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| Tuesday, October 26, 2021 |
| Before we get to the heart of today's newsletter -- the top waiver-wire targets for Week 8 and the first look at my rankings for this week, let's quickly catch up on some of the news you need to know from the past 24 hours, beginning with what is looking like a big absence from Thursday Night Football: |
| The Big News |
| Davante Adams is on the reserve/COVID-19 list -- There's a very slim chance Adams could be cleared to play Thursday, but he would need to return two negative tests at least 24 hours apart ahead of the game, and that is assuming he has no symptoms following his positive test. You should operate under the assumption that you won't have Adams available for Thursday's game against the Cardinals. Nick Chubb (calf) is expected to play this week -- Chubb returned to practice Monday and should make his return from a two-game absence if he can avoid setbacks. D'Ernest Johnson was one of the surprise stars of Week 7, rushing for 146 yards, but will likely serve as Chubb's backup in this one. What will be interesting to see is if Johnson takes over Kareem Hunt's role for the next few weeks, because he could still have Fantasy relevance that way. Chubb is a borderline No. 1 RB for this week against the Steelers, while Johnson is more of a desperation play unless we get some kind of confirmation on his role. Zach Wilson is out 2-4 weeks with a sprained PCL -- The Jets traded for Joe Flacco on Monday, presumably to be the starter ahead of Mike White . We'll see if Flacco can get up to speed quickly enough to start in Week 8, because he would surely provide a steadier hand than White, a 2018 fifth-rounder who appeared in his first NFL game last week. This is going to continue to be an ugly offense no matter who is in there, but Flacco could be good news for Michael Carter coming off a nine-target breakout game. Tyrod Taylor (hamstring) will return to practice this week -- Taylor has been out since suffering the injury in Week 2 is clearly close to returning. Hopefully the Texans will put him back into the starting lineup, because, while he obviously isn't the future of the position for them, the Texans scored more touchdowns on offense in a game and a half with Taylor at QB (five) than they have in five and a half since (four). Unless they really think Davis Mills has some heretofore untapped potential, starting a healthy Taylor is the right choice. Ryan Fitzpatrick (hip) will be re-evaluated in two weeks -- Fitzpatrick is set for an MRI in two weeks to determine if he will be able to return from his hip injury. At this point, Taylor Heinicke looks like he's going to be the Football Team's starting QB for the foreseeable future, if not the rest of the season. |
| For more on what will be another busy week for Fantasy, make sure you tune in to Fantasy Football Today on CBS Sports HQ at noon ET, and for help locking in your waiver-wire claims join Jamey, Adam Aizer, and me on the FFT YouTube stream tonight at 8 p.m., where we'll be taking your questions live for an hour. If you've got any questions before then, as always, you can email me at Chris.Towers@CBSi.com with the subject line "#AskFFT" to be included this week -- including in tomorrow's trade mailbag. |
| And here's what we've got on tap in today's newsletter: |
| ➕Top Week 8 Waiver Wire Targets📈Week 8 Rankings📉 |
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| ➕Top Week 8 Waiver Wire Targets |
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| Hopefully, this week's waiver options will be able to make an impact, and there are a few who certainly have the opportunity. You can find Jamey's entire breakdown here. We're gonna need the help: |
| Jamey Eisenberg's top targets |
