Fantasy & Betting
10/23/24
5 min read
NFL Week 8 Fantasy Football Rankings: Predictions For Every Position
Rankings Last Updated: 10/25/24
Nothing makes the fantasy football season worse than watching injuries pile up.
We wish nothing but the best for players like Brandon Aiyuk (ACL, MCL tear) and Chris Godwin (ankle dislocation) as they embark on their recovery journeys. Adding their names to the seemingly mammoth-sized list of ailing superstars is simply awful.
If there’s anything positive, we can focus on moving ahead to Week 8 when no NFL teams are on a bye week. Managers will have their pick of all healthy guys from each of the 32 franchises.
Perhaps it’s a sign from the fantasy gods that they’re trying to make up all the negativity to us a little bit. You can take it all however you will. But whether you’re ready to or not, it’s time to prepare for the upcoming week of gridiron action.
Together, we’ll catch up on some news around the league and go over position-by-position rankings for fantasy purposes:
Week 8 Fantasy Football Rankings
Week 8 Quarterback Rankings
| Rank | Name | Team | Opponent |
| 1.) | Lamar Jackson | BAL | @ CLE |
| 2.) | Josh Allen | BUF | @ SEA |
| 3.) | Jalen Hurts | PHI | @ CIN |
| 4.) | Kyler Murray | ARI | @ MIA |
| 5.) | Jordan Love | GB | @ JAC |
| 6.) | Joe Burrow | CIN | vs PHI |
| 7.) | Baker Mayfield | TB | vs ATL |
| 8.) | Jared Goff | DET | vs TEN |
| 9.) | Caleb Williams | CHI | @ WAS |
| 10.) | Brock Purdy | SF | vs DAL |
| 11.) | C.J. Stroud | HOU | vs IND |
| 12.) | Jayden Daniels | WAS | vs CHI |
| 13.) | Geno Smith | SEA | vs BUF |
| 14.) | Patrick Mahomes II | KC | @ LV |
| 15.) | Kirk Cousins | ATL | @ TB |
| 16.) | Tua Tagovailoa | MIA | vs ARI |
| 17.) | Drake Maye | NE | vs NYJ |
| 18.) | Russell Wilson | PIT | vs NYG |
| 19.) | Trevor Lawrence | JAC | vs GB |
| 20.) | Jameis Winston | CLE | vs BAL |
| 21.) | Dak Prescott | DAL | @ SF |
| 22.) | Bo Nix | DEN | vs CAR |
| 23.) | Aaron Rodgers | NYJ | @ NE |
| 24.) | Anthony Richardson | IND | @ HOU |
Quick Takeaways
- There’s a slightly longer list of viable quarterbacks this week because there’s no one on bye. As such, this week’s “green zone,” as I call it, extends to around QB18 (Russell Wilson). Anyone above that threshold is someone I’m comfortable starting in fantasy lineups.
- The confirmed return of Miami Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa (concussion) brings a massive boon to fantasy. Not only do his primary pass-catchers, Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, elevated to priority wide receiver status once again, but Tagovailoa himself should be able to find a way to shine against an Arizona Cardinals unit that ranks 29th in pass defense DVOA in 2024, per FTN.
- A full practice week still leaves the status of Washington Commanders rookie Jayden Daniels (ribs) up in the air. He reportedly managed to practice in a limited fashion on Friday, but the decision as to whether he'll start or not probably won't come down until prior to kickoff. I consider Daniels a fringe QB1 should he play, but backup Marcus Mariota would be someone worthy of low-end QB2 consideration in the event he gets the nod.
Trending Up
- A decent chance exists that Jared Goff will move up into the top 10 by the time I readjust my rankings at the end of the week. The Lions’ passing game has been utterly dominant of late. Per Fantasy Points Data, Goff ranks first among all quarterbacks in completion rate (85.3 percent), third in passing yards per game (295.7), and leads the position in fantasy points per dropback (0.85) since Week 4.
