NFL Reactions: Week 8 Recap

Many made a big deal out of the fact that it was National Tight Ends Day. Well, it was clear that a lot of the coaching staffs got the memo. There were more than 10 touchdowns scored by tight ends on Sunday. In addition, there were also some high-yardage performances for the position.

Football fans also were treated to a number of fantastic finishes, including Jameis Winston leading the Browns to an upset victory over the division-rival Ravens and Jayden Daniels tossing a game-winning Hail Mary against the Bears. Let's look at the Week 8 action.

Eagles at Bengals

I definitely didn't predict a 20-point victory for the Eagles in a road game at Cincinnati. Despite throwing just 20 passes, Jalen Hurts scored three touchdowns on the ground along with one through the air. The quarterback was the only huge fantasy producer for Philadelphia. He remains a top-5 weekly option. In addition, with the Eagles focusing on primarily getting the ball to their superstars, the trio of Saquon Barkley, A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith each posted at least 84 scrimmage yards, though Smith was the only one of the trio to find the end zone. Once Philadelphia broke the game open in the second half, they leaned on the rushing attack. Taking advantage of a flawed Bengals defense, the Eagles rushed 39 times. This should remain an easy offense to predict for fantasy. Play the stars and sit the scrubs.

There definitely was concern for the Bengals offense coming into this game. I wasn't excited about the matchup against Vic Fangio's defense along with Tee Higgins sitting this one out. Ja'Marr Chase was targeted 11 times, and he scored an early touchdown to help him produce a strong fantasy performance. However, fantasy managers certainly hoped for more from the star. Based on recent lack of production, it seems unlikely that many fantasy managers used Mike Gesicki in lineups. Those who took the gamble were rewarded with 73 yards, which easily led the team. Chase Brown salvaged his fantasy day with a touchdown, but otherwise, the Cincinnati offense had its share of struggles. Sometimes, styles make fights. In this case, it was probably just the matchup that led to the rough offensive performance. 

Falcons at Buccaneers

In a game the Falcons led throughout, they almost coached their way into a loss. Kirk Cousins had little problem lighting up the Buccaneers' defense for the second time in a month. However, with plenty of chances to put the game away in the second half, they went away from the pass. That led to an increased number of opportunities for the Buccaneers to get back into the game. Fantasy managers who started every key Falcons player other than Drake London were definitely pleased with the production. As mentioned, this offense could have had a much bigger afternoon. Aside from the two matchups against Tampa Bay, the Falcons have been a good, but not great fantasy offense. Obviously, Bijan Robinson and London are two of the best options at their position in the league. We'll continue to play the matchups with Cousins and Mooney. Kyle Pitts had one of his best games as a pro while scoring two TDs. The tight end has had a solid scoring floor for a little more than the last month. There certainly could be down games in the future, but the tight end should be considered a strong starting option each week.

Playing their first game without Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, I was pessimistic about the Buccaneers' offense entering the game. Clearly, Atlanta does not have a top defense, so fantasy managers had some hope. Baker Mayfield continued his excellent season by throwing for 330 yards and three touchdowns. Cade Otton led the team with 10 targets, resulting in 81 yards and two touchdowns. Eventually, I expect defenses to try to take away the tight end, knowing that he's basically Mayfield's security blanket. Still, starting the tight end each week is a no-brainer until the production slows, though that is no lock to happen. After many fantasy managers argued over which Tampa Bay receiver would be the best option, the one few talked about had the best day. Rakim Jarrett only had three targets, but posted 58 yards. As expected, the backfield was basically a split between Rachaad White and Bucky Irving. The duo were both excellent options in PPR leagues. Both of these running backs remain fantasy viable each week, though the upside of each may often be limited because of the shared work. It should be noted that the Tampa Bay run blocking is significantly better than it was in 2023. It will hard to predict which WRs, if any, to start in weekly lineups.

Packers at Jaguars

For the second time this season, Jordan Love left a game early due to injury. On this occasion, it was a groin injury that sidelined the quarterback. Fortunately, Josh Jacobs saved the day by rushing for 127 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Although Malik Willis only attempted five passes, one of those attempts resulted in a touchdown for Tucker Kraft, who made the most of his three targets. Even though the tight end rarely sees big target volume, he has been a great fantasy factor in just about every game he's played. Projecting this offense will have much to do with the condition of Love. Hopefully, he doesn't miss time.