| Kenneth Gainwell (46% rostered) -- Gainwell has been the primary backup to Miles Sanders this season, which makes him the likeliest player to step up in Sanders' expected absence. The Eagles trust him in the passing game and have showed faith in him near the end zone, which points to solid upside in a larger role, even if he is likely to split time. Boston Scott (2%) -- Scott played 20 snaps in the second half Sunday, compared to 22 for Gainwell, and actually had more carries -- including a goal-line touchdown. If Sanders is out, Scott is going to have a role, and it's fair to wonder if he might not end up seeing more touches than Gainwell. If you don't want to drop what Gainwell will likely cost on FAB, Scott is a sneaky alternative. Allen Lazard (8%) -- With Adams likely out, Lazard is worth a look coming off a five-catch, 60-yard game with a touchdown. He's been less involved this year than he was last year, but seems most well-equipped among the team's available options to step up in Adams' absence. Randall Cobb should also see an increased role and is an interesting PPR option if you need help. Carson Wentz (62%) -- Wentz has multiple touchdowns in four straight and hasn't thrown an interception since Week 2, so he's enjoying a nice bounce-back season -- he has even matched his career high in yards per attempt so far. His volume remains pretty low, but with a matchup against a vulnerable Texans secondary, he should be in line for a solid game. I've got him as a top-12 QB this week. C.J. Uzombah (45%) -- If you're looking for a Dawson Knox replacement, Uzomah is filling a similar role in the Bengals offense, with five touchdowns in his last four games. He's about as touchdown-or-bust-y as they come, but this is a pretty good offense to be chasing that with, especially against the Jets. |
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| 📈Week 8 Rankings📉 |
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| Here's where things stand for me in my first run through of the Week 8 rankings for PPR leagues. You can find Jamey, Dave, and Heath's rankings right here: |
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| Quarterbacks |
| Week 8 is, thankfully, much easier to navigate at quarterback for Fantasy Football. While we have Josh Allen, Hustin Herbert, Dak Prescott, Kirk Cousins, Ben Roethlisberger, and Trevor Lawrence on byes, this week, it's only Lamar Jackson and Derek Carr. I don't mean to minimize the absence of those players for those of use who have to deal with them, but there are just a lot fewer of us impacted this week. |
| That means the need for streamers isn't as great this week. If you do need one, I think the top choice is probably Carson Wentz, who is quietly enjoying a nice little breakout season here. He has multiple touchdowns without an interception in four straight games and now gets an excellent matchup against the Titans, who — Week 7 aside — have been pretty bad against the pass dating to last season. |
| Josh Allen vs. MIAPatrick Mahomes vs. NYGKyler Murray vs. GBTom Brady @NOJalen Hurts @DETJustin Herbert vs. NEDak Prescott @MINMatthew Stafford @HOUKirk Cousins vs. DAL Joe Burrow @NYJMatt Ryan vs. CARCarson Wentz vs. TENRyan Tannehill @INDTua Tagovailoa @BUFAaron Rodgers @ARITrevor Lawrence @SEADaniel Jones @KCTaylor Heinicke @DENTeddy Bridgewater vs. WAS Sam Darnold @ATLJameis Winston vs. TBJared Goff vs. PHIBen Roethlisberger @CLEJimmy Garoppolo @CHI |
| Running backs |
| Kenneth Gainwell is going to be one of the most sought after players on waivers in Week 8 for Fantasy Football, but does he need to be a high priority if you're looking for immediate help? |
| I've got him ranked as RB20 for this week's matchup against the Lions, so I'd say yes. I'm not sure Gainwell is going to have a huge role running the ball -- Boston Scott actually saw more work as a runner after Miles Sanders' injury in Week 7 -- which makes him a little risky to trust without that floor. However, in the Eagles offense, the running backs haven't actually been used as runners very often, so I'm not sure that floor would be there even if Scott wasn't around. |
