Nguyen studied Murray’s film in the Minnesota offense and noted the veteran is often late to reocognize an open pass catcher. That could be related to Murray’s clear discomfort in Kevin O’Connell’s offense, as Nguyen noted. “When his first read doesn’t open up, he holds the ball and runs backwards,” leading to drive-killing sacks. That’s exactly what unfolded a few times in high-leverage situations against the Lions in Week 8. Justin Jefferson on Sunday appeared frustrated by Kyler’s inability to make the proper reads on critical downs. All of this has an outsized impact on Murray’s fantasy prospects. He now ranks 31st among QBs in expected fantasy points per game, below Bo Nix and Daniel Jones.
Darnold really struggled through consistent pressure from Dennis Allen’s aggressive defensive front as the Seahawks gained just 252 yards of total offense. Things looked manageable in the first half while Darnold leaned heavily on alpha wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, feeding his top option for 92 yards before the break. Allen’s second half adjustments all but removed JSN from the offense, holding him to just 26 yards after the break. Week 8 went down as only the third game of the 2026 season in which Darnold threw multiple touchdowns, leaving him outside QB2 range and on waiver wires ahead of a Week 9 meeting with the Cardinals.
Mike Washington, Jr. in Week 8 against the Jets took over as the team’s lead rusher, logging 25 carries to just two carries for Ashton Jeanty. While Kubiak said after the game that Jeanty would remain a part of the offense, it’s clear the Raiders are willing to experiment with backfield touches. “You see where your team is at and who’s playing the best ball at the time. It’s a 17-game regular season where things change every week. They’ve been changing at guard, they change up front defensively, they change at corner,” Kubiak said. “That’s the NFL. We have a young roster and we’re going to give guys opportunities and see what fits us best. But your 11, whether you’re playing really well or not playing well at all, it’s always going to change a little bit.” The Raiders through Week 8 rank dead last in EPA per rush and second to last in rushing success rate. Jeanty should remain viable as long as he’s the team’s primary pass catcher out of the backfield. Jeanty ranks fifth among all RBs in expected fantasy points per game.
Slovis could, unbelievably, get the start Thursday night against the Jaguars with Lamar Jackson (thumb) and Tyler Huntley (toe) out, and Joe Fagnano (ankle) iffy to suit up. If Fagnano can play, Slovis would presumably serve as Baltimore’s backup. Fagnano completed 48 percent of his passes for 91 yards and a pick last week against the Bills. Look for the Ravens to be ultra run-heavy against Jacksonville, one of the league’s best run defenses. It will be tough to trust anyone in the Ravens offense as a viable fantasy option for now.
Jones apparently isn’t happy with Pickens’ usage through Week 8. Pickens has been targeted on 22 percent of his pass routes on the season, well below CeeDee Lamb’s 34 percent rate. He’s accounted for 31 percent of the team’s air yards, nearly the same rate he saw in 2025. In the Cowboys’ humiliating Week 8 loss to the Cardinals, Pickens had nine targets, one short of Lamb’s ten. Perhaps Jerry has not adequately studied the spreadsheets. Either way, Pickens remains an upside WR2 headed into Week 9.
Martinez, who played four seasons at Nebraska and one at Kansas State in college, was the the UFL MVP in 2024. He’s had stints with the Jets and 49ers, appearing in one NFL game. The Ravens are shoring up their QB room after Lamar Jackson (thumb) and Tyler Huntley (toe) went down in Week 8. The Ravens on Tuesday signed journeyman QB Kedon Slovis.
Jets head coach Aaron Glenn has knocked down suggestions that the Jets would trade Hall before the league’s trade deadline, as Braelon Allen continues as one of the NFL’s most productive rushers. When asked about how the backfield might look when Hall returns from his quad injury, Reich seemed to say Hall would remain the de factor lead runner. “Well, that’s obviously coach’s decision, but they’re both the guy … I mean, that’s a good problem to have,” Reich said. “That’s coach’s decision, but to me … Breece is our guy. I’m assuming Breece is our guy, you know what I mean? He’s one of the best in the NFL, but I think what’s been so excited is like, oh my gosh, we’ve got two of them. I mean, we’ve got two. This Braelon guy, he’s a beast as well.” Allen this season ranks third among running backs in rushing success rate; 11th in rush yards over expected per attempt; eighth in yards after contact per rush; and over the past three weeks he ranks eighth among RBs in expected fantasy points per game, proving the haters wrong along the way. Hall is expected to return to action this week against the Chiefs.
Five of Loveland’s nine targets came on the team’s first drive as the Bears scored the first opening possession touchdown against the Seahawks in the previous 26 games. He would largely disappear until key receptions in the fourth quarter to extend drives, finishing the game tied with Luther Burden for the team lead in targets and second on the team in yards behind Rome Odunze. Loveland has shaken off an extremely slow start to the 2026 regular season with three consecutive games of at least six receptions and 65 yards. He’ll be a middling TE1 against the pass-funnel Buccaneers in Week 9.
Burden’s opening drive score was the first touchdown surrendered by the Seahawks on an opening possession in the previous 26 games, finishing tied with tight end Colston Loveland for the team lead in targets while catching the only passing score from quarterback Caleb Williams. He continues to operate as the team’s top option through the air in a role that is most malleable, which can either be concentrated on the short areas against zone or extended in the vertical against man. Burden is a WR2 in a pass-funnel matchup against the Buccaneers in Week 9.
Raymond’s lone “carry” came on a third-and-long in the fourth quarter in a three-point game, with the play ruled a rush attempt following a slightly backwards toss on a quick swing pass to the perimeter. Raymond did the rest as he turned on the jets for a 39-yard gain to the five, which D’Andre Swift would punch in for the second of his three rushing scores on the evening. Raymond remains unlikely to match his early-season exploits but can be stashed in case of injury to Luther Burden, Rome Odunze, or Colston Loveland.