It was a weird game for the Jaguars offense. Trevor Lawrence passed for 308 yards and two touchdowns, but no receiver surpassed 60 yards. The only pass catchers who are reliable weekly options scored touchdowns this week. Brian Thomas recorded 60 yards and a score, and Evan Engram leaped over a trio of defenders to grab a touchdown late in the fourth quarter. It should be noted that each of the top-3 wide receivers for the Jaguars left this game with injuries. Christian Kirk is expected to miss the rest of the season with a shoulder injury. Although Tank Bigsby had a solid stat line of 18 carries for 78 yards, he was unable to score with his opportunity near the goal line. The running back had a decent floor performance.  As long as Travis Etienne is sidelined, Bigsby will remain a solid weekly fantasy option.

Ravens at Browns

Divisional matchups often provide the wildest outcomes. Cleveland looked like a different team with Jameis Winston as its starting quarterback. It should be noted that Baltimore was missing two of its top three corners. Regardless, Winston not only engineered a game-winning drive, but he passed for 334 yards and three touchdowns. The quarterback got away with what should have been an easy interception to Kyle Hamilton that would have ended the game, but the pass was dropped. Those who have invested in Cleveland pass catchers had to be excited in this game. Cedric Tillman led the charge with 99 yards and two touchdowns. Both Jerry Jeudy and Elijah Moore posted at least 79 yards. Of course, tight end David Njoku recorded 61 yards and a touchdown. It should also be noted that it was a difficult matchup for Nick Chubb. However, the running back handled 16 carries for 52 yards. As matchups become easier, Chubb appears to be set for a strong finish to the season. Also, I expect the passing game to have extreme ups and downs due to Winston playing quarterback. That said, Tillman and Jeudy are probably the two wide receivers most likely to have increased weekly value. Don't be surprised if Tillman is (at least) a top-30 receiver the rest of the way.

For the first time in a while, the Ravens' offense didn't look like an unstoppable juggernaut. The Cleveland defense applied heavy pressure on Lamar Jackson. Also, for most of the game, the defense had answers that helped to slow Derrick Henry just a bit. Still, all the primary fantasy options for the Ravens did well. Henry and Mark Andrews both scored touchdowns, Zay Flowers had another 100-yard performance. This is one of the toughest matchups that Baltimore will have all season. The fact that the Ravens did well for fantasy proves how insanely good this offense is. Obviously, it's always recommended to play the primary Baltimore options while expecting excellent weekly production from each player. 

Titans at Lions

The Lions scored 52 points in blowing out the Titans. Somehow, Detroit only ran 43 offensive plays. Still, Jared Goff attempted 15 passes, but three of those found the end zone. Therefore, the 85-yard passing day ended up resulting in a decent fantasy performance. The only pass catcher with more than three targets was Sam LaPorta. Since LaPorta rarely sees more than three targets in a game, he was having a very rough fantasy season and was outside the top-20 tight ends. LaPorta was the only Detroit pass catcher with more than 14 yards. The star caught six passes for 48 yards and a TD. I'm still worried about the LaPorta's long-term production. Since the Lions have been controlling games, Goff rarely attempts more than 25 passes. This week, Amon-Ra St. Brown was only targeted twice and that is not likely going to be a regular occurrence. With Detroit playing so well as a team, Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery remain the most reliable weekly options. Otherwise, we continue to have high expectations for St. Brown, but the inconsistent targets he sees are certainly far from optimal. Goff will have to continue having incredible efficiency on low passing volume. However, the quarterback has shown he is capable of producing in that situation, so he remains a borderline QB1.

Tennessee had this game tied at 14 early in the second quarter. They didn't score a single point the rest of the way. One of the most frustrating players in fantasy this year has been Calvin Ridley. The pass catcher posted 143 yards, but we've also had games where he's barely had any production at all. It was understandable that some fantasy managers chose to bench Ridley in this spot. He has proven to be the true definition of a boom-or-bust player. Also, Tony Pollard exceeded 100 scrimmage yards. The running back may not have a massive ceiling in most games, but Pollard continues to be a very high-floor fantasy option. It should be noted that Nick Westbrook-Ikhine  has three touchdowns in the last month. It's difficult to project him to continue that level of production on limited targets. 

