Trashman’s Fantasy Fallout Going Into Week 8 of the NFL Season. 

Another slew of injuries plagued the league this week, and I’m going to tell you how to bounce back from them, as we delve into this week’s fallout…

Giants – 21 @ Eagles – 22

 

• Devonta Freeman left the game in the 3rd quarter with an ankle injury, but he only had 3 carries prior to that. Wayne Gallman filled in in his absence and ground out 34 yards and a TD on 10 carries, further cementing his grip when Dion Lewis lost a fumble. Freeman has 11 days to get right, but Gallman would be the likely starter if he can’t go. The Giants face the Bucs this week though, so no Giants ball carrier is a suggested play. 

 

• Sterling Shepard(6 rec, 59 yards, 1 TD) returned to action after 4 games, and proceeded to lead the Giants in receiving. Only 29% owned, Shepard stepped right back into the WR1 role and should be owned in most formats. 

 

• Richard Rogers isn’t the most athletic TE, but in a Carson Wentz offense, any TE will do. Rogers led the Eagles in receiving yards(85) with 8 targets on the day. Only 9% owned, Rogers will offer a high floor for as long as Zach Ertz is sidelined, which could be at least another month. 

 

• Talented rookie WR Jalen Reagor has been activated from IR, but he could be held out through the Eagles Week 9 bye. In any case, he needs to be added in deep leagues. He’ll be the Eagles’ most dynamic pass-catcher when he’s on the field. 

 

Steelers – 27 @ Titans – 24

 

• Chase Claypool faded hard with Diontae Johnson back on the field, but to his credit Claypool was covered by the Titans’ best corner. He’ll be up and down with Johnson in the lineup, but Claypool shouldn’t be dropped. He’s still a starter, playing ahead of James Washington. 

 

• A.J. Brown is an alpha, so he feasts on whatever he can get, but Corey Davis actually led the Titans in targets on Sunday(10). His upside isn’t quite what Brown’s is, but Davis has put up double-digit points in PPR leagues in all but one game he’s played in this season. He’s worth a flex against Cincy this week. 

 

• No setbacks for Jonnu Smith, coming off an ankle injury. He just got bottled up by Pittsburgh. Start him with confidence in Week 7 against Cincy. 

 

Cowboys – 3 @ Washington – 25

 

• The Cowboys offense is in shambles. They’ve started a different offensive line every game this season, and now they may be down to their 3rd string QB Ben DiNucci, if Andy Dalton can’t get cleared from concussion protocol in time for this Week’s matchup with the Eagles. I’d say this is a downgrade for the Cowboys WRs, but you can’t get much lower than where Dalton had them. DiNucci might actually be willing to take some chances, that is if the Boys don’t sign someone else this week. In any case, the Eagles defense is well worth streaming in Week 7.

 

• Kyle Allen has a bye this week, but he gets a string of soft defenses for at least a month after that. He’ll be a decent streamer if you need the help at QB.

 

• J.D. McKissic took a backseat to Antonio Gibson in this one, as Gibson piled on 128 yards and a TD against Dallas. McKissic should see more usage against the Giants this week, in what should be a closer game, but he’s unusable outside of PPR formats, as he’s yet to score a TD this season.

 

Bills – 18 @ Jets – 10

 

• Zack Moss looked like the better back in this one, compared to Devin Singletary, picking up 72 all-purpose yards to Singletary’s 47. Both could be worth flexing against the Pats this week, as Belichick and co. will do their best to stifle Buffalo’s productive passing game. 

 

• John Brown was out for this one, but it was Cole Beasley, not Gabriel Davis, who benefitted. With the Bills trailing for much of the first half, Josh Allen went to his safety blanket Beasley and stuck with him the rest of the game. If Brown misses another week, expect Beasley to be used early and often as a chain mover against the Pats. 

 

• La’Michal Perine didn’t have as many yards as Frank Gore, who actually had a healthy 5.5 YPC average in this one, but the rookie did find the end-zone on Sunday. Both he and Gore had 11 carries on the day, but Perine played 70% of snaps to Gore’s 29%. Perine needs to be added ahead of this week’s matchup with KC. 

 

• Denzel Mims saw his first action of the season on Sunday, leading the Jets in receiving(47 yards) and tying Braxton Berrios in targets(7). Mims didn’t have Jamison Crowder to compete with in this one, but Mims should sustain value even when Crowder returns, enough so to warrant him being added in deeper formats. 

 

Panthers- 24 @ Saints – 27

 

• Curtis Samuel(6 rec, 48 yards) saw his 2nd most targets this season(6) on Sunday, his 2nd highest total this season. Samuel is still a distant third, sometimes 4th if you include Mike Davis, to Robby Anderson and D.J. Moore, but he may be worth flexing against Atlanta this week. 

 

• Now is the time to move Mike Davis, if you want to try to get anything for him before Christian McCaffrey returns. CMC is due to return by Week 9 at the latest. 

 

• UDFA Marquez Callaway led the Saints in targets(10) and receiving yards(75) before leaving the game with an ankle injury. The Saints are notoriously deceptive about injury info, so there’s no telling if he’s going to be available this week, but he’s worth an add just in case. 

 

• Deonte Harris added some flair with 46 yards and a TD on 5 targets Sunday. He might be worth a speculative add in deep leagues if Callaway can’t go and Michael Thomas is still sitting this week. 

 

Packers – 35 @ Texans – 20

 

• Jamaal Williams was the preferred back to A.J. Dillon, with Aaron Jones sitting against the Texans, out-touching the rookie 23 to 5. Williams will be a borderline RB1 if Jones can’t go this week. 

 

• Randall Cobb led the Texans with 95 yards on 10 targets, in what was obviously a revenge game for him, as he hadn’t seen more than 6 looks in a game all season. He’s still only useful as a middling PPR flex in deeper formats. 