- Though a looming suspension to WR Jameson Williams could complicate matters and leave Goff on the outside looking in, now is a great time to rely upon Goff, particularly in a softer matchup against the Tennessee Titans defense (13th-worst in Pro Football Reference’s Expected Points, -18.40).
Trending Down
- It’s clear from the eye test that the Atlanta Falcons offense is much better with Kirk Cousins at the helm. Even some underlying numbers back that up per TruMedia: the veteran ranks 10th in EPA per dropback (0.09) and first down per pass attempt rate (35.5 percent) through seven games in 2024. Unfortunately, that efficiency doesn’t come with gaudy totals in the box score. Cousins has only thrown for more than 250 passing yards with multiple scores just once. Fine for real life, but not as great for fantasy.
- At this point, no one would blame you for wanting to ditch Dak Prescott. The Dallas Cowboys passing attack has been practically useless in the past several weeks (24th in passing offense DVOA in 2024).
- Prescott holds a putrid -0.06 EPA per dropback (23rd among quarterbacks) while posting a meager 5.81 adjusted net yards per attempt (20th). He’s weathered the storm a bit in recent weeks with some fantasy appeal to an extent, but I hold zero interest in throwing Prescott into lineups this weekend against the San Francisco 49ers’ unit that stands third-best in pass defense DVOA.
Week 8 Running Back Rankings
| Rank | Name | Team | Opponent |
| 1.) | Derrick Henry | BAL | @ CLE |
| 2.) | Saquon Barkley | PHI | @ CIN |
| 3.) | Kenneth Walker III | SEA | vs BUF |
| 4.) | D'Andre Swift | CHI | @ WAS |
| 5.) | Breece Hall | NYJ | @ NE |
| 6.) | Jahmyr Gibbs | DET | vs TEN |
| 7.) | Joe Mixon | HOU | vs IND |
| 8.) | Tank Bigsby | JAC | vs GB |
| 9.) | Josh Jacobs | GB | @ JAC |
| 10.) | Jordan Mason | SF | vs DAL |
| 11.) | Bijan Robinson | ATL | @ TB |
| 12.) | De'Von Achane | MIA | vs ARI |
| 13.) | Chuba Hubbard | CAR | @ DEN |
| 14.) | Kareem Hunt | KC | @ LV |
| 15.) | David Montgomery | DET | vs TEN |
| 16.) | James Cook | BUF | @ SEA |
| 17.) | James Conner | ARI | @ MIA |
| 18.) | Tony Pollard | TEN | @ DET |
| 19.) | Alvin Kamara | NO | @ LAC |
| 20.) | Chase Brown | CIN | vs PHI |
| 21.) | Brian Robinson Jr. | WAS | vs CHI |
| 22.) | Jonathan Taylor | IND | @ HOU |
| 23.) | Rico Dowdle | DAL | @ SF |
| 24.) | Najee Harris | PIT | vs NYG |
| 25.) | J.K. Dobbins | LAC | vs NO |
| 26.) | Rachaad White | TB | vs ATL |
| 27.) | Javonte Williams | DEN | vs CAR |
| 28.) | Rhamondre Stevenson | NE | vs NYJ |
| 29.) | Tyler Goodson | IND | @ HOU |
| 30.) | Bucky Irving | TB | vs ATL |
| 31.) | Tyler Allgeier | ATL | @ TB |
| 32.) | Nick Chubb | CLE | vs BAL |
| 33.) | Austin Ekeler | WAS | vs CHI |
| 34.) | Alexander Mattison | LV | vs KC |
| 35.) | Jaylen Warren | PIT | vs NYG |
| 36.) | Tyrone Tracy Jr. | NYG | @ PIT |
| 37.) | Devin Singletary | NYG | @ PIT |
| 38.) | Raheem Mostert | MIA | vs ARI |
| 39.) | Roschon Johnson | CHI | @ WAS |
| 40.) | Zack Moss | CIN | vs PHI |
| 41.) | Travis Etienne Jr. | JAC | vs GB |
| 42.) | D'Ernest Johnson | JAC | vs GB |
| 43.) | Antonio Gibson | NE | vs NYJ |
| 44.) | Zach Charbonnet | SEA | vs BUF |
| 45.) | Justice Hill | BAL | @ CLE |
| 46.) | Tyjae Spears | TEN | @ DET |
| 47.) | Ray Davis | BUF | @ SEA |
| 48.) | Trey Sermon | IND | @ HOU |
| 49.) | Jaleel McLaughlin | DEN | vs CAR |
| 50.) | Sean Tucker | TB | vs ATL |
Quick Takeaways
- Here’s an important note from Monday: per ESPN, Jaguars coach Doug Pederson stated that once Travis Etienne Jr. (hamstring) “comes back, he's just as explosive, just as good, just as powerful [as teammate Tank Bigsby], and it's still his job.”