Colts at Texans

Anthony Richardson completed 10 of 32 passes. It is fair to question how long the Colts can continue to leave him in at quarterback. Knowing Richardson came into this game completing less than half of his passes, it was nearly impossible to recommend that fantasy managers play either Josh Downs or Michael Pittman. Pitman only caught a single pass for 16 yards. That 16 yards represented the second highest yardage total on the team. However, Downs caught four of nine targets for 109 yards and a touchdown. The receiver was also overruled on what would have been a second score. Knowing that Downs has had a number of excellent fantasy performances this season, I will recommend him as at least a flex, even if Richardson remains at quarterback. The only other player we can count on is Jonathan Taylor. The star running back rushed for 105 yards and a touchdown in his return from an ankle injury. 

Surprisingly, football fans honestly need to ask themselves what the Texans offense would be like without Joe Mixon. The running back recorded another 100-yard performance while finding the end zone. Although Houston hung on to beat the Colts by a field goal, C.J. Stroud did not have a great fantasy performance. Passing for 285 yards was good, but as often has been the case this season, the quarterback only threw a single touchdown. The good news is that Nico Collins is expected back from injury after missing one more game. However, the potentially bad news is that Stefon Diggs went to the locker room late in the game with an injury. This passing attack could become even more difficult to trust if it continues to have pass catchers miss time. 

Jets at Patriots

It seemed unthinkable that the Jets could underperform against an injury-ravaged New England defense. The only Jet to have a good fantasy performance was Garrett Wilson, who caught five passes for 113 yards. Otherwise, each of the key offensive players had solid floor performances, but it was definitely a disappointing day. Wilson has outperformed Davante Adams in each of the two games that they've been teammates. Of course, the three touchdowns that the Jets scored probably didn't help a ton of fantasy managers. The three players to find the end zone were Braelon Allen, Xavier Gipson and Tyler Conklin. I guess the silver lining is that there were three touchdowns scored, and in most weeks, we would have to think at least two of those would go to the star players. The biggest concern I have is that the morale on this team could begin to circle the drain. Stunningly, New York is 2-6, and its playoff chances seem to be nearing zero. 

Although Drake Maye appeared to have a horrific matchup, he did really well despite only playing a short time. Before suffering a concussion, the rookie rushed for 46 yards and a touchdown. Those who started him in fantasy lineups had to be happy with the fact they got a double-digit performance. Also, with the Jets being terrible against the run, I was optimistic about Rhamondre Stevenson. Although the running back averaged less than 2.5 yards per carry, he caught three passes and found the end zone twice. Stevenson remains a volume-based weekly fantasy option. With Jacoby Brissett playing most of the game at quarterback, there was little production to go around. Fortunately, Hunter Henry had his third good game in a row. It's often tough to trust tight ends, but Henry does appear to be emerging into a high-floor weekly option. 

Bills at Seahawks

Even though Amari Cooper was targeted only twice in a blowout win over the Seahawks, the receiver seems to have completely changed the face of this offense. Both Keon Coleman (70 yards and a TD) and Khalil Shakir (107 yards), had excellent fantasy performances. Also, James Cook took advantage of a bad Seattle run defense by rushing for 111 yards and two touchdowns. I hope I'm not overreacting, but I really think this version of the Buffalo offense could score with any team in the league. Josh Allen is still one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, and now that defenses can't overload the middle of the field due to the presence of Cooper, the options for this unit are limitless.

Can being without DK Metcalf have really neutered the Seattle offense to this level? I was very concerned that the Bills would pack their players in the short and intermediate areas of the field with Metcalf out. I assumed the result would be the offense having issues moving the ball. The Seattle offense has been predicated on great spacing all season. Without that spacing, the only Seattle player with more than 45 scrimmage yards was Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who led the team with six catches for 69 yards. The only touchdown the Seahawks scored was in garbage time, which came from Zach Charbonnet. Hopefully Metcalf returns soon, because I am concerned that without their top field stretcher, this offense could be in real trouble.