Darnold really struggled through consistent pressure from Dennis Allen’s aggressive defensive front as the Seahawks gained just 252 yards of total offense. Things looked manageable in the first half while Darnold leans heavily on alpha wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, feeding his top option for 92 yards before the break. Allen’s second half adjustments all but removed JSN from the offense, holding him to just 26 yards after the break. Week 8 went down as only the third game of the 2026 season in which Darnold threw multiple touchdowns, leaving him outside QB2 range and on waiver wires ahead of a Week 9 meeting with the Cardinals.
It was Zach Charbonnet that drew the start for the Seahawks in his first game since tearing his ACL last year, but it was the talented rookie that led the team in opportunities. Price was making his first appearance since hitting injure reserve with a chest injury suffered in Week 2, and while he led the team in yardage and carries, George Holani remained involved in clear passing situations and Charbonnet is liable to see his role continue to grow with each healthy game. Price will be a shaky FLEX option in a better matchup against the Cardinals in Week 9.
Charbonnet drew the start but saw four fewer opportunities than rookie Jadarian Price, the latter of whom led the team in rush yards and touches. Expect the two to continue operating in a near-even timeshare moving forward, leaving Charbonnet in shaky FLEX territory ahead of a Week 9 meeting with the Cardinals.
Smith-Njigba was the entire offense in the first half, accumulating 92 yards through the air while the rest of the offense managed only two, including his receiving touchdown. Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen made adjustments after the break that confined JSN to only 26 additional yards the rest of the way. Smith-Njigba now has seven 100-yard receiving games in eight appearances as he extended his league-leading yardage totals, clear and away the top overall wide receiver in fantasy circles. That position will not change ahead of a Week 9 meeting with the Cardinals.
Kupp was unable to take advantage of the absence of fellow receiver Rashid Shaheed but did cash in for his second touchdown of the season. Kupp’s days of consistent fantasy production are long behind him as the Seahawks head into a Week 9 divisional meeting against the Cardinals approaching must-win territory.
Horton took more massive hits than he had receptions in this one, with Sam Darnold placing him in harms way on more than one occasion. He was already fighting through nagging injuries entering the contest but gave it a go with Rashid Shaheed ruled out, with this game likely doing nothing to help him in that regard. Despite finishing second on the team in receiving behind alpha Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Horton is not a startable fantasy asset ahead of a Week 9 meeting with the division rival Cardinals.
Barner is far from fantasy consideration having only one game through eight appearances with more than a modest five targets while failing to notch a single receiving touchdown. Fantasy managers can safely return him to the waiver wire in all formats.
Williams marched the Bears down the field for a 17-play opening possession touchdown, snapping a 26-game streak in which the Seahawks kept opponents out of the end zone on first possessions in the process. The two teams traded defensive stops for much of the remainder of the first half before the Bears opened the flood gates after the break, vaulting to a 6-2 record and now just half a game behind the Vikings for the lead in the NFC North. Williams’ ball placement was impeccable in this one, the most notable of which came just after the half on three absolute dimes to Rome Odunze for chunk gains. Two surging teams meet in Week 9 when the Bears host the pass-funnel Buccaneers on Sunday Night Football, where Williams will remain a back end QB1.
Swift managers were sweating early as he alternated drives with Roschon Johnson. Those worries were swiftly erased as the veteran lead back played almost the entirety of the second half, scoring all three of his short yardage touchdowns after the break. The three trips to paint marked his second game with three touchdowns through the first eight weeks, now the only player in the league with multiple three-touchdown games. Swift will be a matchup-based RB2 when the Bears host the Buccaneers in Week 9.
Odunze was almost nonexistent in the first half, catching his first pass, an 18-yard reception over the middle of the field, with just under five minutes remaining in the second quarter. The Bears exploited the attention paid to Luther Burden and Colston Loveland after the half, with Odunze catching three passes for chunk gains in the third quarter to help position the team for their sixth victory. Odunze remains unlikely to challenge for the team lead in targets on a weekly basis while playing alongside Burden and Loveland, but his big play ability keeps him in the FLEX discussion, for the time being. That could change in a more favorable matchup through the air in Week 9 against the Buccaneers, where Odunze will be a WR3.
That keeps the veteran tight end on track to suit up in Week 9 against the Jaguars on Thursday Night Football. Andrews has struggled to return usable fantasy weeks throughout his age-31 season, with the team now down to their third, potentially fourth, quarterback for Thursday’s game. he can safely be left on fantasy benches on the short week.
The fact he was listed as limited and not a “DNP” likely signals a more modest injury and we would expect Hill to suit up when the Ravens take on the Jaguars on Thursday Night Football in Week 9. Either way, fantasy managers likely have better options at the position.
Tuten briefly left the team’s Week 8 win in the first quarter but returned to amass 159 total yards and two touchdowns against the overmatched Colts. Fantasy managers will want to track his status closely as the team makes a quick turn to face the Ravens on Thursday Night Football.
This appears to be a non-issue as the veteran change of pace back should be fine for Thursday Night Football against the Ravens. Of greater concern was the absence of lead back Bayshul Tuten, something fantasy managers of both players will want to monitor as Thursday draw nearer. Rodriguez would seemingly be in line for a featured role if Tuten is unable to play on a short week.
The veteran receiver played through both ailments in Week 8 but was limited to only 54 percent of the team’s offensive snaps in a blowout win. Fantasy managers will want to monitor his status in the coming days, with the expectation that he continues to play through the injuries against the Ravens on Thursday Night Football.