- Whether we’re to believe this or not is up to the consumer, but personally, I am still comfortably ranking Tank Bigsby as a top 10 option in Week 8. Now that word is out that Etienne Jr. is a "game-time decision" with this injury, there's not much that can be done in terms of adjusting the back-to-back ranking of him and teammate D'Ernest Johnson. Neither would carry much upside running behind Bigsby, but Johnson would be somewhere in the late RB30s in a world where he gets second-fiddle work all to himself with Etienne Jr. potentially out. Nothing more than a deep-league flex option.
Trending Up
- According to Fantasy Points Data, Chase Brown achieved the majority snap share in his backfield (58.5 percent) in Week 7, leading teammate Zack Moss by a margin of 9.4 percent. Additionally, the second-year speedster is amid a four-game streak with at least 13 touch opportunities (carries + targets) dating back to Week 4. Brown is the undisputed leader of this Bengals backfield now.
- Anyone worried about Jordan Mason’s shoulder ought to feel relieved after seeing him post the third-highest snap share (85.7 percent) of any rusher in Week 7. While his 8.9 points in point-per-reception (PPR) scoring didn’t wow managers, it’s nice to know that San Francisco didn’t feel the need to limit Mason’s workload much. We’ll take these small injury victories as they come at this point.
- Perhaps I’m being too stodgy with Javonte Williams. Following last week’s 111 scrimmage yards and two-score effort, the former second-round pick is headed up against a Carolina Panthers defense in Week 8 that allows the most rushing yards (933) to opposing backs this season. I’m hesitant to lean all the way in on a questionable offense, but if there’s any smash spot for Williams to do it again, it would be this weekend.
Potential Breakout
- Assuming we can take the term “breakout” a bit looser, circumstances are shaping up quite nicely for Jaylen Warren to resume his tandem role in the offense opposite teammate Najee Harris. Per Fantasy Points Data, the duo split an even 50-50 of the Steelers’ offense snaps in Week 7, and Warren saw a substantial workload of 15 touch opportunities to Harris’ 22.
- Headed into Week 8, the New York Giants have allowed the sixth-most receptions (34) and the eighth-most receiving yards (279) to opposing running backs. This matchup is ripe for a player like Warren, who sees a decent portion of his work as a receiver out of the backfield. It’ll also likely be necessary for Russell Wilson to get the ball out quickly against an intimidating front that boasts the likes of Dexter Lawrence II and Brian Burns.