| What makes Gainwell such an intriguing Fantasy option with Sanders out is his potential in the passing game. He ran 17 routes on his 22 snaps in the second half and should be a focal point in the passing game against a Lions team that has allowed six touchdowns in seven games to running backs as receivers. Gainwell is an RB2 in PPR leagues, while Scott is more like a fringe RB3, though with some decent upside in this matchup. |
| Derrick Henry @INDNajee Harris @CLEAlvin Kamara vs. TBEzekiel Elliott @MINDalvin Cook vs. DALAustin Ekeler vs. NED'Andre Swift vs. PHIAaron Jones @ARICordarrelle Patterson vs. CAR Leonard Fournette @NOJames Robinson @SEADarrell Henderson @HOUNick Chubb vs. PITJonathan Taylor vs. TENJoe Mixon @NYJAntonio Gibson @DENDevontae Booker @KCChuba Hubbard @ATLDarrel Williams vs. NYG Kenneth Gainwell @DETMichael Carter vs. CINChase Edmonds vs. GBKhalil Herbert vs. LARElijah Mitchell @CHIZack Moss vs. MIADamien Harris @LACMelvin Gordon vs. WASJavonte Williams vs. WASMyles Gaskin @BUF James Conner vs. GBAlex Collins vs. JAXJ.D. McKissic @DENTony Pollard @MINMike Davis vs. CARDevin Singletary vs. MIAD'Ernest Johnson vs. PITJamaal Williams vs. PHIBrandon Bolden @LACDamien Williams vs. LAR AJ Dillon @ARIDavid Johnson vs. LARBoston Scott @DETTy Johnson vs. CINNyheim Hines vs. TENAlexander Mattison vs. DALJerick McKinnon vs. NYGJeremy McNichols @INDMark Ingram vs. LAR |
| Wide receivers |
| Davante Adams was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list Monday, which comes at an especially bad time with the Packers set to face the Cardinals on Thursday night, given the league protocols around COVID-19 testing. Adams could be cleared to play in time for the game, assuming he doesn't have any symptoms related to his positive test, however he would need to have two negative tests at least 24 hours apart to be clear. That means the first would have to come no later than Wednesday afternoon. If he is symptomatic, Adams doesn't have enough time to be cleared, it would seem. |
| That means it looks pretty unlikely the Packers will have their No. 1 WR available for Thursday's game. Bad news for them, bad news for Fantasy players, especially since there just isn't anyone in the Packers offense we can feel particularly confident will step up. If you're desperate for a Week 8 starter, Allen Lazard is probably the best option -- he's Jamey's top WR target on waivers this week -- while Randall Cobb could see an increased role and might have some appeal as a low-end starter in PPR leagues. |
| Cooper Kupp @HOUTyreek Hill vs. NYGStefon Diggs vs. MIAJustin Jefferson vs. DALJa'Marr Chase @NYJDeebo Samuel @CHIA.J. Brown @INDDiontae Johnson @CLETerry McLaurin @DEN Mike Williams vs. NEKeenan Allen vs. NED.J. Moore @ATLCalvin Ridley vs. CARChris Godwin @NOCeeDee Lamb @MINMike Evans @NOAmari Cooper @MINBrandin Cooks vs. LARCourtland Sutton vs. WAS Robert Woods @HOUDeAndre Hopkins vs. GBMichael Pittman vs. TENTee Higgins @NYJJaylen Waddle @BUFDeVonta Smith @DETChase Claypool @CLEMarvin Jones @SEAAdam Thielen vs. DALEmmanuel Sanders vs. MIA D.K. Metcalf vs. JAXJakobi Meyers @LACAllen Lazard @ARICole Beasley vs. MIAJamison Crowder vs. CINCorey Davis vs. CINRandall Cobb @ARIDarius Slayton @KCLaviska Shenault @SEAJarvis Landry vs. PIT DeVante Parker @BUFDarnell Mooney vs. LARJulio Jones @INDRobby Anderson @ATLMecole Hardman vs. NYGAmon-Ra St. Brown vs. PHIRussell Gage vs. CARTyler Lockett vs. JAXA.J. Green vs. GB |
| Tight ends |
| Kyle Pitts is the No. 2 tight end for Week 8 with Mark Andrews and Darren Waller on a bye, but it's worth asking whether or not he should be considered the No. 2 TE for Fantasy Football moving forward. He's fifth in Fantasy points per game in PPR leagues, but that is with just one touchdown so far -- every other player ahead of him has at least three. He actually leads the position in receiving yards per game at 78.5 and is currently on pace for 87 catches and 1,335 yards, so the touchdowns are the only place he's falling short. |
