (vs Los Angeles Rams)
Johnson became the de facto lead back when Mark Ingram was traded to the Saints earlier this week. He has been involved in the passing game, but should get a starter’s share of carries. Granted, that is only 10-15 at most, especially in a matchup against the Rams, but if Tyrod Taylor is back at quarterback, the offense should be revitalized. Johnson caught a touchdown from Taylor in the Week 1 win over Jacksonville.
Samaje Perine (at New York Jets)
The Jets are giving up the most fantasy points to opposing backfields by a large margin, which makes a case for Perine as a desperation play this week. Opposing backs have scored 11 times against them, and they have racked up at least 44 receiving yards in every game, with over 90 in half of the Jets six contests. The Bengals seemed content to split the work last week in the win over the Ravens, which indicates that Perine may get the call if they have garbage time against Mike White and company.
Boston Scott, Kenneth Gainwell (at Detroit)
If you have to dig deep this week, consider the Eagles backfield. Boston Scott should get more early down work and have a better shot at any rushing touchdown that isn’t notched by Jalen Hurts, while Kenneth Gainwell has been a bigger presence in the offense to date and should do more with his touches. The Lions have already given up nine scores and three 100-yard games to opposing backs this season.
Wide Receiver
Jamal Agnew (at Seattle)
Everything about Agnew’s game-by-game statistics this year indicates that he is getting more involved in the offense and more capable of production as the season goes on. The Jaguars are coming out of their bye and they may have a more coherent plan to use Agnew, who maps best to the role Travis Etienne left open when he went down with a foot injury in the preseason. Seattle’s defense has been one of the worst in the league and could easily give up a big play to the speedy and crafty Agnew.
Sterling Shepard, Kadarius Toney (at Kansas City) **Monitor Status**
Shepard is back in practice after hurting his other hamstring last week, which is actually good news, because that means it wasn’t an aggravation of his previous injury, which got a chance to heal more in the week off. Toney could be back from his ankle injury this week too, so really we want to play whoever is healthier of these two target magnets, which we can base on the Saturday practice participation. The Chiefs should force the Giants to open up the offense, which could create a big PPR game for one or both of these receiver.
Tyler Johnson (at New Orleans)
Johnson was a dud in place of Antonio Brown in Week 7, but that was because everything thrown to Mike Evans was came too easy. This week Evans will face nemesis Marshon Lattimore, who has held Evans catchless multiple times and twice last year held him to one catch. That should free up targets for Johnson, who can play both inside and outside in the Bucs pass offense.
Randall Cobb (at Arizona) **Thursday**
Cobb is the temporary #1 receiver against the Cardinals this week with Davante Adams and Allen Lazard both on the covid list for the Week 8 quarterback duel. He should operate out of the slot and be an attractive target for Aaron Rodgers, who will likely have to open up the offense to keep up with Kyler Murray. Cobb could easily get into double digit catch territory if the Packers defense can’t slow down the Cardinals.
Van Jefferson (at Houston)
Jefferson got in on over 90% of the snaps last week with the Rams offense morphing into more of a three wide receiver attack since #2 tight end Johnny Mundt went on the shelf with a knee injury. The Texans defense should be easy for Matthew Stafford to solve, which gives Jefferson a decent chance to start a scoring streak after he found paydirt last week.
Tight End
Evan Engram (at Kansas City)
Engram should be in a smash spot against a Chiefs defense that has had trouble defending tight ends this year. Tight ends have scored against them in four straight games, which includes illustrious names like MyCole Pruitt, Ricky Seals-Jones, and Dallas Goedert. Engram was more involved in the passing game last week and appeared to be as healthy as he has been all year.
Robert Tonyan Jr (at Arizona) **Thursday**
Tonyan is a converted wide receiver, so he could be a major cog in the pass offense on Thursday night. Last year, he had a three touchdown game with Davante Adams and Allen Lazard sidelined. Tonyan’s outlook is so good this week that you might consider playing him at flex if you already have an entrenched tight end in your lineup like Travis Kelce or Kyle Pitts.
Tyler Conklin (vs Dallas)
Conklin could be a good play this week if the Cowboys offense clicks against the Vikings and forces the team to again depend on Kirk Cousins turn this game into a track meet. Dallas has allowed four scores to tight ends this year, and Conklin has had at least 70 receiving yards in two of the three games that the Vikings have topped 30 points.
Adam Trautman (vs Tampa Bay)
Trautman got his highest target total last week since Week 1, and just in time for a matchup with the Bucs, who encourage opponents to fill the air with football because of their stone wall run defense. The Bucs have already allowed four scores to tight ends this year, and even the lowly Bears pass offense mustered eight tight end receptions against them. Trautman should be on your waiver wire if you need to go far down the list to find your Darren Waller/Mark Andrews replacement this week.