Week 8 Wide Receiver Rankings
| Rank | Name | Team | Opponent |
| 1.) | Ja'Marr Chase | CIN | vs PHI |
| 2.) | A.J. Brown | PHI | @ CIN |
| 3.) | Amon-Ra St. Brown | DET | vs TEN |
| 4.) | Drake London | ATL | @ TB |
| 5.) | Jayden Reed | GB | @ JAC |
| 6.) | Tyreek Hill | MIA | vs ARI |
| 7.) | CeeDee Lamb | DAL | @ SF |
| 8.) | Malik Nabers | NYG | @ PIT |
| 9.) | DK Metcalf | SEA | vs BUF |
| 10.) | DJ Moore | CHI | @ WAS |
| 11.) | Davante Adams | NYJ | @ NE |
| 12.) | Stefon Diggs | HOU | vs IND |
| 13.) | Jaylen Waddle | MIA | vs ARI |
| 14.) | Deebo Samuel Sr. | SF | vs DAL |
| 15.) | DeVonta Smith | PHI | @ CIN |
| 16.) | Tee Higgins | CIN | vs PHI |
| 17.) | Zay Flowers | BAL | @ CLE |
| 18.) | Terry McLaurin | WAS | vs CHI |
| 19.) | Garrett Wilson | NYJ | @ NE |
| 20.) | Brian Thomas Jr. | JAC | vs GB |
| 21.) | George Pickens | PIT | vs NYG |
| 22.) | Amari Cooper | BUF | @ SEA |
| 23.) | Danell Mooney | ATL | @ TB |
| 24.) | Marvin Harrison Jr. | ARI | @ MIA |
| 25.) | Xavier Worthy | KC | @ LV |
| 26.) | Wan'Dale Robinson | NYG | @ PIT |
| 27.) | Tank Dell | HOU | vs IND |
| 28.) | Khalil Shakir | BUF | @ SEA |
| 29.) | Romeo Doubs | GB | @ JAC |
| 30.) | Chris Olave | NO | @ LAC |
| 31.) | Jaxon Smith-Njigba | SEA | vs BUF |
| 32.) | Rashod Bateman | BAL | @ CLE |
| 33.) | DeAndre Hopkins | KC | @ LV |
| 34.) | Jakobi Meyers | LV | vs KC |
| 35.) | Keenan Allen | CHI | @ WAS |
| 36.) | DeMario Douglas | NE | vs NYJ |
| 37.) | Ladd McConkey | LAC | vs NO |
| 38.) | Cedric Tillman | CLE | vs BAL |
| 39.) | Michael Pittman Jr. | IND | @ HOU |
| 40.) | Christian Kirk | JAC | vs GB |
| 41.) | Josh Downs | IND | @ HOU |
| 42.) | Jalen Tolbert | DAL | @ SF |
| 43.) | Keon Coleman | BUF | @ SEA |
| 44.) | Tim Patrick | DET | vs TEN |
| 45.) | Tyler Lockett | SEA | vs BUF |
| 46.) | Xavier Legette | CAR | @ DEN |
| 47.) | Ricky Pearsall | SF | vs BUF |
| 48.) | Rome Odunze | CHI | @ WAS |
| 49.) | Courtland Sutton | DEN | vs CAR |
| 50.) | Michael Wilson | ARI | @ MIA |
Quick Takeaways
- There isn’t much to take away from the receiver rankings this early in the week, given that we have yet to see injury reports. The one player I’ll be watching out for the most is Deebo Samuel Sr., who is reportedly undergoing a bout with pneumonia. By Friday's practice, it seems that the Swiss Army knife is back up to speed and on track to play. Unfortunately, teammate Jauan Jennings (hip) is not going to be active for this contest vs. the Cowboys. That will leave rookies Ricky Pearsall and Jacob Cowing as options to step up. If you're to pick one up, I'd lean toward Pearsall, but neither is someone remotely reliable for lineups.
- It stinks that Chris Godwin, and perhaps even Mike Evans (hamstring), will be out of commission for a while. Nobody likes injuries, and discussing them as some sort of “positive” for another player also stinks. Regardless, here’s your note to see if rookie Jalen McMillan is on your waiver wire. The third-rounder from the University of Washington spent considerable time in the slot as a collegiate receiver and did fit nicely into a Godwin-esque role in the Buccaneers offense. He’s worth a look.
Trending Up
- Darnell Mooney deserves to be celebrated for a moment. The ex-Tulane standout sits just a tick behind teammate Drake London in air yards share (32.4 percent) and target share (20.5 percent), all while boasting an impressive 13.1 PPR points per game. I maintain that Cousins is limited as a fantasy asset. Still, we should be enthused by the reality that he can support multiple viable pass-catchers.