| And those should come. He's running the majority of his routes either out of the slot or split out wide, and he leads the league in average depth of target per target at the position, and there should be more scoring opportunities coming in the future. Pitts is already an elite Fantasy tight end. And he might just be the top guy by 2022. |
| Travis Kelce vs. NYGKyle Pitts vs. CART.J. Hockenson vs. PHIDalton Schultz @MINMike Gesicki @BUFDallas Goedert @DETNoah Fant vs. WASJared Cook vs. NERicky Seals-Jones @DEN Tyler Higbee @HOUHunter Henry @LACZach Ertz vs. GBEvan Engram @KCDan Arnold @SEATyler Conklin vs. DALRobert Tonyan @ARICole Kmet vs. LARDavid Njoku vs. PITAustin Hooper vs. PIT Pat Freiermuth @CLEMo Alie-Cox vs. TENAnthony Firkser @INDTommy Sweeny vs. MIAGerald Everett vs. JAX |
| Top-150 Flex Rankings |
| Derrick Henry @INDNajee Harris @CLEAlvin Kamara vs. TBCooper Kupp @HOUTyreek Hill vs. NYGEzekiel Elliott @MINDalvin Cook vs. DALTravis Kelce vs. NYGStefon Diggs vs. MIA Justin Jefferson vs. DALJa'Marr Chase @NYJAustin Ekeler vs. NEDeebo Samuel @CHID'Andre Swift vs. PHIAaron Jones @ARICordarrelle Patterson vs. CARLeonard Fournette @NOJames Robinson @SEAA.J. Brown @IND Diontae Johnson @CLEDarrell Henderson @HOUTerry McLaurin @DENMike Williams vs. NEKeenan Allen vs. NED.J. Moore @ATLCalvin Ridley vs. CARChris Godwin @NOCeeDee Lamb @MINNick Chubb vs. PIT Jonathan Taylor vs. TENMike Evans @NOAmari Cooper @MINBrandin Cooks vs. LARKyle Pitts vs. CARCourtland Sutton vs. WASRobert Woods @HOUJoe Mixon @NYJDeAndre Hopkins vs. GBMichael Pittman vs. TEN Antonio Gibson @DENTee Higgins @NYJDarrel Williams vs. NYGDevontae Booker @KCJaylen Waddle @BUFChuba Hubbard @ATLKenneth Gainwell @DETDeVonta Smith @DETChase Claypool @CLEMarvin Jones @SEA Michael Carter vs. CINT.J. Hockenson vs. PHIAdam Thielen vs. DALEmmanuel Sanders vs. MIAD.K. Metcalf vs. JAXChase Edmonds vs. GBKhalil Herbert vs. LARJakobi Meyers @LACElijah Mitchell @CHIAllen Lazard @ARI Cole Beasley vs. MIAZack Moss vs. MIADamien Harris @LACDalton Schultz @MINMelvin Gordon vs. WASJamison Crowder vs. CINMike Gesicki @BUFJavonte Williams vs. WASMyles Gaskin @BUFDallas Goedert @DET Noah Fant vs. WASCorey Davis vs. CINRandall Cobb @ARIDarius Slayton @KCJames Conner vs. GBAlex Collins vs. JAXLaviska Shenault @SEAJarvis Landry vs. PITDeVante Parker @BUFDarnell Mooney vs. LAR Julio Jones @INDRobby Anderson @ATLJ.D. McKissic @DENTony Pollard @MINMike Davis vs. CARDevin Singletary vs. MIAMecole Hardman vs. NYGAmon-Ra St. Brown vs. PHIRussell Gage vs. CARD'Ernest Johnson vs. PIT Tyler Lockett vs. JAXA.J. Green vs. GBChristian Kirk vs. GBRondale Moore vs. GBJamaal Williams vs. PHIAllen Robinson vs. LARBrandon Bolden @LACOdell Beckham vs. PITDamien Williams vs. LARTyler Boyd @NYJ Jared Cook vs. NEAJ Dillon @ARIMarquez Callaway vs. TBDavid Johnson vs. LARBoston Scott @DETRicky Seals-Jones @DENDante Pettis @KCTy Johnson vs. CINTyler Higbee @HOUHunter Henry @LAC Zach Ertz vs. GBK.J. Osborn vs. DALElijah Moore vs. CINEvan Engram @KCNelson Agholor @LACDan Arnold @SEABrandon Aiyuk @CHINyheim Hines vs. TENTyler Conklin vs. DALAlexander Mattison vs. DAL Tim Patrick vs. WASRobert Tonyan @ARIJamal Agnew @SEACole Kmet vs. LARJerick McKinnon vs. NYGJeremy McNichols @INDVan Jefferson @HOUMark Ingram vs. LARDeonte Harris vs. TBJalen Reagor @DET David Njoku vs. PITQuez Watkins @DETTerrace Marshall @ATLDanny Amendola vs. LARZach Pascal vs. TENAustin Hooper vs. PITDyami Brown @DENAdam Humphries @DENKendrick Bourne @LACPat Freiermuth @CLE Nico Collins vs. LARDemarcus Robinson vs. NYGKenny Stills vs. TBMo Alie-Cox vs. TENSony Michel @HOUAnthony Firkser @INDDeejay Dallas vs. JAXGabriel Davis vs. MIAOlamide Zaccheaus vs. CARGiovani Bernard @NO Mohamed Sanu @CHI |
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