 

Browns – 37 @ Bengals – 34

 

• Odell Beckham is done for the season with a torn ACL, meaning you need to run out and pick up Rashard Higgins and/or Donovan Peoples-Jones in that order. Higgins went over 100 yards and DPJ scored in ODB’s absence. DPJ isn’t going to see as much volume as Higgins, but he was in the game for 21 of Baker Mayfield‘s 28 drop-backs on Sunday, meaning he could have some boom days. 

 

• Rookie TE Harrison Bryant started over David MNjoku, who’s actually requested a trade. Bryant scored twice in his role in addition to topping 50 yards on the day. He’ll be TD dependent in this offense, but he’s worth adding in dynasty and keeper formats. 

 

• Gio Bernard had the backfield almost exclusively to himself in Joe Mixon‘s stead on Sunday. Samaje Perine was the only other back to log a carry. Bernard looks safe as a high upside RB2, as long as Joe Mixon is sidelined. 

 

• A.J. Green has out-targeted Tee Higgins in their last 2 games. You should definitely keep riding Higgins, as the Bengals are a passing offense, but Green needs to be picked back up if he’s been dropped in your league. He’s available in almost 40% of leagues currently. 

 

Lions – 23 @ Falcons – 22

 

• All Lions pass-catchers had a decent day in Week 7, but keep in mind that they were playing the Falcons. Things will get much tougher against the Colts this week, so I wouldn’t depend on anyone other than Golladay, Swift, and Hockenson this week. 

 

• For the 2nd straight week, the Atlanta offense has been clicking with Julio Jones back in the fold. You can even fire up Russell Gage in PPR formats this week. 

 

Buccaneers – 45 @ Raiders – 20

 

• A healthy Leonard Fournette out-snapped Ronald Jones 40 to 31 on Sunday, and he out-targeted him 7 to 2. They’re both worth flexing against the Giants this week, but they do limit each other’s upsides. 

 

• Scotty Miller had a 100+ yard game on Sunday, but his time as the Bucs’ field stretcher is limited now that Antonio Brown has been signed. Now is the time to sell high on Miller, who should have at least one more good game in him against the Giants this week. 

 

• Mike Evans has been almost absent in games played with Chris Godwin this season. I can’t imagine things are going to get better for him with Antonio Brown coming to town either. If you’re desperate at WR, now is the time to trade for Evans in hopes that he has a second half re-emergence. 

 

• Nelson Agholor has scored in 4 of 6 games for the Raiders this season. He topped 100 yards for the first time this season in Week 6, and he actually looks fantasy relevant. He deserves to be added in deeper formats. 

 

Jaguars – 29 @ Chargers -39

 

• The Jags leaned almost exclusively on James Robinson in this one, as they couldn’t get much going in the passing game. Dede Westbrook tore his ACL, but no one was depending on  him in fantasy, hopefully. 

 

• Justin Herbert needs to be owned in all leagues, not just the 75% he’s owned in now. He’s putting up impressive numbers, even though he’s mainly targeting Keenan Allen to excess. His rushing prowess is enough to make worth starting on the weekly.

 

• Joshua Kelley had 7 more touches than Justin Jackson on Sunday, but Jackson had the more effective fantasy day due to his receiving. With a terrible offensive line in front of them, Jackson seems like the better play in fantasy right now, as Kelley is going to have to depend on scoring to make his day a lot of the time. 

 

49ers – 33 @ Patriots – 6

 

• Jeff Wilson was going nuts on Sunday, trying to keep JaMycal Hasty off the field no doubt, before he injured his ankle late in the game. If Wilson can’t go this week, Hasty makes for an excellent play against the Seahawks. He should be owned in all formats.

 

• Brandon Aiyuk had a 100+ yard game for the first time on Sunday, as Deebo Samuel exited with a hamstring injury. Aiyuk is only owned in 49% of leagues and needs to be added in most of them ahead of this week’s matchup with the Seahawks. 

 

• Cam Newton threw 3 picks and was benched in New England’s 33-6 loss to the 49ers on Sunday. Apparently Jarrett Stidham only came into the game to get some experience in garbage time, but it only seems like a matter of time before the Pats move on from Cam, if he can’t start producing on the field. 

 

Chiefs – 43 @ Broncos – 16

 

• The Chiefs scored 43 points without their offense doing much fantasy-wise, but we did see Le’Veon Bell make his debut as a Chief. Bell averaged 6.5 YPC  with 6 carries for 39 yards against Denver. The touches were few, but Clyde Edwards-Helaire only had 9 on the day. Bell is worth a speculative flex in what will be a tremendous revenge game against the Jets this week. 

 

• The Broncos were stifled in the passing game, as can be expected against KC, but Phillip Lindsay was able to put up 79 yards on 9 carries to Melvin Gordon‘s 68 yards on 17 carries. Gordon is still obviously the lead back, but Lindsay is worth a deep league flex in most formats. 

 

Seahawks – 34 @ Cardinals – 37

 

• Chris Carson exited the game with a foot injury, as did Travis Homer(knee), leaving Carlos Hyde to play the majority of snaps at RB. Carson is week-to-week, meaning Hyde has a good chance of starting this week against the 49ers. He needs to be added in all formats.

 

• Kenyan Drake injured his ankle on Sunday night, and Chase Edmonds came away with 145 yards in his stead. The Cardinals have a bye this week, but Drake could still miss a game or two. Even with the bye, Edmonds is a must-add if you have the bench space. He’s got RB1 upside when he’s the starter. 

 

• Christian Kirk has scored 5 TDs in his last 4 games, and he’s only owned in 55% of leagues. The Cardinals are going pass heavy these days and Kirk is a big part of the game plan. Pick him up.