Trending Down
- As long as Anthony Richardson is the starting quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts in 2024, there’s probably no reason to even worry about what to do with Michael Pittman Jr. in fantasy — he’s bad. Across the four games in which Richardson has been healthy (Week 1-3, Week 7), Pittman Jr. has registered 14 catches for 151 yards. That’s an average of 7.3 PPR points per game without even accounting for possible touchdowns. For greater context, that point average would rank season-long as 72nd best at the position, tied with Andrei Iosivas.
- As mentioned before, the Lions may be without Jameson Williams for two games after violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs. Such a suspension would be a sizable blow to the Detroit offense, as Williams accounts for 25 percent of Goff’s first-read targets, per Fantasy Points Data. An absence from the speedster could open things up for Tim Patrick, an intriguing deep-league flier to consider. However, we can discuss the expected primary beneficiary of Williams’ suspension in the final section.
Week 8 Tight End Rankings
| Rank | Name | Team | Opponent |
| 1.) | George Kittle | SF | vs DAL |
| 2.) | Brock Bowers | LV | vs KC |
| 3.) | Travis Kelce | KC | @ LV |
| 4.) | Trey McBride | ARI | @ MIA |
| 5.) | Evan Engram | JAC | vs GB |
| 6.) | Tucker Kraft | GB | @ JAC |
| 7.) | David Njoku | CLE | vs BAL |
| 8.) | Jake Ferguson | DAL | @ SF |
| 9.) | Kyle Pitts | ATL | @ TB |
| 10.) | Hunter Henry | NE | vs NYJ |
| 11.) | Dalton Kincaid | BUF | @ SEA |
| 12.) | Cade Otton | TB | vs ATL |
| 13.) | Pat Freiermuth | PIT | vs NYG |
| 14.) | Zach Ertz | WAS | vs CHI |
| 15.) | Ja'Tavion Sanders | CAR | @ DEN |
| 16.) | Mark Andrews | BAL | @ CLE |
| 17.) | Sam LaPorta | DET | vs TEN |
| 18.) | Cole Kmet | CHI | @ WAS |
| 19.) | Jonnu Smith | MIA | vs ARI |
| 20.) | Noah Fant | SEA | vs BUF |
| 21.) | Isaiah Likely | BAL | @ CLE |
| 22.) | Dalton Schultz | HOU | vs IND |
| 23.) | Chig Okonkwo | TEN | @ DET |
| 24.) | Will Dissly | LAC | vs NO |
Quick Takeaways
- If you need tight end help on the waiver wire, snag Ja’Tavion Sanders now. The ex-Texas Longhorn ranks second on the team in target share (19.8 percent), holds an impressive 1.73 yards per route run since Week 5, and seems poised to be the consistent second option opposite teammate Diontae Johnson. Lately, he’s been my favorite sneaky player to talk about.
Trending Up
- Mark Andrews is back! Well, sort of, at least. In the past three weeks, the veteran has only logged a 49 percent route participation rate. Even with limited looks, he’s recorded at least 40 receiving yards and four targets per game in that window, with a 14.4 percent target share that ranks third behind teammates Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman. Granted, scoring three touchdowns in this span has significantly impacted Andrews’ fantasy standing (TE3 in PPR), but we’ll take the uptick no matter how it comes. Start believing again!
- As a rookie in 2023, Sam LaPorta thrived as the secondary option for Jared Goff, receiving 19.9 percent of the team’s first-read looks. The ascent of Jameson Williams has caused LaPorta to drop all the way down to 8.5 percent in 2024, however, and has rendered the Iowa product somewhat useless. I am, however, of faith that LaPorta’s abilities demonstrated previously will enable offensive coordinator Ben Johnson to return to the well and get him going again. His TE19 ranking comes with the risk baked in, but that may change as the week unfolds.