Bears at Commanders

Leave it to the Chicago Bears! With a chance to go into the end zone and take a lead in the middle of the fourth quarter against the Commanders, they call a running play to an offensive lineman. Predictably, the handoff was not clean, and the ball rolled right to the Washington defense. Worse than that, Caleb Williams laid a complete egg against what should have been a vulnerable Washington defense. Yes, the Bears did score a late TD to take a brief lead before losing, but it was a forgettable performance. The only positive to take from the offense was the great performance of D'Andre Swift. The running back broke a 56-yard touchdown run. Swift also rushed for 129 yards. I have to think that somehow the young Chicago team got caught up in thinking they were facing a wounded opponent, as it seemed throughout the week that Jayden Daniels was not going to play. I hope that's the only reason the Bears played this terrible game. I'm more likely to throw this game out as an anomaly than anything having to do with actionable advice, as the Bears had been showing growth the past month.

After not having a big game while playing with injured ribs, Jayden Daniels had one of the most memorable plays we'll see. On the last play of the game, he ran around and bought a lot of time. He actually under threw a Hail Mary, but the ball was tipped around and ended up in the hands of Noah Brown for the win! The Commanders faced their first strong defense of the season. Terry McLaurin had another big game with 125 yards. It's difficult to rank the veteran outside of the top-15 receivers in any given week. Maybe McLaurin should be inside the top 10? Although the Washington rushing attack had a strong day, neither running back had a great fantasy performance. Regardless, there's not much to worry about, as Brian Robinson is getting healthier by the week and should continue to see excellent volume. 

Saints at Chargers

The Chargers controlled this game throughout. In what seemed to be an outstanding matchup for the rushing attack against a Saints defense that has been hemorrhaging yardage, J.K. Dobbins had a good game, but nothing special for fantasy. The one standout player was Ladd McConkey, who scored a pair of touchdowns while posting his first 100-yard performance. Dobbins remains a top-24 option at running back. Also, McConkey could be inching closer to becoming a weekly PPR lineup option.

Between the Saints trailing for most of the game and Spencer Rattler being benched, Chris Olave finally had a solid fantasy performance by reaching the 100-yard mark. Also, Alvin Kamara surpassed 120 scrimmage yards. Aside from Olave and Kamara, it's difficult to trust any New Orleans players in weekly fantasy lineups.

Panthers at Broncos

Thanks to a garbage-time touchdown, Bryce Young finished with a pair of TD passes. Although Jalen Coker led the team with 78 yards and a touchdown, scoring when the game was out of hand made his stat line look better than it should have been. With Carolina facing an excellent Denver defense, there's little to take away from this in terms of fantasy. The Panthers still should be able to put up reasonable fantasy production when they get Andy Dalton and Diontae Johnson back from injury and face some ordinary opponents.

For some reason, the Broncos were unable to dominate the hapless Panthers on the ground. Fortunately, Bo Nix took advantage of a bad secondary to throw for 284 yards and three touchdowns. That also led to Courtland Sutton posting 100 yards. Over the past month, Denver has faced some of the weaker defenses in the league and done well offensively. I still see this as being a matchup-dependent offense. When they face some of the better defenses, they could struggle to score points. There is not a single player on the offense that is an automatic weekly start. Usually, Javonte Williams sees enough volume to keep him in the flex conversation.

Chiefs at Raiders

The Chiefs struggled to put away the Raiders. Those who took a chance on starting Patrick Mahomes in what appeared to be a revenge game were rewarded. The superstar threw a pair of touchdown passes along with 262 yards. In an up-and-down season, Travis Kelce  was the only pass catcher to have a good day. Kelce caught 10 passes for 90 yards and a touchdown. As usual, Kareem Hunt led the backfield, resulting in 59 yards and a touchdown. Hunt and Kelce are the two fantasy options we can trust every week. Other players on the team are mostly matchup dependent.

As expected, the Raiders trailed for almost the entire day against the Chiefs. The good news is that Gardner Minshew connected on touchdown passes to both Brock Bowers and Jakobi Meyers. No other Las Vegas player had a strong fantasy performance. Bowers and Meyers are likely  to remain the only players to trust in fantasy lineups.

Injuries 

• Jordan Love injured his groin.
• Brian Thomas sustained a chest injury. 
• Christian Kirk suffered a shoulder injury. He is expected to miss the rest of the season.
• Stefon Diggs injured his knee. 
• Drake Maye sustained a concussion.
• Gabe Davis sustained a shoulder injury.
• Kendre Miller injured his hamstring.